DNC contacts Brad--they're looking into Busby/Bilbray race in CA

[shance]

See new Bradblog post:

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=2953

"In the meantime, it seems Francine Busby's campaign (who has still failed to return any of my calls) is now replying via Email to those who have questioned her position on the matter, and whether or not she plans to demand a 100% manual hand count of all the paper ballots and "paper trails" in the race now that it's been indisputedly shown that the secure chain of custody for the voting machines was irreparably violated when San Diego County officials sent the world's most easily-hacked voting machines home with poll workers days and weeks prior to last Tuesday's important special election run-off for the U.S. House seat vacated by the disgraced Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

Her emailed statement, as forwarded by Dr. Mike Byron — a friend of Busby's and the 2004 Democratic nominee for the U.S. House in CA's 49th congressional district — was posted earlier today in this BRAD BLOG comment. The statement illustrates a number of troubling issues. In particular, that Busby doesn't yet seem to have a grasp on what the actual concerns are about the tainted results, as currently reported, in her own election…


(NOTE: I've not yet been able to authenticate the email response, as I've still been unable, personally, to hear back from anybody who can speak for the Busby campaign.)

The statement is troubling, because it seems to reveal that she has little or no understanding about the contentions being made about the validity of the reported results. While Busby writes in her statement that, "observers from both parties from Washington D.C as well as local monitors have been carefully observing the counting of ballots," its clear that she doesn't understand that observers — no matter which party they are from — would most likely see no evidence of tampering or inaccuracies in the machine counted optical scan ballots, even if there was a problem with the systems, if all they did was "observe."

This blog entry also contains Busby's less-than-enlightened email about her early concession and related topics.

Busby's complete emailed statements, as posted by Dr. Mike Byron, follows…

I forwarded the information found on Brad Blog concerning the Busby/Bilbray race, along with a Brad Blog link to Francine Busby, who I know personally, (we were candidates together in '04, when I ran against Darell Issa in the CA 49th, as the Dem nomineee, and Francince ran against the Dukestir in the neighboring CA 50 CD. In a carefully worded statement Francinne replied:

Concession and Recount

Many of you have called to express your interest in a recount.

On election night and for several days following the election, observers from both parties from Washington D.C as well as local monitors have been carefully observing the counting of ballots.

While there were a few reports of malfunctioning machines, there was not widespread reporting of problems on election day. All absentee, provisional and damaged ballots were accounted for and are continuing to being counted.

I conceded as part of my statement following election night because the margin of difference was beyond the amount to trigger an automatic recount. Should the Secretary of State find reason to certify me as the winner, I would be declared the winner despite my original concession statement.

Thought we all wanted to win this race, we can be proud of the fact the we garnered over 45% of the vote despite $5 million in relentless negative assaults and kept Bilbray under 50% in a district that should have been theirs for free. This was a huge victory in itself. With your continued support, we will keep up the pressure through November.

Francine

[IndyOp]

1. Dupe. This in on the greatest page. (nt)

[shance]

2. kick

n/t

[shance]

3. Kudos to DNC***

Governor Dean and others within the DNC show they care about Americans and our Democracy.

It is appreciated.