Wisconsin: Democrats Allege Massive Fraud in GOP Signature Gathering on Recalls

[kpete]

Source: Firedoglake

May 05, 2011
Wisconsin: Democrats Allege Massive Fraud in GOP Signature Gathering on Recalls
By: David Dayen Thursday May 5, 2011 12:52 pm

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is stepping up their efforts to disqualify three recall petitions against Democratic state Senators. They submitted a formal challenge to the petitions today, arguing that while their recall efforts have been volunteer-led and above-board, the Republican campaigns featured fraud perpetrated by out-of-state sources. And they hold evidence from “hundreds” of Wisconsin citizens.
http://www.wisdems.org/news/press/view/2011-05-gop-election-fraud-exposed



MADISON – A formal challenge to be filed later today against Republican recall petitions asks the Government Accountability Board to disqualify thousands of invalid signatures, and reject recall elections against three Democratic state senators, because widespread and systemic election fraud has tainted the entire GOP operation.

“The overwhelming evidence clearly shows a pervasive pattern of election fraud committed by the shady out-of-state organization hired by Republicans to collect recall petitions,” said Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller. “Thousands of Wisconsin citizens fell victim to lies and misinformation spread by the circulators, and the papers submitted by this operation contain a river of omissions and wrong information.”

Miller continued: “We believe that when the facts are reviewed, the GAB will throw out thousands of flawed signatures because they were fraudulent or defective. The vast depth of this misconduct calls into question the legitimacy of every signature collected by these circulators, and shows that the GOP effort failed to gather the valid signatures needed for recall elections.”


Read more: http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/05/wisconsin-democrats-allege-massive-fraud-in-gop-signature-gathering-on-recalls/

[Lifelong Protester]

1. Good. I'm tired of acting like I trust those dirtbags.

They will stop at NOTHING to prevail. We need to be aggressive in our responses from here on out.

[dotymed]

19. You are absolutely right.

We will have to get down in the dirt with these pigs. Hell, they probably get paid by the signature.
IMO, every petition should read : THIS A PETITION TO RECALL A DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATOR BASED ON whatever...in very large fonts. No small type allowed...
These "people" are trash.
Each page should clearly and succinctly display the truth in large type. Grrrrrrr :bounce:

[russspeakeasy]

51. dotymed...you are correct as usual.

[dotymed]

65. Thanks, but don't go too far,

I'm wrong too often...lol

[defendandprotect]

45. Agree -- but then why does Democratic Party leadership trust them .... ???

Were only we there during 2000 and 2004 -- ?

Plus, computers have been with us since late 1960's!!

I'd challenge every election back to Nixon/Humphrey - which was another squeaker!!

[drm604]

2. Unbelievable.

They're saying they have affidavits attesting that one circulator gathered signatures on Indian reservations by claiming the petitions supported things like tribal rights, Democrats, and schools.

[kpete]

5. and

Affidavit of a World War II veteran from Green Bay who was misled into signing a recall petition. Upon learning he had been duped, veteran called the sheriff to get his name removed. When confronted, the circulator claims he will remove the name, but a later review of the petitions reveals the veteran's name was never crossed off.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/05/973423/-Wisconsin-Democrats-to-file-formal-challenge-to-three-recall-efforts-today

[pscot]

62. Republican Voter Fraud

Say it loud. Say is often.

[Stumbler]

30. I heard about that too...

"Don't you wanna make sure your representative's name is on 'the ballot?' ...sign here, please."

:puke: For shame...

[Kdillard]

3. Nobody should be surprised by the actions of these people.

[buddysmellgood]

4. These fine upstanding Rapublicans would never stoop to rigging an election.

[orwell]

6. So the Cons outsourced...

...why am I not surprised.

:rofl:

[tanyev]

13. Heck, they could have at least created a few jobs by hiring locals.

Seeing how that's all Gov. Walker ever seems to talk about. Idjits.

[blm]

7. Which is why the Prosser win is so unlikely. GOP can't even get enough sigs to recall even one Dem,

so......how likely is it that Prosser won a majority of the votes in that very same timeframe?

[drm604]

9. Have you read about all of the shenanigans going on with that recount?

Wisconsin Recount - Another Chain of Custody Problem in Waukesha County -This makes *4*
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1022350

[defendandprotect]

46. Thanks for keeping us posted -- unbelievable -- !!

[Kingofalldems]

8. Special Prosecutor needed on retainer to investigate the GOP

[janet118]

10. Ever tough & vigilant Wisconsin . . . they don't wait and whine

They go right after those creeps and nip them in the bud. Go, Badgers!!!

"Honey badger don't care. Honey badger don't give a shit."

[Plucketeer]

11. Dupe!

Sorry!

[Plucketeer]

12. I'm convinced that

the only honest RepubliCONs are dead ones. At least they can no longer tell lies and decieve.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

14. Can't wait for the WI Supreme Court to . . . . oh, wait.

Now that Goodling no longer picks Oral Roberts grads to run US Atty offices, maybe the feds will pick up on this.

[LanternWaste]

15. A few examples of the allegations from the article...

Senate District 12: Of the 534 people contacted who had signed the petition, 9.2% indicated they were misled into signing the petition or asserted they had never signed.

Senate District 22: Of the 225 people contacted who had signed the petition, 6.6% indicated they were misled into signing the petition or asserted they had never signed.

Senate District 30: Of the 372 people contacted who had signed the petition, 8.6% indicated they were misled into signing the petition or asserted they had never signed.

Affidavit of a World War II veteran from Green Bay who was misled into signing a recall petition. Upon learning he had been duped, veteran called the sheriff to get his name removed. When confronted, the circulator claims he will remove the name, but a later review of the petitions reveals the veteran's name was never crossed off.

[Iliyah]

17. The Koch Brothers

at their finest. They claim being a socialist is evil, I beg to differ.

Gopers true colors revealed.

[snacker]

35. My daughter witnessed the WWII vet...

when he asked for his name to be removed, the circulator called him "senile" several times. She and her friend stopped the gentleman and spoke with him afterwards to make certain he was okay...she was quite upset by the entire event.

[SoapBox]

16. The RushThugs and T.HATERbaggers just continue to lie, cheat, steal, thieve...

and it goes on and on.

So full of anger...full of hate...full of dislike for America and our citizens.

GOBPers + RushThugs + T.HATERbaggers = Facism

http://www.ratical.com/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html

http://tpjmagazine.us/adams29

[robinlynne]

18. why the hell doesn't the Democratic Party care about checking for election fraud

in the recount then???? they are doing NOTHING, and they have the opportunity on a silver platter.

[Scuba]

20. Flat out not true.

[robinlynne]

23. Why were ten unsealed bags of ballots counted? A court order would have sealed

them off from the other ballots immediately. Now that they are mixed in, there is no way to verify. And, worse, the state law says that when there are more ballots than voters who voted, you randomly withdraw ballots. that has happened in this recount already. Wouldn't you think it would make more sense to isolate the plastic bags without intact seals?

Why are voter's signatures in the roster books not being checked? pretty easy thing to verify, don't you think? I would, if I wanted to be sure the election was real. You just look at the signatures and see if they match. piece of cake.

[Scuba]

26. Your assumptions here don't support your assertion that the Democratic Party is mute.

[robinlynne]

27. What would you like to call it? People from all over the country are alerting them and they do

nothing. What name would you give it? missed opportunity? screw up? omission? There were 13 calls from Dem congressional candidates in 2008 for investigations. the Dem Congress refused to investigate. Right now you actually have the ballots and the documents and the software available. The evidence was destroyed in Ohio, hidden in Florida not even looked at in those 13 elections, and now you have all the evidence sitting on a table. You're not going to check it?
They are ONLY counting the number of ballots. nothing more. What do you call that?

[Scuba]

28. Why do you say they're doing nothing? Do you know that?

[robinlynne]

29. I am not there. but I have heard it from 5 separate people there. You can see the OPS posted here on

Du from observers there. the same story being told over and over. I've also heard it from friends I trust. I mean those unsealed bags were not challenged in court. That is a fact. There's no maybe about it. Are they going to challenge at the end, after the count is over? I suppose that may be possible.....I dont know the law, but I doubt it. Once they let the ballots be counted they are part of the official recount. The point of placing observers at the recount is to challenge things that may be dubious, and investigate them, isn't it?

or is it just about winning or losing?

[Scuba]

31. I know we have a lot of good people on the ground, and JoAnne....

...has experienced legal advisors. Everything is being documented.


As this was (supposedly) a non-partisan race, the Democratic Party doesn't have a stake in it, but there are a number of Dems involved.

I don't believe this will be allowed to "blow over".

[robinlynne]

32. you are there? Please give us news.

[Scuba]

33. The best sources are right here at DU....

...look for posts from PeaceNikki, eowyn_of_rohan, Lefta Dissenter, iwishiwas, ellipse... there's a few others too.

[robinlynne]

36. been reading every one.

[PeaceNikki]

38. The process is not such that it is "challenged in court" DURING recount.

It's challenged and the Board rules on it. They have been ruling to count, in some cases counting and tallying these bags separately. We are entering all of this into evidence and building a case for court AFTER recount is done.

This is a recount, NOT a fraud investigation. Horse before cart.

[defendandprotect]

49. What about the national party -- ? And national Democratic leaders?

I think when you see unsealed bags -- and situations like those occurring --

it must immediately become a "fraud" investigation!

Why "recount" fraudulent votes and then have to contest them?

[defendandprotect]

48. When parties do something about fraudlent elections it becomes public info --

they brag about it !!

[rhett o rick]

37. Show us some evidence to the contrary or your as guilty. nm

[PeaceNikki]

39. The evidence is the official record that we are making that will be used in court.

Wisconsin Democrats are the best Democrats there are and I take serious issue with your false claims to the contrary.

[rhett o rick]

52. I made no claims. Someone posted an opinion and you objected without any comment. I am interested in

an honest debate. Democrats have dropped the ball so many times I understand those that are frustrated. If you are making a court case, more power to you and I am behind you all the way. As far as Wisconsin Democrats being the best, I wont refute that.

[defendandprotect]

47. And were 2000 and 2004 "assumptions" -- are hackable Diebold computers an "assumption"?

The party is mute --

especially re computer voting which should be outlawed!

[freshwest]

50. Mute or not reported on MSM? Not mute, not reported on conservative owned media.

Did Greg Palast's exposing of the coup of 2000 get press? No, it took meetings in churches, publication from the UK, and blogging to get the word out.

Was it not the coup staged, supported before and after by the GOP, especially after 911? Yes, they have been planning and acting on their plans with huge amounts of money they used to influence.

Did not the Congressional Black Caucus raise hell, along with others? Yes, but they were not the majority.

Were suits not filed and laws changed in those few regions that were in the control of Democrats? Yes, they were on the state level, and they were investigated and the facts laid out but they were shut down by the GOP majority who even defunded all oversight.

And we have not had a progressive majority in the Senate since the days of Reagan. Even less during the Clinton years when the GOP took over; and not in this century.

Today the Democratic lead in the Senate is razor thin and in danger of being lost right now. This is not a process that is fueled by temporary outrage, but years of slugging it out. And getting majorities wherever we can.

The coup of 2000 was not spur of the moment. It was the result of decades of GOP consolidation of power so that it could not be opposed effectively, no matter what any Democrat thought.

The facts of 2004 include not just what is suggested here, but total GOP domination of every institution of influence, from the courts to the legislative and the judiciary. Numerous suits were filed in relation to the illegalities of 2000 and beyond. The lower courts did not allow them to go forward because they were GOP judges.

Just because we know something wrong was done, does not wave a wand and make the bad actors disappear into smoke. These people are a solid threat to open democracy and accountability and are not about to give up with their tails between their legs.

For years I've heard Democrats yell, yet still maintaining *their* belief that *all* viewpoints are valid, if not humane or progressive, and that *all* persons are equal. The GOP does *not* believe that for a minute and acts accordingly.

Their intolerance is their strength. Conservatives have oppressed, robbed and murdered their liberal opponents forever. I don't believe Democrats are weak, unless believing in honesty, equality and fairness are weaknesses.

But that's exactly how conservatives view progressives and liberals, so much so they claim we have no will to survive, and that we might as well be killed off to make room for more efficient things.

The WI Democrats are some of the strongest I've ever seen, to the point of being aggressive in going after the GOPigs. If they fail in what they attempt, it was because we have underestimated their opposition. It's up to us to give them a hand and give them the numbers to reduce conservative influence.

:rant:

[defendandprotect]

53. Nothing wrong with Wisconsin ... we're talking about National Dem leadership ---

MUTE --

When you hear a Dem talking about the fakery of our elections, it's someone like

Jimmy Carter -- who makes clear that we're so screwed here our elections couldn't

even be monitored!! How many of our Democratic leaders have you heard talking

about that? Greens Party has been active in trying to change our elections system --

same for Ralph Nader with lawsuits. (See below)


And, if you're sitting in front of your TV waiting to hear "what's really goin' on"

from our corporate-press, you are waiting in vain --

Re Greg Palast -- NOTE that Greg Palast reported his information GOP knocking Democratic

voters off the rolls to the Democrats and they weren't interested. They could have prevented

that large part of 2000. With no interest here, GP moved on to Great Britian to report news.

You do understand, I presume, that the Democratic Party has been harboring for decades the

DLC -- which was FUNDED BY THE KOCH BROS.?


Did not the Congressional Black Caucus raise hell, along with others? Yes, but they were not the majority.

And did they not require just one Democrat from the Senate to stand with them?

No one did!

If we're still voting anywhere in the US on hackable computers, then nothing meaningful has

been done!

And we have not had a progressive majority in the Senate since the days of Reagan. Even less during the Clinton years when the GOP took over; and not in this century.

Are you kidding? Obama had a huge mandate for change in '08 -- we had a huge vote in '06 to

end the wars CONFIRMED by Pelosi on video the morning after '06 where she says ...

"Dems were elected to end the war!" -- What happened?

I've watched the Democrats as far back as Sen. George Mitchell with a Democratic Senate which

he turned over to GOP Sen. Bob Dole -- !!!

That's what corporate money -- and Koch Bros. -- has done to the Democratic Party and our

elected Democrats.


There has been no "slugging it out" -- we have only had Rahm Emmanuel and the DLC working to

move more conservative Democrats into openings -- even to the point of having more conservative

candidates challenge more liberal seated Dems. The Democratic Party has only been in a downward

spiral -- moving steadily more to the right on Koch Bros. money.


The coup of 2000 was not spur of the moment. It was the result of decades of GOP consolidation of power so that it could not be opposed effectively, no matter what any Democrat thought.

So -- nothing about the fascist GOP rally could have been challenged?

Even to the point of its becoming near-violent with GOP actors chasing down an official

who was carrying a blank ballot?

And no protest could have been offered to the Supreme Gang of 5?

No protest could have been offered to the counting of illegal military ballots for Bush -- ?

In fact, Gore jumped in quickly to send Jesse Jackson home from Miami-Dade county where the

"butterfly ballot" rallies were beginning!


:rofl:

The facts of 2004 include not just what is suggested here, but total GOP domination of every institution of influence, from the courts to the legislative and the judiciary. Numerous suits were filed in relation to the illegalities of 2000 and beyond. The lower courts did not allow them to go forward because they were GOP judges.

And, all of that happened while the Democrats were looking the other way -- distracted, perhaps

by Koch Bros. $$ -- and over decades? They didn't notice 50 years of rightwing political violence

in America? They never wondered about Diebold voting computers? How strange when Germany has

outlawed them as "unconstitutional" -- !!

When academics and professionals here in the US have reported all the voting computers

as "hackable" -- !!

Ah, "the magic wand" again -- !!

If you want to be taken even marginally seriously, I'd leave that out -- !!

No one is arguing that we don't have government by gangsterism --

that we don't have corporate fascism in America --

Most of us recognize that -- but how come the Democratic Party doesn't?

I don't think Democrats are "weak" either -- they are simply pre-owned and pre-bribed

by corporate money.

It's up to the national party to abandon corporate $$$ and the Koch Bros and the DLC --

and move on to clean elections!! Or as Pelosi called it pre-last election "poo on your shoe" --!!

And ironic and humorous attempt at outing a GOP which got $7 for every one dollar the Dems got

in '10!!

And, Democatic leadership certainly know what needs to be done to make our elections honest --

cause Jimmy Carter has been telling them how for decades!!



> > > > >


JIMMY CARTER re our Elections –

President Jimmy Carter –

Carter Center, Alabama, saying they could not serve as observers in US elections because we

lack the three necessary criteria --


1 - Voters must be able to understand the ballot procedures and the ballots themselves

2 - Voters must have equal rights to have their votes counted

3 - There must be a central commission in the country to resolve election disputes


Carter says that none of these conditions prevail throughout the US – and that Florida violated

all three – !!



Universal & Equal Suffrage -

“The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government –

This will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by

universal and equal suffrage --

United Nations 1948 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights –



“The most important control system the power brokers have established

in this country is that we the people will settle for less, that we will settle for

the least worst” –




Election Fraud and suggestions to correct it --

1. Repeal the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
2. Replace all electronic voting with hand-counted paper ballots (HCPB).
3. Get rid of computerized voter rolls.
4. Keep all private vendors out of the election process.
5. Make it illegal for the TV networks to declare who won before the vote-count is complete.
6. Set up an exit polling system, publicly supported, to keep the vote-counts honest.
7. Get rid of voter registration rules, by having every citizen be duly registered on his/her 18th birthday.
8. Ban all state requirements for state-issued ID's at the polls.
9. Put all polling places under video surveillance, to spot voter fraud, monitor election personnel, and track the turnout.
10. Have Election Day declared a federal holiday, requiring all employers to allow their workers time to vote.
11. Make it illegal for Secretaries of State to co-chair political campaigns (or otherwise assist or favor them).
12. Make election fraud a major felony, with life imprisonment--and disenfranchisement--for all repeat offenders.

[freshwest]

55. Blaming and pointing out past failures won't help now. My representatives are all embattled,

Outnumbered progressives who work without tainted money to do all that they need to do, and it's been a largely unsuccessful struggle against our foes in issues of war and social funding nationally.

We have implemented almost every one of your suggestions to restore the integrity of the ballot here already, because we are a blue state at almost every level. The GOP tried to defraud us and lost.

I know all that you said, I don't need to hear it repeated by you as if I have no memory and some of your details are wrong. I've watched things come undone, fighting with conservative elements in the party in my state, and they are very hard to deal with.

But any facts are a matter of interpretation as to how one can react and overcome. You sound as though you've given up, so there is nothing to learn from you. It's not worth my time to go over that, since your mind seems made up.

Nothing in my reply to you was intended to be disrespectful, and I don't care if you don't feel the same. Goodbye and good luck.

[defendandprotect]

57. The "Magic Wand" AND the "blame game" ... ??? Citing political corruption is about tomorrow --!!

That's what our DOJ is supposed to be about --

that's what accountability is about --

ensuring that corruption doesn't continue to destroy the future!!


My representatives are all embattled,
Outnumbered progressives who work without tainted money to do all that they need to do, and it's been a largely unsuccessful struggle against our foes in issues of war and social funding nationally.

There are no Democrats who don't take corporate money -- and certianly not Obama or other leaders

of the party!

This is why the back room deals with corporations are increasing and why we had the financial

coup bail outs!

It's why we don't have MEDICARE FOR ALL --

Yes, there have been struggles ...

GOP radicalized the NRA and used it over decades to trarget not only liberals and progressives

in the Democratic Party, but also in their own party -- moving Congress to the right.


We have implemented almost every one of your suggestions to restore the integrity of the ballot here already, because we are a blue state at almost every level. The GOP tried to defraud us and lost.

This isn't about one state -- this is about the nation and all the states.

And -- I'd be happy to have you correct anything I've said which is wrong --

Facts are not a matter of "interpretation" -- any more than Iran-Contra was about political

differences! No one is giving up on anything -- well, except for the Pink Pony's and the

Magic Wands!!

[EC]

21. Well, what did they think they would gain?

In the election, all those that were duped by some Democratic cause would vote for the Dem, wouldn't they?

[Metta]

22. Ya think? What with the secrecy, the stone walling and the irregularities.

... glad people are making a fuss.

[WillyT]

24. K & R !!!

:kick:

[davsand]

25. This stuff is JAIL TIME level fraud.

I thought Illinois had cornered the market when it comes to slime mold politics--I guess I was wrong. Wisconsin, we probably have some cell space available if you don't mind putting one of these guys in with our former Governor...


:shrug:




Laura

[Cairycat]

34. Usual Rethug projection

always accusing Dems of voter fraud, committing it themselves. Hope these scumbags have to pay for what they've done.

[freshwest]

40. No surprise there. The GOP is the party of disenfranchisement and outrageous scams.

[JawJaw]

41. I'm Shocked!!

Where's James O'Keefe and his hidden cameras when you need him?

[freshwest]

42. LOL! Good one!

[24601]

They should throw out all Wisconsin recall petitions and start over

requiring registered voters to show up in person at he board of elections with a photo ID. It's the only way to ensure a clean count.

[24601]

43. self delete for dupe

[bertman]

44. Nail the bastards to the wall. REAL Democrats live in Wisconsin. REC. nt

[defendandprotect]

54. Here's Jimmy Carter on our elections --

and a few suggestions on what needs to be done -- !!



JIMMY CARTER re our Elections –

President Jimmy Carter –

Carter Center, Alabama, saying they could not serve as observers in US elections because we

lack the three necessary criteria --


1 - Voters must be able to understand the ballot procedures and the ballots themselves

2 - Voters must have equal rights to have their votes counted

3 - There must be a central commission in the country to resolve election disputes


Carter says that none of these conditions prevail throughout the US – and that Florida violated

all three – !!



Universal & Equal Suffrage -

“The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government –

This will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by

universal and equal suffrage --

United Nations 1948 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights –



“The most important control system the power brokers have established

in this country is that we the people will settle for less, that we will settle for

the least worst” –




Election Fraud and suggestions to correct it --

1. Repeal the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
2. Replace all electronic voting with hand-counted paper ballots (HCPB).
3. Get rid of computerized voter rolls.
4. Keep all private vendors out of the election process.
5. Make it illegal for the TV networks to declare who won before the vote-count is complete.
6. Set up an exit polling system, publicly supported, to keep the vote-counts honest.
7. Get rid of voter registration rules, by having every citizen be duly registered on his/her 18th birthday.
8. Ban all state requirements for state-issued ID's at the polls.
9. Put all polling places under video surveillance, to spot voter fraud, monitor election personnel, and track the turnout.
10. Have Election Day declared a federal holiday, requiring all employers to allow their workers time to vote.
11. Make it illegal for Secretaries of State to co-chair political campaigns (or otherwise assist or favor them).
12. Make election fraud a major felony, with life imprisonment--and disenfranchisement--for all repeat offenders.

[iwishiwas]

56. good luck progressive wisconites.

[mvd]

58. K&R

:kick:

[Tripod]

59. k&r good stuff!

[SpiralHawk]

60. The Republicon billionaires are hiring election cheats?

Republicon Family Cesspool Values strike again...

[jillan]

61. Re-Vote with lots of watchers!

[Quantess]

63. Everything else is done before cameras,

So why not vote counting?

[DesertDiamond]

64. This is EXACTLY what they did with the Gray Davis recall in Cali. A friend said she was asked twice

to sign petitions for liberal-popular causes like "raises for teachers" and when she read the petitions they were both petitions for recall of Gray Davis.