SOS Roger Williams whoring at a republican fundraiser

[sonias]

You can't take the GOP fundraiser out of his element, even when he's supposed to be doing the state's business.

AAS article 3/16
Election boss at fundraiser? Some vote no
Roger Williams, who oversees elections in Texas, fills in at GOP event.
Roger Williams, who oversees state elections, spoke at a Republican fundraiser this month. Anything wrong with that?

Williams, a former Weatherford car dealer appointed Texas' secretary of state by GOP Gov. Rick Perry last year, joined the annual Texas Independence Day dinner held at an Austin hotel by the Associated Republicans of Texas. He was invited by a lobbyist.

Lately, most Texans have probably seen or heard Williams, who's starring in federally funded TV and radio ads suggesting it's easy to vote with electronic voting machines.

(snip)
McClellan also raised his eyebrow at Williams' raising $197,000 last year from donors (topped by the Texas Automobile Dealers Association giving $10,000) for a fund that the secretary uses to cover nonstate expenses. Such kitties are permitted by law.(/snip)

And on a related note - the 100,000 over-vote snafu in Tarrant county:

Ft Worth Star-Telegram article 3/15
Primary election outcomes challenged
About half a dozen candidates in both parties have requested free recounts of primary election votes, — but state and local officials say the politicians will first have to plunk down deposits of as much as $4,500 for the do-over.

This comes despite promises last week that free recounts would be available in Tarrant County, where a computer programming error counted some votes multiple times and boosted the final tally in both primaries by as much as 100,000 votes.

"The secretary of state’s office ... told me the recount procedures are very clear in that you do charge for them and there would be legal issues in not charging," said Gayle Hamilton, Tarrant County’s interim elections administrator. "I notified both parties that I was told I could not offer the free recount, as much as I wanted to."

This leaves in limbo about half a dozen requests for free recounts, ranging from Doreen Geiger, who lost a bid for Democratic Party chair by about 1,600 votes, to State District Judge Frank Sullivan, who lost a re-election bid by 569 votes, according to county election officials.

No candidates have come forward with a recount request they are willing to pay for, officials said.

So what is Roger "easier, faster and more secure" Williams doing about that? I think Hart Intercivic should be forced to pay for the recounts. :mad:

Sonia

[acmejack]

1. I think that is perfectly fair!

The $64 is how do we make that happen?

[sonias]

2. Which part acmejack?

Do you mean the free recounts or the SOS whoring for the GOP?

I assume you mean the free recounts. Well step #1 is elect a governor that we can trust to work for the people of Texas. Chris Bell would then take step #2 and appoint an SOS who is not beholden to lobbyists and the GOP party. An SOS that that would insist on making sure that we made verified voter paper audit trails and paper ballots the law in Texas. An SOS who would make sure that these private e-voting companies, put their software in escrow for programmers to review, in case these kind of snafus occur again. If you want to do business in Texas, counting the votes, then you're going to play by our rules.

Then as an extra protection measure make sure David Van Os gets elected as Texas Attorney General and he'll take care of our problem for sure.

Sonia

[acmejack]

3. Hart paying for the recount!

The SOS needs to be censured for unsavory conduct unbecoming his office. I look forward to David becoming the TAG, if he can met enough folks with his straightforward manner he can beat Abbott easily. All I can say is GOTV! I plan to spend all my week ends and other time tabling someplace where we can register the vote.

I may need someone to take me there but they will know I can't abandon my post! We need to hit those precincts that are having the 1.5% turnouts, they are the ones that will go our way. I talk to those people on the bus and I know they are solidly dem.

I must get sworn in to register people on the spot this time. I must quit using the But "I am disabled" excuse (I love to whine).

[sonias]

4. More voting shenanigans from the Attorney General now

San Antonio Express article via the Texas Democratic party site:

http://www.txdemocrats.org/news/detail/?id=997
Groups blast election fraud training aid
03/15/2006
Guillermo Contreras
Express-News Staff Writer

Could showing up to the polls in your Emmitt Smith jersey or sending in your mail-in ballot with a stamp promoting testing for sickle-cell disease get you in hot water?

Some watchdog groups claim it could, depending on who's interpreting training materials on voter fraud provided by the state attorney general's office.

Common Cause Texas, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and some state Democrats highlighted the concerns after obtaining copies of a PowerPoint presentation used to train law officers to monitor the primary elections for fraud.

A 36-page printout of the presentation features summarized portions of the state election code and lists examples of conduct deemed to be election fraud.

Suzy Woodford of Common Cause Texas claims some of the examples cited are poor or misleading, while others contend the approach could worsen already low voter turnout. One political analyst described the examples as "extreme to the point of being ludicrous."

"The examples are very vague and I think leave a lot to interpretation," said Luis Figueroa, legislative staff attorney with MALDEF in San Antonio. "We're very concerned that it's going to lead — in the implementation — to voter intimidation, particularly with first-time voters of minority groups and in areas where there's already low turnout."

Guess who would wear a Dallas Cowboys jersey to the polls? :mad:

Sonia