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BradBlog

(2,938 posts)
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:19 PM Apr 2013

Felony Charges Dropped for Virginia Republican Who Trashed Voter Registration Forms Last Year

Source: BRAD BLOG



Felony Charges Dropped for Virginia Republican Who Trashed Voter Registration Forms Last Year
Did conflicts of interest by Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Prosecutor Marsha Garst play a role in dismissal?...

Given the professed concerns about election fraud among Virginia Republicans, it seems somewhat astonishing that the man at the center of the Commonwealth's most notorious fraud scandal last year seems to be getting off the hook after initially being charged with 13 criminal counts including eight felony charges.

Colin Small, a Republican Party Voter Registration Supervisor who secretly tossed filled-out voter registration forms into a dumpster last year, had all of his felony charges dropped by the local Republican Commonwealth Attorney prosecuting the case yesterday.

Small was arrested and charged with 13 counts --- including destruction and disclosure of voter registrations, as well as obstruction of justice --- in Harrisonburg, VA in the run-up to the Presidential election last year, after he was seen by a local shopkeeper throwing away a bag of registration forms behind his store. Small's felony charges were all dropped on Tuesday, according to local Fox-affiliate WHSV.

The case had garnered a great deal of national attention last fall --- almost everywhere but on Fox "News" --- as it emerged at the pinnacle of an embarrassing nationwide GOP Voter Registration Fraud Scandal which plagued the Republican Party in the weeks just prior to the November general election.

The prosecutor on the Small case is Republican Marsha Garst. Unlike other Commonwealth Attorneys, observed a local Democratic-leaning political muckraker yesterday, Garst failed to recuse herself from the prosecution despite what would appear to be very clear conflicts of interests in the case.

The newly dropped charges appear in stark contrast to Garst's declarations last year, when told the Washington Post on the Friday before the Tuesday Presidential election that the matter was "a very important investigation to the state, and we intend to prosecute Mr. Small to the fullest extent"...

FULL STORY: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9948


Read more: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9948

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Felony Charges Dropped for Virginia Republican Who Trashed Voter Registration Forms Last Year (Original Post) BradBlog Apr 2013 OP
Of course! Can't prosecute the minions of the .001%ers. nt valerief Apr 2013 #1
Now isn't that special? indepat Apr 2013 #2
Just goes to prove Bill Moyers' point... Blue Owl Apr 2013 #3
Slap on the wrist. Baitball Blogger Apr 2013 #4
Or . . . aggiesal Apr 2013 #16
I agree. mpcamb Apr 2013 #36
Wasn't small working for Nathan Sproul? Botany Apr 2013 #5
Swell. elleng Apr 2013 #6
Terry Mccauliff is the Dem running... Gin Apr 2013 #19
Don't like mccauliff at all, elleng Apr 2013 #20
Kick! & Shared patrice Apr 2013 #7
Bought and paid for.... socialindependocrat Apr 2013 #8
Yes, but he was a good Republican, wasn't he? chuckstevens Apr 2013 #9
Shouldn't this be now picked up by the Federal gov.? It is a civil rights infraction. The Wielding Truth Apr 2013 #10
Yeah, someone was just talking about cracking down on this Mnpaul Apr 2013 #15
Chain of custody, voter ID, bad machines, waiting lines will no doubt be addressed. freshwest Apr 2013 #30
And just in case Plucketeer Apr 2013 #11
Advice extended Plucketeer Apr 2013 #12
Just us. Dryvinwhileblind Apr 2013 #13
I'm sure Obama's voting commission will take care of things like this. forestpath Apr 2013 #14
Trying to save higher-ups? Festivito Apr 2013 #17
Yea, that's what I'm thinking, too. dmr Apr 2013 #32
That is some effed up justice... ReRe Apr 2013 #18
Link to WHSV mahatmakanejeeves Apr 2013 #21
Restaurants will pour bleach in dumpsters to discourage hungry people KansDem Apr 2013 #22
The question no one seems to have asked yet is SheilaT Apr 2013 #23
IOKIYAR FuzzyRabbit Apr 2013 #26
Does This Mean He's Still Eligible to be Raptured? tout_le_monde Apr 2013 #24
Hopefully very soon Doctor_J Apr 2013 #29
IOKIYAR IDemo Apr 2013 #25
Probably both Garst and Cucinelli didn't want Small to testify DFW Apr 2013 #27
What a disgrace this country is Doctor_J Apr 2013 #28
sending this on to where it might do some good...thanks! wordpix Apr 2013 #31
Didnt he violate any Federal laws? If so why not? nm rhett o rick Apr 2013 #33
Ken Cuccinelli is one of the most Chakab Apr 2013 #34
As long as justice is partisan, America won't be the nation it is hoped to be. Gregorian Apr 2013 #35

Blue Owl

(49,913 posts)
3. Just goes to prove Bill Moyers' point...
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:26 PM
Apr 2013

That "justice for all" is a crock of bullshit in this country.

Baitball Blogger

(46,574 posts)
4. Slap on the wrist.
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:28 PM
Apr 2013

There you go little boy. Next election they'll put you at the head of a consulting firm for the G.O.P.

Gin

(7,212 posts)
19. Terry Mccauliff is the Dem running...
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 02:38 PM
Apr 2013

He is thin on experience and not too well known......I am not encouraged...and dread the thought of cooch as gov.

elleng

(130,128 posts)
20. Don't like mccauliff at all,
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 02:46 PM
Apr 2013

and wish I could clearly support a Dem candidate. cooch as gov would be a disaster; HAPPY I'm in MD.

socialindependocrat

(1,372 posts)
8. Bought and paid for....
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:44 PM
Apr 2013

They tried to prosecute a couple of people here for all sorts of things.

The judge threw out all the important violations and they prosecuted her
on using state employees for campaign purposes.

She owes a lot of legal fees but with something this obvious I would think that
somebody would investigate the situation.

Now, it's all blown over and nobody probably remembers much about it - except me...

Mr Moyer - Keep pumping out those TV specials!!

Someday, the stack of evidence has to be recognized for what it is!

 

chuckstevens

(1,201 posts)
9. Yes, but he was a good Republican, wasn't he?
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:44 PM
Apr 2013

Appalling, yet not surprising. What really makes me angry is that, just like Rove in Ohio in 2004, not punishing the guilty will just embolden these Brown shirt thugs for the next election.

We could always hope that Eric Holder would act. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Like that would EVER happen.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
30. Chain of custody, voter ID, bad machines, waiting lines will no doubt be addressed.
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 09:55 PM
Apr 2013

As much as I'd like to snap my fingers and do it, I can't send the GOP and their willing followers off world. No magic, only hard, tedious work.

 

Plucketeer

(12,882 posts)
11. And just in case
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:50 PM
Apr 2013

you feel compelled to THANK this fine public disservant...

Commonwealth Atty:
(insert her name here)
33Court Sq. #210
Harrisonburg, Va 22801

 

Plucketeer

(12,882 posts)
12. Advice extended
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 12:54 PM
Apr 2013

at Republican election headquarters henceforth: PLEASE! Be more discrete when disposing of registration form or ballots! Some DO-GOODER might well be watching.

ReRe

(10,597 posts)
18. That is some effed up justice...
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 02:13 PM
Apr 2013

... and effed up justice is no justice at all. What a convoluted mess. Looks like they would have had to bring charges against themselves if they charged Small.

KansDem

(28,498 posts)
22. Restaurants will pour bleach in dumpsters to discourage hungry people
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 02:57 PM
Apr 2013

However, it appears Social Security numbers won't attract "dumpster divers."

 

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)
23. The question no one seems to have asked yet is
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 02:58 PM
Apr 2013

what would Republicans have done to a Democratic operative caught doing the exact same thing?

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
29. Hopefully very soon
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 09:52 PM
Apr 2013

If we don't fight back very hard very soon, there will literally be nothing left

DFW

(54,051 posts)
27. Probably both Garst and Cucinelli didn't want Small to testify
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 03:20 PM
Apr 2013

Just in case he said something on the stand that would transform both of them from advocate to co-defendant.

 

Chakab

(1,727 posts)
34. Ken Cuccinelli is one of the most
Thu Apr 4, 2013, 11:55 AM
Apr 2013

reprehensible officials in the entire country. I can't believe that this wingnut piece of shit is in such an important position in a state like Virginia.

Well, I guess that now this case is done, he'll have more time to appeal the overturn of the State's sodomy law.

Gregorian

(23,867 posts)
35. As long as justice is partisan, America won't be the nation it is hoped to be.
Thu Apr 4, 2013, 12:02 PM
Apr 2013

Sink low. Don't rise above self-interest.

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