Felons Paid in Voter Registration Drive

[DoBotherMe]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040623/ap_on_el_ge/voter_drive_felons_1

By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated Press Writer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A Democratic group crucial to John Kerry (news - web sites)'s presidential campaign has paid felons — some convicted of sex offenses, assault and burglary — to conduct door-to-door voter registration drives in at least three election swing states.

America Coming Together, contending that convicted criminals deserve a second chance in society, employs felons as voter canvassers in major metropolitan areas in Missouri, Florida, Ohio and perhaps in other states among the 17 it is targeting in its drive. Some of the felons lived in halfway houses, and at least four returned to prison.

snip
Although it works against the re-election of President Bush (news - web sites), ACT is an independent group not affiliated with the Kerry campaign — federal law forbids such coordination. Yet ACT is stocked with veteran Democratic political operatives, many with past ties to Kerry and his advisers.


The writer fails to identify the "veteran Democratic political operatives" though.

D ; )

[2Design]

1. if you want the felons off the street ....someone needs to employ them

[fertilizeonarbusto]

2. Oh, puhleeze

Can you fudge a bit more?
BTW, what about the (yet unconvicted, but not for long) felons at the head of the Rethug ticket? Thought so.

[DieboldMustDie]

16. Aren't there convicted felons...

currently working in the Bush administration? :shrug:

"(John)Poindexter was convicted on five felony counts of conspiracy, false statements, destruction and removal of records and obstruction of Congress. His conviction was reversed on the technicality that he had given immunised testimony to Congress."

"Elliott Abrams later pleaded guilty to withholding information from Congress. George Bush senior pardoned him; and Bush junior appointed him director of the National Security Council's office for democracy, human rights and international operations and then to his current job as director of Middle East affairs in the White House."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4376.htm

[GainesT1958]

3. Hey, didn't the Bush campaign...

Hire the slimeball who thought up the Willie Horton ad in 1988 for Poppy? Suuuure sounds like some of his work!:puke:

Don't be fooled by these people...they will (and already are) trying ANYTHING to win. I'd be desperate, too, if I were they.

Wonder which one of the Bush "operatives" will bring out the next fake intern story?:eyes:

B-)

[displacedtexan]

4. Whatever happened to having "paid one's debt to society?"

The way this fish wrap reads, one strike and you're completely out. Are repukes planning on bringing back shunning? That used to be a Grand Old American tradition.

"ACT is an independent group." Period.

[whistle]

5. Hey, the president's brother here in Florida has succeeded once again...

...in removing over 150,000 registered voters from the voting lists because they are suspected (not actually known) to be felons, simply because they have similar sounding names. If a once convicted felon has done his/her time in prison and has been reinstated into society, and has not yet registered, let's get them registered and begin acting like responsible citizens.

[JDPriestly]

6. Rapid response needed on this one.

Is this true? If it is, the practice should stop. Yes, ex-felons should be hired, but not for knocking on doors for Kerry.

If there is a shred of truth in this, Kerry should come out strong to stop the practice, and if there isn't, the people spreading this rumor should be stopped. If this report is not countered, people will be afraid to open their doors to Kerry campaigners.

[David__77]

7. ACT is NOT a pro-Kerry group. It is not legal for it to be.

Kerry is completely independent of this group. I don't care who they hire, so long as they are effective in mobilizing voters.

[hang a left]

8. I am shocked I tell ya, shocked!

You mean to tell me that they don't do backround FBI fingerprint checks on these people before they employ them. I bet they don't bother to drug test them either. (sarcasm)

[tom_paine]

9. Looks like the Bushevik Mockingbirds that infest AP are on the job!

Take a gander at the PR "contrasting words sued in this article".

Why, this could have come from Uncle Karl's Psychomanipulators themselves, the "contrasting words" are so slanted.

[MrMonk]

10. That is one slimy headline.

They could have said: "Ex-felons paid to register voters", but that headline wouldn't stir up many people.

[Frances]

14. So, EX-felons

should not be given jobs?

Please

The same person who thought up the Willie Horton ad came up with this "story" to frighten stupid white men.

[MrMonk]

22. WTF are you talking about?

Read post 21. It's a different statement of what I wrote in post 10.

[Fovea]

11. This is the new Rethug wedge issue?

Jeez they have not just hit the bottom of the barrel, they have punched a hole in it.

[UpInArms]

12. OMG! Paying someone to work!`

Allowing convicted felons (Otto Reich, John Negroponte, etc) to be paid??!!!!

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

/sarcasm

[JayS]

13. I wonder what ACT pays in liability insurance! n/t

n/t

[Jester_11218]

15. Before they spin this...listen up...

If anyone gives you grief about this story remind them that George Bush has appointed several convicted felons to important posts in his administration. People who have already violated the public trust in government. John Poindexter and Elliot Abrahms for example.

Stay informed!
Peace

[bluedog]

17. I read on

another board that the republicans party in California did this same thing when they campaigned for Arnold..........anybody know if this is true or not or have a link to this.

[ParanoidPat]

18. Funny, the AP didn't seem to think it was bad for felons to program......

.....the VOTING MACHINES! :shrug: :evilgrin:

Black Box Voting, Five Felons Press Conference, Dec. 16, 2003 :)

[Cocoa]

19. perfect response to Ed Gillespie's crap

Ed Gillespie, the chairman of the Republican Party, issued a statement calling the policy "disturbing" and questioned the use of felons "to go house to house and handle sensitive personal information."

In response, Elleithee cited Bush's speech Monday in Ohio, in which he applauded government, religious and community-based programs that give a helping hand to felons after they are released from prison.

"It seems to me that the president seems to agree with our philosophy that people deserve a second chance and deserve the right to re-enter society," Elleithee said.

[ParanoidPat]

20. LOL! In Ohio no less, home of Wally "I pledge to deliver.......

....Ohio's Electoral votes to George W. Bush" O'Dell? President and CEO of Ohio based, felon friendly DIEBOLD Election Systems? :eyes:

Faith based voting. :evilgrin:

[BattyDem]

21. Another distorted headline to distract from the real issues

Seriously, what's the problem here? EX-felons are earning a paycheck, which is a good thing, by registering people to vote, which is also a good thing.

[iamjoy]

23. This Sucks

yeah, you have to read at least half the article (most people won't) to find out they are EX felons. So much for a liberal media.

It annoys me though. I have been out canvassing a few times, as a VOLUNTEER. And now people may be cynical or slam the door in my face because of this bad press.

The point is not so much that ACT hired ex-felons, but that they paid people rather than relying on true grass-roots activism.

or maybe I'm unrealistic