Urgent Action Alert: Save Voting in California. Tell Kevin Not to resign.

[Padme Amidala]

Arnold is trying to get through ballot initiatives for Texas-style redistricting in California and part of the plan involves getting rid of Kevin Shelley, who has worked hard to protect voters' rights in California. According to a Sacramento Bee article, Shelley is considering resigning. We must stop him before California and its electoral votes go the way of Ohio and Florida.

There is an urgent action alert up at patrickhenrythinktank.org

Here is Shelley's contact information. If you call, you will have to follow the extension menu to other (6) and then the option for the
the executive office. Lend him your support regardless of whether you are in or out of California.
CALL: [phone]
Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Here is a resolution that the PHDC, the most active and progressive Democratic club in Southern California passed unanimously a week ago. This is the same group that worked to put together the Orange County Counter-Coronation.

RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR KEVIN SHELLEY

Whereas, Californians had access to a paper ballot in November, 2004, while people in many others states did not, and California voters will have a voter-verifiable paper trail where there are voting computers in California in 2006 and individuals of other states may not, and

Whereas, unlike J. Kenneth Blackwell, Glenda Hood and numerous other Secretaries of State, Kevin Shelley worked to help voters have an increased opportunity to have their votes counted and has worked in a non-partisan manner to make election results more accurate, and

Whereas, the Republicans have created a politically motivated attack on Kevin Shelley for the apparent purpose of replacing Secretary of State Shelley with someone who will make it easier to rig elections,

Therefore be it resolved that the Patrick Henry Democratic Club supports Kevin Shelley and calls on all government officials to back Kevin Shelley in his fight against the partisan attacks by opponents of fair elections.

Be it further resolved that the Patrick Henry Democratic Club condemns all such attacks upon Mr. Shelley as the partisan attempts to undermine our election system that they are.


Passed unanimously on January 17, 2005.

http://patrickhenrythinktank.org/res-shel.html

[rinsd]

1. Sorry, I'm with Arnold on gerrymandering....

...its a pox on all political houses and does a disservice to the voters. I don't care who's doing it.

Shelley is another matter, of course.

[genius]

7. Arnold's the one who wants to Gerrymander. Say hi to Rick Perry for me.

[rinsd]

11. Stupid is as stupid does....

...don't let a talking point do the talking for you.

The state is gerrymandered now. While I'm skepitcal that Arnold will actually do anything more than talk about it, not enough politicians do. The parties get together and divy up the safe seats.

Granted redistricting is always going to be somewhat political but with term limits possibly being on the table, I think its worth consideration.

[MontecitoDem]

2. No to redistricting but ...

Shelley should resign. In fact, he should have resigned way before Arnold asked for it. It's been inevitable, and now it'll seem like an Arnold win. Sucks.

I loved Shelley in SF and still think he's done tons of great things for Cal. But the misdirection of HAVA funds is not something you come back from, imo.

[genius]

6. Don't buy the Rupublican characterization of Shelley.

The question is whether it is okay to use the same courier for state and other business. Republicans mix the two all the time and it's not been proven that the HAVA delivery people ever delivered anything not related to state business for Shelley.

[MontecitoDem]

23. Geez, there's a lot more to it than that.

Have you read the state auditor's report?

Yes, the Republicans want him out for all the reasons people are mentioning. But in this case, there are actually facts to support getting him out. Quite a lot. Doesn't mean I am buying the republican characterization!

Another recall, which is a possible strategy they will use, is just too awful for us. He f*cked up. He should get out before they can spread some of the slime to other dems, like Parra etc.

As I said, I have followed Shelley's career for years and I am bummed he screwed up. But he did. Whether the enemy benefits from that or not doesn't erase his screw up.

[genius]

24. The fact is he's probably the most law-abiding SOS CA has had.

When Democrats are the subjects of attacks, we eat our own but when Republicans are the subjects of much more serious actions we don't want to kick them out because that would be partisan.

[MontecitoDem]

26. Well, I think your just wrong. 100%

Do you have anything that supports your statement about him being the most law-abiding, because I'd like to read it. I don't want to lose Shelley and if there is evidence supporting your statement then that is great news. I think the ship has sailed, but I could be wrong.

Again, have you read the auditor's report?

I don't feel like you are responding to anything I said - maybe you intended to reply to someone else's post?

[Throd]

3. No will do

Shelley is a corrupt bag o' crap who needs to be shown the door.

[genius]

5. Do you not like the paper ballots or the paper trail? Say, hi to Blackwell

I don't particularly support the Republicans. I'd rather have honest, good guys like Shelley.

[Throd]

8. This whole state needs an enema

on both sides of the aisle. A "whats broken with California" rant would require many hours of typing.

Shelley must accept the fate he has created for himself.

Are you referring to Mr. Blackwell, the fashion critic?

[bobbyboucher]

13. The old "too much to mention" excuse.

Go ahead and start listing them then, smart guy, and prove you're not a troll.

[Throd]

16. So everything is just peachy and functional here in the Golden State?

C'mon. The ability to state the obvious does not make one some kind of freeper mole. The "too much to mention" is just that. Too much to mention.

[bobbyboucher]

18. Red herring.

Tell us what the problems are and tell us what is wrong with Shelley, besides that part about him wanting paper ballots.

[Throd]

19. Here is something from a source that can hardly be

described as right wing

http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E21479%257E2651961,00.html

My apologies if this link doesn't work. As you can see from my amount of posts, I am very much a newbie. I have been reading DU for about 1½ years now and only recently decided to leap into the fray.

[Throd]

20. Best I can do on no notice

Here is something from a source that can hardly be
Message:
described as right wing

http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E214...

My apologies if this link doesn't work. As you can see from my amount of posts, I am very much a newbie. I have been reading DU for about 1½ years now and only recently decided to leap into the fray.

[EFerrari]

21. Throd, try looking at it this way:

If Shelley is corrupt, let them prove it.

All I know is, as soon as he got rid of Diebold, they went after him. And I'd rather he paved his driveway with gold and yelled at staffers every day (which I don't know is true) than have my vote stolen (which I can pretty accurately predict if he resigns).

[bobbyboucher]

12. Oh please!

Would you mind giveng yourself a prostate exam?

[rinsd]

15. Why?

What has he done?

[genius]

4. Done that. We're lucky to have Shelley.

A lot of people are expecting the Democrats are concerned about the liklikehood of a Republican take-over if we lose Shelley.

[Liberty Belle]

9. PLEASE READ THIS!!! Some of you don't get it.

Congressional Republicans are investigating Shelley as a ploy to get rid of a Democratic secretary of state in CA and install the next Kenneth Blackwell. If the GOP Congressional Reps are so interested in investigating wrongdoing by state officials, they should start with Kevin Blackwell, who broke every law on the books with the full blessing of the RNC and the GOP members in Congress, apparently.

If Shelley resigns, Schwarzenegger could appoint a Republican hack who would get to decide which voting machines to buy. Hmmm....let me guess. All GOP-owned equipment, all the time. He could also impose roadblocks to legitimate recounts, play games with registrations (remember all those Dem registrations thrown out by Blackwell because his office sent them on on the wrong paper thickness), and on and on.

If Shelley is guilty of wrongdoing, let him face the music--but he should stay in office until he's convicted and removed by impeachment, recall, or his term of office simply expiring.

If the Rethugs get away with this here, they will try it everywhere. Few politicians can stand up to such close scrutiny. Trust me, I've worked in political offices and campaigns; rules are broken frequently, and often unintentionally due to the complexity of regulations.

Look into the records of any rethug and you'll find worse.

[Albert Einstein]

10. Thanks Padme. Excuse me, but is this the du or an Arnold support group?

I cannot believe that there are people posting their support of Arnold over fair elections. One of the posters is only on his/her tenth post. Another poster in support of Arnold is above one-thousand. Seems odds that that when the Republicans are after Kevin's head, certain people here are suggesting we join them.

Padme, thank you for posting this important alert. I hope you and I are in the right underground.

[rinsd]

14. I support changes to gerrymandering...

...if Arnold bring that about so be it.

As I stated, Shelley is another manner entirely.

BTW, making even subtle references that someone may be a disruptor is aginast the rules of DU. If you have a suspicion about someone simply hit the alert button under their postsand let the moderators take care of it. DU tries not to play the whole "wit' us or agin' us" game.

[genius]

25. So are you accusing the Democrats of gerrymandering?

Perhaps the words Democrat and Republican are too confusing for some people. The Repulicans are the ones who want to gerrymander. The Democrats are opposed to it.

[rinsd]

29. Democrats NEVER gerrymander

Pure as the driven snow :eyes:

Well let's see in 2000 the Democrats drew up a plan that gave them 32 safe seats. The Republicans didn't mind because they got 20 safe seats which means we get wackos like Duke Cunningham.

I wonder why people from both sides of the aisles aren't too happy with any plan to change that.

[EFerrari]

17. I called and told his aide we SEE THROUGH THE WITCH HUNT

As soon as Shelley went after the machines, they went after him. We have to GET IT, folks, because that is what happened.

If you want to encourage other Democrats to take a stand against rigged elections, CALL THIS MAN and tell him you have his back.

[EFerrari]

22. Big kick for Shelley and against Diebold n/t

[NuttyFluffers]

27. i don't trust ahhnold then, i don't trust him now.

i'd rather have this broken system under devils i know than run with the overwhelming corruption and backroom dealing republicans *always* did with this state. what i see is california got its list of problems from waaaay tooo many republican governors. following another one's latest 'bright idea' ain't gonna fix jack, except my vote. no, i'll take my broken squalor over more fast talk from an untrustable party. democrats may be corrupt and deceptive, but the republicans are outright criminal. nah, ahhnold can go stuff it up his steroid syringe.

[RadiDem]

28. Will do ! Thanks ! Recall der Gropinator

now