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http://atrios.blogspot.com/Charles Town, W.V., Oct . 31, 2004 – Democratic leaders in one of the nation’s most hotly-contested battleground states are receiving reports of voter suppression activities that can be traced back to the Republican Party. The suppression activities have continued despite warnings from officials in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
“These phone calls are outrageous and illegal,” says Michael Cassell, Chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic Party. “They are designed to suppress the vote for John Kerry and all democrats. The republicans were warned before, but they continue to break the law”
In mid-October, John Smalls, County Clerk in Berkeley County, W.V., sent a letter to the Eastern Panhandle Republican Party about phone calls that were traced back to its headquarters. The calls made to Democrats in this tri-county area 60 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., informed Democratic voters they were either not registered at all, or would not be able to vote on election day.
At that time, Republican Party spokesperson Mary Diamond admitted that some mistakes may have been made. She said the calls were made to determine if people were registered to vote.
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