Dean writes RNC chair on White House role in phone-jamming

[kpete]

April 11, 2006

Ken Mehlman Chairman Republican National Committee 310 First Street, SE Washington DC, 20003

Dear Ken,

Yesterday, the AP ran a story entitled "Phone Jamming Records Point to White House." This story provides new details about the role of the New Hampshire Republican Party in the phone-jamming scandal and raises serious questions as to whether the RNC and the White House were actively involved.

As you know, on Election Day, a telemarketer hired by the New Hampshire GOP jammed telephone lines at five state Democratic and one firefighters union get-out-the-vote phone banks. The AP noted yesterday that the "records show that Bush campaign operative James Tobin, who recently was convicted in the case, made two dozen calls to the White House within a three-day period around Election Day 2002 - as the phone jamming operation was finalized, carried out and then abruptly shut down."

The AP story also stated that virtually all the calls to the White House went to the same number (202-456-6173) which currently rings inside the political affairs office. Although the White House declined today to say which staffer was assigned that phone number in 2002, you may be able to shed some light on the subject, as you were the White House Political Director during that time.

You have often spoken of the importance of making sure that every vote counts. In that spirit, we hope that you will take the necessary steps to clear up the lingering confusion surrounding the RNC and the White House's role in this scandal by answering these questions:

James Tobin called the White House two dozen times in three days. Whom was he calling? With whom did he speak? Whom did he work with in the office of political affairs?

Tobin worked directly with Terry Nelson, who was then political director at the RNC. When will Mr. Nelson answer questions about his role in the scandal? Whom else at the RNC did Tobin work with?

Did the White House authorize this phone jamming scheme and, if so, who specifically did so? Or was the phone jamming authorized by the RNC?

Was anyone on the White House staff or at the RNC involved in concocting, authorizing, implementing or concealing this scheme?

The overt effort by the New Hampshire Republican Party to suppress the vote on Election Day in 2002 is unconscionable. The people of New Hampshire deserve an apology. And America deserves to know exactly how deeply the White House and the RNC were involved in the planning and execution of this scheme. We hope you will provide the answers we need so we can move forward together.

Sincerely,

Governor Howard Dean, MD

Chairman

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Dean_writes_RNC_chair_on_White_0411.html

[Nickster]

1. Go HOWARD! Damn I love that man. n/t

[bryant69]

2. No answer I'd guess

But, yeah, damn good question.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[cain_7777]

33. They'll never answer!

Dean is making a statement more than anything.

[Richard Steele]

3. Kicked, and heartily recommended!

[Roland99]

4. heh heh...the odds of getting a non-talking point, dismissive reply?

[CrispyQ]

5. ...or hear about it in the media?

Great letter, Howard!!!

[IdaBriggs]

6. I'm on the phone with them right now.

The person who has answered the phone has no clue about what is going on.

If they have more than half a brain, I think that number will be disconnected ASAP.

It really does ring into the White House.

Stupid Republicans. Did they think THEY were the only ones who could get phone records???

:eyes:

[Roland99]

7. Hey! Order some pizza from them!

:)

[janx]

8. What are you saying to them?!

Details, please!

[IdaBriggs]

10. I finished the conversation. I asked who the phone belonged to,

and what they the Phone Jammers were doing calling the number. I told the gentleman to expect more calls because the letter is being posted ALL OVER THE INTERNET. (Hint, hint!) I read him parts of the letter, and told him I wanted answers, too, because I am a voting rights activist. I directed him to the rawstory website, and walked him through how to find the article, and also warned him that it was being copied over into every blog on the planet.

He took my name and number. He was very polite, and very confused. He said someone would call me back, but I doubt it. :)

[janx]

13. EXCELLENT!

This is perfect. Good for you! :rofl:

[IdaBriggs]

19. Thank you. (Modest Bow)

I am interested in hearing what responses other people get. :)

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Ooops! "you may be able to shed some light on the subject"

...as you were the White House Political Director during that time."

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[cali]

11. Now that is a great letter,

and a great tactic to raise the profile of this story. I want it to gain a lot of traction and the maximum amount of damage to the pukes. Go Guv.

[burythehatchet]

12. Ken's reposnse:

We're not going to play the blame game.

[Coexist]

15. Jonathan Phelps

His answering machine is taking the calls right now.

[electropop]

14. Give 'em an owie, Howie!

Nice going.

[katinmn]

16. Mehlman, you're busted!

:rofl:

BTW, Ken. First you're in the closet, then out, then in again. What is it??

[mzmolly]

17. So sadly typical of these people. I don't know if I'm more disgusted at

the lack of media hype about this "scandal" or by their actions.

[JNelson6563]

18. Rock On Governor!

Here is why I love this man. :toast:

[myrna minx]

20. That is an amazing letter.

:bounce: I wonder how Mehlman will try to spin it to be a wrongdoing committed by the Dems. :rofl: :rofl:

[gristy]

21. Gov. Dean needs an editor

"James Tobin called the White House two dozen times in three days. Whom Who was he calling? With whom did he speak? Whom Who did he work with in the office of political affairs?"

Who - Whom - Who : Subject - Object - Subject

[nicknameless]

22. Sorry. You're wrong.

:D

[gristy]

23. oops!

Thanks for the smile. I never know which to use, so I looked up the rule and then I had to assume I knew what the subject and object of a sentence was!

[nicknameless]

24. Grammar can be a pain sometimes.

I love this quote from Clarence Darrow:

"Even if you do learn to speak correct English, whom are you going to speak it to?"

:D

[madfloridian]

25. Denials, denials...Ken, Ken.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/04/11/national/a202920D10.DTL

"A former White House political director denied Tuesday that he or anyone on his staff spoke with New England Republicans about a phone-jamming scheme designed to keep New Hampshire Democrats from voting in 2002.

Ken Mehlman, now chairman of the Republican National Committee, acknowledged that local GOP officials had called a White House operative in the days surrounding the election. But he said none of the conversations involved the phone-jamming incident.

"As White House political director during the 2002 election cycle, my staff and I regularly communicated with competitive congressional campaigns and Republican Party organizations," Mehlman said.

Mehlman's statement came after state Democrats argued in court Tuesday they were entitled to find out whether anyone in the White House or at the Republican National Committee knew about the phone-jamming. Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean also sent a letter to Mehlman earlier in the day, asking him whether the White House or the national GOP authorized the scheme."

[orleans]

26. great letter! n/t

[Kurovski]

27. K&R(nt)

[sonias]

28. Go get'em Howard

Give'em hell!

Bastards!

Sonia

[autorank]

29. "Let DEAN be DEAN!!!" Kick it Howard. Angry & aggressive becomes you.n/t

[rucky]

30. I'm sure Mehlman will get right on that.

after they find "the leaker"

[Pacifist Patriot]

31. Are we starting a pool on when Ken replies?

I have dibs on a quarter past never.

[peekaloo]

32. what a coincidence.....Rove recently made remarks about how the D's

are cheating/rigging/stealing elections.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x899553