Dean says DNC will help Indiana appeal the new voter ID law...video.

[madfloridian]

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=4863645

I assume he was in Indiana for the press conference with the state Democratic chairman, Dan Parker.

National Democratic Chairman Howard Dean says the law does disenfranchise voters.

"We are not trying to perpetuate voter fraud. This is not about voter fraud. There is no voter fraud in Indiana. The secretary of State for Indiana was unable to sight one instance. This is about vote suppression."

The party chairman says similar laws passed in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were vetoed by Democratic Governors and a third in Georgia was struck down on appeal.

"The law is part of a national Republican program to disenfranchise voters. They believe the lower the turnout the better for them. We believe the higher the turnout the better for America."

[madfloridian]

1. I believe they said all the way to the Supreme Court if needed.

It is at the end of the video.

[Kurovski]

2. K&R!

Thank you, Dr. Dean.

[madfloridian]

3. Posted new info in GD...they got several hundred calls on the hotline.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505/NEWS02/605050476/1006/NEWS01

"An appeal will be filed today to try to overturn Indiana's voter ID law, Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean said Thursday.

Dean, in his second trip to Indianapolis in recent weeks, and Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker said Tuesday's primary election showed some Hoosiers were denied the right to vote. A hotline set up by the national party received a few hundred complaints, with more still coming in.

In April, U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker upheld Indiana's law, the most stringent in the nation, saying Democrats had not proved their contention that the law was too burdensome.

"After Tuesday, we now have our proof," Parker said. "Everything did not go smoothly. Everything did not go fine."

[madfloridian]

4. DNC press release today gives details on veterans, others disallowed.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=65286

A report in today's Journal Gazette highlights the consequences of Indiana's unfair voter ID law. According to the report, Indiana veterans were turned away at the polls during Tuesday's primaries despite presenting valid government-issued Veterans Administration ID cards. (Journal Gazette, 5/5/06) The report comes a day after the Indiana Democratic Party announced it would file a notice of appeal challenging the recent federal court ruling upholding the voter ID.

"The fact that our brave men and women who have served in our Armed Forces defending our freedoms were disenfranchised by Indiana's new voter ID law is a grave injustice that shows how dangerous this law is for Indiana voters," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "The fact is, people throughout the state of Indiana were denied the right to vote by a dangerous voter ID law that disproportionately prevents poor, minority, elderly, rural, disabled and student voters -- and even military veterans -- from casting their ballots.

"No American should be denied the right to vote, but it is particularly disturbing that this law kept veterans from exercising their most fundamental right as Americans. Instead of looking for ways to keep Hoosiers from casting their ballots, Indiana Republicans should join Democrats in fighting to make it easier, not harder for people to vote."