September 30, 2005

LIVE COVERAGE OF NATIONAL SUMMIT TO SAVE OUR ELECTIONS! - A SPECIAL EDITION of The BRAD SHOW - "Democracy At Stake" - Saturday October 1 @ 7 PM ET

International Broadcasting Corporation: IBC Radio Network Announces a Special Edition of The BRAD SHOW!

SPOKANE, Wash., Sep 29, 2005 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- IBC Radio Network, a division of International Broadcasting Corporation (OTCBB:IBCS), announced today that a SPECIAL EDITION of THE BRAD SHOW, hosted by Investigative Blogger, Brad Friedman, will broadcast LIVE on-location from Portland, Oregon at the National Summit to Save Our Elections this Saturday, October 1, 2005 from 7p to 11p ET on the IBC Radio Network. (The show will repeat Sunday at 12noon to 4pm ET)
This weekend's special live broadcast is to be titled "Democracy at Stake," to reflect the growing body of disturbing information being uncovered by Friedman in regard to the validity, transparency and security of electronic elections in America, as reported in great detail on Friedman's website, The BRAD BLOG (http://www.BradBlog.com)

Brad Friedman and his indefatigable field crew will once again work miracles on the road to bring the nation 4 hours of LIVE election reform coverage with notable national guests such as Congressman Earl Blumenhauer (D-OR), 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate David Cobb, Air America Radio's Thom Hartmann, Votersunite.org's Ellen Thiessen, Washington attorney Paul Lehto, Vote-Rigging Software Whistleblower Clint Curtis, Tribune Media Services' Robert Koehler, and many more. This weekend's event has gained national media attention in light of the recently released Carter-Baker Election Reform Committee Report that contained controversial recommendations such as requirements for national voter identification. For more information on the conference, please visit http://www.summit.OregonVRC.org

Brad Friedman recently returned from Crawford, TX where The BRAD SHOW broadcast more than 50 hours of live radio from on the ground at Camp Casey where anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan made her recent stand outside George W. Bush's vacation home. Friedman was the only broadcaster to cover the events LIVE on radio as they unfolded, broadcasting for nine straight days on the IBC Radio Network. As well, Friedman and IBC had exclusive broadcast rights to Joan Baez performances while at the camp. Actor Martin Sheen was also there and could be heard on IBC Radio Network.

THE BRAD SHOW is a unique mix of progressive talk radio combining the unstoppable power of the citizen investigative blogger, Brad Friedman, with the power of internet journalists at RawStory.com creating the media hellstorm known as RAW RADIO. LIVE listening links are http://www.ibcradio.com/CMN.htm, or http://www.BradShow.com and http://www.bradblog.com.

About IBC Radio Network

IBC Radio Network (www.IBCRN.com) is a radio service with a unique, all-talk format distributed coast-to-coast and worldwide to AM radio affiliates. Content includes business, news, politics, science, and paranormal. IBCRN exclusively carries "Stock Talk LIVE." Stock Talk LIVE is located at www.StockTalkLIVE.net

Statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are ''forward-looking statements.'' Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties including the demand for the Company's services, litigation, labor market, and other risk factors identified from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CONTACT: Daryn P. Fleming, International Broadcasting Corporation Tel: +1 509 466 3413 e-mail: invest@ibcmedia.com

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http://www.stockhouse.com/news/news.asp?newsid=2936325&tick=IBCS

September 23, 2005

Diebold Software Had Back Door

Brad Blog reports that Diebold software used in electronic voting machines in 2004 had an undocumented "back door" which could enable hacking into the machines and changing the votes:
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001838.htm
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001842.htm
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001852.htm

Election Assessment Hearing Preliminary Report Released

Thursday, September 22 marks the release of a Preliminary Report
of Findings by the Election Assessment project. The 54-page
report documents the wide-ranging concerns expressed by voters in
testimony and submissions received at the public Election
Assessment Hearing convened on June 29, 2005 in Houston, Texas.

Testimony and analysis presented at the Houston hearing
represented voters of at least five major and minor political
parties, and described numerous problems and irregularities in
the conduct of the American electoral processes.

The Election Assessment project seeks to foster the use of
established professional methods for the effective improvement of
election processes by administrators, policymakers, standards
bodies, advisors and other voting stewards and participants.
Ongoing goals of the project include capture of the voice of the
customers of the electoral process (the voters) and addressing
the measurement of the process, the analysis of root causes for
defects, and the controlled implementation of improvements.

The Election Assessment Hearing Preliminary Report is available
online at
http://www.electionassessment.org/downloads/EAH_Customer_Voice_9-22-05.pdf

Contact: Seth Johnson
Phone: 212-543-4266
E-mail: seth@electionassessment.org

National Summit to Save Our Elections -- Portland, Oregon -- September 30th - October 2nd


SEPT. 30 TO OCT. 2

National Summit to Save Our Elections

A Call to Rescue Our Democracy

Portland, Oregon

Friday, September 30 - Sunday, October 2, 2005


http://www.summit.oregonvrc.org/

Come and learn how corporate influence and profiteering have compromised American elections, and what We the People can do to reclaim what is rightfully ours.
This three day conference will feature some of the nation's leading election reform advocates and renowned independent media personalities. Here are just a few of the election reform movers and shakers confirmed to date:

*Honorable Jesse Jackson Jr., U.S. House of Representatives

*David Cobb, 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate

*Thom Hartmann, Radio talk show host and author

*Bob Koehler, nationally syndicated columnist, Tribune Media Services

*Ronnie Dugger, Alliance for Democracy

*Cliff Arnebeck, Ohio Honest Elections Campaign

*Ellen Theisen, VotersUnite

*Brad Friedman, Writer & Producer of Brad Blog

*Paul Lehto, Attorney, plaintiff in lawsuit against Sequoia Voting Systems and Snohomish County, WA

The conference will be held in downtown Portland at the
First Unitarian Church
1011 SW 12th

and Portland State University
724 SW Harrison

For more information and updates on the conference visit
http://www.summit.oregonvrc.org/

Sign up to receive future conference announcements: info@oregonvrc.org

Oregon VRC contact information:
503-499-9000 or info@oregonvrc.org

Sponsored by:

Oregon Voter Rights Coalition &
Alliance for Democracy - Portland

Hosted by:
First Unitarian Church
PSU Campus Pacific Greens<
PSU Democracy Matters

Agenda & Speakers

National Summit to Save Our Elections: A Call to Rescue Our Democracy
Portland, Oregon
* September 30 – October 2, 2005

Color Flyer

Black and White Flyer

Registration Form




DRAFT AGENDA:

Friday, September 30, 2005
Location

First Unitarian Church
1011 SW 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97205

Noon – 7:00 PM Registration Opens


Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

1:00 – 5:00 PM Concurrent Workshops and Panel Presentations

1A. Engage, Educate, Elect

Jefferson Smith, Chair of The Bus Project

1B. Making Electronic Elections Transparent and Accurate
(i) Open Voting Consortium, Open Source Software
(ii) Oregon Voter Rights Coalition, Election Audits

2A. Working with the Media
Blair Bobier, Media Director, Green Party 2004 Presidential Campaign
Penny Little, People to People TV, Producer of “Electile Dysfunction”
Lara Shaffer, Development Director, Open Voting Consortium

2B. Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport
(i) Rady Ananda, J30 Coalition, “Democracy is Something You Do”
(ii) Alliance for Democracy – Portland, “Using Ballot Initiatives to achieve Campaign Finance Reform Initiative”

3A. How Can I Make A Difference?
Kat L’Estrange, We Do Not Concede and Producer of the Brad Show
Warren Linney, Co-Author of “The Patriot Test”

3B. What is IRV, PR or a CVR Database?
(i) Steve Chessin, President, Californians for Electoral Reform, “Electoral Systems 101: What is Instant Runoff Voting and Proportional Representation?”
(ii) Matthew Pascarella, investigative researcher for journalist Greg Palast, “Centralized Voter Registration Databases and the Threat to Our Democracy”

5:00 – 7:00 PM Dinner on your own

7:00 – 9:00 PM Opening Plenary Session
* Welcome Remarks
Native American Cultural Performance

Panel Discussion: What’s Wrong with Electronic Elections?
Brad Friedman, moderator
* Ellen Theisen, Voters Unite
* Clint Curtis, software programmer and whistleblower
* Matthew Pascarella, investigative researcher for journalist Greg Palast

Feature Presentation: Brad Friedman, Cliff Arnebeck and Bob Koehler Discuss Election Fraud, Legal Strategies for Election Reform and the Media’s Role

Bob Koehler, nationally syndicated journalist, Tribune Media Services
* Cliff Arnebeck, Ohio Honest Election Campaign and National Co-Chair, Alliance for Democracy
* Brad Friedman, host of The Brad Show and BradBlog.com

9:00 PM Adjourn

Saturday, October 1, 2005

First Unitarian Church
1011 SW 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97205

7:30 AM – 5:00 PM Registration Open

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

8:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Corporate Ownership of Our Elections: The Threat to Democracy
Thom Hartmann, radio talk show host and author

Panel Discussion: Corporate Ownership of Our Elections – Current Developments
Thom Hartmann, moderator

John Gideon, Voters Unite
Nancy Price, National Co-Chair, Alliance for Democracy
Paul Lehto, Attorney and Plaintiff in lawsuit against Sequoia Voting Systems

Concurrent Workshops and Presentations:

1A. Digital for Dummies: The Perils of Electronic Elections
Kip Humphrey, Systems Integration Consultant
Clint Curtis, software programmer and whistleblower

1B. From Good Intentions to Powerful Action: How to Make a Difference. Emily Levy, United for Secure Elections, http://www.juiceforjustice.com/

12:15 – 1:30 PM Lunch on your own (box lunch may be ordered at registration)

1:30 – 5:30 PM Plenary Sessions

Keynote Speaker:
The Honorable Jesse Jackson Jr.,
U.S. Representative, D-IL

Featured Speakers:
Oregon Secretary of State (Invited)
David Cobb, 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate
Ronnie Dugger, Founder of Alliance for Democracy and author of “How They Could Steal the Election This Time.”
JoAnne Bowman, Former Oregon House Representative
Panel Discussion: Verifying Election Results
Election Audits, Oregon Voter Rights Coalition
Parallel Elections, Judy Alter, UCLA retired Emeritus professor
Exit Polls, TBD

5:30 – 7:30 PM Dinner on your own

7:30 – 8:30 PM Democracy Revival
Paul Lehto and Thom Hartmann
OR
Election Reform Film Festival

Sunday, October 2, 2005

Portland State University

724 SW Harrison
Portland, OR

7:30 AM Registration Open

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Dealing with Diebold in Georgia
Brad Friedman interview with Representative Cynthia McKinney (invited)

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Concurrent Workshops and Presentations

1A. Local Strategies for Election Reform
David Berman, Co-Founder, Voter Confidence Committee of Humboldt County, CA

1B. Citizen Audit Parallel Election Project
Judy Alter, retired Emeritus professor from UCLA

2A. Thinking Patriotically, Acting Locally (and NOW)
Bernie Ellis Jr., MA, MPH, Organizer, Gathering To Save Our Democracy (Tennessee)

2B. Protecting Our Elections
(i) John Washburn, Certified Software Quality Engineer, “How to Test Voting Machinery Software”
(ii) Mary Beth Kuznik, VotePA, “THE POLLWORKER – Eyes on the Poll”

11:00 – 12:30 Closing Panel: Where do we go from here?
Paul Lehto, moderator
Rady Ananda
Brad Friedman
Ellen Theisen

12:30 Adjourn

Subject: SAVE THE DATE! National Election Reform Conference, Portland, OR, 9/30 - 10/2/2005

PLEASE CIRCULATE TO YOUR ELECTION REFORM NETWORKS!

http://www.oregonvrc.org/node/635

For more information and updates on the conference visit: http://www.summit.oregonvrc.org/

Sign up to receive future conference announcements: info@oregonvrc.org

Oregon VRC contact information:
503-499-9000 or info@oregonvrc.org

Sponsored by:

Oregon Voter Rights Coalition &
Alliance for Democracy - Portland

Hosted by:
First Unitarian Church
PSU Campus Pacific Greens
PSU Democracy Matters

PLEASE CIRCULATE TO YOUR ELECTION REFORM NETWORKS!

Marc Baber marc@botworks.com
The Bot Works, Inc. http://www.botworks.com
P.O. Box 5008 Phone: 541-485-8446
Eugene, OR 97405 FAX: 541-485-8446

Susan Pitcairn

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
—Martin Luther King, Jr.


Brennan Center for Justice Criticizes Baker-Carter Commission Whitewash

The Brennan Center for Justice has issued a response to the Baker-Carter Commission Report:
http://www.carterbakerdissent.com/final_white_paper.pdf

September 21, 2005

Blackwell's Motion to Dismiss or Change Venue in League of Women Voters Case

Ohio's Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell and Governor Bob Taft have moved to dismiss or change venue in League of Women Voters, et al, v. Blackwell, et al

The motion papers are posted at http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/docs/ohio/lwv-dismiss.pdf

The plaintiffs' opposition papers are posted at http://ohioelection2004.com/PDFHost/LWVdismoppos.pdf

Conyers To Convene Braintrust to Address Election Reform and the State of Voting Rights 40 Years After the Voting Rights Act

Rep. John Conyers, Jr.
Invites You to Join Him at the 35th
Annual CBC Legislative Conference for a
PANEL DISCUSSION:


Election Reform & the State of Voting Rights,
40 Years After the Voting Rights Act


*Friday, September 23RD, 2005*
10:00 am - 12:30 pm


The New Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Room 147-B

FEATURING

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Founder & President, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
Donna Brazile, Brazile & Associates
Hon. Peter Harvey, New Jersey Attorney General
Hilary Shelton, Director, NAACP Washington Bureau
Ralph Neas, President, People For the American Way
Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
John Bonifaz, Founder, National Voting Rights Institute
Mark Crispin Miller, Esteemed Author, Election Reform Advocate
Gregory Moore, Executive Director, NAACP Voter Fund

National Election Data Archive Critiques Baker-Carter Commission Whitewash

Carter-Baker Exit Poll Recommendation Would Hide Evidence of Vote Miscounts

http://uscountvotes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=41

The National Election Data Archive (NEDA) is a nonprofit organization of
statisticians and mathematicians devoted to the accuracy of U.S. vote
counts.

We commend the Carter-Baker commission for recommending that Congress
require a voter verifiable audit trail. Routine independent random
audits would go a long way toward ensuring the accuracy of U.S. election
results.

We believe, however, that the Carter-Baker commission report
(http://www.american.edu/Carter-Baker/) erred in recommending that news
organizations “delay the release of any exit poll data until the
election has been decided”. This recommendation is ill-advised because
of the following facts:

• In the 2004 presidential race, the election pollsters, Edison/Mitofsky
(E/M), altered their data to match the reported vote tallies after the
official 2004 results were in. (See E/M report
http://www.exit-poll.net/election-night/EvaluationJan192005.pdf pgs 5
and 20.) Viewed in the context of this questionable practice of
altering exit poll results to match election results, this Carter-Baker
recommendation would deprive the public of knowing the true unaltered
exit poll results and eliminate a measuring stick against which to gauge
the validity of vote counts that could possibly lead candidates to
request recounts.

• Exit polls have historically been accurate, in both the USA and
abroad. Wherever paper ballots are hand counted, they are typically
within 1% of the exit polls, and this was the case in the USA in 2004.
When monitoring foreign elections, American officials rely on exit
polls to determine whether the elections were fair or not.

• In the USA, with the increased use of electronic vote counting, driven
by software which is confidential and known only to a handful of
individuals who are primarily of one party, and the lack of independent
audits to check accuracy, U.S. presidential vote counts have ceased
showing strong correlation to exit polls in recent years.

• Virtually all of the thousands of “glitches” reported by voters using
electronic voting machines favored the same party’s candidate. This is
statistically improbable, has nothing to do with exit polls, and
suggests that the counting software may have been inaccurate.

• Scientific analysis by the National Election Data Archive of the exit
poll data suggests high probability that there were errors in vote
counts in the 2004 presidential election. (See
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_2004_Edison-Mitofsky.pdf
and http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/exit-polls/USCV_exit_poll_analysis.pdf)

If we told our votes to a man behind a screen who recorded our votes and
cast our ballots for us, and then put two individuals with party ties in
a room to count our votes and tell the rest of us who won, few among us
would trust the results. Yet this, in essence, is what we have done
with our electoral process when we cast votes electronically and allow a
handful of programmers to count them.

For these reasons, NEDA disagrees with the Carter/Baker Commission exit
poll recommendation and urges instead, in the strongest possible way,
increasing access to exit polling data and methodology to better monitor
the accuracy of our elections. NEDA recommends public release of all
detailed election data at the precinct level so that unusual patterns or
discrepancies that would be produced by vote count errors may be
detected and American democracy protected.

For further information Contact: Kathy Dopp kathy@uscountvotes.org 435-658-4657

Kathy Dopp
National Election Data Archive (NEDA)
http://electionarchive.org

September 20, 2005

Conyers Demands that DOJ Enforce Section 7 of the NVRA

Conyers Demands that DOJ Enforce Section 7 of the NVRA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, with twenty-nine other Members of Congress, sent the following letter today to Attorney General Gonzalez asking that the Department of Justice investigate and enforce state compliance with Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act:

September 20, 2005

The Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530

Dear Attorney General Gonzales,

We write to request that the Department of Justice take immediate and aggressive action to investigate states' compliance with Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Section 7 requires all public assistance agencies, such as welfare, Medicaid, and Food Stamps offices, to promote voter registration among all applicants. A recent, comprehensive study produced by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Dçmos, and Project Vote shows virtually every state has experienced steep declines in registration from Section 7 agencies, while overall NVRA registration has increased. The nationwide drop in Section 7 registration, a good indication of states' failure to properly comply with the law, warrants a national response.

All too often, the voices of low-income, minority citizens go unheard in our democratic process. In 1993, Congress passed the NVRA with a provision intended to increase voter registration in low-income communities. The goal of the NVRA, best known for its "Motor Voter" provision, was to increase overall voter registration in the United States. Congress also included Section 7 in order to increase voter registration among low-income citizens.

On the ten-year anniversary of NVRA implementation, the new ACORN, Dçmos, and Project Vote study shows that nearly every state in the country is registering fewer voters through public assistance agencies than they did when the Act was first implemented, failing low-income communities and our democracy.

Lack of Section 7 implementation is reflected in the NVRA registration data reported to Congress by the Federal Election Commission and the Election Assistance Commission:

The number of registration applications from public assistance agencies is declining. Since 1995, 36 of 41 states reporting show a decline in registration applications from public assistance agencies.

Public assistance registrations are declining, while those from other sources are increasing. Since 1995, registration applications from public assistance agencies nationwide fell by 59.6%, while applications from all other sources rose 22%.

A chart with registration data for each state is included in the enclosed report.

The specific NVRA violations causing the decline of Section 7 registrations vary by state:

Some states fail to offer any voter registration services in public assistance offices. In some instances, the failure is limited to specific offices or programs within an agency and in other instances, entire agencies have no registration services.

Some offices do offer voter registration, and do so year round, but fail to offer voter registration services during all required points of contact with clients, most notably during change of address procedures. Offices also fail to offer voter registration when clients receive service via phone, mail, or internet.

Many jurisdictions have neglected to use the exact language required by the NVRA, which intentionally captures those who have recently changed address.

Staff often receive little or no training about voter registration or NVRA requirements.

We call on the Department of Justice to take immediate action to enforce Section 7 of the NVRA. We are deeply troubled that despite well-documented, flagrant violations of the law, the current Department has taken little action against states to ensure compliance. The Department has yet to act on several reports provided by ACORN, Dçmos, and Project Vote between August 2004 and February 2005 that include specific state violations of Section 7 of the NVRA.

The Department of Justice must rigorously enforce the requirements imposed by the National Voter Registration Act. We look forward to your detailed response as to how the Department will fulfill that obligation in regards to Section 7 of the NVRA. Please respond to the Judiciary Committee Minority Office, 2142 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515, telephone number, 202-225-6504, fax number, 202-225-4423.

Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr. Major R. Owens
John Lewis Gene Green
Albert R. Wynn Barbara Lee
Jan Schakowsky David Scott
Alcee L. Hastings Elijah E. Cummings
Sanford Bishop, Jr. Eddie Bernice Johnson
Jim McDermott Dennis J. Kucinich
Joe Baca Donald M. Payne
James P. Moran Stephanie Herseth
Al Green Robert Menendez
Raul M. Grijalva Bernie Sanders
Emmanuel Cleaver William Lacy Clay
Betty McCollum Melvin L. Watt
Rush Holt Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Lloyd Doggett Maxine Waters

"Cannonfire" Critiques Baker-Carter Commission Whitewash

This from the excellent "Cannonfire" blog:

"The Baker/Carter election reform report

"The report is a sham, of course. The right pressed for its agenda, which became the primary action item -- and the only recommendation likely to be implemented: Photo ID cards for voters. This idea was wafted aloft by a series of GOP canards and pushed by such front groups as the notorious ACVR.

"Congressmen John Conyers and John Lewis are mounting an aggressive campaign against this measure, which will right no wrongs but which will discriminate against minorities and the poor.

"The nationwide voter ID requirement endorsed by the Carter/Baker Commission would inevitably disenfranchise minority voters and the most vulnerable among us -- those who live in poverty and the elderly. As a whole, the national ID requirement would place steep new hurdles in place for more than ten percent of voters, who currently do not have a photo identification card but are otherwise eligible to vote.

"Millions of people simply have no need of a driver's license. Many of the impoverished are afraid to request one -- for one thing, they're afraid of making personal information available to creditors and the law.

"If you're among those who snarl "Yeah? So what?", I would remind you that at one time, right-wingers -- to their credit -- decried the very concept of a national ID card. (Any such proposal used to cause the rightists to mutter dark warnings about "the mark of the Beast." I kind of miss those days.) In every recent election, GOP activists have sent out deceptive flyers which attempt to convince the poor and the black that they cannot vote if they have any unpaid rent or traffic tickets. The current scheme is simply an extension of that vile tactic.

Complete text of blog post.

Columbus Free Press Critiques Baker-Carter Commission Whitewash

From the Columbus Free Press:


Carter/Baker Report can't face how the GOP stole America's 2004 election & is rigging 2008

by Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman

September 20, 2005

The stolen elections of 2000, 2002 and 2004 are nowhere to be found in the milquetoast Carter-Baker Report now passing for wisdom on America's broken electoral system.

And unless the public is ready to face the reality that we no longer live in a nation with credible elections, the 2008 balloting is all but over.

As investigative reporters and registered voters living in central Ohio, we witnessed firsthand the outright theft of the 2004 election. We also endured the unwillingness of the Democratic Party to face up to a carefully choreographed "do everything" strategy that gave the presidency to George W. Bush for a second time, and which could make all elections to come virtually moot.

The just-issued report of a special commission headed by former President Jimmy Carter and Bush family consigliore Jim Baker is of little real value.

The report warns that public confidence in the electoral system is disappearing. But it fails to point out the most obvious cause: in both 2000 and 2004, the presidency was stolen, and the Republican Party made a mockery of those who took the time and effort to vote. It did the same in Georgia in 2002, when it overrode the public will to install a Republican US Senator and Governor. The US Senate races that year in Minnesota and Colorado are also suspect, to say the least.


Full Text of Article.

September 19, 2005

Congressmen Conyers and Lewis Urge Democratic Members of Congress to Oppose Discriminatory ID Requirement!!

This letter has been sent by Congressmen Conyers and Lewis to their colleagues:



Join with Us in Opposing Any New Discriminatory ID Requirement Will Make it Harder for Tens of Millions of Citizens to Vote

Deadline: COB Tomorrow

September 19, 2005

Dear Democratic Colleague:

Please join with us in introducing a Sense of Congress Resolution which states our opposition to any new ID requirement to vote in elections. We believe such a requirement would constitute nothing less than a 21st century poll tax. A Senate counterpart is being introduced by Senator Barak Obama along with Minority Leader Reid, Senator Dodd, Clinton and Corzine.

The nationwide voter ID requirement endorsed by the Carter/Baker Commission would inevitably disenfranchise minority voters and the most vulnerable among us -- those who live in poverty and the elderly. As a whole, the national ID requirement would place steep new hurdles in place for more than ten percent of voters, who currently do not have a photo identification card but are otherwise eligible to vote.

Though the Commission's report proposes giving away those cards to voters who cannot afford them for"free," this is an empty promise. Congress has a consistent record of imposing mandates on the states and then failing to fund the implementation of such mandates. Even if the new cards are cost-free, there is little doubt that the ID offices will prove inaccessible or expensive to access for many.

Moreover, the Commission's own review found there are incredibly few documented cases of voter fraud to even respond to via legislation. Essentially, the Commission would have us create a massive and intrusive new bureaucracy, and one that discriminates and disenfranchises, in order to deal with a non-problem. We are attaching for your review a recent New York Times Editorial opposing a voter ID mandate in Georgia.

Please contact Jessica Battaglia (x53801) for more information or to cosponsor the Resolution with us.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.

John Lewis



Thursday, September 22nd -- Cleveland, Ohio -- Protest Cuyahoga County B.O.E.'s Decision to Put in Diebold Touch-Screen Voting in Cleveland!!!!

Okay, it's happening!

This Thursday,
Sept 22nd,
at 10:45 am.
Corner of Euclid and 30th
near CSU in Cleveland, Ohio.

Protest Cuyahoga County
Board of Elections'
decision to buy Diebold
Touch-Screen
Voting Machines (DRE's)!


If you think the last election was bad,
wait'll we have electronic voting machines!

Only we can stop them!
Please try to make it
this Thursday at 10:45am.
Spread the word!!!!!!!!!!!

-Vicki Lovegren



Information about the Cuyahoga E-Voting Saga can be found at: www.ohiovigilance.org/Evoting/Cuyahoga/Index.html

Congressman Conyers Blasts Baker/Carter Report on Elections

Conyers Opposes Baker/Carter Commission Report

Discriminatory ID Requirement Will Make it Harder for Tens of Millions of Citizens to Vote

Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued the following statement opposing the Baker/Carter Commission Report on Election Law Changes, released this morning:

http://www.american.edu/ia/cfer/report/full_report.pdf

"I am shocked that this Commission has decided to take us several giant steps back in the march for voting rights by recommending a national ID requirement for voters. This would inevitably disenfranchise minority voters and the most vulnerable among us -- those who live in poverty and the elderly. While I continue to believe that the 2004 elections showed our desperate need for election reforms, this misguided and highly controversial recommendation makes this Commission's entire report -- regardless of the merits of other recommendations -- dead on arrival from a civil rights and voting rights perspective. As a result, I am unalterably opposed to these discriminatory new requirements and will encourage my colleagues in the House and Senate to join with me in doing so.

" As the work of this Commission proceeded, I have made no secret of my view that it I thought it had substantial procedural shortcomings that stood in stark contrast to the Carter-Ford Commission of four years ago. Rather than gathering facts and then developing policy recommendations that follow from those facts, this Commission appeared to have developed its recommendations and simply went through the motions of a fair and deliberative process. At the very first hearing of this Commission, this voter ID proposal was mentioned twenty-two times.

The lack of a fair and open process like that used by the Carter-Ford Commission was evident throughout. In the last commission, civil rights groups submitted research, reports, and testimony. This time around, civil rights groups were essentially barred from the process. The only input from the civil rights community (Barbara Arnwine from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) was essentially ignored on this critical issue. It speaks volumes that the public could not participate in a process that would effect their most fundamental right, the right to vote. Moreover, the Commissioners spent only a short time deliberating on these issues.

If they had spent more time on the issue, they would realize that there are incredibly few documented cases of voter fraud to even respond to via legislation. Essentially, the Commission would have us create a massive and intrusive new bureaucracy, and one that discriminates and disenfranchises, in order to deal with a non-problem.

As a whole, the national ID requirement would place steep new hurdles in place for more than ten percent of voters, who currently do not have a photo identification card but are otherwise eligible to vote. Though the Commission's report proposes giving away those cards to voters who cannot afford them for ""free,"" this is an empty promise. The Republican Congress has a consistent record of imposing mandates on the states and then failing to fund the implementation of such mandates. Even if the new cards are cost free, there is little doubt that the ID offices will prove inaccessible or expensive to access for many."

As a whole, this type of voter ID requirement has a regressive approach to electoral fairness, and would have the effect of tilting the playing field toward the wealthy and powerful. Conyers and other civil rights champions have raised the following concerns with the National Voter ID Requirement in the Baker/Carter Recommendations:
* A national voter ID card would create new barriers to voting.
Georgia, Indiana, and Arizona have enacted new voter ID requirements that - if upheld --will suppress voting among eligible voters, particularly seniors, the poor, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and urban residents. These are people who are least likely to own motor vehicles or possess a driver's license -- the most commonly accepted form of identification

* A national voter ID requirement will likely lead to discriminatory implementation.


In 2001, the Carter-Ford National Commission on Election Reform found that identification provisions at the polls are selectively enforced. Even in places that do not require voters to show ID, poll workers are known to ask certain voters to prove their identity, in many cases demanding ID from minority voters, but not whites.

* A national voter ID card is legally questionable and challenges established voting rights law.

Because voter ID requirements make it much more difficult for citizens to exercise their right to vote and increase the chance that eligible, registered voters will be denied their right to cast a ballot, they violate the spirit if not the letter of both the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution.

* An ID card system will lead to a slippery slope of surveillance and citizen monitoring.

A national voter ID card system would significantly diminish freedom and privacy in the US because once put in place, it is unlikely that such a system would be restricted to its original purpose. A national voter ID system would threaten the privacy that Americans have always enjoyed and will gradually increase the control that government and business wields over everyday citizens.

"How the GOP Stole America's 2004 Election & Is Rigging 2008" - By Fitrakis & Wasserman

COLUMBUS, OH -- HOW THE GOP STOLE AMERICA'S 2004 ELECTION
& IS RIGGING 2008
by Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman, praised by
Rev. Jesse Jackson as the "Woodward & Bernstein of the 2004 Election,"
will be released September 19. The theft of the 2004 election has been
catalogued, footnoted and thoroughly documented in more than 180
bullet points compiled by the Ohio-based investigative reporters in their
shocking new compendium.

The 9/19 release date coincides with the report to be issued by a special
commission led by Jimmy Carter and James Baker investigating widespread
fraud and vote theft in Ohio and elsewhere in the 2004 election.

Fitrakis and Wasserman are based in Columbus. They are publisher and
senior editor of www.Freepress.org, which has published many stories exposing
massive vote fraud, theft, intimidation and illegalities in the conduct of the
2004 election in Ohio that gave the presidency to George W. Bush for a
second time.

Beginning nearly a year before the election, Fitrakis and Wasserman issued
many stories on the Freepress.org web site reporting on the
intimidation and fraud administered by J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio's Republican
Secretary of State, who also served as co-chair of the state's Bush-Cheney
campaign. After the election, Fitrakis helped conduct hearings that took testimony from scores of Ohio voters who had been disenfranchised in an extremely close statewide vote count that gave Bush a second term.

In their 767-page DID GEORGE W. BUSH STEAL AMERICA'S 2004 ELECTION: ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Fitrakis and Wasserman, with Steve Rosenfeld, compiled the core papers showing how the GOP hijacked their
victory in Ohio.

In HOW THE GOP STOLE AMERICA'S 2004 ELECTION & IS RIGGING 2008, their new digest, Fitrakis and Wasserman summarize more than 180 key points ranging from rigged and maldistributed voting machines to
intimidation and trashed ballots to fraudulent vote counts and a fake
Homeland Security alert, concluding with exposure of how the GOP may
already have the 2008 vote count locked up. No concerned American can
avoid the conclusions or consequences revealed in this shocking digest
available now at http://www.freepress.org/store.php or
http://www.harveywasserman.com.

September 14, 2005

Portland, Oregon -- Friday, September 16th -- Thom Hartmann and Bob Fitrakis


Reclaim Our Vote: Crisis in America’s Elections




9/16 - Thom Hartmann and Bob Fitrakis

7:00 - 9:30 PM Friday, September 16, Portland


Bob Fitrakis will be speaking on the topic of his recently released book, "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents."

The evening will begin with a presentation by Thom Hartmann on the crisis in America's elections, followed by Bob's presentation and ending with questions and answers.

Bob Fitrakis is the senior editor and manager of The Free Press. http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3
He was one of the attorneys involved in the lawsuit challenging the result of the 2004 election in Ohio.

He is the author of many articles on election fraud, and has written extensively on the issue of private corporations counting our votes on trade secret software.
See "Diebold, electronic voting and the vast right-wing conspiracy," February 24, 2004
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/834

The following is the link to the Introduction to Bob's recently published book, "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents."

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1318by Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
June 16, 2005


For further information: http://www.oregonvrc.org/node/700




When: 7:00 - 9:30 PM Friday, September 16

Where: Portland State University, Hoffman Hall (see detailed directions to find Hoffman Hall and parking information at the end of this announcement)

Price: $5 students, $8 - $15 general. (No one turned away for lack of funds.)

Dr. Bob Fitrakis is an award-winning investigative journalist, attorney, political science instructor at Columbia State Community College, author of seven books, and editor of Free Press at FreePress.org, He is a dynamic and inspiring speaker. He called the first public hearings on evidence of widespread election fraud resulting in vote suppression and unexplained irregularities in Ohio, and leading to the congressional challenge of Ohio's electors on Jan. 6, 2005. He was one of four attorneys who filed a challenge to Ohio’s 2004 election results (Moss vs. Bush). He has written extensively on issues of election integrity, including the threat to democracy caused by private, for-profit corporations counting our votes on trade secret software, leaving voters with no way to verify if their votes were counted as intended.

Thom Hartmann, radio talk show host and author, will begin this informative and thought-provoking event by addressing the crisis in America’s elections, followed by Bob’s presentation, and then questions and answers. Thom and Bob will discuss what needs to be done to ensure that future elections are fair and how each of us can get involved in restoring citizen ownership and oversight of elections.

TO FIND HOFFMAN HALL, and parking information: Hoffman Hall is located on the PSU campus on what would be SW Harrison and 11th Street, but it is inside the campus where there are no streets. Parking is free in the PSU parking structures on Friday evening. Parking structure three is located between SW 12th and 13th and SW Market and Montgomery. From SW 12th and Montgomery, walk one block east and turn right to find Hoffman. From parking structure one at SW Broadway and Harrison, walk four blocks directly west across campus to get to Hoffman. Map of PSU Campus: http://pdx.edu/map.html

For more information: http://www.oregonvrc.org/ (events)


Sponsored by Oregon Voter Rights Coalition, PSU Campus Pacific Greens,


and PSU Democracy Matters

National Summit to Save Our Elections


http://www.summit.oregonvrc.org/



http://www.summit.oregonvrc.org/



September 12, 2005

CASE OHIO Planning Meeting -- Columbus, Ohio -- Monday, July 25th, 6:30 P.M.

Meeting Notice:

Schedule has been changed. As of September, meetings are now scheduled for 4th Wednesday of every month.

-R.B. Sept. 12, 2005

CASE OHIO has scheduled a meeting
the 4th Monday of every month, with the next meeting
scheduled for JULY 25TH AT 6:30 PM at the office on
341 S Third., Columbus, OH.


For further information go to ohiohonestelections.org/index.php?=contact-us">

July 25, 2005
meeting Agenda:
Future meeting dates,
conference call dates,
HB3 Legislation,
Future outreach events,
marketing materials, volunteer skills,
volunteer schedule,
Contacting
BOE's, keeping Diebold out of remaining Ohio Counties.

Burlington, Vermont -- Tuesday, September 20th, 7:30 P.M. -- Harvey Wasserman to Discuss the Stolen Elections of 2004 & 2008, and New Orleans

BURLINGTON, VERMONT

Tuesday, September 20, 7:30 PM

Harvey Wasserman, co-author of "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents"


Talk and book-signing

The Firehouse Gallery

135 Church Street

Topic: New Orleans & The Stolen Elections of 2004 & 2008


For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

Chicago, Illinois, area: Saturday, September 17th -- Harvey Wasserman Discussions, Book Signings, Appearances

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Saturday, September 17

Harvey Wasserman to discuss, and autograph,

new book by Bob Fitrakis, Harvey Wasserman, and Steve Rosenfeld:

"Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents"


*8:45 AM - Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood, Chicago, WLUW, Host Mike James with David Kroft (live audience)

*11:30 AM House Party Fundraising Lunch for US Count Votes, 205 S. Humphrey Ave., Oak Park

*2:00 PM Healing Earth Resources, 3111 N. Ashland, Chicago.

7:30 PM - I.B.E.W. Hall (Auditorium) 28600 Bella Vista Pkwy, Warrenville, IL
Topic: Elections in Crisis! Who's Cheating and What Can We Do About It?



For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

Seattle, Washington -- Saturday, September 17th -- 7:30 PM -- Book Signing and Talk, Fitrakis and Rosenfeld

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 7:30 PM

Elliott Bay Book Company

Disucssion and booksigning


Bob Fitrakis and Steve Rosenfeld
to discuss,
and authograph

"Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents"

101 South Main Street

Seattle, Washington 98104

http://www.elliottbaybook.com/index.jsp

For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

Cuyahoga Election Results 2000-2005

This website may be of use to those researching the oddities in the 2004 election in Cuyahoga County:

http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/BOE/results/history.htm

It links to the official Cuyahoga County election results for the period 2000 to 2005.


[Ed. note. 12/22/07. We've been advised by one of our readers that the link is no longer operating. We hope Ohio activists will be in touch with Cuyahoga board of elections and find out what happened to it, and where we can now access the information online.]

Portland, Oregon -- Thursday, September 15th, 6:30 PM -- Fitrakis and Rosenfeld discuss "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election?"

PORTLAND, OREGON

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 6:30 PM

Bob Fitrakis and Steve Rosenfeld

Reflections Cafe, Talking Drum Books

Lecture/booksigning

446 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland

"Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents." By Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld, and Harvey Wasserman.

For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

A Message from Congressman Conyers

One of the only Democratic leaders who has truly understood, and acted upon the understanding, that no true election reform can proceed from sweeping the misdeeds of 2000 and 2004 under the rug, Congressman John Conyers, Jr., is working to ensure that what happened then never happens again. He deserves the support of every single American -- Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, or whatever -- who believes in the concept of democracy. The following is a message Congressman Conyers has sent to all those who wrote to him about the election of 2004:






Dear Friend:

After the 2004 Presidential election, you contacted my office concerning the number of problems surrounding the election, especially in the States of Ohio and Florida. The Committee’s email system was overwhelmed with letters relaying election-related problems and issues. Please accept my apologies for the long delay in responding to your email. My office has never before received such a large volume of correspondence and we have been working diligently to respond to the tens-of-thousands of concerned citizens who wrote to me.

I would like to update you on the election reform work that has been done since the last election. First, in December 2004, I convened a Democratic forum both here in Washington, DC and in Columbus, Ohio to hear first-hand accounts from voters. Second, my colleagues and I have written a number of letters to Ohio state election officials, the Department of Justice, the General Accountability Office, and several of the voting machine companies requesting information to uncover the extent of the voting problems. Third, my staff released a report, “What When Wrong in Ohio”, which was the basis for challenging the certification of the Ohio electors on January 6, 2005. On that day, I joined a number of my colleagues during this floor debate to voice the election concerns many of you shared with me, and to challenge the Congress to enact meaningful election reform so that our next election will be one all of our citizens can be proud of.

We have not yet completed our search for the truth in Ohio and in Florida, and we have just begun to fight for serious changes to the way we conduct federal elections. To that end, I am proud to have introduced, H.R. 533, the Voting Opportunity and Technology Enhancement Rights Act, (VOTER Act ) as a means to comprehensive election reform on a national level. This legislation mandates a voter verified paper ballot, allowing each voter to confirm their vote before their ballot is cast, and requires every state to establish a same day registration process, permitting any eligible citizen to register and participate in a federal election on election day. The VOTER Act also calls for increased protections of your civil rights, uniform standards for absentee and provisional voting, and early voting opportunities in all 50 states. Sponsored by Senator Chris Dodd on behalf of the Senate Democratic Leadership, the VOTER Act represents a renewed commitment to an electoral process that is both just and crystal clear.

While I look forward to fighting for these changes, the simple passage of Inauguration Day cannot make me forget the past. I continue to press both the Department of Justice and the Republican leadership to investigate Ohio voting irregularities and bring to justice those who would defraud the public of their most basic rights. My staff is continuing the investigation we began last November. “What Went Wrong in Ohio” was a status report. I expect to release a final report in several months. The election is over but election reform efforts will continue until we can ensure that every vote is and will be counted.

Election reform is one of the many issues facing the Judiciary Committee and our Nation. I’d like to communicate with you more regularly about some of these issues. If you would not like to receive these news updates, please unsubscribe.

Again, thank you for your email concerning the past election. I appreciate having the benefits of your views on this important issue.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.

John Conyers, Jr.

Ranking Member

Judiciary Committee





Contact Information

House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff

Phone: 202-225-6906

B-351-C Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Website

www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/index.html

September 09, 2005

San Rafael, California -- Wednesday, September 14th -- Fitrakis, Rosenfeld -- Screening of Film "Got Democracy?"

SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 7:30 PM


First United Methodist Church

9 Ross Valley Drive at the corner of 4th.


Video Screening of
"Got Democracy?"
Voices from the First National Teach-In
on our Election Crisis

Bob Fitrakis and Steve Rosenfeld

Co-Sponsors: Marin Peace and Justice Coalition and Ecological Options Network

For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

"Panel on the Crisis of U.S. Elections" -- Washington, DC -- September 16th


PANEL ON THE CRISIS OF U.S. ELECTIONS

Friday, September 16th, 1:00-4:00 P.M.

Murrow, Lisagor Room (13th floor)

National Press Club

529 14th Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C.


Public Invited.

No pre-registration required; no admission charge.





*REP. JESSE JACKSON, JR AND 1980 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOHN ANDERSON TO
LEAD PANEL ON THE CRISIS OF U.S. ELECTIONS SET FOR SEPTEMBER 16*

Event: "A Call to Protect and Democratize U.S. Elections: A Panel
Presentation on the challenges to American elections," at the National
Press Club in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Green Institute,
Liberty Tree, and Fairvote.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), 1980 independent
presidential candidate John Anderson (who now heads Fairvote), Melanie
Campbell of the Coalition for Black Civic Participation, and other
leaders in the movement for election reform will speak at."A Call to
Protect and Democratize U.S. Elections: A Panel Presentation on the
challenges to American elections."

"The numerous allegations of manipulation in the 2000 and 2004 elections
and the change of personnel on the U.S. Supreme Court have raised
questions about the future of American democracy," said Dean Myerson,
executive director of the Green Institute. "The September 16 panel will
feature political and activist leaders with a lot to say about barriers
to voting, problems with computer voting machines, and challenges posed
by our at-large, winner-take-all election system."

The event will take place at the National Press Club on Friday,
September 16, 1-4 p.m., and is sponsored by the Green Institute, the
Liberty Tree Foundation for the Democratic Revolution, and Fairvote.

Also on the panel will be 2004 Green Party presidential candidate David
Cobb, who initiated the Ohio and New Mexico recounts in the wake of
numerous reports of election manipulation and vote obstruction by
Republican and Democratic officials in those states.

The panel will provide the media with concise information on these
problems and offer concrete solutions for restoring the promise of
American democracy. Liberty Tree Foundation fellow Patrick Barrett will
moderate. The web page for the event is located at
http://www.greeninstitute.net/democratize

A list of participants, sponsors, and other details follows below.
Refreshments will be
provided.

CONFIRMED PANELISTS:

• Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr, initiator of the Right to Vote Constitutional
Amendment,
http://www.house.gov/jackson/

• John Anderson, 1980 Independent Presidential Candidate and Chair of
the Center for Voting & Democracy http://www.fairvote.org

• Melanie Campbell, Executive Director of the Coalition for Black Civic
Participation
http://www.bigvote.org

• David Cobb, 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate and initiator of
the Ohio and New Mexico recount efforts http://www.votecobb.org

• Terry Ao, Senior Attorney, National Asian-Pacific American Legal
Consortium
http://www.napalc.org

• Rebecca Mercuri: President and CEO of Notable Software and an expert
on electronic voting technology http://www.notablesoftware.org

• Linda Schade, Co-Founder and Spokesperson of TrueVoteMD: Campaign for
Verifiable Voting in Maryland http://www.truevotemd.org

• Juan Cartagena, General Counsel, Community Service Society, New York
http://www.cssny.org

SPONSORS:


• The Green Institute, http://www.greeninstitute.net

• The Liberty Tree Foundation for the Democratic Revolution,
http://www.libertytreefdr.org

• Fairvote: The Center for Voting & Democracy, http://www.fairvote.org



With additional support from the A. E. Havens Center,
http://www.havenscenter.org


For additional information:

http://www.greeninstitute.net/democratize
Green Institute

Scott McLarty, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org

Ryan O'Donnell, 301-270-4616, ryan@fairvote.org

Patrick Barrett, 608-262-0854, barrett@libertrytreefdr.org

September 08, 2005

Oakland, California -- September 13th -- "Elections in Crisis!" -- 12 noon to 10 p.m.



The VOTING RIGHTS TASK FORCE


with the support of KPFA Free Speech Radio, 94.1 FM


PRESENTS



ELECTIONS in CRISIS!

Who's Cheating, and What We Can Do About It



An All-Day Expose´ of Electronic Vote Theft, Suppression, and Media Coverup in Election 2004


featuring the nation's foremost fraud investigators, the best election documentaries you've never seen,

and action proposals from participating organizations with follow-through networking


TUESDAY, September 13, Noon to 10 p.m. (and beyond)


Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland



FEATURED SPEAKERS
:


BOB FITRAKIS and STEVEN ROSENFELD, speaking on their new book
Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? -- Essential Documents

BEV HARRIS, Investigative Reporter and Founder of Black Box Voting.org, speaking on
The Mechanics of Vote-Rigging: How They Do It

Introductions by Larry Bensky, Pacifica National Affairs Correspondent, host of KPFA's Sunday Salon



Act 1: Afternoon Fraud Fest of Documentary Shorts and Features, 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Suggested Donation: $6.00



Act 2: Evening Program: Elections In Crisis! 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Suggested Donation: $10.00

Act 3: Networking to Reclaim Democracy 9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Priceless


TICKETS



Available one week in advance at the Grand Lake Theater box office noon to 10 p.m. daily, and at the door.
Early Purchase Will-Call tickets available now. Send request to ca.voteraction@sbcglobal.net or leave message at 510 740 0572.
Only 600 tickets available; order early to reserve a seat.



PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS



Groups working for electoral integrity are invited to help publicize this event and mobilize our audience.
We intend to inform, motivate, and organize toward a unified strategy to restore democracy.



* Participating Organizations will be credited in publicity announcements, and invited to host literature and outreach tables in the theater lobby during the afternoon film fest and evening events.

* Those with projects to educate and engage citizens in electoral activism will be invited to make five-minute audience presentations, as time allows, then enlist citizen volunteers during the networking session following the speakers. We intend this event to continue long after we leave the theater, until the day everyone's vote is counted as cast.

* Organizations wishing to participate in this event, please respond with the name of your group, the name, phone, and e-mail of a contact person, a description of your group's involvement in voting rights and elections issues, and if you wish, a proposal for a five-minute presentation.
Please send your responses to ca.voteraction@sbcglobal.net or to (510) 740-0572 (voicemail).

This event is a benefit for the Voting Rights Task Force of the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the people who brought you the January 6 Boxer Rebellion, the Election Rigging 101 National Teach-in, and the continuing battle to eradicate Diebold from Alameda County, and all blackbox voting fraud from California and the nation.

The VRTF expresses its great appreciation to our speakers, the filmmakers, and Allen Michaan and the Grand Lake Theater for donating their time, creative work, and resources to this cause of securing our votes and reclaiming our democracy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YOU Can Help Promote this Event. Here's a poster you can photocopy and distribute. Download here: http://www.califelectprotect.net/da/ElectionCrisis_poster_BW.pdf
(a pdf file, black&white, prints vertically on legal (14") paper, or at 75% scale on standard 11" paper)

PLEASE FORWARD THIS NOTICE WIDELY

-Dan Ashby

For further information contact:

E-mail: ca.voteraction@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 510-233-2144

Voicemail and Fax: 510-740-0572

Davis and Sacramento, California -- Monday, September 12th -- 7:00 P.M. -- Fitrakis and Rosenfeld

DAVIS/SACRAMENTO

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 7:00 PM

Yolo County Public Library

Blanchard Room

315 E. 14th Street

Essential Documents - Making the Case for Election Fraud

Co-Sponsors: Davis Peace Coalition, Yolo County ACLU, CodePink and Davis Human Relations Commission

For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

Bolinas, Pt. Reyes, and Stinson Beach, California -- Sunday September 11th -- Film Screening -- "Got Democracy"


Bob Fitrakis and Steve Rosenfeld to Appear.

BOLINAS/PT. REYES/STINSON BEACH, CALIFORNIA

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 5:00 PM

Bolinas Community Center

14 Wharf Road

Video Screening of "Got Democracy?"

Voices from the First National Teach-In on our Election Crisis

Sponsor - Ecological Options Network

For more information, contact Kat L'Estrange
kinc@efn.org
or the Free Press
truth@freepress.org

September 03, 2005

Report: Lucas County Board of Elections Violated Election Law In Many Ways

An April 2005 report of the Ohio Secretary of State's Office Found the Lucas County Board of Elections guilty of numerous violations of election law, including

- Failure to maintain ballot security;

- Failure to implement and maintain a trackable system for voter ballot
reconciliation;

- Failure to prepare and develop a plan for the processing of the voluminous
amount of voter registration forms received;

- Issuance of incorrect absentee ballot forms;

- Acceptance of incorrect absentee ballots;

- Manipulation of the process involving the 3% recount;

- Failure to follow Court order directing removal of Nader and
Camejo from the ballot;

- Failure to properly issue hospital ballots in accordance with statutory
requirements;

- Failure to maintain the security of poll books during the official canvass;

- Failure to examine campaign finance reports in a timely manner;

- Failure to guard and protect public documents;

- Failure to prepare staff election plan;

- Deficient current administrative operations; and,

- Failure to comply with administrative oversight status mandates.

A copy of the complete report is available at http://www.solarbus.org/election/docs/lucas.pdf

September 01, 2005


Me

Call to Action!!!!! Attend Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Meetings in Cleveland!!!!!

We need lots of people to show up at the next meetings of the:

Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

2925 Euclid Avenue

Cleveland, Ohio





*Thursday, September 1st, 5:30 p.m.

*Tuesday, September 6th, 9:00 a.m.

*Monday, September 12th, 5:00 p.m.

*Tuesday, September 13th, 9:00 a.m.



It is ALWAYS good to have as many people as possible.

Here is the official calendar:

http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/boe/calendar/boardmeetings.htm

Victoria Lovegren

Ohio Vigilance