BBV: Looks as if some knives are out for CA SoS Kevin Shelly...

[althecat]

CALIFORNIA
Shelley consultant got no-bid contracts
2002 campaign aide picked for expertise, says undersecretary


Sacramento -- Secretary of State Kevin Shelley awarded no-bid contracts worth $119, 000 to a political consultant who worked on his 2002 campaign and his campaign treasurer's law firm to perform work on a federal initiative to improve elections.

Undersecretary of State Mark Kyle said the contracts meet the goals of the federal Help America Vote Act and that the contractors were selected for their experience and expertise.

Some observers, however, say the contracts raise questions about whether Shelley is properly spending the federal funds.

"Any time you can distribute money or goodies, clearly that helps you politically,'' said Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies. "The question is: Were these outside consultants needed or could it have been done in house? I'm not against outside consultants, but I'm skeptical."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/21/BAGRU8C9OM1.DTL

***

Makes you wonder if the knowledge that this has been circulating has anything to do with the recent U-Turn by Shelley on ACCUVOTE TSX certification...

From the looks of this story the Diebold attorneys have been digging dirt. And if there is dirtier laundry in Kevin's wash-basket then blackmail looks like a definite possibility.

Pure speculation of course...

[althecat]

1. Kick... some folks should have a look at this...

[AP]

3. This is the second negative Shelley story in about three weeks. The first

one was equally lame.

If this is the best they have, I doubt it's going to hurt him. But Shelley better go on the offensive soon.

I suspect an honest, accurate story about some BBV bullshit would do the trick.

[Andy_Stephenson]

5. There is an old term...

doublecross.

:tinfoilhat:

[AP]

2. Hello. What about the fact that electronic voting is bascially an...

...opportunity to give out millions of dollars to a few companies?

Those contracts are for millions of dollars.

[Andy_Stephenson]

4. Hmmm...

this is interesting in light of events that played out tuesday in a meeting I was fortunate to attend. One participant left quite early...it was odd to say the least. Especially in light of the subject matter. I fear Kevin is toast. They are gunning for him now.

[althecat]

6. I thought it might start a few cogs in motion...

I should think he has a choice. Stand and fight or roll over and slide away.. the first option has a number of upsides which given his past performance would seem logical. My guess is that this is just the tip of the iceberg in the sludge pool that the bad guys have dredged up.

[Andy_Stephenson]

7. My gut tells me a

bold move by Kevin at this juncture, could help his cause. That is just my personal opinion. Hopefully information will surface soon that will help him.

[gardenista]

8. One problem with your theory. If it were blackmail, then the

U-Turn would have been rewarded by witholding the information.

I'd say that at least the campaign contribution scandal has legs, and that if it's true, Shelley should be out of there. It shows a pattern of corruption, and what makes you think that he's not just been blowing with the wind on BBV?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out, but I believe that the Chronicle is not a tool for Deibold. On the contrary.

[Andy_Stephenson]

9. I dont think ....

blackmail either...no...a doublecross is more like it. But why? Maybe previous decisions which looked good on the surface...were really designed to gain political clout. I have ideas but dare not speak them.

[ParanoidPat]

10. LOL! I know what you mean!

Hi Andy, The tape from Wednesday's meeting turned out better than I could have hoped.

Can you feel the panic? :evilgrin:

[harmonyguy]

11. C'mon - I'm turning blue.....

Don't know if I can hold my breath much longer......
But I know that the details will come out at the right time, eh?
Hope it's soon !

HG

[Andy_Stephenson]

13. Breathe...breathe...

the news is coming soon. Very soon. Trust me on this...you will be facinated, appaled and cheering all at the same time. ParanoidPat gave an outstang performance as did the rest of the star studded cast.

[harmonyguy]

16. Out with the bad air, in with the good air... nt

[Andy_Stephenson]

12. Well...I can feel their panic...

I OTH feel fine. The little display of indignation was facinating...wasn't it?

[Andy_Stephenson]

14. Was it Wednesday

God I lost a day last week. I thought it happened on Tuesday.

:eyes:

[ParanoidPat]

15. No, Tuesday night was the shooting in the motel, the meeting was later....

.....I'll never forget it! :crazy: :evilgrin:

[Andy_Stephenson]

17. No kidding

The shooting range...then the shooting.

[MallRat]

18. Sonuvabitch. Now it makes sense.

And here I thought I was being paranoid when I wondered aloud, "someone must've gotten to Shelley."

Very bad.

:scared: :tinfoilhat:

[Cleita]

19. Look at what they put out today!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/22/MNGEV8CIGV1.DTL

<snip>
Sacramento -- Secretary of State Kevin Shelley personally coordinated fund raising for his 2002 campaign and spoke regularly with the San Francisco businesswoman under investigation for allegedly diverting taxpayer funds to his political account, according to people who worked for Shelley during the race.

Shelley also physically took possession of campaign checks given to him by Julie Lee, the real estate agent linked to $205,000 in questionable contributions to his political coffers, according to a spokesman for Shelley. Several current and former government and campaign employees said Shelley was deeply involved in his own fund-raising efforts -- perhaps bearing more responsibility for it than any other person on his campaign team.

"Kevin was in charge of money," said Richie Ross, a senior political strategist on Shelley's 2002 campaign. Like other candidates he has worked with, Ross said, "Kevin raised a lot of his own money."

On several occasions, Shelley proudly told office staff he raised $3 million for the campaign sitting at a desk in his home office in San Francisco, using nothing more than a telephone and his personal Palm Pilot, according to two employees who spoke on the condition they not be identified out of fear of reprisal. They said Shelley made the statement so many times it came to be known around the office as "the Palm Pilot speech."
<snip>

What are they up to?

[Andy_Stephenson]

20. Could this have something to do with it?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2250846

[Cleita]

21. No doubt it does.

We should keep both these posts kicked up so everyone has a chance to read them.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Just said the same thing in another thread... That was my first thought...

Wow-- all of a sudden there is intense interest in the activities of every single one of his campaign donors. What an amazin' coinkydink.

[Cleita]

23. Bump.

:bounce:

[hunter]

24. Yep, it's getting ugly....

"Complaints about Shelley surface"

Employees accuse Secretary of State of 'irrational' behavior.

That was the headline in one paper, based on this:

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/10454583p-11374046c.html

Politics in the United States is dirty, very dirty.

[ParanoidPat]

25. Kevin Shelley needs to be defended in this regard.....

.....his passion for protecting the sanctity of the vote, as evidenced by his eloquent address to the California Voting Systems Panel.

It's not whether or not you're paranoid, it's whether you're paranoid enough! :evilfrown:

[Cleita]

26. Kick

:kick:

[annabanana]

27. kick

[annabanana]

28. kick

:kick:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

29. Preemptive strike...

Shelley has long been known to be headed for a gubernatorial race.

They are out to kill any possibility of him running.

[Cleita]

30. Another

:kick: