Registration challengers in Ohio may be criminally liable

[Ms. Toad]

Poor Alex was not having a good day yesterday...

(Alex is the Republican "God" of Summit County - any elected Republican in Summit County will find him or herself on the unemployment roster soon thereafter)

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/10042113.htm?1c

976 challenges to voter registration in Summit County withdrawn yesterday by the Republican officials when it was quickly discovered that the challengers had no personal knowledge of the basis for the challenges.

<<The challengers, all older longtime Republicans -- Barbara Miller, Howard Calhoun, Madge Doerler and Louis Wray -- were subpoenaed by the elections board and were present at the hearings. Akron attorney Jack Morrison, a Republican, volunteered to represent the four.

Democratic board member Russ Pry suggested that the four could be subject to criminal prosecution for essentially making false claims on the challenge forms. The form states that making a false claim is subject to prosecution as a fifth-degree felony.

On Morrison's advice, Miller then refused to take part in any hearings after Herold's, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.>>

Alex Arshinkoff was forced to second the motion for withdrawal of the challenges yesterday, and suggested the statewide GOP chair should be held accountable for the fiasco.

On top of that, someone wants to spray paint his big sign:

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/10044941.htm

If you're in a state with a challenge law (either registration or poll) you might want to check to see if there is a similar requirement for personal knowledge as to the basis of the challenges.

[JuniorPlankton]

1. Great!

The bastards should be liable for their criminal actions!

[Mandate My Ass]

2. Excellent news!!

*

[wishlist]

3. Good- need to nip it in the bud and make challengers think twice about it

kick

[Philostopher]

4. Freakin' hypocrites.

They want to be able to challenge registrations the same way they accuse Dems and liberal organizations of registering voters in the first place -- haphazardly. This only applies to registration challenges, though, no? Does it also apply to poll challenges, or can they just 'randomly' pick out the African Americans and college students and say 'I challenge his right to cast a ballot?'

Because, you know, of course they're not just going to pick out minorities and the very young, right? They'd never do that, would they ...

If you believe that, I've got a Rolex for you. It's right twice a day.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Ugly people.

And they all come to retire in my neighborhood. <sigh>

[liberalmuse]

6. To take away a person's right to vote...

is an act of treason. People around the world have risked their lives to vote. It is our most precious fundamental right. Any company working to disenfranchise citizens of this country should be prosecuted by the full extent of the law. I'd go so far as to say anyone who is caught knowingly participating in voter fraud should be hung in the public square. I don't believe in the death penalty, but I'll make an exception for these totalitarian fucks.

[bushisanidiot]

7. They need to do time. A slap on the wrist for attempting to supress votes

is NOT acceptable!! they need to be made an example of otherwise all the repukes are going to be doing the same damned thing and there won't be any way to sort it out on election day.

[ianrs]

8. kick nt

[urizenxvii]

9. ouch

they got burned... hopefully this will continue!

[AP]

10. MLK was willing to go to jail for his beliefs. Don't these Republicans...

...care enough about democracy to risk jail with their challenges?





Didn't think so.

[Rose Siding]

11. Here's some of the hearing transcript-

This explains how they trapped the people on the list to challenge them. They sent a registered letter, from the RNC and if it came back as undeliverable (not signed for), the RNC challenged those registrations. WHO would SIGN for a letter from the RNC?!!! And if you weren't home, you'd have to respond to the note, go to the PO, and sign for it there!

EXCERPT FROM TODAY'S SUMMIT COUNTY ELECTION BOARD HEARING:
General 2004 :: Thu Oct 28th, 2004 at 07:28:44 PM EST

Mr. PRY: Ms. Miller, you filed a challenge to the voting residence of
Catherine Ann Herold, who lives at 238 30th Street Northwest, Barberton, Summit County, Ohio; is that correct?

MS. MILLER: I did.

MR. PRY: And have you ever been to that residence?

MS. MILLER: No.

MR. PRY: Do you know Catherine Ann Herrold?

MS. MILLER: No, I don't.

MR. PRY: You have indicated in this challenge form that the person - that you believe that she does not live at that residence; is that correct?

MS. MILLER: That's correct.

MR. PRY: And what is the basis for you making this challenge?

MS. MILLER: That was my impression that these items that I signed were for people whose mail had been undeliverable for several times, and that they did not live at the residence.

MR. PRY: Did you personally send any mail to Ms. Herrold?

MS. MILLER: No, I did not.

MR. PRY: Have you seen any mail that was returned to Ms. Herrold?

MS. MILLER: No, I have not.

MR. PRY: Do you have any personal knowledge as we stand here today that Ms. Herrold does not live at the address at 238 30th Street Northwest?

MS. MILLER: Only that which was my impression; that their mail had not been able to be delivered.

MR. PRY: And who gave you that impression?

MS. MILLER: Attorney Jim Simon.

MR. PRY: And what did --

MS. MILLER: He's an officer of the party.

MR. PRY: An officer of which party?

MS. MILLER: Republican party.

MR. PRY: Where did you complete this challenge form at?

MS. MILLER: My home.

MR. PRY: What did Mr. Simon tell you with respect to Ms. Herrold's residence?

MS. MILLER: That the mail had come back undeliverable several times from that residence.

MR. PRY: And you never saw the returned mail?

MS. MILLER: No, I did not.

MR. PRY: Now, you've indicated that you signed this based on some personal knowledge.

MR. HUTCHINSON: (Joseph F. Hutchinson, Jr. Summit County Board of Elections) No

MR. ARSHINKOFF: (Alex R. Arshinkoff, Summit County Board of Elections) Reason to believe. It says, "I have reason to believe." It says it on the form.

MR. JONES: It says, "I hereby declare under penalty of election falsification, that the statements above are true as I verily believe."

MR. ARSHINKOFF: It says here, "I have reason to believe."

MR. HUTCHINSON: It says what it says.

MR. ARSHINKOFF: You want her indicted, get her indicted.

MR. PRY: That may be where it goes next.

MR. HUTCHINSON: Yeah, give it a try.

MR. MORRISON: I'm going to enter an objection.

MR. JONES: Can we have you name?

MR. MORRISON: Yes. Jack Morrison. I've just been informed by Mr. Pry that an indictment may flow out of this, and therefore I'm instructing Ms. Miller to exercise her privilege against self-incrimination. She will not answer any further questions.

MR. PRY: There's no basis for this challenge.

MR. JONES: Since she's here, we're going to allow Ms. Herrold share with us -- thank you, Ms. Miller.

MS. MILLER: May I sit down?

MR. JONES: Yes.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2004/10/28/192844/76#readmore

[SaintLouisBlues]

20. Is this undeliverable mail just an excuse or is it real?

If it is real, how would these repukes know?

What's the Post Office up to besides loosing 58K ballots in Florida?

[wellst0nev0ter]

30. Oh It's Real

The repukes have been sending registered mail to urban Democrats and basing their challenges on those who refused to recieve republican propoganda.

you can never put anything past these people.

[MallRat]

12. I like the sound of that... Republican vote-suppressors are FELONS.

n/t

[ticapnews]

13. Edward A. Pankus is the guy who officially challenged voters..

...in Jefferson County.
http://www.wtov9.com/news/3865776/detail.html

Mr. Pankus was apparently not present at the hearing yesterday.

Who is Ed Pankus?

He is the VP of Commercialization at Cercorp (http://www.cercorp.com )

The one reference a quick Google search turned up was this posting:
http://www.mikehersh.com/What_is_truth.shtml

What is truth?
By Ed Pankus
Mar 25, 2003

Ed Pankus writes: What is truth?

I love your site. It's so full of truth that I have to scrape my shoes off before leaving my computer screen. I figured it out, your just parodying the leftist socialists agenda for our enjoyment, right? Your creative writing is humorous and goes beyond the pale to the ridiculous that you may actually have something of value here for all Americans to enjoy.

Continued success and keep writing. It helps so many of us see the weak foundation of a dying ideology and draws a distinct line in the sand between our everyday lives in a free country while exposing the desire of progressive liberals to lead us to complete chaos and the destruction of national sovereignty under the guise of greater security...No one understands and writes this propaganda better than you Michael.

Ed Pankus
Vice President
Commercialization


If you want to telephone Mr. Pankus to express your opinion of his challenging all those voters, and then not showing up at the hearing, the contact information for Cercorp is:

Cercorp Initiatives Inc.
The Innovation Center
2230 Sunset Blvd.
Steubenville, Ohio 43952

Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
[e-mail]

[UL_Approved]

14. Keep on it

The article presented here requires two things:

1. Exposure to news organizations
2. Investigations in other districts

The success of the Kerry/Edwards campaign depends upon in investigation of voter fraud all across the U.S. This needs to be taken up by national news organizations for some serious coverage. Yesterday was one hell of a day in the news, and today could be just as big if we dig through articles and contact major networks about the findings.

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

15. Registration Challengers

I live in Ohio - Hope I run into one of the monsters! What I find truly fascinating and just goes to underly the complete hypocrisy of the Repuke Party: Aren't we fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to bring democracy to these lands so that there people can enjoy free elections? At last count 1,109 Americans have died for this "right" in Iraq not to mention the 139 in Afghanistan and let us never forget the over 8,000 permanently maimed from this exercise - and yet in this country we have to worry about our right to vote because Communist Karl and his thugs are going to try to steal another election? Please, someone wake me up from this nightmare!

[sdfernando]

24. You hit the nail on the head!

Don't these bastards realize that they are dishonoring EVERY SINGLE VET that ever fought for our freedoms?!?! EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! It should be pointed out to them, drive it home, this could include a parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, child, grandchild. It sickens me that they are willing to spit on every single grave of every war veteran we've ever had. I hope they rot in the lowest level of hell!!

[Gothmog]

16. Excellent news

The fact that some of these GOP pawns may face criminal charges is great news. Put a few of these idiots behind bars and lets see what happens.

[Liberal Veteran]

17. I think we must do everything in our power to make their lives hell...

...from pressing charges against them if possible, to plastering their names all over the neighborhood they live in and near their workplaces and churches on fliers for their attempts to disenfranchise voters.

[countryken]

18. Who knows the Florida laws?

I'd sure like to get those bastards out of the polling places here in Duval County. The fact that we are on their list is well documented now.

[henslee]

19. These cockroaches act tough when they can hide, but expose them to light,

go after them individually, its a differnt story. They turn chickenshit. Whether challenging a voter or stealing a JK sign, the individual must be held accountable. I am all for tougher penalities for campaign related crimes.

[RaleighNCDUer]

21. His party is blatantly trying to disenfranchise voters

and he is upset that people are mad enough to attack his yard sign.

You sow the wind, and you reap a fucking tornado!

[byronm]

22. Those Bush "Yard Billboards" should be f'n ILLEGAL

Of all the things that cities prohibit you to put in your yard, it should be illegal to sport billboards.

There is a difference between showing your support and advertising to aircraft 30,000 feet above your house with vote for bush billboards in your yard.

(there everywhere in lancaster county pa as well)

[donkeyotay]

23. Aren't they violating these people's civil rights?

It seems to me that the election officials should conduct the election and have the right to set standards for verification. For the repugnant party to assign itself this role, in a biased and partisan manner, for the sole purpose of disenfranchising some people of the right to vote seems like it violates civil rights.

[Puglover]

25. Things really seem to be

going our way this week. I hope it keeps up!

[Zorra]

26. Not just criminal charges but civil lawsuits as well. When

someone is challenged, the challenger is publicly accusing someone of committing a felony.

[kegler14]

27. Republican Freeper types

are doing everything they can to steal yet another election. Baseless voting challenges, shredding voter regiatrations from Democrats, disappearing absentee ballots, efforts to change polling places in heavily Democratic areas. These a--holes will stop at nothing to make sure the election isn't free and fair.

[kittenpants]

28. I'm working the polls in Columbus, OH

and I had a training class last night on how to deal with the challenges to voters. First of all, the challengers can't speak to the voter at all and aren't allowed to sit at the tables or hover nearby. If any challenger gets out of hand and is delaying the voting process unreasonably, after warning him/her, we can call for security to deal with it. Although I don't looking forward to having these people around, I don't think the poll workers will allow them to get out of hand.

OT, this is just my second post here, but I've been lurking and reading for awhile and THANK YOU for this site and all of you here. Sometimes I feel like I am crazy wondering how half the country can possibly support Bush for re-election after all he has done. It's nice to know I have company and I'm amazed at how good you all are at breaking news!

[jaysunb]

29. Welcome Kitten

we're glad to have you !! Keep up the good work out there.

[mongo]

31. Welcome to DU!

[bloom]

32. i love hearing this

:bounce: