Fitrakis/Wasserman: Explosive New Vote Fraud Developments Continue To Rock OH & FL

[kpete]

Explosive new vote fraud developments continue to rock Ohio and Florida
by Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
March 23, 2007

Breaking news in vote fraud cases in both Ohio and Florida are feeding a firestorm of controversy that is likely to continue escalating, with major implications for the 2008 election and the future of e-voting machines.

In Ohio, Jennifer Brunner, the newly elected Secretary of State, has received two of the four resignations she requested from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (BOE). The two Democrats on the Board, Edward Coaxum, Jr. and Loree Soggs, have complied with her call for their departures from Cleveland's scandal-ridden election authority.

However, Robert Bennett, who chairs both the Cuyahoga BOE and the Ohio Republican Party, has thus far refused Brunner's request. So has Sally Florkiewicz, Bennett's fellow Republican on the BOE. Should they continue with their refusal to resign, Brunner has threatened to hold public hearings, in the wake of which she could force the resignations.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that a criminal investigation is underway which centers on the Cuyahoga BOE's conduct of the November 2006 election. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason has turned again to Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter who recently won felony convictions of two BOE workers for rigging the 2004 presidential recount for another criminal investigation. Baxter will be investigating “possible criminal wrongdoings” related to ballot security and the scanning of absentee ballots.

more at:
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2007/2506

[mod mom]

1. OH SOS Brunner Press Release: Brunner Issues Complaint

MARCH 22, 2007


For Immediate Release

BRUNNER ISSUES COMPLAINT

COLUMBUS – Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner issued a complaint Thursday against Cuyahoga County Board of Elections members Robert T. Bennett and Sally Florkiewicz alleging five specific areas of cause for removal from office.

Brunner, the state’s chief election officer, said she intends to pursue removal of the members to help restore the public’s trust and confidence in the embattled board.

“This is a first step to improving Cuyahoga County elections and restoring voters’ trust in our elections system,” Brunner said.

Brunner noted the late, emerging decision of elections board member Loree Soggs, who issued his resignation from the panel earlier Thursday.

“Mr. Soggs has done the right thing and has shown his dedication to a fair process in which Cuyahoga County voters will have new confidence,” Brunner said. “Mr. Soggs is to be commended.”

Soggs joins fellow former board member Edward C. Coaxum, Jr., who resigned Wednesday. Both are Democrats. The remaining board members, who will face a removal hearing, are Republican.

Newly appointed hearing officer William Owen, the first assistant prosecuting attorney of Delaware County, will preside over a hearing on the complaint at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 2, 2007 at Euclid City Hall Council Chambers, 585 E. 222nd St., Euclid in Cuyahoga County.

John W. Ferron, a Columbus attorney, has been appointed by the Ohio attorney general as special counsel. Ferron will present evidence on behalf of the secretary to meet the expedited schedule needed to bring this matter to a prompt conclusion.

The complaint, delivered to the Cuyahoga County elections board, accuses Bennett and Florkiewicz of numerous instances of misfeasance, nonfeasance and violations of state election law in five distinct areas:

· Failure to adopt adequate procedures for election recounts resulting in the felony convictions of two board employees.
· Failure to manage competently the board’s financial affairs.
· Failure to ensure the efficient administration of elections in 2004 through 2006.
· Failure to ensure an acceptable level of performance of voting equipment.
· Election administration in Cuyahoga County has led to a lack of public confidence in elections in the county.

Following the hearing, Owen is expected to issue a report to Secretary Brunner, who will rule on removal of the board members. Under state law, the secretary of state may “summarily remove” board members for cause, upon complaint and hearing.

--30--


Media contacts:

Patrick Gallaway, Director of Communications [phone]
Jeff Ortega, Assistant Director of Communications

[rumpel]

2. k&r

:kick:

[Stevepol]

3. Great article. More and more momentum every day. K&R!

[bleever]

4. Look, they're digging up Harry Houdini. Who could think the crimes of the 2004 election

would just fade away? Only someone with the kind of hubris that the fates love to haunt in dramatic fashion.

[Land Shark]

5. Really? CAn't trust EITHER party to reCount votes because they counted the FIrst Time?

I thought self-auditing worked great, I thought kids could check their own tests, I thought Enron could audit itself? What is the world coming to?? :sarcasm:

[kster]

7. Y ou go to the bank and withdraw 100 dollars in singles

the teller throws the singles in an automatic bill counter the machine counts out 100 bills, the teller brings those singles to the window and hand counts them in front of the customer, the Teller is checking for OVERVOTES or(OVER BILLS) the teller hands the singles to the customer, the customer does a second hand count of the singles , the costomer is looking for UNDRVOTES or (UNDER BILLS).

WHY DOESN'T ANYONE TRUST THAT FIRST MACHINE COUNT? :shrug:

[texpatriot2004]

6. Oh, "public hearings" I like the sound of that nm

[Kolesar]

8. Fitrakis and Wasserman: Bennett BOE eliminated 175,414 voters from the Cleveland-area registration..

This has been posted here before, but now that Brunner is ready to nail Bennett, I thought it was topical:

Robert J. Bennett, the Republican chair of the Cuyahoga Board of Elections, and the Chair of the Ohio Republican Party, has confirmed that prior to the 2004 election, his BOE eliminated---with no public notice---a staggering 175,414 voters from the Cleveland-area registration rolls. He has not explained why the revelation of this massive registration purge has been kept secret for so long. Virtually no Ohio or national media has bothered to report on this story. http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2006/1832