NC Elections board hunting robocaller

[knixphan]

State elections officials are asking for the public's help in identifying the source of misleading and potentially illegal robocalls.

In at least one version of the call, a man says that voter registration packets must be returned before a person can vote. The State Board of Elections released a transcript of the call.

"Hello, this is Lamont Williams. In the next few days, you will receive a voter registration packet in the mail. All you need to do is sign it, date it and return your application. Then you will be able to vote and make your voice heard. Please return the voter registration form when it arrives. Thank you."

Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina, said in a news release that the calls were being made to African American households. The good government watchdog posted audio of the call.

—————

"This is another in a long line of deceptive practices used in North Carolina and elsewhere that particularly target African-American voters," Hall said. "In our view, this phone message plainly violates North Carolina law. We ask the Attorney General, State Bureau of Investigation, and the State Board of Elections to investigate, expose, and prosecute the sponsors of these calls."

Hall said that in North Carolina, it is a Class I felony for any person "to misrepresent the law to the public through mass mailing or any other means of communication where the intent and the effect is to intimidate or discourage potential voters from exercising their lawful right to vote."

The state board is asking anyone with information about the source of the calls to contact the State Board of Elections at [phone] or toll free 1-866-522-4723. If any citizens are uncertain about their voter registration status, they may call their county board of elections or check online.

[mckeown1128]

1. Anyone remember when Democrats used to be outraged

by voter fraud and manipulation? Clinton supporters ready to spin 5...4...3..2...1...

[knixphan]

9. distant memory...(sigh)

[Barack_America]

2. Well now, let's see. Who would want to suppress the African American vote?

Hmmm, that's a tough one.

Ohhh...

:think:

[StClone]

3. Yeah Republicans

[Sinistrous]

5. And those who scheme like them.

[greguganus]

11. republican=hillary n/t

[blm]

4. Specifically, who would suppress AA votes in a Dem primary where candidate A is supported by 90%

of the AA vote and candidate B is NOT but does have a long cozy relationship with BushInc who has committed election fraud every two years for the last 8 years - that we KNOW of.

[1776Forever]

19. Hmmmmmmmm who could that be???????

[crimsonblue]

6. Sounds like a job for.....

ROBOCOP!!!

[scheming daemons]

7. This story needs more publicity......

[psychmommy]

8. voter fraud, what voter fraud.

it is starting already. no matter who is responsible this is a crime. gettem nc.

[mckeown1128]

10. Kick.nt

[symbolman]

12. This is where the McCain people use dirty tricks to suppress the AA vote

and since Clinton has adopted their ways they get to PIN IT on HER as she gets her candidacy kicked to the curb.. A lovely parting gift they couldn't have blamed her for if she hadn't been sliming Obama and had instead gone after McCain like a class act..

What an idiot.. In a way I hope its her, and they throw her in the can, excuse me, The GreyBar Hotel, and fine her heavily..,

Like the Right Wing she can only "win" by manipulating the votes, and voters...

[sybylla]

15. You make a fine but very sad point

If HRC hadn't already proved her willingness to stoop to shady tactics, no Democrat would even be suspecting her now. We'd all be point our fingers at pukes and their efforts to interfere with our primary.

Too sad indeed. But that's what happens when you lie down with dogs, isn't it.

[marions ghost]

13. Forget "Hillary did it" ...

These are time-honored Rethuglican dirty tricks. Santa's helpers do the dirty work to benefit the candidates they prefer. The candidates and their campaigns stay clear, but know they can benefit when it happens. Elections officials are ineffectual. So it gets perpetuated.

We all know which candidate the Rethugs hope will benefit from this targeting of African Americans--their preferred candidate HRC. But she & her campaign have absolutely nothing to do with this directly.

[graycem]

16. Yeah..

she'd never do something like this... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-loeb/is-hillary-clinton-push-p_b_98446.html

[marions ghost]

20. thanks for the link

I'm not taking up for the Clinton campaign. It's possible they are doing some of this sleazy push-polling. I wouldn't put it past them in their desperation. But there is still a difference between this and the deliberate disenfranchisement and intimidation of African American voters. That sort of criminal effort is usually done by stealthy local operatives who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

No, I don't think the Clinton campaign would do the latter. It's too risky, even if they could reconcile it morally (which they couldn't). Hillary and the Clinton campaign is not behind this. "Hillary-helpers" (of a conservative persuasion) are behind it, as usual.

[graycem]

22. Maybe not..

I don't have proof that she is. But when she push polls in another state, and her guy Garin is linked to the firm doing the polling, it makes it really difficult to give her the shadow of a doubt.

I honestly hope she isn't, but I've been disappointed with the Clintons a lot lately, so I would be lying if I said I would be surprised.

Anyway, let's hope she isn't.

[marions ghost]

24. agreed

...after the cesspool of sleaze, criminality and corruption we've endured under Bush and the Neocons, Hillary & Co may think they're morally superior...when by a higher standard, they wouldn't be so far above. In other words, the Bushies have lowered the bar and brutalized the populace so much that anything seems better than Bush & Rove tactics.

I'm not sure I see much difference between push-polling and these negative lying attack ads. They are both misleading and intended to persuade the vulnerable. I think the best antidote is to educate people to be suspicious of any polling that appears to promote one candidate over the other & if it feels creepy, hang up.

The thing that's morally indefensible about Clinton's people is that they will use and profit from the sleazy strategies of others. They may not have initiated it, but they'll take advantage of it.

[chascarrillo]

18. Yeah, Republicans would spend large amounts of cash in a Democratic primary. Get real.

The GOP is hurting for money. Why would they spend buckets of money in a Democratic primary where we already have a nominee?

Occam's razor, dude. Clinton is trying to suppress voters.

[marions ghost]

21. Doesn't cost buckets of money....

when you've got "friends." :evilgrin:

There is a power struggle going on in NC between old-line conservative interests and those who would like to clean the place up. NC is full of corruption and crony-ism. The morally corrupt would love to get a start on polluting things for the GE and they'd much prefer Hillary vs McCain. Their biggest fear is a "blue" NC. You have to understand the internal pressures that drive these voter intimidation efforts.

Clinton has sunk to a new low in this campaign, but I think her campaign is a bit too smart to be behind criminal voter intimidation. They have no need to do it--the mechanisms are already in place and show up in every major election in NC. Why would the Clinton campaign risk it? Nah, this is the same old, same old. It benefits the guardians of the status quo, you may be sure.

[chascarrillo]

23. Thanks for the background.

I tend to assume the worst, so I appreciate getting deeper insight into this.

[C_U_L8R]

25. Looks like Hillary did do it afterall

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5751417

[marions ghost]

26. thanks C_U

well that IS pretty damning. :wow:

I'm sure the Clintons have remained (as legally defined) distanced from this --but it looks like some Friends of Clinton have CERTAINLY been busy...

Hillary should denounce this but if she does she will seem even more complicit...

The plot thickens....:popcorn:

Seems like they can't do anything to stop this...it's happened in several states. Wonder if KO is on it...

[DangerousRhythm]

27. Wow, they should really be ashamed. N/T

[Rosa Luxemburg]

28. You mean Women's Voices Executive Director Joe Goode?

The Clinton supporter wow!

[Hope And Change]

14. K & R!

:kick:

[Barack_America]

17. An introduction is in order: Lamont Williams, meet Geoff Garin.

Geoff Garin, Lamont Williams.

What? You two are already acquainted? Fancy that.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5748632

[Adelante]

29. This site is good to read on this fucking disgrace to Democrats

http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/04/facing-south-exclusive-dc-nonprofit.asp

:mad: