"Obviously, we want to capture more names that possibly aren't matches..."

[Wilms]

edited to comply with DU rules. Please read the article while loading your flame-thrower.

"Obviously, we want to capture more names that possibly aren't matches and let the supervisors make a final determination rather than exclude certain matches altogether," said Emmett "Bucky" Mitchell, who headed the state purge effort, in a March 1999 e-mail to Database Technologies product manager Marlene Thorogood, who had warned him of possible mistakes.

I'm no expert on the ChoicePoint debate. I'm no expert on the writings of Palast. But much of what is written in this article I saw in Palast's writings.

Perhaps, here, the context is missing.

Feel like flaming me? Go ahead.

Feel like offering context and explaining, with links, where this article leads one astray, please, please, do. I'd appreciate it.

Blessed with a brain, my interest is in being a member of the reality-based community, not the MEME-based, or hero-worship-based ones.

Botched Name Purge Denied Some the Right to Vote

By Robert E. Pierre
Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, May 31, 2001; Page A01

snip

"Obviously, we want to capture more names that possibly aren't matches and let the supervisors make a final determination rather than exclude certain matches altogether," said Emmett "Bucky" Mitchell, who headed the state purge effort, in a March 1999 e-mail to Database Technologies product manager Marlene Thorogood, who had warned him of possible mistakes.

In an interview, Clay Roberts, director of the state's division of elections, confirmed the policy. "The decision was made to do the match in such a way as not to be terribly strict on the name."

In-house concerns persisted. "Let's remember there is a liability issue in our erroneously identifying individuals as felons or deceased," said George A. Bruder Jr., a company senior vice president, in a May 26, 2000, e-mail to Thorogood. "We need to be very careful in who we label as what. If we are unsure the default should be to NOT label them as anything."

The company admits it made some mistakes. One list sent to Florida officials inaccurately contained 8,000 people who had committed misdemeanors -- not felonies -- in Texas.

snip

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A99749-2001May30?language=printer

[ret5hd]

1. I'm not sure i understand you...

Do you want us to say election rigging is good?

Maybe i just don't get the jist of what you are asking.

[Fredda Weinberg]

2. Palast? He never read the emails

And I should know, 'cause I'm the one who got the files from the Brennan Center. AFAIK, he doesn't even have a copy.

As a computer professional, I was outraged when I first heard of the methodology used and insisted on learning more. But as I examined the correspondence and followed the hearings, I came back to an old axiom, "Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence."

That said, I'm delighted that the mainstream media followed up on this and prevented Florida from repeating the performance in 2004.

[Wilms]

5. That's hard to believe.

Especially when you consider, as I mentioned in the OP, that Palast had reported much of this in a few articles of his that I scanned.

I've left open the possibility that there is more to this that Palast may have reported on.

[Fredda Weinberg]

7. Look me up

You can search by my real name or try [e-mail].

The quotes you cite are consistent with what I remember - but it was apparent from the entire series of conversations that decisions were made by civil servants who were enthused by the new technology and nothing indicated that they were operating under orders by political appointees.

At the time it didn't matter ... the practice had to be stopped. But in 2004, it was a consortium of mainstream media that sought the scrub file - so I'm satisfied with the role I played, despite the personal cost.

[Wilms]

8. It's not about you.

But thanks for posting.

[Fredda Weinberg]

9. You said you didn't believe me ... and ignore evidence?

That says it all.

[Wilms]

10. Show me your evidence that Palast didn't see the email he reported.

[Bill Bored]

11. Wilms, it may be about her. She worked for Greg Palast. nt

[Wilms]

12. Her reference to 2004 is what I'm saying it's not about.

I'm asking about 2000.

Palast seems to be aware of the state's role, and dbt's announced concerns. Still, he seems to feel CP really screwed up. Fine. But I want to know why.

If I understood I might grab a torch and pitchfork and attack VTUSA, too.

[Bill Bored]

13. Me too if Palast can prove his "cutout" allegation.

But Fredda is saying she personally saw the memos in the WaPo story, presumably when she was working for Palast. So why do you not think this is relevant to your discussion?

[Fredda Weinberg]

14. If anyone wants a copy of the emails, PM me w/an email address

I made a text file for Palast ... and wasn't really surprised that he wouldn't wade through the whole thing - it's 500k in Notepad.

[Wilms]

15. Because in the past she's posted things that didn't add up...

...and left me with the impression she was more about name-dropping.

Perhaps I'm over-sensitive. I live in LA.

She says Palast didn't see the memos. Considering he's written things that concur with those email, I assumed he's read them or is aware of the content.

And assuming that, I'm guessing he has some reason to be targeting CP despite their and dbt's effort to warn the state.

[wakeme2008]

3. Both are guilty for different reasons.

The State for wanting as many hits as possible, and ChoicePoint for including people from states that had restored their ppls voting rights and for include ppl that where found guilty of a misdemeanor ONLY.

[Wilms]

6. That makes some sense to me.

Seems dbt/ChoicePoint admitted to this.

But then, if they were so concerned that the states specification would cause disenfranchisement, why were they so loose themselves?

[Cookie wookie]

17. Did you read the emails that Ms. Weinberg

has offered to share -- that might answer your question.

[Wilms]

18. I haven't.

Nor Palast's writings, save scanning a few articles on the web, which might answer one of my questions.

It seems it is being argued that Palast thinks CP is THE bad guy. If that's true, and if the WaPo article is true, I'm wondering if that was sufficient cause for him to finger CP in the way it's alledged that he does--or if there is more to it.

The email wouldn't answer that directly.

[Cookie wookie]

16. Choicepoint didn't enter the picture until

after the database was delivered by DBT to Florida.

DBT took 2 years to create the database following the instructions of the State of Florida. Choicepoint bought the company 5 months before the general election, after the dbase was delivered.

[unhappycamper]

4. Wilms:

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs and must include a link to the original source.

You have one hour from the time of your original post to make changes.

In the future, please insure your posts adhere to this standard.

TIA,

unhappycamper
DU Moderator