Mark Crispin Miller takes on NYT for Silence on Voter Fraud: 'bout time!!!

[jamboi]

http://www.buzzflash.com/buzzscripts/buzz.dll/sub3

Excerpt:
"
A Special BuzzFlash New Analysis
From Author and Professor Mark Crispin Miller


Dear BuzzFlash Readers and Americans Concerned About the Preservation of Democracy:

As you know (and way too many others don't), Rep. John Conyers recently held open hearings in the US Congress, on the all-important subject of the voting in Ohio on November 2nd. There was a lot of harrowing testimony on the tricks and tactics used there by Bush/Cheney to suppress as many Democratic votes as possible, and to exaggerate Ohio's electoral support for the regime.

It was a public inquiry of towering importance, and not only because it was (allegedly) Ohio that gave Bush just enough electoral votes to win. Ohio matters more than anyone can say, because what went down there went down not only in Ohio. There is in fact abundant evidence--strong evidence--suggesting that Team Bush pursued that crooked twofold strategy throughout the nation. In other words, they used a broad variety of means to trash the Kerry vote and to exaggerate the Bush vote, and did so everywhere they could.

Now, this being a democratic republic (or so we've all been taught), you'd think that that the Conyers'charges -- and the hearing -- would get a lot of coverage in the press.

And yet the New York Times, our nation's "newspaper of record," did not even mention it, much less cover it. The hearings were on Wednesday. There was no word of it in Thursday's paper, nor any word, belatedly, in Friday's. (Thursday's Times did run a couple of long stories on the electoral situation in Ukraine, but none on the quite similar, and -- to Americans -- vastly more important story here at home.)

Such silence is bizarre. It's deeply wrong. In fact, it's un-American. For what public issue could there be that matters quite as much as the integrity of our elections? What, then, could possibly explain, or excuse, the Times's failure even to note Conyers' hearings? For that matter, what explains the Times's thorough indifference to this crucial subject? Like all American news outlets, the Times is obligated, by the First Amendment, to attempt to keep its readership informed about the government, so that the government is answerable to us, its ultimate custodians. Rather than deal squarely with the ever-mounting evidence of massive fraud by the Republicans, the Times instead has merely ridiculed those raising questions, as if such patriotic citizens were laughably insane. ..."

[henslee]

1. Amen. Screw protesting Faux News. Time to protest the Times... I'm in.

It's the one paper I read everyday. I am betrayed.

[neversaynever]

14. I've been saying that from the beginning....

especially in "intellectual" and "academic" circles, the Times is the "paper of record" -- "all the news that's fit to print"

And they piss me off the most.

As I stated on another thread, their dismissal of this story has created major, perhaps irreconcilable, differences between me and any number of friends.

There is NO communication between us -- because they believe the NYT and therefore consider me an "internet conspiracy theorits" -- it's maddening.

And I have been going after them in many ways in my private efforts here.

Wish I could sue the f*ckers for punitive damages.

I've written Okrent (and several others at the times)-- sent my letters overnight express (total cost: $95.55) -- so I know they have to sign for them.

Hence, I reiterate a suggestion I have made elsewhere: Print hardocpies of all the documents posted on shadowbox.i8.com (if the judicary committee docs aren't posted there yet, include those)

You'll likely end up with a document that is over 1000 pages long.

Everyone each send one copy of this hardcopy stack.

If everyone did it overnight express on the same day, they would get 100 copies of this doc, all of which they would have to have someone SIGN for.

If more people did it, they'd be "on their toes" for a while now wouldn't they?

An email is easily deleted--100 X 1000 pages of hardcopy is not as easily disposed of.

I'd definitely take responsibility for mailing one complete copy, postage included. US Mail overnight express. Anyone else? I'll do it once I have 100 takers.

[RaulVB]

2. Good for Miller!

Seriously guys, email to those bastards, particularly that pompous MTF, Daniel Okrent.

They have decided to ignore the fraud. Let them have it.

[Eye_on_prize]

43. Here's copy of my email to Okrent..

I also sent similar copy to NYT national news desk and one to LATimes too.

To: "Daniel Okrent" <[e-mail]>
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Election Fraud Investigations

Dear Mr Okrent,
This is to demand -- yes, I said ‘demand’ -- fair and full coverage of the quickly mounting evidence indicating that the 2004 election was fraudulently rigged by supporters of George W. Bush. As the nation's 'newspaper of record', you no doubt know (but have you reported on it?), the House Judiciary Dems and the GAO have investigations well underway, and the more they look, the more evidence turns up that fraud indeed took place. The House Judiciary is holding its 2nd hearing on this in Ohio on Monday. Will you be there? Meanwhile...

THIS JUST IN - BREAKING NEWS IN OHIO WE WISH YOU WERE COVERING:
late last week, Ohio’s openly partisan GOP Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell continues to take full advantage of the national media’s virtual blackout, using his office to illegally obstruct the court-ordered recount in Ohio.

As of Friday Dec. 10, in violation of Ohio law, Ohio election records are now “locked down” and are “not public records”. It appears that Bush-Cheney Campaign Co-chair Ken Blackwell has determined that recount efforts may indeed make John Kerry the next US President, so he has ordered Secretary of State Ken Blackwell stop the analysis of the votes. If this is not news my fellow American, then please tell me what is? To see details of breaking story see:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x142934

Blackwell is transparently engaging in criminal behavior: Ohio Revised Code Title XXXV Elections, Sec. 3503.26 that requires all election records to be made available for public inspection and copying. ORC Sec. 3599.161 makes it a crime for any employee of the Board of Elections to knowingly prevent or prohibit any person from inspecting the public records filed in the office of the Board of Elections. Finally, ORC Sec. 3599.42 clearly states: “A violation of any provision of Title XXXV (35) of the Revised Code constitutes a prima facie case of election fraud within the purview of such Title.

You know that there are already millions of concerned US citizens who are closely watching this via the internet and the story is also being carried by some Ohio outlets. All we are asking, is for this issue be fully investigated and reported so that if there has been fraud, those responsible can be prosecuted and brought to justice. To do otherwise at this point, especially in light of Blackwell’s latest obstruction, and in light the now well-documented fraud that took place in 2000 in Florida, would appear to be passively assisting in covering up the fraud.

The voting electorate in this country is dependent on your accurate unbiased reporting of ‘irregularities’-- both during and after elections --to insure that fair and transparent elections do not become a thing of the past in this country -- the veracity of our democratic institutions hangs in the balance.

I sincerely hope your publication will begin taking its responsibility in this regard more seriously in the future.

Yours for a sound democracy at home,
John Hubbird
Portland, Oregon

[jamboi]

3. IMO we need to selectively target news starting w/ the left: The Nation

and get them going. When I think about the fact that not even The Nation is actively supporting us I think we need to start by getting the liberal MSM activated, then centerists like NYT then moving right., etc

[waz_nc]

7. Story about Conyers hearings in The Nation

I'm not sure if people have seen it, but there is a story in the Nation (Guarantee the Right to Vote by John Nichols) that talks about the Conyers hearings.

http://www.thenation.com/thebeat/index.mhtml?bid=1&pid=2056

[Niche]

19. The Nation is a BUST TOO!

My mother (who doesn't go online) was all over the voter fraud going on. Read an article in the Nation and said, "Well they're not saying that there was fraud..." This reading has her completely away from all of it. FUCK THE NATION!

[glitch]

35. That is what they are there for. Seriously. The Nation has been a pacifier

for a long, long time.

They didn't start out that way.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

34. UGH. This is the line my father gives me, too. He says

"There has always been corruption and fraud in elections, and it is usually left up to the individual states or precincts to deal with it". And Dad is a lifelong liberal with a capital "L". I have been told that during the early (i mean late 60s) anti-war protests, liberals would, for a long time, not join in with what they saw as "radical" political groups, hence the "rads" saw them as COMPLICIT. That is my word for everyone who is not helping to expose this fraud and have it corrected.

[dogindia]

4. Why? (I posted earlier on another thread)

so many of the left bloggers and people like Franken have refused to talk about it. Even Michael Moore. Al Gore. Moveon. These are people who have spoken out totally critical of this administration. It is still a mystery. I think this blackout is an important subject because it speaks to the bigger problem of denial perhaps fear and the programing of cultural and political dialog.

Is it that the problem is just to difficult to embrace with the Republicans holding so much power? Is it that such fraud on a massive scale is just to difficult to contemplate? Is it if an administration sets up such a sequence of lies and blatant misdeeds even without lies that the public gets hardened and frightened? Is it if you tell someone you are going to do something against their interests is such a consistent and continuous way does it create a kind of death of dialog...a dis empowerment?

[Action Jackson]

5. i am furious at the Times, Franken, Move On, all of them

All of these people and all the left leaning media did such a great job of exposing the Bush lies before the election. Why are they all silent now? I will never forgive any of them for their silence now. I will not buy the NYTimes until they start covering it. I will not give one dime to Move On unless they take this on. Why doesnt' Move On produce some TV commercials? I have quit listening to Franken. All he cares about is running for office. It is pathetic that our own left leaning media has let us down. Really pathetic. We must not let them forget they have let us down. WE must remind them constantly. There is so much overwhelming evidence of fraud and election problems that it makes the left leaning and MSM news blackout even more puzzling.

[jamboi]

6. The week after the election I wrote a thread calling on MoveOn 2 run ads

So I feel exactly as you do!

[dogindia]

8. when a cultural/political event of this magnitude

happens. I guess I am not surprised that fraud happened what with this administration's disinformation and behavior ...rush to war... etc. but I am still shocked at the left leaning writers, press and spokemen. My mind just resounds....WHY? As if if I could figure it out it might help.

[KaryninMiami]

9. I did the same thing! Did you get a response from moveon?

They have lots of money leftover - they got millions from George Soros to defend democracy and stop Bush. Why wouldn't they become involved and get some ads running now?
Even their post election house parties demonstrated that there was huge interest in the election but they did very little (except that one email blast for the petitition). Mostly however, they have been very silent. I am so disappointed in them these days that I will not give them a dime again (or my time)until they "Get with the program"...

I just don't get it. Truth.out however, has been great.

[billie_]

41. i don't get it either....i am so let down :( n/t

[jamboi]

42. No I didn't. I did get in touch with usvip.org and they are working on

them, but right now at least they are not very interactive. Yes, Truthout.org is great! Good website, but not a humongo grassroots 527 organization like MoveOn is. I think the bottom line for MoveOn is that they are waiting for the Dems to move and don't want to be ahead of them. In the last few days they've compounded their problem by not only alienating their base (us as we're complaining about here) but also most of the rest of the party by taking shots at the DLC crowd. Who will stand with them when they are turning everyone away?

[genieroze]

29. The silence from these people is deafening. eom

[bobbieinok]

25. IMO this fraud is VERY hard to believe for most Americans..after 2000

I can believe this ...... before 2000, no way

for some of us, at DU etc, FL2000 and the SCOTUS 12-12-00 decision broke (permanently?) our 'belief in the US'

after FL2000, the possibility/probability of LIHOP or MIHOP regarding 9-11 is almost 'a given'

[sunnystarr]

10. Randi Rhodes spoke of being threatened ... you don't believe

that she's the only one do you? Not only that but in her interview with Cliff Arenbecck Randi is very pessimistic that anything can really done even if or when fraud is proven. She must know something. She kept saying "just wait...wait till you see what happens to you" and felt that it already wasn't America anymore. She alluded to the MSM ("a great big giant machine") and was doubtful that a win would benefit us. She obviously knows things that we don't and has experienced the huge threat in challenging the facist takeover of the US.

http://wilem.com/rrs/interviews/rrs_20041210_cliffarnebeck.mp3

Personally I believe what would happen is that anyone who uncovers anything will be destroyed by the MSM or worse. Careers could topple as a result which is why I think that those in the MSM just do what they're told.

This may take a lot more than uncovering the truth. The truth will be destroyed and marginalized and anyone believing it will be as well. There has to be a way to protect the truth, and I find it hard to believe that the judges aren't in the facist pockets as well. Guess I'd have to include the DNC, moveon.org, Kerry/Edwards etc too.

edited for typo

So where do we turn? What do we do?

[dogindia]

11. yes.

two threads. Civil rights happened. Nuclear war was avoided (at least to date). There is a positve movement of social justice.

but....there is also this power/ethical void thing we are seeing evidence of now. And it is big. Since posting I went back to my bookmarks trying to find links to text that might help. I was looking for something I haven't found yet but here are two of interest.

http://mathewgross.com/blog/archives/001041.html
http://onlinejournal.com/Commentary/112504Hasty/112504hasty.html

[dogindia]

13. text I was hoping to find was about

how people want to participate in what is expected. They don't want to go against the group. As I have mostly been reading DU it was probably something posted a few weeks ago. Will continue to search.

Want to say that the energy of this site is unbelievably important in my belief.

I am so much for fighting for this in every way.

[goclark]

18. Randi can't fight for our rights

We the People must fight for them.
March!

It will take a MARCH by Eminem and the boys in the hood to get the attention of America.

The older folks can march all day long and they will say we are like hippies.

The young need to fight this battle with their elders this time. It must be a full court press.

Taking it to the streets!

When they have the Rallies they have got to get major celebrities to join in.

During Vietnam they had Peter/ Paul/ Mary, Harry Belefonte, Ray Charles and on and on.

People have got to see that the cause they are fighting for is valued by people that they see as heroes.

I love Jesse Jackson but he is not a hero to young people. They need to see The Dixie Chicks/P. Diddy/ Tom Joyner/Brad Pitt/Lil Kim/Ben Affleck
Older need to see : Madonna/Barbra Streisand etc.

We have got to get the celebrities involved!!

[Casablanca]

23. Celebrities have a lot to lose.

Not saying that they all will knuckle under, but by and large the more a person has to lose in money and social/political credibility, the less reliable one is in a revolution.

That's why Marx wrote that all bourgeois revolutions are doomed to failure. That's why the uniquely American psyop is that everyone is encouraged to identify themselves as bourgeois.

[Niche]

21. Rhandi stopped talking about vote fraud the day Obama came on...

she begged him to discuss it. He wouldn't. Now she just "yeah, yeah, yeahs it." I'm afraid for Franken to go to Iraq. Someone who just got back from Iraq told him that he should reconsider it. All of them are way too quiet. It's strange and saddening.

[Niche]

22. Fuck the press and their jobs!

so tired of hearing that they're in fear of losing their jobs. Helen Thomas is still standing up. Hello! Asked press secretary "why are we in Iraq?" couple weeks ago. It was GREAT!! I love her.

[Casablanca]

24. Helen has the advantage of knowing that she's an outsider.

And knowing that she's invested so much in the principle of journalists as the watchdogs of power that she would get no real credibility from anyone if she joined the Dark Side.

She has a long and distinguished body of writing behind her that is an investment that keeps her on the good path.

When events start showing journalists and others that the New Fascist Order takes far more power than it gives away (and will give less and less in the future), they will have to starting making some very serious and uncompromising decisions about what they really stand for. Most will surprise themselves by what they discover about themselves.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

37. Start setting ourselves on fire in public places?

Kidding, and not funny. Sometimes I feel like it!!! The worst case scenario is what you are describing, and it is hard for all of us (here) to live with the knowledge that it might become reality, while everyone else is running around so oblivious and refusing to listen to us or open their minds.

It is easy to despair over this, but I still have hope (at least today I am feeling hopeful). I think there is safety in numbers, and power in our numbers, so we can't give up and we can't let them fragment us as a group, or break down our hope and determination.

If you have a chance to protest-- GO! It is healing and empowering to be among like-minded people in real life, even more than on the internet. And if at first, not too many show up, you can feel good that at least you did! A group here has been holding protests for 3 straight Saturdays. They said that the number of people the first time was about 10. Next time it was 20. Today there were about 40, and MANY people stopped to listen to a speaker or ask questions. This is a movement and it is small now, but there is too much at stake to give up. Hang in there...

[RaulVB]

12. Write to Daniel Okrent (Kick)

Someone on his staff read ALL his emails.

[RaulVB]

15. Kick

[clarisse1956]

16. I just cancelled my local paper

I did a search on their website and not one article on the election fraud in ohio (thought maybe I had missed one). I called up and cancelled..when the woman asked me why. I told her until the St Petersburg Times can report on the important elections issues concerning this last election I would not read their paper. She said she would forward my comments to the political department

[propagandafreegal]

17. Bravo, I like Mark. I liked when he was discussing voter fraud w/ Al Fran

ken...

He was calm rational and credible in asserting that voter fraud actually occurred while Al tried to poo poo the whole thing.

[ailsagirl]

38. And I was furious

I wrote Al a letter about it-- he was so closed-minded and
obnoxious, I wanted to slap him. He barely let Miller get
two words out before he was interrupting and him and even
being insulting. And I wanted to hear what the man had
to say!!

I haven't really listened much to Al since because I lost
a certain amount of respect for him.

I wrote Al that he didn't have to believe voter fraud
occurred but not to censor his guests.

No response, of course.

[americanwhothinks]

20. This former fan of the NYT is so disillusioned.... I have two huge blue

bags stuffed with six bucks of sunday NYT sitting by my door...and my "renew subscription" envelope is heading for the garbage!

[4democracy]

26. I e-mailed NYT @ public @nytimes.com and got this response

Thank you for your comments. Everything sent to this mailbox is read by either me or my associate, Arthur Bovino. If a further reply is appropriate, you will be hearing from us shortly.

Don't forget, when referring to a specific article please include its date, section and headline.

If you do not wish your message to be published or relayed to other editors and reporters, be sure to let us know.

-- Daniel Okrent
Public Editor

I sent a copy of Mark Crispin Miller's article and then added my comments on their failure to inform the American public about this attack on our democracy. I hope they do read it, I sent it to a bunch of different people and departments at the NYT.

[RaulVB]

30. Great, although that is the customary response.

If one of them responds to you directly that would be better.

[4democracy]

32. Yes that would great, however he is the ombudsman referred to

so maybe he will take action.

[bardgal]

27. Time for a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against the MSM!

They aren't fulfilling their "obligation."

"Like all American news outlets, the Times is obligated, by the First Amendment, to attempt to keep its readership informed about the government, so that the government is answerable to us, its ultimate custodians."

[ailsagirl]

39. This, apparently, is nothing new

The press is a sort of wild animal in our midst--
restless, gigantic, always seeking new ways to use
its strength... The sovereign press for the most
part acknowledges accountability to no one except
its owners and publishers.

Zechariah Chafee, Jr.
The Press Under Pressure, April 1948

[Clark2008]

28. I wrote their omsbudsman today

Before I even read this article:

Dear Mr. Okrent ([e-mail]):

I am very concerned about the lack of coverage by your newspaper of the Ohio recount and subsequent House Judiciary Committee's minority forum on the Ohio election problems that include both voter intimidation and possible electronic election fraud.
As a voter for more than 16 years, it bothers me that we seem to have moved backwards in regards to the ability and protection of minorities to exercise their Constitutional right to vote. It is also troubling to hear that the technology used my have contained glitches - nefarious or not - that resulted in undervotes for the Kerry/Edwards ticket (there have been nil to no claims that any of the glitches went in favor of the Democratic ticket - most have favored the Bush/Cheney ticket).
But, what is most disturbing is the news media's lack of interest in all of this.
This is my first time in contacting you, but I have heard from others who have written their local, state and national media outlets complaining about the lack of coverage. Nearly all who have received replies have been told that the Ohio recount/House Judiciary Committee forum was "not newsworthy" because A.) The forum consisted only of Democrats and was, therefore, partisan; and/or B.) There is no "proof" of the allegations.
First, let's make this clear: Republicans were invited to attend the forum, but refused. It seems to me that the Republicans are the party responsible for participating in out-and-out partisanship and not the Democrats, who invited their counterparts to the forum. It is the Republicans who, without having heard any of the testimony of the disenfranchised voters, decided not to attend and face these citizens before calling them "tin-foil-hat-conspiracy-theorists" and "bitter-enders."
I even wrote the two Tennessee Republican representatives on the House Judiciary Committee and urged them to attend for democracy's sake. Apparently, they either did not get my e-mail or simply refused to honor my request.
Secondly, how do you know there is no "proof?" You haven't spent much time investigating these claims, judging by your lack of coverage; therefore, how can your organization, alone, contend that the allegations of voter intimidation and fraud aren't valid? Without a full vetting of the raw exit polling data, actual votes, paper trails and complaints, how is anyone to determine whether the system was flawed? Your silence is aiding and abetting the murder of the democratic process.
You covered the Bush Administration's zeal to go to war against Iraq before "proof" of necessity was submitted; you covered President Bill Clinton's alleged wrongdoings in both Whitewater and with Monica Lewinsky before any "proof" was offered and you covered Scott Peterson, ad nauseum, before the police released any "proof." Since when has "proof" become the harbinger for covering conflict and social injustices? If Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein had waited for "proof" of President Richard Nixon's involvement in Watergate before proceeding with a story most thought of as only a second-rate burglary, Nixon's crimes may never have been discovered.
I was a reporter for 12 years. I know the business. I know your need to balance the entertaining story with the newsworthy one. That is precisely why I'm having such difficulty understanding the mainstream media's reluctance to cover this most interesting set of events. This story is newsworthy in that it involves the very epitome of American democracy - our almost sacred right to vote and have it count. And, it is entertaining because it pits the complaints of the Average Joe against the bureaucracy of more powerful government officials who don't want to admit mistakes and mankind against technology. Both of these struggles are the basic themes for some of literature's most solid storytelling techniques.
These citizens aren't conspiracy theorists or the wearers of tin-foil hats, as you seem to believe, either. It should interest you to know that 20 percent of the voting population - one in five voters - believes that there was some sort of voting irregularities or outright fraud involved in the 2004 Presidential election (www.zogby.com). If you can report (again, ad nauseum) that 22 percent of the voting population - also roughly one in five voters - made their decision for president based on each man's "moral values," then you should be reporting on issues important to an almost equal number of voters.
Finally, I believe you've completely missed the story here. It's not about changing the outcome of the election and it's not about sore losers. It's about democracy and our right to have our vote counted. It's about flawed voting machines and white, suburban neighborhoods having ample booths while minority neighborhood had too few or malfunctioning equipment. It's about Ohio-based Diebold's CEO promising to deliver the state to Bush. It's about Ohio Secretary of Elections Kenneth Blackwell and his dual role as Bush/Cheney campaign chair for the state. It's about hypocrisy.
If you don't believe that this story and all its subsets are newsworthy, I implore you to take a look at Keith Olbermann's ratings for November. His "Countdown" on MSNBC grew by 128 percent over October. This probably is because he has been the only mainstream media outlet to consistently - and without opinion of the state of mind of the complainants - report on these issues. While his total numbers aren't that of the Big Three, the sheer fact that so many people tuned into see his reports on this issue should awaken the bean counters in your organizations. Perhaps that would allow them to allow your news outlets to cover this story.
If not, then I'm afraid that the American media is hopeless and of little importance. Have we gone so far to entertain the masses that we've forgotten the media's role as Fourth Estate Watchdog of the government and it's elected and appointed officials? Are we now so concerned that when citizens question officials, the media will look as though it's caving into the lunatic fringe?
So while you're all struggling for shield laws that would make it easier to do your jobs, please remember that there are citizens out there who are struggling also to do theirs - and the most basic job of citizens is to vote - and they can't.
Sincerely,

[Deb S]

31. ombudsman

Writing the ombudsman is a good idea. If they have enough people complaining, they might look into it - that's their job.

[merh]

33. Hey jamboi - check out this artile in LBN about O'Keefe

Don't you find the timing curious.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1064407#1064435

[jamboi]

44. Yes, thank you for pointing that out. n/t

[merh]

45. You are welcome. I pmailed you another link.

please ask our friend to be careful.

[keepthemhonest]

36. emailed the NYT

you know what we need is a block of email addresses(that we can easily copy and paste) of all the big papers and tv stations so we can blast them all at one time.:think:

[jamboi]

40. kick