California stalls Diebold decision again

[BevHarris]

I don't have a lot more info -- LOTS of people showed up, very informed questions, the bottom line is that decision on Diebold was delayed.

They will meet up in about a month, TOO LATE to do anything before the March 2 election.

Bev Harris

[althecat]

1. Hi Bev, I am back from a couple of weeks off...

I am back from a couple of weeks off... I have been waiting all day for news of this meeting. Thought you lot must have had some kinda meetup after the meeting...

Were their media there?

al

[BevHarris]

2. There were (but I wasn't there)

I got a report from one of my friends about the meeting. It seems that one of two things might be happening:

1) They might be stalling until it is too late to really do anything to correct the situation. However, that is begging for lawsuits.

2) They might be planning to hit Diebold with failure to adhere to the guidelines.

From what I understand, the questions were lobbed by citizens at the public officials and protocol did not allow direct questioning of Diebold, who really didn't provide any answers.

Would love to hear from someone who was there.

This is NOT acceptable, by the way, and California activists need to get out to the media PRONTO to demand paper ballots, hand counted, in all Diebold counties for the March 2 election.

Glad to hear from you, Alastair.

Bev

[althecat]

3. Interesting.... I do hope they are working on a slam dunk

Interestingly as soon as officialdom start going after a corporate they get super cautious about process... the state is too easy to sue. So if you are right about 2) then that would make a considerable amount of sense..

Happy new year Bev.

Al

P.S. I have ordered three copies of the book (so far) :)

[TinfoilHatProgrammer]

10. on the subject of lawsuits

Is that like the $15 trillion-dollar lawsuit you were talking about 6 months ago? The one that required the free lawyer? How'd that work out anyhow?

I'm really disappointed about the big meeting... from everything I've read by the usual BBV activists I was expecting California to, I don't know, kick Diebold out of the state 6 weeks before the big primary and a month after spending $30 million on new machines.

And I'm decidedly shocked to discover that (according to GregD) it's the county election officials themselves (with the exception of one) who seem to be against the whole VVPB thing. Of course I assume it's because they're all stupid, corrupt, or bought. One wonders why Diebold and the other voting machine vendors just don't force a VVPB down their uncooperative throats until they gag on it.

Good meeting anyway.

Also where's my book? ;)

JC

[Andy_Stephenson]

11. There you are.

We were getting concerned about you. Thought you had fallen off the face of the earth. Anyway, glad you're ok.

I was wondering if you had ever tried Collin Street Bakery Fruitcakes

I really need to order it now, if you want it delivered "on the side".

[Name removed]

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[Andy_Stephenson]

14. Sorry...

I don't think you live near Dallas. Sheez. Collin Street Bakery makes an awesome fruitcake. Why so testy? Who pissed in your cheerios this morning? The dog?

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[ElementaryPenguin]

19. Hard for me to discern much difference during this Bush Reign of Terror!!

These HAVE to go or the whole planet is in major jeopardy!! And I don't believe that's overstating anything!!

:mad:

[GregD]

8. Media was there in abundance

We had A couple TV news outlets, radio and print. It gained much more attention than in the past. Encouraging, but the results left us just feeling worn out.

[althecat]

4. Ok... shall we keep this kicked till someone who was there shows up?

[creativelcro]

5. kicked

CA is a much better place to be than MA these days (-30 windchill out there).

[TacticalPeek]

6. Kick.

[GregD]

7. I put a complete report in LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=316601

[hunter]

9. Go read it folks...

:kick:

[leftchick]

12. It was Locked Greg

could you repost it here?

[GregD]

22. I put it here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1025002

[BevHarris]

15. The Jim March report is going up on BBV momentarily

The flamboyant Jim March was at the meeting, of course, and his full report -- plus the report of Andy Stephenson from the Washington meeting -- are going up shortly at http://www.blackboxvoting.org, front page.

The commentary of tinfoilhatprogrammer (glad to see him back, he livens things up, doesn't he?) reminds me of the Diebold press release after the SAIC report.

You'll recall that the SAIC report failed Diebold soundly on 328 counts, 26 deemed critical. Tinfoil doesn't like me bringing that up, because he insists that apparently none of the 328, nor the 26, are actually important. Of course, only he appears to know what they are, since the SAIC redacted 2/3 of the report. All this, and Tinfoil claims he is not an insder. Anyway...after being roundly thumped in the SAIC report, Diebold issued a press release saying the SAIC had pronounced that they had "unprecedented" security. Well maybe. But unprecedented in what sense? Unprecedentedly bad?

Now, after about three times the normal number of participants showed up and gave impassioned, informed, and very worried commentary, and after the California S.O.S. yet AGAIN failed to certify the TSx system, Tinfoil claims that Diebold kicked butt in the meeting.

Well, if you want to see a butt-kicking, see what happens in court after March 2 if Diebold attempts to use any of its uncertified TSx systems in the election. We're waiting...

Bev Harris

[freespeechhere]

16. I was at the meeting -- I'm a newbie to this issue

I was truly amazed at what I witnessed. All of you seasoned activists, from a fresh perspective, I want to say that I was mightily impressed.

Here are a couple of things that stood out to me:

The people on the panel seemed very intent on controlling the meeting...the leader reminded me of Kruschev banging his shoe on the table...only two minutes to speak and no yielding of your time to the big dog. Please, no applause! I was happy to applaud after every speaker anyway. Screw him...this is America and we're talking about disenfranchizing and privatizing the vote for God's sake. If everyone was still there talking about it, the time wouldn't be enough.

The one gentleman from Angel's Camp who spoke and who is quoted in this (innocuous) FoxNews article: http://fox40.trb.com/news/ktxl-011503voting,0,3203946.story?coll=ktxl-news-1

I liked when he pointed out that one member of the panel had to recuse herself from the discussion because of a possible conflict of interest. Good call. We're talking about voting rights here...what's the conflict.

I was impressed with everyone's ability and courage and guts to speak the truth...you all rock.

I couldn't stay for the entire meeting because I had to go pick up the kids from school, but I'm willing to lend my time and efforts mainly to getting the word out about how this issue is paramount to a free society and how it's being decided in the back rooms of our hallowed halls of government.

[BevHarris]

20. Fantastic. Thanks for your comments!

And, even more, thanks for attending.

This is exactly what's needed. Citizens, step outside the box and start piling into cars to attend. Even if you do not speak, you'll make a difference, just by showing up!

Bev

[GregD]

21. conflict of interest

She previously worked for a lobbying firm, as I understand it, that represented Diebold.

It is unclear as to whether this could still pose a problem, but I will also say that when she was participating in other items later - she was asking some reasonably tough quetions to their consultant (such as "how thoroughly are you looking, and do you have your own methods for verifying vendor allegations?") Who knows...

Also, the question of the "revolving door" was pressed in public comment, and it is clear that the SoS is making much stiffer rules (unfortunately, only now that the horses have left the barn.)