Election Officials in Arizona Refuse to Answer Senate Questions

[Wilms]

Election Officials in Arizona Refuse to Answer Senate Questions

By Michael Shelby, Arizona Citizens for Election Reform

January 19, 2006

snip

The hearing, scheduled by Senator Jack Harper (R) Chairman of the Senate Committee On Government Accountability And Reform, sought to clarify election integrity issues (see, Election Integrity in Arizona is a Bi-Partisan Reform) involving mysteriously appearing votes in a 2004 Republican primary election. Chairman Harper’s subpoena overcame a questionable refusal to appear by County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Defying the subpoena issued by Chairman Harper could have brought contempt charges against Thomas and Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell and Elections Director Karen Osborne whom Thomas had earlier enjoined not to appear.

snip

Why did three senior Maricopa County elections officials, one elected and two appointed, refuse to answer the essential questions of a Senate Committee On Governmental Accountability And Reform? What are they trying to hide, here? During the questioning, the requirements on how long ballots must be retained were discussed. For county elections the law states that the ballots must be saved for six-months, for federal elections, 22 months. So, the ballots are still available … or are they? No one is allowed to inspect them, to see if they are in the vault (which they aren’t) or in a secret secure location with Vice-President Cheney or where the Hell they are! Does the fact that there are other more significant candidates and offices on the ballot than a little ole’ Republican primary in a largely yuppie filled district have any sinister significance? Could other races be thrown into suspicion? Why is newly elected Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas willing to undergo closer and closer scrutiny and put his reputation on the line to block a puny primary recount? Why didn’t Senate President Bennet just pony up for the project in the first place since it was clearly a good governance issue that could be politically advantageous and available on the cheap? We are not much closer to answers to those questions, but we may be uncovering a larger truth as we step back to “see the whole board!”

snip

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=113




Ballot Boxing

GOP honchos keep hiding the truth about election foul-ups, as it's learned that local ballots may be stored illegally

By John Dougherty

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2006

snip

It's difficult to say which would be worse news for Maricopa County and the state of Arizona. Although the results of the election cannot be overturned, because they have been certified, voting machine failure might signal that an overhaul of voting machinery is warranted. As for ballot tampering, it is an illegal act that should land whoever is responsible in jail.

But possibly the most distressing aspect of Senator Harper's quest to find out what went wrong in a local election is that certain Republican political leaders have done everything in their power to keep the public from finding out what happened.

snip

Senate President Ken Bennett and Speaker of the House Jim Weiers have repeatedly tried to derail Senator Harper's investigation into District 20. Sources told New Times that Weiers may have offered Harper a favor last June to back off from his investigation. Weiers denies making the offer, but Harper tells me he's willing to swear under oath that it occurred.

snip

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas has taken extraordinary steps to hide the underlying causes of the District 20 fiasco. Thomas conducted a "preliminary" investigation into District 20 last spring at the request of Maricopa County Republican party leaders. His investigators discovered extremely damaging evidence of problems inside the county elections department. They found that the county's voting machines may have failed during the 2004 primary, and they discovered evidence of witness tampering ("All Bark and No Bite," July 14).

snip

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2006-01-19/news/dougherty.html

[KeepItReal]

1. Kicked and Rec'd... damn!

Good work!

[Peace Patriot]

2. It makes me think more and more about the notion that it was Repub

voters who may have been the most cheated and disenfranchised in 2004, or, in any case, much more pervasively than we realize. What better place to switch a bunch of votes from Kerry to Bush than Republican precincts and counties? It wouldn't be so noticeable (as it was, for instance, in the Democratic counties in Ohio and Florida). And, in a primary, what better way for corrupt Bushites to steal votes from non-corrupt Republican candidates, and real conservatives (as opposed to the fake Bushite variety), than with the non-transparent, easily hackable voting machines provided by Bush's buds at Diebold or ES&S?

It does one's heart good to know that there are Republicans who might object to this--and who haven't forgotten WHY elections need to be transparent and verifiable. I also think that the corruption that cuts through both parties on this $4 billion boondoggle that Tom Delay provided in order to convert the country to electronic voting, run by Bushite companies, might be more important than the Abramoff corruption (although it may be related to it). Gambling corruption isn't going to destroy the Republic. Electronic voting systems corruption just might.

[glitch]

5. Yes indeed. Especially since quite a few Republicans were very vocal about

their intention to not vote for Bush. Easy targets. Been saying this for years: Republicans if you ever want YOUR moderate candidate to win another primary you had better join us in getting machines out of the election process.

[Talismom]

3. This is a very important story that might have otherwise totally escaped

my notice. Thankyou for posting. Kicked and emailed to doubters!

[texpatriot2004]

4. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? NM

[Wilms]

6. .

[Amaryllis]

7. See this from Bradblog for more:

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002307.htm