Fla. Republican: We wanted to suppress black votes

[Courtesy Flush]

Source: Salon

In the debate over new laws meant to curb voter fraud in places like Florida, Democrats always charge that Republicans are trying to suppress the vote of liberal voting blocs like blacks and young people, while Republicans just laugh at such ludicrous and offensive accusations. That is, every Republican except for Florida’s former Republican Party chairman Jim Greer, who, scorned by his party and in deep legal trouble, blew the lid off his what he claims was a systemic effort to suppress the black vote. In a 630-page deposition recorded over two days in late May, Greer, who is on trial for corruption charges, unloaded a litany of charges against the “whack-a-do, right-wing crazies” in his party, including the effort to suppress the black vote.

In the deposition, released to the press yesterday, Greer mentioned a December 2009 meeting with party officials. “I was upset because the political consultants and staff were talking about voter suppression and keeping blacks from voting,” he said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. He also said party officials discussed how “minority outreach programs were not fit for the Republican Party,” according to the AP.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2012/07/27/fla_republican_we_suppressed_black_votes/

---

Um, yeah. We know.

[Stuart G]

1. It is one thing to talk about it.

It is another thing to admit this under oath, in a 630 page deposition. So now, it is about a systematic
effort to suppress the black vote. Who was this guy????
.. former Republican Party chairman Jim Greer...

Oh my oh MY....

[Raster]

2. This voter suppression shit STARTED in Florida in 1997-1998. Jeb Bush* and Cruella de Harris.....

...wrote the book on voter suppression and electoral infringement.

[Dawgs]

3. Would be nice if they could fine someone more credible.

This guy does appear to have an axe to grind.

[Stuart G]

4. That maybe true, but,

it always takes an insider who knows to kinda blow the whistle.. He will have to do for now.
"They" will say, he has no "validity" but it sure does sound and look like the truth..especially that meeting in 2009.

[progressivebydesign]

7. Well.. maybe he has some documentation to back it up.

Only wish that someone else, who has an ounce of decency, would step up and provide a recording or emails or a paper trail. Who were the consultants? Perhaps they'll be called out.

[lark]

11. You expect Republicans to be decent?

What planet have you been living on? lol

[Judi Lynn]

15. Bravo! How many decent people end up as Republicans in the first place! n/t

[ajain31]

36. Romney's Bain Capital exit lie!

"Given the precedent set by past seven Presidents and Presidential candidates of releasing multi-year tax returns why is Romney making an exception?" Because he has a lot to hide, apparently.

He's the only one that knows what's in there, and apparently he's made the judgement that he's better off having us suspect the worst, rather than us knowing whats in there, which apparently in his mind is worse than anything we're likely to imagine.

Possibilities include:

(1) He ended up with 120 million in his 401K by the trick of agreeing with Bain to grossly undervalue the market value of his stock, then a few years later have the stock get unvalued to the stratosphere.

(2) He participated in the tax avoidance amnesty program of a few years back, avoiding major tax penalties or prosecution.

(3) Any one or more of the other borderline legal but very bad smelling tax dodges-- "in-kind" trades, "no-risk" trades, no-risk write-offs, the list is almost endless.

And BTW he HASNT even released all of his 2010 return, he very conveniently left off the foreign investments and deposits form. Very convenient.

And his argument that it would be "bothersome" to collect the tax data is a crock too-- he supposedly collected 23 years of the stuff to show to McCain in 2008.
Ajay Jain===================================================================================

Republicans betrayed their own conscience when they went against established Republican principles like the MANDATE over healthcare which was a Heritage foundation issue popularized by Gingrich.

Obama did more than his share to UNITE but the Republicans were out to oppose for opposing sake and not following any policy or principles. In the famous words of Minority Senate Leader Mitch McConnell the Republicans were out to defeat the Obama agenda even if it went against established Republican policies set by past precedent.

Mitch McConnell was out to make sure that President Obama remains a one term President and see where it has brought the Congress and its public esteem.

Gingrich out of his own admission was out to defeat Obama from the day he was sworn in as President.

You can not justify the Republicans as the "loyal" opposition as is the case in most mature democracies. They have been out to get President Obama by hook or by crook. A leader can meet the opposition half way but can not fold completely to their whims and fantasies like that of the current Tea Party affiliates.

Republicans will loose in 2012 just like they did in 2008 but with a smaller margin because of the dark money of Billionaires due to Citizens United verdict of the right wing Supreme Court.

======================================================================================

" ... Mitt Romney senior adviser Ed Gillespie said Sunday on CNN’s "State of the Union" the GOP candidate “retroactively” retired from Bain Capital after the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics began. ... "

No body who has been drawing at LEAST $100,000.00 per year from 1999 to 2002 from Bain Capital “retroactively” retires from Bain Capital AFTER the 2002!!! Then why draw the salary of at LEAST $100,000.00 per year from 1999 to 2002 from Bain Capital if Romney retired from Bain “retroactively” !!!

" ... Gillespie continued, "He took a leave of absence and, in fact, Candy, he ended up not going back at all and retired retroactively to February of 1999 as a result." ... "

However SEC documents show Mitt Romney as sole owner of all shares of Bain Capital. Romney is also shown as CEO, President and Chairman of Board of Bain Capital in 2001 and 2002 then LEGALLY speaking Mitt Romney has been responsible to all that goes on under the banner of Bain Capital. Then to run for Governor of MA Romney sought residency of MA by lieu of his Bain positions. Now either Romney was at the Olympics OR he was at BAIN.

Only one can be true not BOTH at the same time simultaneously!!! Will the true Willard Mitt Romney stand up and accept ONE thing? Does Romney want to accept untrue SEC filings and be called a Felon or agree that he represented Bain from 1999 to 2002?

=========================================================================================

On Friday the 13th (7/13/2012) the very illusive Mitt Romney gave very defensive interviews to all FIVE networks on a single day at once!! Just a few days ago Mitt Romney said to FOX News that explaining means that you are WEAK. So his five interviews "explaining" his time at Bain were signs of his weakness!!

Presidential Candidate Mr. Mitt Romney maybe feeling the heat on his role in BAIN Capital, his business experience which was supposed to be his sole criteria for creating jobs and his greatest qualification for running for the American Presidency in the current economy in 2012!

However SEC documents show Mitt Romney as sole owner of all shares of Bain Capital. Romney is shown as CEO, President and Chairman of Board of Bain Capital in 2001 and 2002 then LEGALLY speaking Mitt Romney has been responsible to all that goes on under the banner of Bain Capital.

Mitt Romney can not just share the good like job creation from 1999 to 2002 and leave the ugly like Bankruptcies and layoffs behind as if he had nothing to do about them from 1999 to 2002.

If he really wanted to disassociate himself from Bain Capital he could have resigned and sold all his shares in Bain Capital in February 1999 then it would have been a different matter but to share in the glory of Bain's job creation accept a salary of $100,000 or MORE (where are the Tax Returns?) for three years and only to refuse to take the responsibility of Bankruptcies and layoffs on his WATCH (1999-2002) is trying to have it both ways and then complaining of playing politics having been caught with his hand in the proverbial Cookie Jar that is the very essence of an ACTIVE LEGAL ROLE in Bain Capital till 2002!! Was Romney getting $100,000.00 or more to do NOTHING for BAIN Capital???

Mitt Romney will have to face the consequences of this leaving Bain "lie" that Mitt Romney has brought on upon himself. If we keep reminding the Romney campaign of the Bain exit lie and Romney's ill effects on workers robbing them of their hard earned salaries and life long benefits all the way to November then 7/13/2012 (FRIDAY the 13th) will go down as the turning point of the 2012 Presidential election!

===========================================================================================

Two-Faced Willard

"I was not responsible for what happened at Bain Capital" - Mitt Romney
"I was the Sole shareholder, Sole director, Chief executive officer and President of Bain" - Mitt Romney

"The Arizona immigration policy is a good model" – Mitt Romney
"I didn't really support the Arizona immigration policy" – Mitt Romney

“The Massachusetts healthcare plan should be a model for the nation” – Mitt Romney
“Healthcare reform should be left to the states” – Mitt Romney

"Let Detroit go bankrupt" -Mitt Romney
"I'll take a lot of credit for saving the auto industry" -Mitt Romney

“I believe Roe v Wade has gone too far.” – Mitt Romney
“Roe v Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it.” – Mitt Romney

“I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose.” – Mitt Romney
“I never really called myself pro-choice.” – Mitt Romney

“It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam.” – Mitt Romney
“I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and represent our country there.” – Mitt Romney

“I’m not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.” – Mitt Romney
“Ronald Reagan is… my hero.” – Mitt Romney

“I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation.” – Mitt Romney
"There’s no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs.” – Mitt Romney

“I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.” – Mitt Romney
“I did not see it with my own eyes.” – Mitt Romney

“I would like to have campaign spending limits.” – Mitt Romney
“The American people should be free to advocate for their candidates without burdensome limitations.” – Mitt Romney

“I supported the assault weapon ban.” – Mitt Romney
"I don’t support any gun control legislation.” – Mitt Romney

[The Magistrate]

14. Like They Say, Sir, You Do Not Go To a Whorehouse Looking For A Nun

You are not going to find anyone credible, let alone respectable, in a room full of Republicans planning to steal an election....

"Romney loves America like a tick loves a dog."

[Bradical79]

25. You have to start somewhere

Hopefully something in those 630 pages could point towards something more solid to corroborate his claims.

[24601]

29. He does indeed. Our local papers are full of the stories of his firing and his efforts to get

even. It seems that his attempt to extort money for silence was summarily rejected.

[Occulus]

30. And which papers are those?

Names, please.

I want to know what rightwingers are trying to silence the truth through lies and obfuscation, and you, you precious thing, are a fantastic source for that.

DO tell us what all the wingers are saying. You ARE the expert, after all.

[24601]

42. We get the Tampa Bay Times (formerly St. Pete Times) on home delivery 7 days/week.

I usually see the Tampa Tribune a few days a week at work - although it's fading fast.

Sorry we poor uneducated Florida backwater bumpkins can't all read the NY Post like you apparently do.

[wordpix]

45. he's the former Repuke party chair, geesh - that's a high post & it used to be respectable

in the old days back when Repukelicans were Republicans

[sinkingfeeling]

5. When does somebody go to jail for voter suppression?

[Courtesy Flush]

6. When they block Republicans from voting. nt

[harun]

10. +1

[freshwest]

8. Likely all true, but that he sat on this until he was in trouble, won't help much. The man's a mess.

Would have been good if he'd done something to stop them instead of riding the gravy train during those years. Just turned a blind eye while furthering his own ambitions. It's a little too late to let that horse out of the barn now, but this may still have legs and may be used by Holder in his fight with Florida. Just want to get this resolved before the election. We still have a few months to stop the massive voter suppression, but it's hard to get it reversed in the face of continous media coverage justifying it.

[Fridays Child]

32. Does the deposition represent his cooperation with authorities?

Will it enable investigators to pursue charges against others?

[sakabatou]

9. Thank you, Captain Obvious

[barbtries]

12. it is nice though

when it's acknowledged. this is the way republicans win. not very democratic, or american.

[tclambert]

13. In Florida, they just want land owners to vote.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. That's so obvious it's hard to understand why the Feds haven't stepped in sooner.

[Dont call me Shirley]

23. Then, only the banks would be able to vote.

Which would be fine with them.

[JoeInNy]

16. It needs to be more solid than just his word and that deposition.

After all it doesn't look good that he is on trial for corruption charges and already mad - 'wanting to get back' - at the GOP.

[Coyotl]

18. Enjoy your stay defending the Rs

[newspeak]

39. yeah, well, we already know there was voter intimidation and blacklisting legal voters

when little boots and darth cheney did their coup. And, even, with the help with his bro, Gore still won florida. Remember when one of the employees working in the registrars office was blacklisted? The corporation they hired to do the list, apparently, was told not to check the names again after being put on the list. Also, I remember that there was voter intimidation at the polls in florida. Remember the roadblocks set up to get to polling places? To me, that's getting down right scary, the shite that's gone on in this country; voter suppression, voter intimidation and downright cheating.

Of course, just like the phone jamming case, nothing happens until after the results are in and the damage is done. I'm tired of the damn corruption and the "in your face" cheating.

As our government blathers on and on about how they are bringing democracy to some of these countries we've bombed the shite out of (actually installing favored pro-corporate stooges), we at home are reverting to the good (bad) robber baron days, where every politician is bought by the highest bidder. Of course, now days it doesn't matter if its' a foreign enterprise. While we spout democracy, I wonder how many in the industrialized countries who actually have a fairer democratic system, look at us and shake their heads.

[chknltl]

40. Verrrry interesting

[Coyotl]

17. How will we ever undo all that has been wrought on the USA by Cheaters winning elections?

Must we go back to 2000 and undo everything, all Bush's judicial appointments, etc? How can we trust governance by cheaters?

[elehhhhna]

19. It's RICO time!

[Robeysays]

21. that's what i'm saying... rope them with the wellsfargo/bofa/hbc money launderers through Super PACs

Take em all down.

[progressoid]

22. Yeah.

Hello, Eric Holder? Are you hearing this?

[Sherman A1]

31. Precisely

of course that happening isn't very likely.

[mia]

24. K & R!

The truth comes out.

[Kalidurga]

26. When he says that "we wanted to suppress black votes". It has a ring of authenticity.

Otherwise it could have been said "we want to suppress Democrats votes". I think it's true. I think he was privy to meetings and conversations with political consultants.

[Flatulo]

27. What a shock. I never imagined. nt

[gregoire]

28. They always have since the damn party was created

.

[24601]

43. So that's why Lincoln started the civil war - who knew!?

[alfredo]

33. It's all the fault of those liberals for giving

Blacks the right to vote.

[WillyT]

34. HUGE K & R !!!

[allan01]

35. re:Fla. Republican: We wanted to suppress black votes

is it a crime for a citizen tof the united states to vote:
"we the people , not we the white male citizens ,nor yet we , the male citizens ,but we the whole people who formed the union". susan b anthoney

[fascisthunter]

37. there ya go! The GOP is anti-democratic

[santamargarita]

38. Just one more corruption down the memory hole...

when do we act? If we let that bunch steal yet another election, then it's really over!

[G_j]

41. kick

[JI7]

44. this news is like when Ken Mehlman Came out

[wordpix]

46. "minority outreach programs were not fit for the Republican Party.” How racist can you get?

"Not fit" for Richie Rich liars like Rmoney and the Kochs. Here's hoping minorities, who are fast becoming the majority, are getting the picture.

[johnlucas]

47. You would think so but there are always some suckers willing to be tokens for the tokens.

Selling out for the hopes of long green is what drives some Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, & other non-White ethnic groups to that devious coalition seen in the Republican Party.
That Filipina fool Michelle Malkin is a useful idiot parroting the sentiment of rich White bigots with a bronze face.
Blacks like Herman Cain, J.C. Watts, & Alan Keyes collect cash helping Massa better oppress their brothers & sisters.

Some do anything for the money even it's to the detriment of the very people they came from.
Women like Ann Coulter coming out here with this nonsense when at one time before Women's Rights she would not be allowed to speak unless spoken to. Much less vote.

The Progressive Liberal position is the ONLY position that should be taken until we reach Utopia.
Until the land is good for ALL people there is always room for improvement.
John Lucas

[lindysalsagal]

48. I'd love to see Obama use this in his ads

Maybe he could actually make this a real national issue if he did.

[cantbeserious]

49. Well, Well, Well, Isn't This Amazing. The Truth Is Not Stranger Than Fiction. Republicans = Crooks!

eom