Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Thursday 6/23/05

[Melissa G]

Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Thursday 6/23/05

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.

Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

2. Post stories using the "Election Fraud and Reform News Sources" listed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x371233

3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.



If you want to know how post "News Banners" or other images, go here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=371233#371391

Link to previous Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x379873

All previous daily threads are available here:
http://www.independentmediasource.com/DU_archives/du_2004erd_el_ref_fr_thr_calenders.htm





Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below).

[Melissa G]

1. In Ohio Vote, Woes, Yes, Fraud, No

In Ohio Vote, Woes, Yes, Fraud, No


By JAMES DAO
Published: June 23, 2005
WASHINGTON, June 22 - A five-month study for the Democratic National Committee found that more than one in four Ohio voters experienced problems at the polls last fall, , but the study did not find evidence of widespread election fraud that might have contributed to President Bush's narrow victory there.

The detailed report, released Wednesday, said that disproportionately high numbers of blacks and young people had complained about long lines, intimidation and malfunctioning machines. But Democratic officials said they could not conclude that Mr. Bush's Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, would have won in Ohio even if voting had gone smoothly.

"The purpose of this study was not to challenge the results of the election," Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told reporters at the party's headquarters in Washington.

But Dr. Dean said the volume of problems reported by blacks and young people suggested that Republicans had tried to suppress the vote in heavily Democratic districts. The report called on state legislatures to enact rules that would improve voting; for example, by issuing clear standards for allocating voting machines, replacing punch-card and other voting machines with so-called precinct-tabulated optical scan systems and adopting more lenient standards for absentee voting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/23/politics/23voting.html

[Melissa G]

2. Ohio Voting Problems Confirmed, But Bush Still Would Have Won

Ohio Voting Problems Confirmed, But Bush Still Would Have Won
By Staff and Wire Reports
Jun 23, 2005, 01:53

More than a quarter of voters, and more than half of black voters, experienced problems at Ohio polling places during the 2004 presidential vote, a Democratic Party report said on Wednesday.
But the problems were not enough to have changed the outcome in the state that put President Bush over the top in his battle for the White House with Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, it concluded.

The report cited long lines that discouraged voting, poorly trained election officials and difficulties with registration status, polling locations and absentee ballots.

Nearly one quarter of Ohio voters felt their experience in 2004 had left them less confident about the reliability of elections in the state, according to the analysis.

"The data clearly indicates that the system failed far too many Ohio voters," said Donna Brazile, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee's Voting Rights Institute and the project's leader.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_6914.shtml

[Melissa G]

3. Democrats say Ohio voting system broke down

Democrats say Ohio voting system broke down

By Dan Balz

Washington Post


WASHINGTON – Democratic Party officials Wednesday charged that the election system in Ohio broke down in last year’s presidential race, citing numerous problems that frustrated or disenfranchised voters while concluding there was no evidence of fraud in the outcome. The findings reignited a partisan debate that has colored efforts to improve voting procedures around the country.

“The results show that our election system failed the citizens of Ohio in 2004 and in particular failed African Americans, new registrants, younger voters and voters in places using touch-screen machines,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told reporters. During a question-and-answer period, he declined to rule out that partisan actions by the Republicans may have contributed to the problems.

Even before Dean and members of the Democratic task force finished their presentations, Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman issued a statement denouncing the findings. “The report is pure political fiction,” he said, charging that some Democratic-aligned groups had engaged in fraudulent or illegal voter registration activities in Ohio.

Members of the DNC task force, led by Donna Brazile, the chair of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute, enumerated a series of problems on election day in Ohio, including too few voting machines in certain precincts and long lines that appear to have caused some voters to give up and go home. The study, which included statistical analysis of the voting patterns and polling to gauge voters’ assessment of their experiences, found a clear lack of confidence in the system among blacks.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/11965482.htm

[Melissa G]

4. Pulling plug on levers

Pulling plug on levers



BY ERROL A. COCKFIELD JR
STAFF WRITER

June 23, 2005


ALBANY - When voters head into polling places throughout most of the state in 2006, they will see new electronic voting machines that will replace the levered system that has been in place for more than a century.

After failing to find consensus for more than a year, the State Legislature yesterday reached an accord on a package of bills that will overhaul the electoral system throughout New York.


Lawmakers had raced to approve changes before the end of the legislative session this week because federal officials warned that $221 million in aid through the federal Help America Vote Act could be in jeopardy.

New York was the only state that had failed to comply with the act, and yesterday it became clear the federal requirement that the overhaul be in place by the 2006 elections would not be met in all counties.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/state/ny-stvote234316006jun23,0,3754022.story?coll=ny-statenews-headlines

[MelissaB]

5. Ohio governor struggles with scandal

Ohio governor struggles with scandal

ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS

Associated Press


COLUMBUS, Ohio - What should have been a time of triumph for Ohio's governor after a tepid six years in office has become a nightmare of heavy investment losses for the state and allegations of political favoritism and cover-up.

Republican Gov. Bob Taft, a member of one of America's most distinguished political families, had hoped to spend this spring focusing on his proposal to update Ohio's Depression-era tax system.

Instead, in what is probably the twilight of his career, the 63-year-old Taft is mired in a scandal that started with a questionable state investment in rare coins and has the governor and other Republicans all the way up to President Bush scrambling to give back potentially tainted campaign contributions.

...snip

Taft's great-grandfather was William Howard Taft, the only man to serve as president and chief justice. Yet the 27th president did not even carry his home state when losing re-election in 1912 and today is known as the answer to the trivia question: What president was so fat he could not get out of his bathtub?

:rofl:

More: http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/nation/11967300.htm

[MelissaB]

10. Discussion

here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3929742

[MelissaB]

6. State Not Ready To Accept Repayment From Coin Dealer

State Not Ready To Accept Repayment From Coin Dealer

POSTED: 11:28 am EDT June 23, 2005
UPDATED: 11:35 am EDT June 23, 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The state's rare-coin investment, already missing up to $13 million, might be on the verge of losing another $3 million.

Bill Wilkinson is the attorney for embattled rare-coin dealer Tom Noe. He says the state is refusing to sign off on Noe's plan to repay a $3 million loan that he took from the coin fund to buy stock in a Florida company.

Wilkinson said Noe got the company to agree to buy back the stock so that he can repay the loan. But state officials haven't approved the deal. Noe's attorney said the state is playing games.

William Bodoh is the former federal bankruptcy judge supervising the state's liquidation of the coin fund. He said the state won't act until it is finished investigating the terms of Noe's loan.


Link: http://www.whiotv.com/news/4643383/detail.html

[MelissaB]

7. Taft Says He's Not Quitting

Taft Says He's Not Quitting

Ohio Governor Says He's Committed Through 2006

POSTED: 8:21 am EDT June 23, 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Gov. Bob Taft said Wednesday night he has no intention of resigning over an unrelenting investment scandal and new questions about ethics disclosures.

The governor responded to a question from a reporter. No one has called for his resignation.

...snip

The governor on Tuesday admitted he failed to disclose a number of golf outings as required by state law. He said the Ohio Ethics Commission is reviewing the matter and he can't provide details until that process is complete.

Taft wouldn't discuss his golfing partners. But an attorney for Thomas Noe, the Toledo-area coin dealer embroiled in the state's investment scandal, confirmed that Taft had played golf with Noe at least a couple of times.

Taft, a Republican, has demanded ethics training for top staffers and agency directors since taking office in 1999. Three former directors under Taft have resigned following assertions of accepting golf outings from companies that did business with their agencies. A March 2001 Ohio Ethics Commission memo specified that golf rounds should be reported as gifts.

Ethics commission Executive Director David Freel said Wednesday that Taft is one of several officials who say they forgot to include some items on required financial disclosure statements and are seeking to amend the reports.


More: http://www.newsnet5.com/politics/4642428/detail.html

[MelissaB]

8. 3 officials touched by Noe inquiry to revisit ethics issues

Article published Thursday, June 23, 2005

3 officials touched by Noe inquiry to revisit ethics issues

By MIKE WILKINSON
BLADE STAFF WRITER


Three local public officials swept up in the scandal surrounding Tom Noe are on the verge of disclosing new information to the Ohio Ethics Commission or have sought answers to questions regarding their required ethics disclosure forms.


City Councilman Betty Shultz said she intends to meet with an attorney and the commission "very soon" to talk about additional information.

Bill Connelly, a Toledo attorney for Ms. Shultz, Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber, and former Toledo Mayor Donna Owens said he has referred the women to lawyers more familiar with state ethics requirements.

Ms. Thurber yesterday declined to talk about the specifics of her situation, but acknowledged she was referred to an attorney to "have questions answered." She would not say whether she was going to file additional information with the state.

Ms. Owens, a member of the state Industrial Commission, could not be reached for comment.

All three women testified before a federal grand jury earlier this month regarding campaign contributions to the Bush-Cheney campaign in October, 2003. The grand jury is investigating whether Mr. Noe, a Toledo-area coin dealer, gave others money to give to the campaign in an attempt to skirt campaign finance limits.


More: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050623/NEWS24/506230428/-1/NEWS

[MelissaB]

9. Lawmakers Outraged Over Taft's Lack of Disclosure

Lawmakers Outraged Over Taft's Lack of Disclosure

COLUMBUS -- Just two days ago, Ohio Governor Bob Taft told the state Ethics Commission that he failed to disclose that he went on several golf outings that were paid for by other people. Now at least one Democrat thinks the governor should come clean.

In a letter to the Ethics Commission, Taft, a Republican, wrote that it "has recently come to my attention" that he failed to list a number of golf outings on required financial disclosure forms in past years. "While I am still gathering all available information, it appears that a series of matters that should have been reported on my financial disclosure forms were not listed," Taft wrote.

Investigators will look into who paid for the golf outings, and whether those people had any business and whether that person had any business or lobbying interest with the governor. Depending on the answers, it could represent ethics violations for Taft.

State Senator Teresa Fedor says she's outraged that the governor would go on such junkets, and not report them to the Ethics Commission. Published reports have Taft playing at Inverness Country Club with Republican fundraiser Tom Noe, which he apparently failed to report on his ethics disclosure forms. "The governor needs to come clean," said Fedor. "We need to know whether or not we need to proceed with impeachment, resignation, or removal."


More: http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=3510442

[MelissaB]

11. BRAD BLOG: Phony GOP 'Voting Rights' Group Continues Defrauding America!

Phony GOP 'Voting Rights' Group ACVR Continues Attempts at Defrauding American Voters
Issue Smokescreen Press Release in Reply to DNC Election 2004 Report
Preparing to release their own report -- on phony issue of 'Voter Fraud'; Exec Director Lies on Video Tape.

The liars and hucksters of the "American Center for Voting Rights" are at it again. And this time, they're lying in both press releases and on video tape!

URL: http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001486.htm

---
Brad Friedman
THE BRAD BLOG - The uprising continues...
http://www.BradBlog.com
VELVET REVOLUTION - The revolution begins...
http://www.VelvetRevolution.us

*** The BRAD SHOW On the Air via RAW RADIO!
*** http://www.BradShow.com
*** Now LIVE on Saturday Nights from 7p - 11p ET!
*** Broadcast coast-to-coast and around the globe
*** via the IBC Satellite Radio Network! Listen Online


Thanks to BradBlog here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1877954