Ohio Official (Blackwell) Refuses Interview Over Vote

[rawstory]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell has requested a protective order to prevent him from being interviewed as part of an unusual court challenge of the presidential vote.

Blackwell, in a court filing, says he's not required to be interviewed by lawyers as a high-ranking public official, and accused the voters challenging the results of ``frivolous conduct'' and abusive and unnecessary requests of elections officials around the state.

Citing fraud, 37 people who voted for president Nov. 2 have challenged the election results with the Ohio Supreme Court. The voters refer to irregularities including long lines, a shortage of voting machines in minority precincts and problems with computer equipment.

President Bush defeated John Kerry by 119,000 votes, according to the official count by Blackwell. Ohio's 20 electoral votes gave Bush the 270 he needed for victory. Kerry conceded the morning after Election Day.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4696816,00.html

###

Can someone tell me what this means? This sounds bizarre to me.

[Kagemusha]

1. It means he thinks he's too good for questioning re: elections

He's the secretary of state after all. Inquiries about the proper conduct of elections aren't his business. /sarcasm

[Vincardog]

2. Since when are Clean Fair open elections ' frivolous'?

[IndianaGreen]

3. Highly unusual for a public official to declare that he is exempt from

the discovery process. He will lose this one!

Petro also argued that the state Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over a federal election.

But it is state officials, of which he is one, that determine what qualifies as a valid vote, and that count the votes. This flimsy excuse won't fly either.

Blackwell is acting like a Mafia don, thinking that he is answerable to no one.

[annabanana]

9. not unusual............the B*sh cabinet didn't feel they had to give

sworn testimony at the 9/11 hearings. Nixon claimed "executive privilege" to avoid giving testimony....
It just isn't usually claimed so far down the food chain.

[jdj]

19. He's a pullin' a Condi. Got too much to hide, and no composure

to hide it. He'll be asking for immunity from prosecution or something soon I guess.

[jdj]

20. I want them to refer to him as "OH chair of Bush/ Cheney re-election

campaign" as well. Conflict of interest, what conflict of interest?

[Vidar]

28. Standard Operating Procedure for the bushies. Maybe they will

somehow extend secret service protection to the scum next. Bush talks to god, Blackwell talks to bush; therefore bush is a priest and all communication is exempt from subpoena as analogous to the confessional. And so it goes.

[katinmn]

4. Blackwell seems to be saying that because voters aren't

trying to overturn the election, but are filing "frivilous" claims that he finds irritating, he doesn't have to testify.

What utter, utter bullshit.
He's lying and he knows if he's held acountable, and a proper investigation ensues, his ass will be in jail.

Well, I for one am interested in overturning the election. Why don't we come out and say that? Bushit cheated. Kerry is president.

[pleiku52cab]

5. Damn - get him under oath

I surely would love to see this SOB nailed for perjury

[Tace]

6. Good -- Blackwell Clearly On The Defensive

Let's keep pushing.

[PennyK]

7. Wouldn't cha know...

...that this would only be reported in a British newspaper?

[IndianaGreen]

8. That's an indictment of the US press

It was the British press that first debunked Bush/Blair's claims of WMDs in Iraq, and it is the British press that is now publishing the shenanigans that went on in Ohio to STEAL the ELECTION.

I am becoming more convinced that Kerry won Ohio, and the Presidency.

[roguevalley]

10. nazi puke. last time I looked, the frivolous taxpayers were paying

his f**king salary. impeach him, ohio.

[lovuian]

11. Its Ok for him to be Election Official but He can't be Questioned

Who is he King Blackwell of Ohio ...Who does he think he is???

[TahitiNut]

12. Another "above the law" Reichpuke.

If the suits are frivolous, it's the court's job to say so in a summary judgment.

[Junkdrawer]

13. Sounds like the Republican (read arrogant) way of taking the 5th...

If you know "enough", you expect the King to protect you...

[maxsolomon]

14. with that kind of logic

blackwell is sure to be the first black president.

did i ever mention that cincinnati, which produced blackwell, sucks?

[peacetalksforall]

15. He only needs to be asked one question...

Do you agree that every vote must count and can be counted and can be verified and accounted for in a sensible, responsible, and open bi-partisan recount for the good of the citizens of the State of Ohio and the United States?

[ally_sc]

16. no surprise there...don't want to recount? let it go to the damn courts

this has got to be resolved the country is going down the porcelian fixture.

[Dem2theMax]

17. Boy oh boy, does someone NOT want to talk or what?

Smellin' pretty fishy I'd say.

[StaggerLee]

36. Fishier than the tuna fish sandwich in front of me

This guys stinks on ice.

Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

sL-

[bettyellen]

18. Oh the arrogance, it's unbelievable.....

[Stinky The Clown]

21. This guy IS the key that will unlock it all

He's weak as hell and if he goes under oath he'll crack like an egg. He knows it. We know it. The junta knows it.

We're droolin' for hiz azz .....

Their assholes are tight because of hiz azz ......

[brentspeak]

22. He's not accountable because he's a "high-ranking" official???

Listen, Charlie, you are a public servant whose salary and benefits are paid-for by the taxpayer; you are completely, utterly accountable to this kind of public inquiry!

I want to see this jerk on the legal hot seat, answering questions about his claim that Warren County polls were locked-down due to an alleged terrorist threat.

Unbelievable.

[Vidar]

29. The do have doublespeak down to a fine art. "1984" and

"Catch 22" should be require reading for American History and Political Science classes.

[Supersedeas]

39. accepted hook line and sinker by Corporate Media--responsive Govt

frat-boy style.

[c1dem]

23. Call for Blackwell to resign

Blackwell has done so much to impede people to vote freely, we should call for him to resign in droves.

[tuvor]

24. Hiding something. Kick.

[Vote4Kerry]

25. It means he is trying to cover up fraud - kick n/t

[JMS825]

26. Best part is

On Dec. 21, officials learned lawyers for the voters planned to issue subpoenas to several high-ranking officials, including Blackwell, Bush and the president's political adviser, Karl Rove, according to Petro.



Just Imagine Bush in court.....has Rover not only handed Bush the election but handed him his impeachment as well?

[Wilms]

27. Sure is.

Four years ago, Chad was in the dock.

Maybe this time we get to question some bigger fish.

[Vidar]

30. It means we have to keep the pressure on the SOB and find someone

with subpoena power to go after him. He seems to be the most vulnerable and visible week link in chimps shin of corruption.

[tuvor]

31. Kick!

[0007]

32. One day the folks will take to the streets and cretins like Blackwell

will then realize how Mussolini must've felt.

[Catfight]

33. He should have been fired by now, Ohio needs to get rid of him. nt

[fooj]

34. Are his days numbered, or what?

I wonder if he'll still "smirk" in prison...

[TripleD]

35. Ohio law and disobedience of subpoena

§ 3599.37. Disobedience of subpoena concerning violation of election laws.

(A) No person having been subpoenaed or ordered to appear before a grand jury, court, board, or officer in a proceeding or prosecution upon a complaint, information, affidavit, or indictment for an offense under an election law shall do either of the following:

(1) Fail to appear or, having appeared, refuse to answer a question pertinent to the matter under inquiry or investigation;

(2) Refuse to produce, upon reasonable notice, any material, books, papers, documents, or records in that person's possession or under that person's control.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section, unless the violator claims the violator's constitutional rights, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.


http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/oh/lpExt.dll/PORC/1633b/16a1b/16add?f=templates&fn=document-frame.htm&2.0#JD_359937

[Gyre]

37. should result in a civil contempt order

which slams his chubby ass into jail until he "decides" he wants to cooperate with a lawful judicial order.

Gyre

[HeeBGBz]

38. Soooooooeeeeeeeiiiiiii

[Synnical]

40. Free Press Article Has Lots of Detail

Posted in Election 2004 forum

Ohio GOP election officials ducking subpoenas as Kerry enters stolen vote fray
by Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
December 28, 2004

COLUMBUS -- Ohio Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell refused to appear at a deposition on Monday, December 27. The deposition was part of an election challenge lawsuit filed at the Ohio Supreme Court. Meanwhile John Kerry is reported to have filed a federal legal action aimed at preserving crucial recount evidence, which has been under GOP assault throughout the state.

Richard Conglianese, Ohio Assistant Attorney General, is seeking a court order to protect Blackwell from testifying under oath about how the election was run. Blackwell, who administered Ohio's November 2 balloting, served as co-chair of the Bush-Cheney campaign.

James R. Dicks, Miami County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, filed a motion to block a subpoena in his county while Conglianese filed to block subpoenas in ten key Ohio counties.

President George Bush, Vice-President Richard Cheney and White House Political Advisor Karl Rove received notice that they will be deposed Tuesday and Wednesday, December 28 and 29. The trio’s Ohio attorney, Kurt Tunnell, so far claims his clients have not been properly served. Under Ohio law, the Republican-dominated Ohio Supreme Court is responsible for serving the three.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=203109

[Supersedeas]

49. preserving the evidence of an election--it takes a lawsuit to do this???

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

41. Blackwell...BURN IN HELL YOU FASCIST PIECE OF SHIT

My fondest wish is for Blackwell to land a stent in jail for his almost certain Diebold/voter fraud collusion. At that point, I will smile wide knowing that he's the prison "bitch" for some 6'5" 300lb. gangleader.

JB

[Tinoire]

42. Better: yet! Ohio GOP election officialS ducking subpoenas

Ohio GOP election officials ducking subpoenas as Kerry enters stolen vote fray

by Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
December 28, 2004

COLUMBUS -- Ohio Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell refused to appear at a deposition on Monday, December 27. The deposition was part of an election challenge lawsuit filed at the Ohio Supreme Court. Meanwhile John Kerry is reported to have filed a federal legal action aimed at preserving crucial recount evidence, which has been under GOP assault throughout the state.

(snip)

President George Bush, Vice-President Richard Cheney and White House Political Advisor Karl Rove received notice that they will be deposed Tuesday and Wednesday, December 28 and 29. The trio’s Ohio attorney, Kurt Tunnell, so far claims his clients have not been properly served. Under Ohio law, the Republican-dominated Ohio Supreme Court is responsible for serving the three.

(snip)

Voters in Trumbull County have testified that on Election Day they received punch-card ballots where holes were already punched for Bush. Meanwhile, a notarized affidavit signed by Angela Greene, who voted at Whitehall Yearling High School in central Ohio's Franklin County, stated that one of the malfunctioning electronic voting machines at her polling place was delivered without a cartridge – meaning votes cast might have gone uncounted. In Miami County, Blackwell certified a 98.6% turnout in the Concord Southwest precinct, comprised of 520 votes for Bush and 157 for Kerry. This statistically improbable turnout has all but 10 of the 689 registered voters casting their ballots on Election Day. A preliminary canvas by The Free Press of less than half the precinct found 25 registered voters admitting they had not voted, meaning the official tally was almost certainly fraudulent.

The nearby Concord South precinct certified a 94.27% voter turnout, with 468 alleged votes for Bush versus 182 for Kerry. Miami County is included in the election challenge since it somehow reported nearly 19,000 additional votes after 100% of the precincts had reported on Election Day.


(snip)

Franklin County Board of Elections Chair Bill Anthony claims that low-level poll workers refused to accept the machines assigned by high-ranking election officials. But he has yet to provide specific details. Anthony has repeatedly claimed that he was a watchdog for Democratic interests in the election, but he was a political appointee of the Republican Secretary of State.

(snip)

Revised and updated 1:32 pm December 28, 2004

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/1046

The original Columbus Free Press grew out of the anti-war movement on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in October 1970.

[goclark]

43. Didn't Bush meet with Blackwell the day before the election?

I bet that was part of the deal.

He was to meet the pres face to face
and the pay off money was given after the promise to take care of Blackwell and his family for the rest of his natural life.

He is acting like someone who knew he was going to take the heat.

What an ass!

[Tinoire]

44. I don't know. I must confess

that I was so sick after the elections (because of the elections) that I tuned out totally for a while and then was too sickened to pay much attention to it. After what I went through in 2000, I just couldn't. Thanks for that detail about the meeting. If so, that's very, very bad for them and good for us!

[goclark]

45. Bushco has denied they met

I believe that they did meet.

If anyone goes up the river on this one it will be
Blackwell.

They don't give a wit about his butt.

[Tinoire]

46. Btw, Explosion in OK. Quake tremors were felt there too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1105100

Will start looking into Blackwell.... Thanks. What a disturbing week!

[Just Me]

47. What's his damn problem. His OATH is to the people.

If he served "the people",...he should have NOTHING to fear.

Why is he being so defensive?

Why is he being so defensive,....hmmmmm.

Those who sell their soul,...deserve to be prosecuted.

Condi,...you are at the top of the list of soul-sellers.

[oasis]

48. kick