Thursday 12/23 Election/Fraud/Recount thread

[MelissaB]

In order to organize and document I thought it would be a good idea to have a daily thread to place items related to the recounts/fraud. This also make it easier to "catch up" when we are away from the computer for a while.

Please help us. If you see something that isn't here post it with a link to the thread and a thanks to the author. Thanks to everyone who is helping in this project.

Thread from Wednesday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x185682#185757

Thread from Tuesday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x182996#185233

Thread from Monday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x180476#182720

Thread from Sunday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x177892

Thread from Saturday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=175473#176457

[MelissaB]

1. GOP... No Shame!

Democrat Leads in Wash. Governor's Race

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&nci...

State GOP Chairman Chris Vance called their discovery weeks after the election "very suspicious." And some Washington state residents who had calmly been watching the recount with confidence in their state's reputation for clean politics were starting to have their doubts.

At a hearing Wednesday morning before the Supreme Court, Republicans had argued that a recount should be a mere retabulation, and that it was too late for counties to go back and correct errors. But the court unanimously said state law and previous court rulings specifically allow county canvassing boards to correct mistakes during a recount.

Justices questioned Republican claims that counting the votes would cause irreparable harm.

Thanks to OmmmSweetOmmm here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x189129

[dzika]

5. The Yahoo link is broken. nt.

The DemocracyNow and FreePress links below are broken too.

You probably know this...

When you copy and paste stories from other threads, look for any links that have "..." after them. They will always need to be corrected before re-posting.

Just right-click the link in the original thread and choose 'Copy Shortcut'. Then paste it into your post replacing the broken link.

[MelissaB]

11. Here is the Yahoo link.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=1&u=/ap/20041223/ap_on_re_us/governor_recount

[MelissaB]

12. I finally figured that out

with the posts from previous days. Now, I've got to remember to do it here. Thanks!

[dzika]

27. Wednesday 12/22 Highlights

Recap of stories from Wednesday 12/22


treasure chest of vote fraud stories!!
http://www.wishtv.com/Global/category.asp?C=49590&nav=0

Ohio electoral fight becomes 'biggest deal since Selma' as GOP stonewalls
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/10

MoveOn wants to know what message we have for Senate Democrats!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x186158

Fairfield county on the Saturday recount.
http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/news/stories/20041

Timeline of Wash. governor's race
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4688508,00.html

Rallies Will Demand Accurate Ohio Recount
http://www.ilcaonline.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1326&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Jan. 3 Columbus Rally with Jesse Jackson
http://www.caseohio.org/CalendarEvents.htm

Attorneys Across the Country go to Columbus to Assist Election Litigation
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/attorneys-from-across-country-travel.html

ALASTAIR THOMPSON - AUDIO INTERVIEW
http://www.kathymcmahon.utvinternet.com/mrn/audio/InsideTrackNews041221.mp3

Scripps Howard: "Election study finds widespread ballot-counting problems"
http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=MISCOUNT-ELECT-12-20-04

Ohio Recount Report from Shelby and Miami Counties
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=185682&mesg_id=187429&page=

National Anti-Fraud Leaflet Project Dec. 26 through Jan. 5
http://nostolendemocracy.typepad.com/blog/2004/12/recount_2004_a_.html

Fertik's blog - Wed. Update - "Blackwell will not testify under oath"
http://blog.democrats.com/node/2086

Court denies request for presidential recount in New Mexico
http://www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=15861&cat=NMTOPSTORIES

Will Pitt has news!! (Warning 300+ Posts)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x187683

12/22 Letter From CONYERS to TRIAD regarding new evidence (PDF)
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/triad_letter.pdf

12/22 Letter From CONYERS to TRIAD regarding new evidence (TEXT)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=185682&mesg_id=188455&page=

Columbiana County Ohio to be recounted Thursday
http://www.morningjournalnews.com/news/story/1222202004_new01news16.asp

FreePress: Observations from an election observer
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/1016

FreePress: Ohio Passwords on Web - 'anyone' could rig votes for B*
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/1018

Video Footage of African American voter suppression in Ohio
http://www.460design.net/ohio

[MelissaB]

2. Raw Story: Some details emerge on expected Kerry action...

From what I've heard, it's more substantial than Kerry's Ohio counsel's letters to Blackwell, but my sense is that DUers/etc. shouldn't get their hopes up on anything too big. I don't expect Kerry to suddenly announce proof of fraud, for example, though given how cursory my knowledge is on this specific action, I could certainly be wrong.

My source says it has real potential to be more of an issue that previous Kerry camp letters. We do expect it today.

Will try and keep y'all up to speed when I hear more. Otherwise, keep watch at http://rawstory.com -- with some more archived letters and affidavits relating to the recount at http://rawprint.com/mainindex.php


Thanks to RawStory here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x189474

[dzika]

33. Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray

Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Report

Thursday 23 December 2004

-snip-
2004 Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry will file today, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, papers in support of the Green Party/Libertarian Party recount effort. Specifically, Kerry will be filing a request for expedited discovery regarding Triad Systems voting machines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter.

-snip-
Perhaps the most significant aspect of all this, from the activist point of view, has been the effectiveness of the telephone calls and letters to Kerry. The activist push to get him involved had a very significant effect on his decision to enter this effort. Likewise, calls to other Senators in order to convince them to join House members in challenging the election have likewise had significant effect. If such an effort continues, the activists involved will very likely see the desired result unfold.

Link:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x189970

(Will Rocks!)

[dzika]

39. Newsmax.com picks up Kerry story

Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004 7:42 p.m. EST
Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray

John Kerry is filing papers in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in support of a recount effort in that state, reports Truthout.


At the center of the Kerry filing are motions to preserve and discover – expeditiously – information regarding the Triad Systems voting machines used in Election 2004.


Link:
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/12/23/195949.shtml

[MelissaB]

3. Wasserman from Free Press on Democracy Now today

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/23/154...

He says very clearly that Bush did not win Ohio and there was fraud.


Thanks to shiina here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x189794

[dzika]

6. Link to DemocracyNOW!

Today's broadcast with Wasserman:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/23/1541230

[MelissaB]

4. FreePress: Ohio Passwords on Web - 'anyone' could rig votes for B*

Default settings in Mahoning County Ohio

Default settings in Mahoning County
by Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
December 23, 2004

-snip-
A disturbing story has been widely circulated that a vote for Bush
was the default choice in the software of electronic voting machines
in a number of states. By definition, “default” settings are built-
in by the manufacturer to make sure their programs work properly,
and can be changed by the user. Some examples of default settings
on a home computer are screen savers, type face, and screen resolution.

According an article by Ann Harrison, posted at
http://www.counterpunch.org/harrison12082004.html

in certain counties in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New
Mexico where touch screen voting machines were used, there have been
complaints from voters who selected Kerry on the touch screen and
saw their votes change to Bush on a summary screen. In addition,
there was a specific problem with the Sequoia AVC Edge machine (not
used in Ohio) where voters actually saw preselected default choices
presented to them.

With touch screen machines, it is possible to set up a default
choice for Bush that would not be seen by the voters. Their votes
would be automatically cast for Bush unless they successfully
overrode the default choice of the computer. Likewise, if they
deliberately chose not to vote for president, their votes would be
counted for Bush.

Mahoning County was by far the largest county in Ohio where touch
screen voting machines were utilized. According to a report by the
Youngstown Vindicator at
http://www.vindy.com/basic/news/281829446390855.php

-snip-
Mahoning County utilized ES&S Ivotronic touch screen machines. The
administrative password for these machines was reported on the ES&S website itself.

By default, the password is 1111. According to
http://savethevote.com/issues/glitches.htm this password cannot be
modified easily, which would mean that anyone who knows the password
could change other default settings on the machines.


Link:
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/10...


Thanks to dzika hered: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x188679

[dzika]

7. Link to FreePress article

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/1018

[berniew1]

8. Updated summary of vote machine fraud in Ohio, Florida, New Mexico

http://www.flcv.com/fraudpat.html

[dzika]

9. Recount ends in Licking County, Ohio ; criticism continues

Recount ends; criticism continues
Bush, Kerry each gain 2 votes in county

By KENT MALLETT
Advocate Reporter

-snips-
The Licking County Board of Elections voted Wednesday afternoon to certify the Nov. 2 presidential election, ending the recount sought by Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik and Green Party candidate David Cobb.

Green Party observer David Lore, of McKean Township, said he did not know if the Green Party would take the recount issue to court by filing a contest of election. Lore said he expected little change in the totals, but was disappointed observers were not allowed to look at the voting machines, provisional ballots, polling books or signature books.

"We wanted to check a sample of the signature book with the number who voted at a particular location," Lore said. "For example, if there were 600 signatures and 700 votes."

A Tuesday press release from Lore and Mary Lewin, recount coordinators for the Green and Libertarian parties, said it was the discretion of the local board, not an opinion from the secretary of state, that determined what observers could see.

The secretary of state's office, however, did not always provide a clear and consistent road map to local elections boards, King said. For example, the state office told the board to seal voting machines for 60 days after the election, but would not put the directive in writing, he said.

"If they'd just get together and have some uniformity," King said. "Can they look at the machines or not? Can they see (voters') names or not?"

The Lore-Lewin press release stated, "Each candidate's position on the ballot is rotated from precinct to precinct, so witnesses wanted to check whether the machine programming matched the ballot assembly booklet seen by the voter."

The press release goes on the say a mismatch between the ballot and the programming could result in a voter punching a hole for one candidate, but the computer recording it as a vote for another candidate.

A directive from Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell "strongly encouraged us to be done by Thursday," Long said.

"What it amounted to in sports terms was running out the clock on us," Lore said. "We started out with two (recount) teams and (Domestic Relations judge recount) started with four teams. I was not happy with the cooperation."

Link:
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/news/stories/20041223/localnews/1780974.html

[dzika]

10. Counting ballots should be easy as 1, 2, 3,

Kim Sexton / Editor and Publisher

Counting ballots should be easy as 1, 2, 3,

I'm beginning to sense voter fraud could have been on a massive scale, and it just makes me sick to think a nation as modern as ours can't find a way to ensure honest elections.

How can any other nation, including Iraq, trust us to send "experts" who allegedly can help ensure fairness in outcomes?

Our own house isn't in ballot order.

Link:
http://www.kansascitykansan.com/articles/2004/12/23/news/opinion/opin1.txt

[dzika]

13. Press Conference on the Ohio Election - Radio Left

This press conference which took place by telephon at 11:00 AM EST on December 23rd, 2004

Voter fraud and election anomalies were discussed in detail.

Congressman Jackson mentioned a constitutional amenedment and a
possible challenge to the Ohio electors.

Also, discussed were the “Pro Democrary – Count Every Vote Rally,”
which will be held in Columbus on Monday, January 3rd, 2005 and the
January 6th Rally in Washington, D. C.

Participants:

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones
Tim Carpenter, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
Leslie Cagan, United for Peace and Justice
Joyce Beatty, Ohio State Representative
Cliff Arnebeck
Congressman Jesse Jackson


Listen to Radio Left:
http://www.warpradio.com/player/embed.asp?id=13712&gatewayID=&embed=yes

Link:
http://blog.radioleft.com/blog/RadioLeft/_archives/2004/12/23/213731.html

(I don't see a link to the archived press release yet. Please post if you see it.)

[dzika]

14. Madsen's latest: any inquiring minds who want to know?

From JamBoi:

I had the privilege to talk to investigative reporter Wayne Madsen recently and found that his Votergate 2004 investigation has taken an interesting turn. He now strongly suspects that a number of interlocking networks of true-believing religious right Dominionists and cynical corporate NeoConservatives have come together to perpetrate amazingly widespread vote rigging. He believes the election fraud was so wide spread that it not only tipped the election in Ohio in favor of Bush, but padded the national popular vote in favor of Bush and turned a number of U.S. Senate and House races in favor of the Republican contestants.

Jamboi:
http://jamboi.dailykos.com/story/2004/12/22/23354/955

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=189029

[dzika]

15. Moyer denies an expedited hearing in Ohio

Moyer seeks to delay, dismiss Ohio election suit.

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer, a Republican who was re-elected on the same ballot as President George W. Bush Nov. 2 but has declined to recuse himself from a suit contesting the president's election, issued a motion and procedural ruling today that denies an expedited hearing in the case and lays out the framework by which he might dismiss the case. RAW STORY acquired the ruling Wednesday afternoon.

In the ruling, displayed below, Moyer orders those contesting the election to answer two questions: (1) Whether the suit is moot because it was filed too late, and (2) Whether there is a legal significance in delaying the hearing until after Congress certifies the results of the electoral college Jan. 6, 2005.

Moyer had previously dismissed the first iteration of the suit—which also contested his own election—ruling that two elections could not be challenged in the same suit.


Link:
http://rawstory.rawprint.com/1204/moyers_delay_122204.php

[dzika]

16. Transcription of Moyer's Ruling

CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS
December 22, 2004

MOTION AND PROCEDURAL RULINGS

2004-2088. Moss v. Bush.

On Petition to Contest Election. This cause originated in this court on the filing of a petition to contest an election under R.C. 3515.08. Upon review of contestors' motion for emergency expedited hearing and emergency expedited relief to prevent spoliation of evidence and to preserve documentary and electronic evidence, and in view of R.C. 3599.34, which precludes the destruction of certain election records until the time has expired for using them as evidence in a contest of election, I conclude that the interests of justice do not warrant consideration of contestors' motion prior to expiration of time for contestees to appear in opposition. S.Ct.Prac.R. XIV(4)(C). Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that consideration of contestors' motion be, and hereby is, deferred until the expiration of time set by S.Ct.Prac.R. XIV(4)(B) for the filing of a memorandum in opposition, or until such a memorandum is filed, whichever occurs first.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that other motions which have been, or may be, filed will be considered pursuant to S.Ct.Prac.R. XIV.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority granted me by R.C. 3515.11, that contestors shall file on or before December 28, 2004, a written memorandum of law addressing the following two questions:

(1) Whether this election contest is moot based on the fact that it was filed subsequent to the "safe harbor" date established by 3 U.S.C. §§ 5 and 7? This date was December 7, 2004 for the November 2, 2004 presidential election.

(2) January 6, 2005 is the date established by 3 U.S.C. §15 for Congress to review the votes of the electors and formally declare the winner of the presidential election. What would be the legal

significance of the passage of that date relative to the contestors'
petition?

The contestees may file a written memorandum in response, addressing the same two questions, on or before January 3, 2005. Each memorandum shall be limited to 25 pages in length and shall otherwise comply with all applicable requirements of the Rules of Practice of the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Moyer, C.J., in Chambers.

Link to PDF:
http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/newpdf/0/2004/2004-ohio-6995.pdf

[dzika]

17. MORE: Video Supporting Ohio Vote Fraud Claim Revealed

(from WilliamPitt)

Truthout has come into possession of video from Hocking County, Ohio. The video was recorded by a documentary film crew that was reporting on the Ohio election. The crew interviewed a technician from Triad Systems. In a report released by truthout on 15 December, we reported on an affidavit filed by Sherole Eaton, Hocking County deputy director of elections.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404X.shtml

DU thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x190727

[dzika]

18. December 3rd Federal Court Hearing in Which Relief Was Denied

December 23, 2004

Now available -- Transcript of December 3rd Federal Court Hearing in Which Relief Was Denied Because Cobb Rather Than Kerry Was Bringing Suit!
This is an historic document, which well illustrates the grave harm John Kerry caused by his early concession and subsequent failure to take aggressive actions to correct the result in Ohio. Here the parties argued their cases, and John Bonifaz of the National Voting Rights Institute fought valiantly to stand up for the voting rights of all Americans. The Judge denied him the temporary relief because John Kerry was not the person bringing the motion:
http://shadowbox.i8.com/delawarecounty120304hearing.pdf

Link:
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/now-available-transcript-of-december.html

[dzika]

19. Live on the Net And Live on Fox Tonight at 9:00 PM

From: http://redefeatbush.com/

Live on the Net And Live on Fox Tonight at 9:00 PM

Join us for a LIVE STREAMING VIDEO presentation of Insurrection Connection Now

(Washington, 12/23 1:00 PM) Please join me NOW live on Solar Power News Network in Washington. And I will be LIVE tonight at 9:00 on the Hannity and Colmes Show that tonight is without Hannity. What great luck, eh?

I met with a few key staff people on the House side today and now have a target list of almost 80 names of Democrats who I think could plausibly support the Challenge. If the Congressional Black Caucus sticks together and is joined by the Progressive Caucus we should be able to get well over 50 votes, maybe more. Our cause has been aided considerably today by the addition to our legal team of soon-to-be-former Florida Congressman Peter Deutsch, who said he'd only help us if we could present to him a compelling case of widespread voter fraud in Florida. Bev Harris pretty much won him over. Thanks to Bev and the BlackBoxVoting.org team for enabling us to win a forceful and articulate advocate over to our side.

[dzika]

20. Voter Fraud Activist Kit

A DVD of 'Ohio-Nov2-STANDING IN THE RAIN WITH JIM CROW'
- documentary exposing Jim Crow rascism in the Ohio Elections
*Plus 30 pages of supplementary articles and analysis.

http://www.marvista4peace.8k.com/StarterKit.htm

[dzika]

21. New Wheel of VOTER "Challange" IV: $.1K, Last of 2004?

NEW $100 "CHALLANGE" (Bush spelling)


Due to the popularity (Ohio fax number created below!) of the last three Wheel of VOTER Challenges 2004 -- in which paper-trail voting is unanimously preferred, indisputable machine hackability, and absence of any Democrat Diebold IT personnel -- we at WVC headquarters now offer the following $100 opportunity for our easiest challenge yet:

We will send a $100 cashier's check to the first FIVE Ohio Republicans who claim that they:


a) Waited longer than 3 hours to vote in 2004 General Election.
b) Are registered Republicans in Ohio.
c) Voted in a Republican precinct in a Republican Ohio County.
d) Can name one other Republican at a different Republican precinct that waited over 3 hours to vote.

Your name and identifying information will be NOT be made public in any way without your permission. Your identifying information will be held strictly confidential. A signed non-disclosure agreement will be provided. Non-identifying information, such as precinct, county, gender, and race will be published at WVC discretion.

To win:

a) Provide a copy of voter registration card, county, precinct name/number and info that allows confirmation on SBOE web site.
b) Your precinct and county are deemed "Republican" ("red") based on 2000 and 2004 SBOE records.
c) Provide a paragraph explanation of the reason that you waited 3 hours (e.g., broken machines).
d) State method of voting: Touch-screen, paper ballot, etc.
e) Estimate how many machines were in your precinct.
f) A phone or email address of someone else at a different Republican precinct (can be in same county) that waited over three hours to vote.

WOV will contact your county BOE for confirmation that long waits were indeed reported at your precinct (your name will not be mentioned). Terms and payout ARE negotiable on some items causing difficulty. Five payouts maximum for this challenge.

Everyone else, how quickly to you think we could find Democratic counterparts who could meet this challenge in a Democratic precinct?

In summary, go visit the Fraud Slide Show:
http://www.electionfraud2004.org/presentation/index.html


Robin Baneth
2004 National Wheel of VOTER Challenges Chair
Raleigh, North Carolina
[e-mail]
919-828-3534
New Ohio Fax Number for Submissions: 419-781-5524

***


Three Other Wheel Of Voter WOV Challenges (prizes still unclaimed!):

1) Wheel of VOTER Challenge 2004
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_15806.shtml

2) Wheel of VOTER Challenge II: $2K
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=4705

3) Wheel of VOTER Challenge III: $.5K
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=4844

[dzika]

22. Ohio County Reports: Details of an Injustice

The Ohio recount is uncovering serious problems in our electoral processes that must be addressed immediately, both in Ohio and other states. The Green Party has posted a number of the Ohio County recount reports on its website at http://www.votecobb.org/recount/ohio_reports/index.php, and more are being posted every day.

Link:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1222-31.htm

(sorry if this was already posted)

[dzika]

23. Pirate radio calls for inauguration protests

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An unauthorized radio station in the nation's capital called for "massive protests" in the week leading up to the January 20 presidential inauguration.

The station broadcast Wednesday at 1680 AM and identified itself as "Guerrilla Radio, WSQT."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/12/22/pirate.radio/index.html

[dzika]

24. Protests line up for Bush inauguration

Feature: Protests line up for Bush inauguration

By Glynn Wilson
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

Democratic and independent activists from across the United States are planning protests to coincide with the inauguration of George W. Bush on Jan. 20.

Several Washington-based groups will lead the protests, including United for Peace and Justice and D.C. Anti-War Network. While spokesmen for both groups were reluctant to talk about specific numbers, some activists on Internet weblogs, discussion forums and e-mail message boards have been calling for as many as 10 million people to descend on the nation's capital. Few demonstrations have pulled as many as 1 million people to Washington.

"We are urging people to go to Washington," said Bill Dobbs, media coordinator for United for Peace and Justice. "We also encourage local protests and the white ribbon wearing" campaign for peace.

http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20041223-084405-3335r.htm

[MelissaB]

25. Conyers: Vote firm had remote access to machines

The ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued a followup letter to the president of Triad Election Systems Thursday, noting that he had confirmed that Triad Election Systems had remote access to voting machines controlled by local Board of Elections, RAW STORY has learned. The letter follows below.

(Note: We take things out of pdf to have ads help pay for our bandwidth, and because some people don't like pdfs.)

Image of letter at Raw Story: http://rawstory.rawprint.com/1204/conyers_triadnew_122304.php

PDF: http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/Triad_Followup_Letter.pdf

MORE: DEVELOPING: Sources on the Hill say there's more video of the Triad folks...MORE: Partial transcript of new video on the way, source says... http://rawstory.com

Thanks to rawstory here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x190848

[dzika]

26. Sen. Boxer's Potential Willingness To Contest Ohio Vote

God_bush_n_cheney (1000+ posts) Thu Dec-23-04 12:19 PM
Original message
URGENT Request for HELP in Ohio.
Edited on Thu Dec-23-04 12:25 PM by God_bush_n_cheney


Barbara Boxer has agreed in principal to challenge the electors from Ohio if she can get some support from the Ohio democratic congressional delegation. Apparently they have been strangely silent on this issue. We need to get those emails and fax machines wound up and let the reps in Ohio you will support them if they step out onto this ledge. I know it is Christmas and we all have other things to do...but this is a good shot of throwing a monkey wrench into GW's inauguration plans. At the very least this will take the man out of his mandate.

Go after it DU and spread the word to everyone you know. We can do this...lets show the Ohio delegation that they will not be alone if they show the gumption to do this.

Andy

Ted Strickland
320 North Market St
Lisbon, OH 44432
330-420-9050
www.house.gov/strickland
www.stricklandforcongress.com

Marcy Kaptor
PO Box 899
Toledo, OH 43697
419-259-7500
http://votemarcy.com
[e-mail]
Kaptur for Congress

Dennis Kucinich
14400 Detroit Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107
216-228-8850
www.house.gov/kucinich/welcome.shtml
www.kucinich.net

Stephanie Tubbs-Jones
3645 Warrensville Center Rd
Suite 204
Shaker Heights, OH 44122
216-522-4900
www.house.gov/tubbsjones
[e-mail]

Sherrod Brown
P.O. Box 141
Lorain, OH 44052
1-866-SHERROD
www.sherrodbrown.com


If you wish to email Senator Boxer to support her to contest the Ohio
election results, http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm
And...you might also check out http://www.auditthevote.org/about.jsp
where you can get regular updates... Audit the Vote is a national
network of organizations and individuals working to ensure that our
right to vote is protected and that our votes are accurately
recorded.

DU thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=190417

[cosmicdot]

29. done - sent email msgs

with my plea

thanks for the links

[MelissaB]

28. Raw Story: Additional Triad video finds 'conspiracy to thwart hand recount

Adding onto Mr. Pitt's story. The source has been extremely reliable to date; expect the actual video probably tomorrow.

New video suggests voting firm Triad sought to thwart recount of paper ballots

http://www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=514

Source says new Triad video shows ‘conspiracy to thwart actual Ohio hand recount’

By John Byrne | RAW STORY Editor

A video shot by a documentary filmmaker suggests that an Ohio voting firm sought to thwart the recount of actual paper ballots, a source who has seen the tape tells RAW STORY.

The filmmaker, Lynda Byrket, recorded the re-creation of a Triad Election Systems technician showing how he reconfigured at tabulating machine in Hocking County, Ohio.

The film was made Dec. 20 when independent observers sought to recreate and explain what actually took place after a local elections official signed an affidavit saying the company had tampered with the machines and posted a “cheat sheet” to allow those recounting the vote to bypass paper ballots.

In the film, Triad says the purpose of the “cheat sheet” is to allow was so the counters would know if they missed an overvote.

“Triad pretty much admits that the purpose of the cheat sheet is to foreclose the possibility of the county finding a discrepancy between the hand count and machine count,” the source, who asked not to be named because of their employment, told RAW STORY. “If mid-count they figure out some undervotes are real votes, they can go back and try again.


Thanks to rawstory here:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x191485

[MelissaB]

30. "Self-serving individuals press vote challenges"

...A newspaper needs to hear from you...

This is running in about a half-dozen papers in Ohio.

12-23-04

EDITORIALS

Let's bring an end to the ludicrous challenges to the Ohio election results.

Self-serving politicians and conspiracy theorists without any real leg to stand on continue to claim election fraud and incompetence.

Claims that have been answered over and over again continue to be spread on the Internet.

A double count of a handful of precincts in Sandusky County? A non-factor that was addressed before the official count was completed and had virtually no effect on the margin. Yet it continues to be mentioned as evidence of voting problems.

Democrats continue to complain that many ballots in Montgomery County showed no vote for president, apparently intimating that those ballots would all have been for Kerry. Turns out there was an electrical malfunction, and the counts were made and Republicans benefited.

Not much of a conspiracy....
http://www.thenews-messenger.com/news/stories/20041223/opinion/1782220.html


Thanks to EMunster here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x191713

[dzika]

31. Common Dreams: Mock the Vote

Published on Thursday, December 23, 2004 by CommonDreams.org

Mock the Vote
by Blair Bobier

Some people just have no respect for the law these days. Unfortunately, they happen to be in charge of our elections.

Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell and New Mexico’s Democratic Governor Bill Richardson are two elected officials who seem to care little for the laws governing elections or the people who put them in office. Both Ohio and New Mexico had more than their share of problems on Election Day—problems with electronic voting machines, problems with provisional and absentee ballots and, in Ohio, numerous allegations of racially-based voter suppression and intimidation. That’s why Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb has demanded a recount in these two states.

You’d think that public servants—responsible for administering elections and sworn to uphold the law—would want to get to the bottom of these allegations.

You’d be wrong.


Link:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1223-11.htm

[dzika]

32. Jan 3: Defend Democracy in Columbus, Ohio

Jan 3: Defend Democracy in Columbus, Ohio

UFPJ joins Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in organizing Jan. 3 Pro-Democracy/Count Every Vote Rally

December 23rd, 2004

On Election Day, problems throughout Ohio were reported all day long. In the days and weeks that followed, people throughout the state continued to point to many irregularities in the presidential vote. The voting machines were susceptible to glitches, mistakes and hacking, and even the Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell (who chaired the Ohio Bush-Cheney election campaign) admitted there were "missteps" in the election process. As was the case in the 2000 election, these problems disproportionately affected African-American and low-income voters.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. has initiated a call for a Pro-Democracy - Count Every Vote Rally to be held in Columbus, Ohio (the state capital) on Monday, January, 3, 2005. The rally will pull together people from all around Ohio, as well as others who can make the trip.

The details of the rally are still be worked on, and we will be updating the information on our web site as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you are in Ohio, or can find a way to travel there, make plans now to participate in the Pro-Democracy Rally on Jan. 3rd.

Link:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2665

[dzika]

34. Coshocton County Ohio: Kerry gains 35; B loses 9

Volunteers complete local recount

By Jim Konkoly
Staff Writer

COSHOCTON -- Coshocton County's voting system of paper ballots counted by optical scanning machines works remarkably well.

Mary Fry, elections director, made that assessment based on this week's recount of the 17,329 ballots cast countywide in the presidential election.

Twenty volunteers, working in 10 teams of one Democrat and one Republican, hand counted every ballot.

The recount added 35 votes for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, giving him a total of 7,413, and deducted nine votes from President George W. Bush, setting his official total at 9,830.

Link:
http://www.coshoctontribune.com/news/stories/20041218/localnews/1760065.html

(the trend continues... more errors benefit B*)

[dzika]

35. Democrat Widens Lead in Washington Governor's Race to 130

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Democrat Christine Gregoire expanded her lead over Republican Dino Rossi to 130 votes to win the race for Washington state governor in a recount seven weeks after the election, officials said on Thursday.

King County, the northwestern state's largest county, finished counting most of its previously uncounted votes on Thursday, boosting Gregoire's lead over Rossi from 10 votes to 130 votes.

Yahoo Link:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041224/pl_nm/politics_washington_governor_dc

EDIT: subject

[MelissaB]

36. VT electors call for contest of OH electoral votes

Vermont Electors Request Senators and Congressperson to Refuse to Certify Ohio Electors
Dec. 15 (EIRNS)--VERMONT ELECTORS DENOUNCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL RESTRICTION OF RIGHT TO VOTE; CALL FOR CONGRESS TO TAKE UP VALIDITY OF OHIO VOTE. The following resolution is in the process of adoption by the three certified electors of the state of Vermont. It is expected to be released to the public on Monday. The full text follows:

- Resolution - WHEREAS our democracy depends on fair elections; and WHEREAS troubling questions have been raised about the integrity of Ohio's 2004 presidential election by many members of Congress; and WHEREAS the Ohio vote was marred by significant irregularities, discrepancies, anomalies and other problems as disclosed by US Representative John Conyers, and a number of members of the House Judiciary Committee and elsewhere in the Congress, and WHEREAS the Government Accounting Office is undertaking a systematic and comprehensive review of election irregularities in Ohio, Florida, New Mexico and certain other states, the Congress having received about 57,000 complaints about voting machine breakdowns, inaccuracies, intimidation, suppression and other and similar violations of voter rights, and WHEREAS unequal and discriminatory voter access and treatment, as may have occurred in Ohio and elsewhere, violate the Equal Protection guarantee of the Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment and would call into question the validity of Elector certification from Ohio and certain other states under the Electoral Count Act (3 USC S5) and the teachings of Bush v. Gore, and as a result the Congress could decide that Elector votes from Ohio and certain other states were not "regularly given" by properly certified Electors under the Act (3 USC S15), and WHEREAS the Congress could determine the validity of Electoral college votes from Ohio and certain other states following receipt by the Senate President of Objections from at least one member of the house and one member of the Senate, and WHEREAS as citizens and Electors, we are committed to fair elections and equal voting rights for all,

THEREFORE IT IS RESOLVED that that Senators Jeffords and Leahy and Representative Sanders (1) give due and sufficient consideration to the results of the ongoing investigation of voting irregularities in Ohio's 2004 presidential election; (2) support the GAO's inquiry into and review of thousands of reports of systemic and other 2004 voting and election deficiencies; (3) sponsor or otherwise support legislation (a) mandating paper records, trails, or backups for all absentee ballots under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), (b) uniform rules for the issuance and tabulation of provisional and absentee ballots under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and (c) sufficient funding for full and fair implementation of HAVA; and (4) if warranted by evidence of widespread violations of voter constitutional rights in the 2004 election in Ohio and certain other states, as now appears, under 3 U.S.C S15 on the ground that such Electoral certifications are invalid and that, as a result, these Electoral votes were not regularly given by qualified, legal elections.''
http://www.vermontguardian.com/national/0904/Electors.shtml

Thanks to pointsoflight here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x191854

[dzika]

37. Video Clip of Kerry news on Countdown

Video is here: (Real Media format)
http://www.edwardsdavid.com/BushVideos/Obermann_041223-01.rm

[dzika]

38. Kerry conceded too soon, Jackson asserts

Kerry conceded too soon, Jackson asserts

BY JOHN BEBOW

Chicago Tribune


(KRT) - Claiming Ohio's 2004 election results were more troubling than Florida's four years ago, the Rev. Jesse Jackson on Thursday said Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry called it quits too soon.

"Kerry conceded much too quickly, before the facts were in," Jackson said in a conference call with reporters to discuss an ongoing challenge to Ohio's election results.

"When he pulled the plug, the national media left as well," Jackson said of Kerry's concession on Nov. 3, the day after the election.

Link:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/nation/10487723.htm

[dzika]

40. No Holiday for Vote Thieves

No Holiday for Vote Thieves

December 23 2004
Issue 119

The Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus is confident that at
least a few U.S. Senators will join House members on January 6 to
question the fairness of the November 2 election. John Conyers, Jr.,
the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told
Salon.com he doesn’t believe the Senate will repeat its performance
of four years ago, when Black lawmakers sought in vain for one
senatorial objection to “official misconduct, deliberate fraud, and
an attempt to suppress voter turnout by unlawful means” in Florida,
as Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) put it at the time.

“No, I think the Senate is going to go along with an inquiry this
time,” said Conyers. “I don't think they would embarrass themselves
to let this happen two times in a row… I just don't think the Senate
would get caught in that position.” Conyers is careful not to name
names, claiming he hasn’t spoken directly to a single Senator, but
adding, “there are Republicans who support what I'm doing who
haven't been willing to come forward.”

Link:
http://www.blackcommentator.com/119/119_cover_vote_thieves.html

[dzika]

41. NYT: Voting Problems in Ohio Spur Call for Overhaul

Voting Problems in Ohio Spur Call for Overhaul
By JAMES DAO, FORD FESSENDEN and TOM ZELLER Jr.

Published: December 24, 2004


his article is by James Dao, Ford Fessenden and Tom Zeller Jr.

-snip-
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 22 - William Shambora, 53, is the kind of diligent voter who once assumed that his ballot always counted. He got a rude awakening this year.

Mr. Shambora, an economics professor at Ohio University, moved during the summer but failed to notify the Athens County Board of Elections until the day before the presidential election. An official told him to use a provisional ballot.

But under Ohio law, provisional ballots are valid only when cast from a voter's correct precinct. Mr. Shambora was given a ballot for the wrong precinct, a fact he did not learn until after the election. Two weeks later, the board discarded his vote, adding him to a list of more than 300 provisional ballots that were rejected in that heavily Democratic county.

-snip-
"This has fundamentally shocked people's sense of whether any election can be accurately counted," said Daniel Hoffheimer, counsel to Mr. Kerry's Ohio campaign.

It is far from clear that Republicans in Congress will have any appetite to revisit voting issues, and many Republicans here argue that the system suffered only minor glitches, even with high voter turnout. "There are no error-free elections," said Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, a Republican whom Democrats have accused of worsening the state's voting problems in the way he interpreted state law.

But Mr. Blackwell acknowledged that the election spotlighted the state's outdated voting system, with 68 of 88 counties still relying on punch cards. In an interview, he called for updating voting machines, and also for early voting, multiple-day voting and other changes that he said would shorten lines and encourage people to vote.

"I don't think it's wrong to have high expectations," he said.

Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/24/national/24vote.html

[dzika]

42. Presidential Recount Fight 'Is Not Over' in Mew Mexico

Friday, December 24, 2004

Vote Recount Fight 'Is Not Over'

By Andy Lenderman
Journal Politics Writer

Advocates for a recount of the presidential race in New Mexico continue to underscore discrepancies in vote totals as reasons, even though the state Supreme Court has denied their request.

Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb of Eureka, Calif., said Thursday he might appeal the New Mexico court's decision to the federal level.

Cobb's attorney, Lowell Finley, said advocates might still post a $1.4 million deposit that Gov. Bill Richardson and New Mexico election officials demanded for a recount, but a state lawyer says the deadline has passed.
But Finley and Cobb are still pushing the issue.

"As far as we're concerned, this is not over," Finley said by telephone. "And we are going to continue pursuing every reasonable, available option to see that there's a meaningful audit of this election."


Link:
http://www.abqjournal.com/elex/278376elex12-24-04.htm

[PeterPan]

47. Response from Voters Unite

http://www.votersunite.org/info/newmexicophantomvotes.asp


"Phantom Votes Are Not Possible"
says New Mexico's Secretary of State
Yet there are 2,087 phantom votes in her certified canvass report.

Phantom votes are found when the number of votes reported is higher than the number of ballots cast.

The canvass reports on the New Mexico Secretary of State's website show precinct totals and ballots cast, separated into voting types (absentee, early voting, and election day). Analysis shows that there are 2,087 phantom votes reported across the state and present in the certified results.*


Confronted with the evidence of phantom votes in her own canvass reports, Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron explained that they are impossible and denied their existence.**



Independent auditors that looked at the state's canvass, or final report, did not find any problems like that, she said. "They didn't find any irregularities like that," Vigil-Giron said.

Election results are checked at the county canvassing board level, the state level and later by the independent auditor, Vigil-Giron said.

"Listen," she told a reporter. "I'm a Democrat. If I would have found some irregularities, believe you me I would have brought them out and questioned them."

Nevertheless there they are, right in the canvassing details posted on the Ms. Vigil-Giron's website. The Bernalillo County, Precinct 512 example Mr. Lenderman points to in his article can be found at http://www.sos.state.nm.us/PDF/Bernalillo.pdf.

Look on page 41 for the total number of certified presidential votes on the absentee ballots in Precinct 512 (Kerry 104; Bush 206; Badnarik 2; Nader 6). They add up to 318. Move to page 69. The last column lists the "Totals taken from signature roster." That's the total number of absentee voters in each precinct. For Precinct 512 that number is 166.

Another of the 250 precincts with phantom votes is Dona Ana County, Precinct 106, with 325 absentee votes resulting from 107 absentee ballots cast. For details, look on pages 10 and 12 of the Dona Ana County canvass report. (http://www.sos.state.nm.us/PDF/Dona_Ana.pdf).

Top 20 phantom-vote precincts
All 2,087 phantom votes

* Summary Report on New Mexico State Election Data. By Warren Stewart and Ellen Theisen. December 21, 2004.

* Vote Recount Fight 'Is Not Over'. Albuquerque Journal. December 24, 2004. By Andy Lenderman, Journal Politics Writer.

New Mexico also had the highest 2004 presidential undervote rate in the nation -- that is ballots for which no presidential vote is reported.

We don't spend a lot of time on undervote issues.
I'm just speculating that some voters
are just not concerned with the presidential race.
~ New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron

[dzika]

43. New David Lytel Video with Ohio Rally Speakers

"a great hour long program we produced ourselves at Solar Power News Network that you should be able to replay tonight. It puts our top arguments for why the 2004 presidential election was fraudulent and has long segments from Rev. Bill Moss and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's speeches in Columbus a few weeks back."


Video (Windows Media 100k):
http://ww2.spnn.net:8081/downloads/video/100k%20david%20lytel%2012%2023%202004.wmv

Video (Windows Media 56k):
http://ww2.spnn.net:8081/downloads/video/56k%20%20david%20lytel%2012%2023%202004.wmv

Website:
http://www.redefeatbush.com/


The video site was slow. I had to download the video and then watch it.

[dzika]

44. Patterns supporting "Set to Default Republican" in Florida

Patterns supporting "Set to Default Republican" in Florida (there were a lot more such cases)


Link:
http://www.flcv.com/EIRSFla.html

[dzika]

45. Rossi files to run in 2008 - View the PDF

2004 Republican candidate files papers for 2008

The Northwest Progressive Institute and Permanent Defense have learned that Dino Rossi has filed a C1 form with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission for his candidacy in 2008. The form was filled out on December 8th, 2004, and filed with the PDC on December 13th. I learned this while browsing the PDC's website and talking to one of our friends, David Goldstein, who has posted his reaction on his blog, HorsesAss.org.

So Rossi has his sights set on 2008 already. What a surprise.

If Rossi had won, he would have certainly been running for reelection anyway, so it isn't unfathomable that he would file for his candidacy in 2008 a few years in advance. But it's very early - 2004 isn't even over yet - and Rossi is already filing out his candidacy form in the middle of the hand recount? The form was filled out on the 8th of December - just a few days before King County initially announced it had discovered 561 ballots that it hadn't counted before.



PDF Link:
http://www.edwardsdavid.com/BushVideos/2008_rossi_candidate_registration01.pdf

Do your own search (enter 'rossi' as the name)
http://hera.pdc.wa.gov/wx/fieldsearch.asp

More:
http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2004/12/rossi-in-2008-2004-republican.html

More:
http://www.horsesass.org/

[dzika]

46. GOP's 'last hope' in Gov. Race...

Didn't someone say something about R*s fighting like rabid dogs is Washington? Just listen to them twist truth. Here are some snips from an AP article...


GOP May Challenge Wash. Governor Recount

By REBECCA COOK, Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE - In what may be their last hope of reclaiming an evaporated lead in the Washington governor's race before turning to the courts, Republicans have asked county auditors statewide to reconsider ballots that were rejected on Election Day.

"I know many Washingtonians are hoping this will end soon, but I'm also sure that people across this state want a clean election and a legitimate governor-elect," Rossi said after the final tally from a grueling hand count was announced Thursday. "At this point, we have neither."

It remained to be seen whether any auditors would comply with Republicans' request to retrace their steps. A few have said their canvassing boards would at least meet with Republican leaders, but most had already decided not to re-evaluate ballots they believe were properly rejected in the first place, elections officials said.

Failing that, it appears that Republicans — who have already been girding for a lawsuit — have a number of legal avenues to pursue. An election challenge could go to state courts or possibly to the state Legislature; experts disagree on what the law says. If the losing side alleges violations of the equal protection clause in the U.S. Constitution, the election could end up in federal court.

In light of the high court's decision, Republicans want the secretary of state to delay certifying the election so they can seek reconsideration of rejected ballots in other counties.

On Thursday morning, Republicans submitted affidavits to King County elections officials from 96 people who voted for Rossi and believe their ballots were erroneously rejected because of signature problems. They say they have identified about 250 such voters statewide.

Dean Logan, King County's elections director and one of three members on its canvassing board, said those ballots would not be re-evaluated, because they had been properly considered and rejected.

Most auditors statewide have decided not to reconsider ballots, said Corky Mattingly, Yakima County's auditor and president of the Washington State Association of County Auditors. "This is the end," Mattingly said. "You don't just keep recertifying and recertifying."

However, a few county auditors have said their county canvassing boards will at least meet with Republican leaders to discuss the possibility.

"In order to contest it they would have to prove fraud. In all the rhetoric ... I haven't heard anyone indicate they have evidence that would stand up in court," Hoover said.


Link:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041224/ap_on_re_us/governor_recount_49