Proposed activist task: Tell Kerry/Edwards NOT to withdraw from the

[Nothing Without Hope]

Ohio recount process. I would also like to see letters to the media on this critical issue.

If Kerry quietly withdraws, as he is apparently preparing to do, we will NEVER be able to document what happened in Ohio last November and will be in a much weaker position to drive for a free, fair voting process. Read about it here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4391589
Thread title: Tell Kerry Not To Give Up On Ohio

Here is Conyers' letter to Kerry/Edwards asking them not to withdraw:

http://www.fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2005/08/congressman-conyers-urges-kerry-and.html

August 17, 2005

Honorable John Kerry
511 C Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002

Honorable John Edwards
401 W. Trade Street
Suite 219
Charlotte, NC 28202-1619

Dear Senators Kerry and Edwards:

I would like to express my deepest appreciation for your role in intervening to protect the rights of the candidates seeking the 2004 election recount in Ohio and I applaud you for your great efforts to stand behind the voting public, urging them not to lose faith in our election system.

As you are aware, this has been the second consecutive presidential election where numerous issues were raised concerning irregularities and improprieties within the system. Specifically, we learned of the massive disenfranchisement of fellow voters, as well as numerous incidents of voter intimidation and the purposeful dissemination of misleading information to the voting public, with the intent to interfere with the system. In addition, we learned of numerous irregularities in the way the recount in Ohio was conducted. I therefore commend your willingness to intervene in the recount case as it proceeds in the federal district court in Ohio and to join the candidates and voters in their struggle to fix a seemingly broken system. It is only by investigating these voting irregularities in each past election that we are able to ascertain the problems and pursue a better election process in each succeeding election.

It is for these reasons that I am deeply concerned to learn of the possibility, however remote, that you may be considering withdrawing from the 2004 election recount case in Ohio. As you know, it is absolutely imperative that we have elections that count every vote of every eligible voter, and if there is any issue that is central to a strong democracy, it is ensuring that all eligible voters are able to participate in our elections without encumbrance or interference from others. There is no question that your continued participation in this case will help ensure that we restore trust in our election system.

As you continue your participation in this important case and we continue our investigation of the voting irregularities during the 2004 presidential election, we hope to be able to maintain an open dialogue. As you know, the objective of the recount itself was never to overturn the election, but to win back the confidence of the electorate in the accuracy of voting methods and the fairness of voting procedures. The objective remains the same for the pending case in federal court challenging the unconstitutional manner in which the Ohio recount was conducted. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office at [phone].

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.

[mom cat]

1. Nominated!.. I wrote them both about a week ago on this...This deserves

a strong push.

[MH1]

2. Disagree. This "letter" is not posted on Conyers' own blog.

So we should just spam Kerry's office email and phone lines on a rumor?

That's just my opinion, though. Y'all do what you think is right.

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. The link I gave was to a post by Will Pitt, whom I consider reputable.

He gave the link to the text of Conyers' letter. I don't know why it isn't on Conyers' blog site, but I don't believe that Will Pitt would have posted this if it were just a rumor. Again, here is the link to Will Pitt's post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x389634

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. This issue was also the subject of a PDA email that I just received

Here is the text of this email:

Dear Friends,

We have learned that the Kerry/Edwards campaign is preparing to withdraw from the Ohio recount case, which is pending in federal court. This move comes as Federal Judge Carr in Toledo prepares to hold a status conference on August 30 on this case, along with two other pending voting rights cases.

When most others stood aside, PDA stood for voting rights and untainted elections in Ohio and in the halls of Congress. We stood to make sure that every vote counts. We have continued to fight together without slowing down.

Yesterday, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. issued a letter to Senators Kerry and Edwards urging that they not withdraw from this case. Here is a link to the letter:

http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2005/08/congressman-conyers-urges-kerry-and.html

The National Voting Rights Institute and its general counsel John Bonifaz, a PDA National Advisory Board Member, represent 2004 presidential candidates David Cobb and Michael Badnarik in their request for a meaningful recount of the 2004 Ohio presidential vote. During the recount last December, NVRI and its clients documented extensive irregularities in the way county boards of election conducted the recount. This included evidence that the Triad corporation had tampered with voting machines prior to the start of the recount, as well as evidence the county election officials had directly violated rules and procedures so as to avoid a full hand count of the ballots.

In late December, Cobb and Badnarik filed amended counterclaims in this case alleging the recount was not conducted in accordance with basic equal protection and due process guarantees under the US Constitution. At stake in this case today is whether the court will grant the plaintiffs declaratory judgment, setting forth the constitutional standard for how recounts should be conducted in future federal elections. This is a critical precedent to set for any future presidential or congressional election.

Please call/write/email Kerry today urging that he not withdraw and that he join Cobb and Badnarik's amended counterclaims on the way the recount was conducted. To contact Kerry/Edwards campaign office, go to:

http://www.johnkerry.com/contact/


In light of the upcoming August 30 hearing before Judge Carr, time is of the essence. If the proper precedent - of creating a constitutional standard as to how recounts should be conducted in regard to due process guarantees - is set in this case, it will help assure that future elections can and will be held without taint or improper interference. Kerry and Edwards must not back away from this all-important struggle. If they do, they will not only be abandoning all those who stood for them in the campaign and all those who fought for a fair counting of the votes, but they will also be abandoning the fight to make sure that elections in this country do not become the murky purview of corporations whose machines and managers cannot be trusted. Please contact them today and tell them to keep standing for the vote.

In peace and solidarity,

Tim Carpenter
http://www.pdamerica.org

P.S. Thank you again for all your work this week with the launch of the People's Petition for an IRAQ PEACE PROCESS. If you have not signed the petition please go to:


http://www.pdamerica.org/petition/iraq-withdraw-petition.php#here

The vigils last night were amazing. Thank you again for all your help and support.

Please continue to support this work by visiting https://www.pdamerica.org/donate.php and making a contribution.

[il_lilac]

4. This has been reported

and i did send letters right away. Now is not the time to back down!

[eridani]

6. I third that motion.

This is extremely important.

[snot]

7. kick and done. nt

[flpoljunkie]

8. Any word from his office about why they are considering withdrawing?

They need to answer this question.

[Nothing Without Hope]

9. So far, I have not seen a statement from Kerry/Edwards.

The various reports I've seen say that it is information coming from a trustworthy source, a person or persons familiar with the Kerry's plans. It may well be that we won't know why unless our and Conyers' attempts to dissuade Kerry from dropping the Ohio election investigation fail. You and I could certainly predict what might be said to excuse dropping it. After all, the official DNC report on the Ohio election - which was a most amazing piece of creative whitewash, and that's putting it kindly - concluded that there was no widespread evidence of fraud. One hopes that Kerry can be convinced that the official DNC Ohio election report should NOT be the only document used as a basis for the decision, for it is worse than worthless.

For some of the reasons why the DNC Ohio election report should NOT be taken for fact, let alone used as a basis for deciding not to continue investigating what actually happened in Ohio last November, see:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1901415
Thread title: BRAD BLOG: DOJ OHIO WHITEWASH REPORT! CONYERS 'FLABBERGASTED'!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380494
Thread title: The DNC 2004 Election Report: An indictment of incompetence - Bob Fitrakis

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x381320
Thread title: "Limp election theft report, Dems prove why they're unworthy" – Fitrakis

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380878
Thread title: What the DNC Ohio Election Report failed to address: My letter to H. Dean?



Because the contents of these listed threads are important in formulating a letter to Kerry/Edwards, I'll also post them in a separate reply in this thread.

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. The official DNC report on the Ohio election is worse than worthless

It not only fails to truly investigate what happened, it makes a sweeping statement - based on a highly questionable analysis of data provided by Blackwell and not directly related to the issue of fraud - that THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF WIDESPREAD FRAUD IN OHIO!!!

Letters to Kerry/Edwards would do well to reference this official DNC report and rebut its claims, for it may well be the basis of the reported plans to drop the Ohio election investigation.

Here are some relevant links for the DNC Ohio election report and some rebuttals:

Here is the DNC Ohio election report:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/06/democracy_at_ri.php

For some of the reasons why the DNC Ohio election report should NOT be taken for fact, let alone used as a basis for deciding not to continue investigating what actually happened in Ohio last November, see:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1901415
Thread title: BRAD BLOG: DOJ OHIO WHITEWASH REPORT! CONYERS 'FLABBERGASTED'!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380494
Thread title: The DNC 2004 Election Report: An indictment of incompetence - Bob Fitrakis

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x381320
Thread title: "Limp election theft report, Dems prove why they're unworthy" – Fitrakis

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x380878
Thread title: What the DNC Ohio Election Report failed to address: My letter to H. Dean?