October 27, 2006

Federal Judge Suspends Ohio Photo ID Law

Thanks to Paddy Shaffer and Steven Linnabary for this lead:

13abc.com reports:

Federal judge suspends Ohio's voter ID law

October 27, 2006 - COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A federal judge suspended Ohio's new voter identification law Thursday as it applies to absentee voting, saying the state's 88 counties are inconsistently applying the rule in the voting, which is already under way.

U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley granted the temporary restraining order on behalf of labor and poverty groups who sued Tuesday.

The ruling is in effect until Wednesday, when the judge will consider arguments from the same groups seeking to block application of the identification law for voters who go to the polls Nov. 7.

It's unclear how many absentee ballots have been cast since early voting began Oct. 3, said James Lee, spokesman for Secretary of State Ken Blackwell. None were scheduled to be counted before Election Day, and none will be disqualified, he said.

Assistant Attorney General Richard Coglianese said the state would appeal, perhaps as early as Friday. But Lee said the secretary of state's office would not join it.

"We have an election to run, and we do not have time to get caught up in endless litigation," Lee said.

Ohio, where a slim victory gave President Bush the electoral votes he needed for re-election in 2004, has a tight Senate race and a closely watched campaign for governor.



Complete article

Additional coverage:

Moritz Law

October 23, 2006

New film, "No Umbrella -- Election Day in the City"

"No Umbrella - Election Day in the City" is a new film about Election Day 2004 in one of Ohio's poorest neighborhoods. A Sundance 2006 official selection, and winner of audience award at Sydney Film Festival.

Upcoming Screenings:

Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series
Barbes
Brooklyn, NY
November 6, 7:00 PM

Monday, October 30th
Place: Waldo Branch of K.C. Public Library
201 E 75th St
Meeting Room
Kansas City, MO, 64114
Screening of two films, "Stealing
America" and "No Umbrellas"
Time: 6:00 PM
Free Popcorn Will be Served
RSVP Pamela at kiteinthewind59@gmail.com

Pacific Palisades Film Festival
Pacific Palisades Theatre, CA
October 29, 8:15 PM

Milwaukee International Film Festival
Milwaukee Art Museum
October 28, 12:00 PM

Permanent link for screenings

To purchase DVD

More Screenings of "Stealing America" -- Oregon, Texas, California, Missouri, New Mexico, Indiana,

"Stealing America: Vote by Vote"
by Emmy-award winning director
Dorothy Fadiman

Best place to go for updated screening schedule

Monday, October 23rd
Place: Ashland Library
Gresham Room
Ashland, OR
Time: 7:00 pm
Cost: Small donations accepted. No one turned away.
Contact: Lora (773) 486-7660
Sponsor: Pacific Greens

Tuesday, October 24th
Place: Monterey Senior Center
Corner of Lighthouse and Dickman
New Monterey, CA
Time: 7:00 pm
Contact: Peggy Olsen
375-2016

Thursday, October 26th
Place: River Oaks Theatre
2009 West Gray
Houston, TX
Time: 7:00 pm
Contact: Kip Humphrey
kiphumphrey@51capitalmarch.com
(713) 956-8792

Thursday, October 26th
Place: Michael's at Shoreline
2960 North Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA
Time: 6:30 pm - Registration
7 pm - Dinner
7:30 pm - Program
Cost: $25
Contact: Tamara Colby,
tamara@radiostreet.com
RSVP by October 14
Sponsor: The Mid-Peninsula Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union

Thursday, October 26th
Place: Taos Center for the Arts
133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte
Taos, NM
Time: 7:00 pm
Cost: $10 Donation Requested
Contact: simplechange@mac.com

Saturday, October 28th
Place: University of New Mexico Student Union Ballroom "B"
1 University of New Mexico
Building 60
Albuquerque, NM Campus Maps
Time: 7:00 pm
Cost: TBA (~$10 pre-sale / $12 at the door)
Fundraiser for KUNM Radio
Contact: Mary Bokuniewicz
Director of Marketing
KUNM Radio
(505) 277-8006
maryb@kunm.org

Sunday, October 29th
Place: Center for Contemporary Arts
1050 Old Pecos Trail
Santa Fe, NM
Time: 5:30 pm
Cost: TBA (~ $10 pre-sale / $12 at the door)
Contact:
Jason Silverman
Cinema Director,
Center for Contemporary Arts
(505) 982-1338
jas@cybermesa.com

Sunday, October 29th
Place: Boxcar Books
310A South Washington
Bloomington, IN
Time: 6:00 pm
Contact:
(812) 339-8710

Monday, October 30th
Place: Waldo Branch of K.C. Public Library
201 E 75th St
Meeting Room
Kansas City, MO, 64114
Screening of two films, "Stealing
America" and "No Umbrellas"
Time: 6:00 PM
Free Popcorn Will be Served
RSVP Pamela at kiteinthewind59@gmail.com

Friday, November 3rd
Place: Monterey County Democratic Headquarters
12 E. Gabilan Street
Oldtown Salinas, CA
Time: 7:00 pm
Contact:
(866) 679-3367

Permanent Link for Screenings of "Stealing America: Vote by Vote"

Poll Observer Recruitment Effort in Ohio

Poll Observer Recruitment Effort

Please read this and volunteer if you are not already volunteering on election day.

Please forward this to other groups

Thanks!!


Poll Observer Recruitment Effort

The Voter Protection Team and OVEST are recruiting poll observers to work at targeted precincts throughout the state of Ohio . The poll observers will monitor their precincts while the polls are open and after they close and will report any concerns or problems to the OVEST Election Day Command Center using the communication structure established by the Voter Protection Team.

On November 7, 2006 , the recruited poll observers will monitor their precinct from 5:00 PM until the votes are tabulated and the poll workers leave the site. If any individual poll observer is available to begin his or her shift earlier than 5:00 PM they are strongly encouraged to do so.

The poll observers will also ensure that the Presiding Judge of the precinct has delivered the voting machine cartridges to the county Board of Elections office after the polls have closed and the poll workers have tabulated the votes. The poll observer should follow the Presiding Judge of the precinct to make sure that the voting machine cartridges make it safely and securely from the polling location to the BOE.

The Voter Protection Coordinators for the Ohio Democratic Party are establishing a network of recruiters. Each recruiter will, in turn, be responsible for establishing a broader network of volunteers to work within established target groups and organizations to engage volunteers as poll observers. The volunteer poll observers’ contact information will be channeled back to the Voter Protection Coordinators to determine the staffing of each targeted precinct and set training schedules.

Poll observers will be trained and given a manual that will help them answer any questions and advise them of both problems they should anticipate and an appropriate response to such problems. They also will be provided the contact information necessary to report any problems they encounter. The Voter Protection Coordinators will be leading the training effort in coordination with OVEST using in person training sessions, conference calls, and email. The length of each training session has not yet been finalized but should not exceed 2-3 hours.

Please send your information to Brian Green at brian.green@ohiodems.org or call at 614-207-2088.

Important Action Memo from Paddy Shaffer: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OHIO ELECTION

Announcing an American Citizens Call To Action! Please for the sake of this nation, take a minute and read this.

Election Observers are needed to oversee the Ohio Election process. We now have five state wide candidates that have come together and can legally have Election Observers for the fall general election. These Ohio candidates are
Dr. Robert Fitrakis, Dr. William Peirce, Dr. James Lundeen, Timothy Kettler, and Dr. John Eastman.

What does this mean? Ohio has over 11,000 precincts in 88 counties.

We need as many people to assist as we can get, this is how we begin to take back the current struggling system. Our observers must be "Qualified Electors". This means qualified Ohio voters. If you are from another state and can help, we have support roles that you could assist with.

We have proved fraud in 2004. We hope that by closely watching 2006, the process will improve. If it doesn't, we will have documented what we were able to see with our own eyes. This will help to take legal action where needed, address the problems of the system, and to give credit where credit is due. This applies to things done well, and things done poorly.

We will need many people out on November 7th, 2006. All across Ohio. We need all kinds of people, including attorneys. Are you willing to travel to another county. If so, tell us. We will also need election observers to go to the Boards of Elections in advance of November 7th to look and see what is happening with the Absentee Ballots.

Please send names, addresses, and phone numbers immediately for anyone else you know able to help. If they can do a whole day, great, if they can only do a partial day, yes we need them.

If you have camera's, tape recorders, or video camera's, get them ready. We hope to be able to use them, I'll know soon. I need to mail off letters with names of people willing to go into all 88 counties, in the next few days. Please respond ASAP! We can add more names to any county we have people for by October 27th. Beyond the 27th we can add names up until 4:00 p.m. on November 6th, 2006. So we can take more helpers up until the end.

To anyone interested... I will follow this up with more information you will need. I don't want to make this too long, I hope people read it. Thanks for any and all help you can offer! Training will happen the weekend of October 28th. Details coming soon. Yes, we want people that don't use computer too.

If interested, send the following information to Phil Fry, our project manager at phil@caseohio.org and (937) 362-4493

Name
Address
County
Phone
Email
Available for Nov. 7
All day Nov. 7th or a part day
Available before Nov. 7
Willing to travel to other counties.
Maximum distance you are willing to travel to other counties.
Do you have a camera, video camera, tape recorder?
Available to help with the preplanning?

Please forward this on to your lists. For people in Ohio and other states, if you want to know more about what is going on with the US elections and ways to help, look to the following sites for ideas.
www.velvetrevolution.us/electionstrikeforce/
www.bobforohio.com
www.freepress.org
www.velvetrevolution.us
www.bradblog.com
www.blackboxvoting.org
www.fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com


Paddy Shaffer
Campaign Manager
Fitrakis for Governor
www.bobforohio.com
paddy@columbus.rr.com
(614) 761-0621
(614) 266-5283

__._,_.___

Important Action Memo from Susan Truitt: OHIO POLL OBSERVERS NEEDED, SIGN UP NOW

All poll worker slots in targeted counties are filled! The ODP needs observers at the polls now, and they need them ASAP. Please register on line below by tomorrow if you can assist in this crucial effort. Please forward to everyone you know who wants their vote protected.
Thanks for all you're doing!
Herb
Protect Our Vote!
Help ensure every vote is counted in Franklin County this election


Volunteers Needed to Observe Polls
Please sign up at http://www.paintohioblue.com/index.php?page=display&id=123

Don’t let a “Florida 2000” happen in Ohio 2006!

2000: Infamous Florida “hanging chads”…
2004: Long lines & thousands of Ohio voters stopped from voting…
2006: Ken Blackwell games election rules to take Ohio’s Governorship?!?!


We must protect our vote!

The Democratic Coordinated Campaign is launching a massive Election Day effort to monitor polling locations across Ohio, including Franklin County, to report any problems to a rapid-response team of legal experts.
We need poll observers who can spend all or part of election day (Tuesday, November 7) at the polls watching for irregularities and witnessing the vote count after polls close.
We’ll train you, and we may ask you to help us find lawyers and other volunteers to help on Election Day and before.


Please sign up at http://www.paintohioblue.com/index.php?page=display&id=123

For more information or to get involved immediately, please contact Mike Jung at 614.857.0700 ext.100 or email FranklinVote@ohiodems.org

October 21, 2006

Important Books, Videos, and CD's about the 2004 Ohio Election

In view of the iron-fisted control of all three of the nation's branches of government, as well as the "fourth estate", the press, by a single political party, I have felt that this dark page in American history would need to be examined by the historians. Well, the history is starting to be written now. Here are some books, videos, and CD's which have come out to tell the story.

The truth can be suppressed in the short run, when government and the press are in league, as they were in Germany from 1933 to 1945, and as they are today, but ultimately the truth will be known and will be told.

-R.B.

Books.

"What Went Wrong in Ohio:
The Conyers Report On The 2004 Presidential Election" (Paperback)

This is the landmark report prepared by the House Judiciary Democrats staff, under the leadership of Congressman John Conyers, Jr., and the other House Judiciary Democrats, under enormous time pressure. On January 6, 2005, all but one Senator and all but thirty other Congresspeople chose to ignore this report, but historians will recognize it as the last gasp of democracy in our country. Every American should be familiar with this, one of the most important documents in American history. This handy, extremely inexpensive paperback makes it easy for each of us to have a copy on hand. Additional link:
Amazon.

"Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election?" (Paperback)
By Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld, Harvey Wasserman

An important compendium of key documents relating to the Ohio election fraud of 2004, prepared by knowledgeable activists who were on the ground in Ohio, fighting against the coup at the time. Additional link: Amazon.

"Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen? : Exit Polls, Election Fraud, and the Official Count" (Paperback).
By Steve Freeman and Joel Bleifuss.

In Ohio, Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, borrowing from Katherine Harris' Florida playbook, orchestrated a statewide effort to suppress the Democratic vote. Did his efforts make a crucial difference in that vital swing state? And how did he count the provisional ballots? Was Ohio the Florida of 2004? Across the country, independent voter exit polls showed that John Kerry was destined to be the next president. Why were the exit polls, which historically have been accurate, so wrong?

"Fooled Again" (Hardcover). By Mark Crispin Miller.
How the Right Stole the 2004 Election.

Well known critic and political commentator Mark Crispin Miller argues that it wasn't moral values that swung the election-it was theft. While the greatest body of evidence comes from the key state of Ohio-where the Democratic staff of the House Judiciary Committee found an extraordinary onslaught of Republican-engineered vote suppression, election-day irregularities, old-fashioned intimidation tactics, and illegal counting procedures-similar practices (and occasionally worse ones) were applied in Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and even New York. This pattern-not one overwhelming fraud but thousands of little ones-is, in Miller's view, the new Republican electoral strategy.

"How the GOP stole America's 2004 election and is rigging 2008", by Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman.
$12. Called the "Woodward & Bernstein of the 2004 Election" by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., Fitrakis and Wasserman have assembled a digest of more than 180 bullet points resulting from their invetigation of "Massive Voter Theft, Fraud and Illegalities in Ohio's Presidential Balloting". The theft of the 2004 election has been catalogued, footnoted and documented in more than 180 bullet points compiled by the Ohio-based investigative reporters in their shocking new compendium. Additional link: http://harveywasserman.com.

"Hacked!" Edited by Abbe Waldman DeLozier and Vickie Karp. Contributors: Bob Fitrakis, Harvey Wasserman, Lynn Landis, Jeremiah Akin, Bev Harris, May Schmidt, Victoria Collier, Hon. Cynthia Ann McKinney, Kathleen Wynne.
$15. Focuses on the high tech side of election theft. Explains how electronic voting has stolen our democracy; how elections in American have been privatized by large corporations; why the mainstream media is barely reporting it; how imperative it is that Americans start TODAY to reclaim their elections; and why the only solution is a return to paper ballot elections, hand-counted at the precinct level. Action steps for citizens are included.

Cheated!.
Comic book treatment of the stealing of the Ohio 2004 presidential election, by mother-and-daughter team Sheri Leigh Myers (text) and Sophie Goldstein (art). Covers the period of Election Day, November 2, 2004, to January 6, 2005. In the words of the authors, "Ohio is where the levees of democracy broke in 2004". Sheri Leigh Myers is a citizen activist who fought the Ohio election fraud, and rode on the historic Freedom Winter bus ride from Columbus OH to Washington DC of January 2005.

Videos.

"No Umbrella -- Election Day in the City"
New film by Laura Paglin about Election Day 2004 in one of Ohio's poorest neighborhoods. Sundance 2006 official selection. Audience award, Sydney Film Festival.

"Stealing America: Vote by Vote"
Powerful new documentary film by Emmy award winner Dorothy Fadiman focuses on the Ohio election fraud of 2004. A work of historic importance.

"Eternal Vigilance: The Fight to Save Our Election System"
New documentary film by Emmy award winner David Earnhardt examines disenfranchisement of Americans by those in charge of our electoral system.

"Get Up on the Bus"
Great music video by Wil b about the Freedom Winter Bus Ride, the January 6, 2005, demonstrations in Washington, DC, the stealing of Ohioans' right to vote, and the fight for freedom. (Alternate link on wakeupandsaveyourcountry.com) To download a copy.

"Invisible Ballots"
2004 video which came out before election about perils of electronic voting.

SolarBus Election Justice Center. "The Truth About the 2004 Election: Why We Must Not Get Over It" (CD)
CD about the 2004 election prepared by the excellent SolarBus Election Justice Center.

"American Blackout"
(DVD). Outstanding feature length documentary by Ian Inaba on disenfranchisement of African Americans in 2000 Florida presidential election, 2002 and 2004 DeKalb County Georgia congressional elections, and 2004 Ohio presidential election.

CD's.

"Coup d'etat". Song written and performed by Yikes McGee. MP3 for free download through www.yikesmcgee.com

CD available on line for free distribution: "Ohio in the Dark" (Victoria Parks, Yikes McGee, and Gary Polnivale)(Distributed by Madog Music)

Note: If you know about other significant books, cd's, videos, available about the 2004 election, please let me know. Thanks.

-R.B.



October 18, 2006

Voter Protection Groups Organizing

Thanks to David Swanson for bringing to my attention web sites which have been set up to organize Voter Protection volunteers:

MyDem.Democrats.com

ProtectMyVote.org

"Get Up on the Bus" -- Great Music Video by Rapper "Wil b" About the Freedom Winter Bus Ride & January 6, 2005, Protests

Great music video by rapper "Wil b", "Get Up On the Bus", about the Freedom Winter Bus Ride of 2005, and the January 6, 2005, Protests:






http://wakeupandsaveyourcountry.com/Wil%20B.htm
and available on
YouTube.


To download

Electronic Frontier Foundation Needs Volunteer Attorneys for 2006 Election

Special notice from Electronic Frontier Foundation:j

This November, as we did in 2004, EFF will once again play a key role in
the election integrity movement by volunteering its technical and legal
expertise to help ensure that votes cast on new voting technology are
accurately recorded and counted. EFF and its volunteers, working with
our partners in the non-partisan Election Protection Coalition, will
perform a wide range of important services on election day, including
helping solve (in real team) technology-related problems voters
experience at the polls, documenting voting machine-related incidents
for future examination, and bringing any legal action that might be
required by equipment failures.

As a handful of new legal command centers and hotlines have recently
been created in anticipation of election-related problems, we are in
need of volunteer attorneys who would be willing to spend election day
helping us in the following places:

Atlanta, GA
Jackson, MS
Chapel Hill, NC
Houston, TX
Miami, FL
Philadelphia, PA

All necessary training will be provided in the next two weeks. Some
funding is available to assist with travel, but we would prefer to use
those funds to assist those who are otherwise unable to travel and/or
for unavoidable last minute travel changes.

--
Matthew Zimmerman
Staff Attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation
454 Shotwell Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
ph: (415) 436-9333 x127 / fx: (415) 436-9993
mattz@eff.org / www.eff.org

Nationwide Election Protection Hotline Up and Running

1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)


The nationwide Election Protection Hotline was activated on October 16 to help resolve issues for Election Day on November 7.
The number is staffed with live volunteers from 9 AM-6 PM Eastern time.

Election Protection guides voters through the voting process, helping to ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to cast a meaningful ballot and have their vote counted.

You can contact them with issues before, on, or after the election. Issues are recorded in an Election Incident Reporting System (EIRS) to allow responding to issues in real time as well as provide data for investigations after the election.

Election Protection, the nation's largest non-partisan voter protection coalition, is led by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law's National Campaign for Fair Elections, the NAACP, the National Bar Association, and People For the American Way Foundation.

Visit www.866ourvote.org or http://www.nationalcampaignforfairelections.org/pages/election_protection for more information.

1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)

Bibliography Prepared by Mark Crispin Miller and Published on Washington Spectator

Mark Crispin Miller has prepared, and the Washington Spectator is publishing, a helpful bibliography on election-related materials.

"The GOP Playbook : How to Steal the Vote" By Mark Crispin Miller

Second article in two-part series by Mark Crispin Miller published in Washington Spectator on October 15, 2006:

OUR RIGGED ELECTIONS (PART II)
The GOP Playbook: How to Steal the Vote
By Mark Crispin Miller | October 15, 2006

Editor's note: The author says it would require a year's worth of Spectators to lay out his case, fact by fact, that our recent elections were stolen. But since that case has already been made in detail elsewhere—and not just by Miller—we asked him to prepare a reader's guide to all the evidence. We've published that bibliography on-line, and we urge you to review that evidence for yourself.

rom the start, George W. Bush has pointedly refused to ask that we make any national sacrifice to help us win the "war on terror." Soon after 9/11 he urged us not to curb our appetites in any way, although to do so would have made much sense, and makes sense now. After all, it's oil, in part, that U.S. troops are fighting for, and oil that indirectly pays for all the guns and bombs now blowing those troops, and countless others, to shreds. The patriotic thing would therefore be to lessen our national dependency on fossil fuels, by driving less (or not at all), and turning off the air conditioners, by buying fewer disposables, and otherwise deferring to the greater good. Bush, however, will have none of that, asserting that the best thing we can do to help win this war is just go shopping.

Yet in one respect it's not exactly right to say that our president has asked nothing of us. Since 9/11, Bush has made astonishing demands on all his fellow citizens, asking us to swallow more baloney than the U.S. government has ever fed the people of this country. He and his team have asked us to believe that 9/11 came as a complete surprise, that Saddam Hussein was part of it, and that Iraq would soon be lobbing atom bombs, poison gas, and lethal pathogens at Tel Aviv and Disney World. They also asked us to believe that the Iraqi people would bestrew our troops with flowers, then that the "mission" had been "accomplished," then that those friendly natives had been overrun by "foreign terrorists" intent on wrecking the "democracy" that we were there to build. And now Bush asks us to believe that things aren't half as bad in Iraq (not to mention Afghanistan), as they appear, and that his team can win this war.

That most Americans do not believe a word of it, and therefore will not vote Republican, attests to the diffusive power of truth, which in this country still resonates despite the efforts of both government and media to bury it. Bush's big lies have prevailed not just because his regime has so doggedly promoted them. For too long, those howlers also had the benefit of a compliant press that simply echoed them.

Complete article

First article in series

Election Day Message from Ray Beckerman

As we approach the critical 2006 election, it is imperative that we
be vigilant. The word is starting to get out about what happened
in 2004, thanks to an outpouring of excellent books, films, and articles.
We need to keep the momentum going, and to keep on learning,
and teaching, and fighting. We owe it to our forefathers who
fought and died for the right to vote,
to those who braved beatings, and dogs, and firehoses, and bombings,
and lynchings, and killings so that their children would have the right
as citizens of the United States to stand up proud and cast their votes.

And if at any time you find your spirits flagging, my personal recommendation
is to go to YouTube or wakeupandsaveyourcountry.com and play what
is now my anthem -- "Get Up On the Bus" -- the rousing commemoration,
by Freedom Bus Rider and rapper extraordinaire "Wil b", of the historic
Freedom Winter Bus Ride of January 2005.

And as election day approaches, a special shout out to
Susan Truitt, who was the first to the ramparts
when the coup d'etat took place, and who never hesitated for a second
to get in there and fight, leading us into battle with
courage, energy, and humor, bringing light into our fight
against the forces of darkness.

--R.B.

October 17, 2006

"Eternal Vigilance: The Fight to Save Our Election System", New Documentary Film by David Earnhardt

A preview edition of a new documentary film, "Eternal Vigilance: The Fight to Save Our Election System", by Emmy Award-winning producer/director David Earnhardt, has been released.

The film deals with "the illegal tactics and dirty tricks" by those in control of our election system.

To watch clips, order dvd's, arrange screenings, and get information about the film and filmmaker, go to http://www.eternalvigilance.us/.

Screenings of "Stealing America" in Eugene, OR, on October 18th and Mountain View, CA, on October 26th

Screeings of "Stealing America: Vote by Vote" by Emmy-Award winning filmmaker, Dorothy Fadiman:

Wednesday, October 18th, 7:00 pm

LOCATION: In Eugene at Cozmic Pizza, 199 W 8th Avenue (at 8th & Charnelton, 2 blocks west of Willamette)

No admission fee
For more information visit www.stealingamerica.org or contact Kat L'Estrange at kinc@efn.org


Tuesday, October 26th, 6:30 pm registration, 7:00 pm dinner, 7:30 pm program

LOCATION: Mountain View, CA, Michael's on Shoreline, 2960 N Shoreline Blvd

Cost: Free, but viewers will be asked to make $25 donation to ACLU
The filmmaker will be in attendance.
RSVP: Tamara Colby tamara@radiostreet.com by October 14
Sponsor: The Mid-Peninsula Chapter of The American Civil Liberties Union

Additional screenings

New Pacifica Radio Program on Voting Rights Situation in Ohio

Columbus Community Radio, part of Pacifica, has come out with an episode of "Sprouts" produced by voting rights activist Evan Davis, which looks at the state of voting rights in Ohio in light of new evidence of election fraud and new legislation affecting voters, featuring an interview with Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.

To listen or to download go to:

http://www.ccrfonline.org/ and click on "Audio Archives".


October 12, 2006

Video the Vote -- Ohio 2006 -- You Can Help

VIDEO THE VOTE is recruiting bideographers and volunteers to document problems at the polls on November 7th.

They provide training on what to look for and who to call and will get video uploaded to the internet.

Details and contact information below.

---

Thanks for your interest in VIDEO THE VOTE. I'm Melissa Giraud, a member of the League of Young Voters
and coordinator of the VIDEO THE VOTE effort in Columbus.

Video the Vote is recruiting videographers and volunteers with video cameras to document any problems people have voting at the polls on November 7th. With the help of other organizations, we'll train these video volunteers so they know what to look for at the polls and know to call election protection when needed. We'll also set up tape drop off points and ask techie volunteers to upload the tapes we get immediately to the Web on YouTube.com. We'll also encourage individuals with camera to post under Video the Vote on line on their own. Our intention is to supplement election protection efforts by making video taken at the polls available on the Web in short order. This will allow election protection folks and
everyone with an Internet connection to see what's happening in near real-time and rectify problems at polls before they close.

Video the Vote is the inspiration of the Guerilla News Network's Ian Inaba, director of the election documentary "American Blackout." Ian got some of his best footage from individuals, many amateurs, who brought video cameras to the polls in November 2004 in Columbus. He knew that figuring out how to get this "guerilla" footage to the public much sooner would help protect voters. Fortunately, making video available on the web has become much easier than it was in 2004.

We're currently developing protocols to coordinate Video the Vote, which I'll share with you soon. Within the week, Video the Vote will have a completed website where volunteers can sign up, download protocols and guidelines and learn more about the project. That site address is: videothevote.org.

Please send any video volunteers or other potential collaborators on Video the Vote my way. Again, we mean to supplement efforts to protect the vote that are already underway.

Oh, and if you haven't seen the upsetting, important, inspiring movie "American Blackout," you'll have another opportunity. SEIU is sponsoring a showing of the film and Ian Inaba will attend and answer questions. Here's that event information:

American Blackout
Thursday, October 26, 2006
7 pm (Reception at 6:30)
Drexel Gateway near OSU Campus
1550 North High Street

Thanks, and I look forward to working with you all.

Best,

Melissa Giraud
melissa@columbusvotes.org, melissagiraud@yahoo.com
cell 773-895-2378

October 11, 2006

Voting Rights Revival Conference -- Columbus, Ohio -- October 13-15th

Conference is this weekend. CASE will be hosting a workshop on the Adopt A BOE program.

http://freepress.org/vrrc/index.php for details.

Voting Rights Revival Conference
Columbus State Community College
Columbus, Ohio

October 13, 14 and 15, 2006


Long lines....provisional ballots...intimidation at the polls...
Don't let what happened on Election Day in 2004 happen again in Ohio!
Get involved!
Come to the Voting Rights Revival conference
Become an Election Protection volunteer!

The VRRC focuses on concrete solutions that will empower Ohio voters this November 7, 2006. Free and open to the public, the VRRC will inspire and inform with renowned speakers and hands-on workshops. Workshops will cover the changes in the new laws, basic voting procedures, how to make sure your vote is counted, how to work with Boards of Elections, Election Protection videography, the voting rights of people with disabilities, and post-election audits, to name a few.

Our Mission Statement:

To focus on the election process in Ohio, with the goal of sharing information that enfranchises all voters in Ohio; to encourage civic participation at the local and state level, including the ongoing facilitation of emerging local and student leaders and organizers: the commencement of a public sphere.

Highlights:

Speakers:

Steve Freeman, Penn University professor, author of "Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen? Exit Polls, Election Fraud, and the Official Count"
Bob Fitrakis, author, journalist, political science professor, attorney for Moss v. Bush, co-editor "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents"
Harvey Wasserman, author, journalist, Senior Free Press Editor, co-editor "How the GOP Stole America's 2004 Election & Is Rigging 2008"
Cliff Arnebeck, attorney for post-2004 election challenge
Ruth Colker, law professor, OSU Moritz College of Law
Greg Moore, civil rights leader, director, Voting Rights Institute of the Democratic National Committee
Matt Damschroder (invited), Director, Franklin County Board of Elections
Ronnie Dugger, founder, Texas Observer, founder Alliance for Democracy
Doris D. Haddock (invited), clean elections activist
Workshops:

CASE Ohio – Adopt A Board of Election
Voting 101 (Guaranteeing your voter registration, new ID rules, how to use voting machines)
Disabilities and Voting
Election Day Election Protection Activities: parallel elections, legal, video, observation
Post-election Auditing
More

October 10, 2006

Amended Complaint Filed in King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell

An amended complaint (pdf file) has been filed in King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell.

Record of Important Legal Events


This post is intended as a resource for those seeking information on important legal events relating to the Ohio election of 2004, specifically relating to issues of (a) fraud, (b) disenfranchisment, (c) voter suppression,
(d) recount obstruction, and (e) vote machine tampering. It is a selective compilation of links which have been posted on this site which relate to such events.

The links are generally listed in reverse chronological order of posting.

They are numbered in reverse numerical order; the first 2 digits of each link refer to the year of posting. (I.e. “0510" is the 10th post in 2005).

The "permanent" link to this post is at the bottom and can be ascertained by right-clicking the phrase "Permanent Link to this Post".
(But please note that it is not entirely "permanent": each time the post is updated in a new month, the 2-digit number for the month changes, and when it is updated in a new year, the 4-digit number for the year changes as well). For a genuinely permanent link, use the link for the identical list on my web site, http://ohioelection2004.com/legalevents.htm

There is, of necessity, some overlap with my separate post "Evidence of Fraud and Disenfranchisement in Ohio, 2004 : A Partial List", since legal documents (a) are often compilations of evidence, and (b) on occasion are in themselves important historical facts.



0602-Amended complaint in King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell
0601-Complaint in King Lincoln Bronzeville Community Association, et al, v. J. Kenneth Blackwell, et al.

0549-Blackwell's motion to dismiss in League of Women Voters and Plaintiffs' opposition papers.
0548-Two Cuyahoga County Election Workers Indicted For Recount Obstruction
0547-June 13th trial set for League of Women Voters v. Blackwell
0546-Kerry and Edwards to Stay in Recount Case; Trial Set for August 2006
0545-Cobb and Badnarik Claims in Recount Suit
0544-Cuyahoga Recount Being Investigated by Special Prosecutor, Subponeas Issued -- Cleveland Plain Dealer
0543-Federal Lawsuit Commenced to Reform Ohio Elections
0542-Probe of $10,000 payment to Franklin County GOP on instructions by GOP election official - Cleveland Plain Dealer July 16, 2005
0541-TRO extended to August 15th, and parties proceed to mediation, in Hocking County Sherole Eaton litigation
0540-Open Records Request Filed in Lucas County on July 7th
0539-Criminal Complaint Filed in Hocking County Against BOE Director Lisa Schwartze for Shredding Up To 10,000 Registration Documents
0538-Temporary Restraining Order Issued by Court in Alliance for Democracy v. Hocking County Board of Elections
0537-Alliance for Democracy Brings Motion to Stop Hocking County from Terminating Sherole Eaton Without Compliance with Public Meetings Law
0536-Conyers Attacks Gonzalez "Investigation" Report of Franklin County Voter Machine Misallocation
0535-Paul Harmon Files Ohio Supreme Court Brief Describing Licking County Irregularities
0534-Judge Moyer Denies Sanctions Motion in Election Contest Litigation
0533-Videotapes of EAC February 23rd Hearing
0532-Akron Beacon Journal reports: "Prosecutor to Probe Cuyahoga County Recount"
0531-Franklin County Launches Investigation Into 2004 Election
0530-Blackwell Requests Dismissal or Change of Venue of Recount Case, and Opposes Hearing Unless He Can Take Depositions of Kerry and Edwards
0529-Paul Harmon to Appeal Licking County Case to Ohio Supreme Court
0528-National Voting Rights Institute Update on Ohio Recount Litigation
0527-Kerry & Edwards File Court Papers Agreeing With Cobb & Badnarik that Venue Should Not be Transferred & Summarizing Reports of Recount Coordinators
0526-Cobb & Badnarik File Papers Requesting Court Not to Transfer Venue

0525-Report on EAC February 23rd Hearing by electionline.org
0524-EAC Announces it will Only Hold One More Hearing
0523-Election Fraud by Licking County Officials Exposed in Criminal Complaint Filed by Paul D. Harmon
0522-Report on EAC February 23rd Public Hearing
0521-"Public" hearing not open to the "Public"
0520-Blackwell Fails to Show Up at House Administration Committee; Chair Says "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide"
0519-Congressman Conyers, Senator Feingold, and 17 Other Congresspersons file Amicus Brief Opposing Ohio Elections Contest Sanctions Motion
0518-State Court Judges Prohibit Blackwell from Enforcing Optical Scan Deadline
0517-Ohio Attorney General Tells Franklin County Prosector that Blackwell Exceeded His Authority
0516-Cobb and Badnarik File Memorandum of Law in Recount Case.
0515-Conyers and 22 other Members of Congress Request Congressional Research Service Investigation into Voting Irregularities. 2/2/05
0514-Election Contest Lawyers Oppose Sanctions Motion
0513-FBI Refuses to Follow Up on Hocking County Triad Incident
0512-Cong. Conyers Asks FBI to Expand Investigation into Clermont, Union, Fulton, Hocking, Monroe, Henry, and Harrison Counties
0511-Congressman Conyers Writes to Ohio Attorney General About Sanctions Motion Against Election Contest Attorneys
0510-Sanctions Motion Brought By Ohio Attorney General Against Election Contest Litigation Lawyers
0509-Nine Members of House Judiciary Committee Request Formal Committee Hearings & Investigation
0508-Alliance for Democracy Seeks to Intervene Before Democratic Party Dismisses Its Own Case in Knox & Franklin Counties
0507-Four Members of Congress Call for Special Prosecutor to Investigate Blackwell
0506-Waxman and Conyers Call on GAO to Investigate
0505-Election Contest Suit Withdrawn
0504-January 6, 2005, House & Senate Debate, & Vote Against, Objection
to Ohio Electors

0503-House Democrats Request Joint Congressional Investigation of Ohio Election
0502-House Committee Appendices: Eyewitness Accounts, Linda Byrket Documentary, and Blackwell letter
0501-House Judiciary Democrats Submit Preliminary Report in Support of Objection to Ohio Electors, Entitled "Preserving Democracy : What Went Wrong in Ohio"

Needless to say there are other web sites which contain information on these subjects. Some are listed in the left hand column under "Important Links". Three which I find especially helpful are Ohio Vigilance http://ohiovigilance.org, MiaMedia Votergate Resource Center http://miamedia.com/votergate, and Election 2004 http://shadowbox.i8.com/stolen.htm.

If you have documents, court dates, or other detailed material relating to legal events in connection with the Ohio, 2004, election, which you would like to share with this blog, please send to ohioelectionfraud@mindspring.com with "oef" as the subject.

October 07, 2006

"American Blackout", New Film About Disenfranchisement of African-Americans in 2000 and 2004

Excellent new documentary about systematic disenfranchisement of African-Americans in 2000 Florida presidential election, 2002 and 2004 DeKalb County, Georgia, congressional election, and 2004 Ohio presidential election:

American Blackout

Film by director Ian Inaba, won Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and Best Documentary at the Urbanworld/Vibe Film Festival.

To locate scheduled screenings of "American Blackout"

To host a screening

"Our Rigged Elections: The Elephant is in the Polling Booth" by Mark Crispin Miller, published in Washington Spectator

Important new article by Mark Crispin Miller published in Washington Spectator on October 1, 2006:

OUR RIGGED ELECTIONS
The Elephant in the Polling Booth
By Mark Crispin Miller | October 1, 2006

To say that this election could go either way is not to say that the Republicans have any chance of winning it. As a civic entity responsive to the voters' will, the party's over, there being no American majority that backs it, or that ever would. Bush has left the GOP in much the same condition as Iraq, Afghanistan, the global climate, New Orleans, the Bill of Rights, our military, our economy and our national reputation. Thus the regime is reviled as hotly by conservatives as by liberals, nor do any moderates support it.

So slight is Bush's popularity that his own party's candidates for Congress are afraid to speak his name or to be seen with him (although their numbers, in the aggregate, are even lower than his). It seems the only citizens who still have any faith in him are those who think God wants us to burn witches and drive SUVs. For all their zeal, such theocratic types are not in the majority, not even close, and thus there's no chance that the GOP can get the necessary votes.

And so the Democrats are feeling good, and calling for a giant drive to get the vote out on Election Day. Such an effort is essential—and not just to the Democrats but to the very survival of this foundering Republic. However, such a drive will do the Democrats, and all the rest of us, more harm than good if it fails to note a certain fact about our current situation: i.e., that the Democrats are going to lose the contest in November, even though the people will (again) be voting for them. The Bush Republicans are likely to remain in power despite the fact that only a minority will vote to have them there. That, at any rate, is what will happen if we don't start working to pre-empt it now.

Even though this election could go either way, neither way will benefit the Democrats. Either the Republicans will steal their "re-election" on Election Day, just as they did two years ago, or they will slime their way to "victory" through force and fraud and strident propaganda, as they did after Election Day 2000. Whichever strategy they use, the only way to stop it is to face it, and then shout so long and loud about it that the people finally perceive, at last, that their suspicions are entirely just—and, this time, just say no.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH—That Bush/Cheney stole their "re-election" is not a "theory" but a fact that has by now been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt. The case was made, first, by the House Judiciary Committee—or rather by its Democratic members, who conducted a meticulous inquiry into the debacle in Ohio. (The Republicans boycotted the investigation, and obstructed it.) Its findings were released on January 5, 2005, in the so-called Conyers Report, after Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the committee's ranking Democrat. The Republicans attacked it, and the press and leading Democrats ignored it; yet that report was sound, its major findings wholly accurate.

In July of that year the Democratic National Committee came out with its own study of Ohio, which offers still more evidence of fraud—before concluding, weirdly, that there was no fraud but rather much "incompetence" (all of which somehow helped only the GOP). Despite its stated contradiction of the House report, the DNC analysts disprove not one of Conyers's findings.

Complete article