Anyone know what happened at the Ohio Election meeting today?

[merh]

Wasn't there a meeting in Columbus, Ohio today about the election issues? Does anyone know what happened at the meeting?

[GetTheRightVote]

1. I had not heard of it but would like to be updated as well

:kick:

[merh]

3. This was in another thread

The Bev stuff doesn't interest me - the fact that lawyers were to attend to discuss legal options does.

January 30, 2005

Grassroots Meeting on Election Reform

4 PM.

Location: Whetstone Park Shelter House, 3909 N. High
Email: [e-mail]


Sunday, Jan. 30, 4 p.m. Columbus, Ohio: A meeting for citizen action -- Shelter House at the Whetstone Park of Roses (3923 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio)

Bev Harris, founder of Black Box Voting and the lead plaintiff in the only successful consumer protection lawsuit to date against a voting machine system, will meet with Ohio citizens to discuss concerns and strategies, and will make a brief presentation to frame the problem and recommend models for effective action.

Harris and Black Box Voting board member Jim March developed and presented evidence which contributed to the decision by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley to decertify Diebold touch-screens, and filed a false claims lawsuit which resulted in $2.6 million in damages, to be paid by Diebold to the state of California -- the only winning lawsuit so far targeting voting systems, and the largest-ever award for damages from any voting machine company.

Larry English, President of INFORMATION IMPACT International, Inc., will participate in the Jan. 30 meeting for Ohioans, and will make a very important presentation on a model to help create real accountability and transparency in elections.

Attorneys will explain the full range of legal options, recommendations will be made as to which options to choose.

Input from participants in the recent examination of Ohio voting problems will be heard.

Activating the Eagles: In the end, though, effective corrective action can come only when citizens (like you) get involved, think creatively, take on leadership roles in the specific areas where you feel you can be most effective.

In Columbus on Jan. 30, Ohio citizens will draft plans of action and identify citizen leaders to take on aspects of the work that lies ahead.

[KaliTracy]

4. yeah, I saw that earlier -- was it the same meeting? I don't remember

BBV being mentioned in the original post -- but then, I couldn't get much information beyond that original post about it. Thanks for the update, and for all of your hard work! :hi:

[merh]

5. Hi ya! I noticed that you have been very busy debunking

the false efforts of another. You have had the legitimate information at your fingertips and have handled yourself very well in that thread. :thumbsup: Way to go! I too have had my experience with that same individual in another thread. He just refuses to accept the truth and he hates the law. LOL. I thank you for all of your efforts!!! :toast:

[KaliTracy]

2. I'd also like an update... I was going to go but had childcare issues (I

live in Cincinnati area).

[merh]

6. Anyone have anything to report?

:shrug:

[BQueen]

7. Got there late, but here's what I know

I missed the first part so I'm not sure if that contained the legal team presentation, but I didn't get the impression that anyone had addressed specific remedies. My understanding was that the first hour was to be Q&A, and I came in at the end of a brain-storming session of areas to address and putting those into subcommittees.

I volunteered to work on litigation angles, but there were no other attorneys in the group (and I'm retired/non-practicing). I attended hoping to be a foot soldier but that's not the way it's turning out. I plan on trying to contact Arnebeck this week to get a better handle on coordination of efforts. The woman heading the investigatory group seems like a great contact, and I'm sure we'll be burning up the e-mails soon.

The only suggestions I had were to begin with researching possible remedies. I figured review of the Civil Rights Comm report on Florida 2000 would be a good starting point for some of the Federal stuff. I see mandamus as a long shot, but certainly worth the effort where some BOEs are concerned as to records. Review HAVA for penalties/remedies (I presume that we need a federal DA to take that up).

Review ORC for state code violations. I plan to boil down Title 35 to the "violation" provisions in plain language/ fill-in-the-blank affidavit format. (One member is to send me a huge list of problems in Ohio). Where found in local boards, attempt to convince local prosecutor to act once we've done the legwork. If not, verify whether court accepts private misdemeanor filings on summonses, subject to a probable cause hearing. (Winning is not the essential point here, but there also must be a good faith basis for filing, obviously.) It seems to me that others have covered more of the federal angles, and that we might make some headway nibbling at them in a county here and a county there.

Also, something I forgot to mention at the meeting is that every action be used to create as precise a record as possible. (i.e., making it painfully apparent that there was a good case and that the prosecutor declined to bring it -- and that it was a good case in the event the judge decides to dismiss it...)

I didn't have too much else to add, since I was expecting to get more direction from the "team of attorneys" promised (I dunno, maybe I missed them...I was late.) All my suggestions were in the realm of "this is an area I think we need to research..." Further problems will be presented with any actions beyond criminal cases, since most would be too challenging for the voter to represent themselves (filing costs could also run high). I was thinking pro-se was a possibility, but the most likely would be mandamus, and that's a nasty standard for a lawyer, let alone a layperson.

Naturally I want to take a very close look at all of Blackwell's activities in reference to the ORC. Unfortunately, most of the rules he relied on are not readily available (certainly not on line). Furthermore, a reconnaissance of Petro's Fun-House of Potential Ethical Conflicts would not be amiss.

Guidance/advice/offers of assistance/anxiety-relief warmly appreciated....pm me if you like.

edit for late-night oopsies.

[MelissaB]

8. Thanks so much for the report, BQueen! n/t

[merh]

9. Thank you for the update!

I will be pmailing you.

[merh]

10. kick

:kick:

[kitkat65]

11. I went as well

Turnout was good - I'm guessing about 80 people? I'm terrible with estimating crowds, though, so take it for what it's worth.

Bev Harris WAS there. Highlights of that were that fraud DOES swing both ways. Many groups - as opposed to one big one - working toward the same goal is not a bad thing. And we can expect a BIG FIGHT for election reform. It may even get ugly but we cannot let it go.

The meeting was run by Evan from caseohio. There were some other speakers which I didn't catch the name of. Sorry, but I was trying to find someone to tell them something and missed some things.

After the speakers, there was a mass brainstorming session where people put out ideas of what they wanted to see done. These ideas were then put into specific categories which were legislation, media, outreach and investigation.

I went for the media and outreach committees which were initially joined together. I think there was some confusion at first because some people felt that working with the media was essential (finding sympathetic reporters, letters to editors) while others felt the media was useless and another approach needed to be taken, thus outreach. Possible ideas were having parties to make signs to place around town, a newlsetter to hand out to neighbors or place on cars during busy mall days, learning how to frame an issue, and the importance of having organization name recognition when partaking in an action whatever it may be. We are going to meet again to discuss more about what we would like to see done.

Then these subcommittees all met together to let each other know what they had discussed. I had to leave at this point, so I don't know how that went.

What really impressed me was the diversity of those in attendance. Black, white, young, old, gay, straight - all coming together to form a united front and work together. It was really good to see that.