Exclusive: Gov. Rick Perry voter turnout project signs up felons

[Tx4obama]

Source: The Dallas Morning News

Gov. Rick Perry's campaign has unknowingly paid convicted felons as part-time workers under its incentive program to turn out voters for the Republican primary.

The campaign lists about 300 part-time workers on the financial disclosure forms it filed with the state, recruits under the "Perry Home Headquarters" program that pays people to get others to sign up as a Perry supporter and pledge to vote. A handful have criminal histories, a Dallas Morning News review shows.

SNIP

A review of Perry's latest campaign report shows an array of people with criminal convictions.

SNIP

And the revelation that some have criminal histories, including some for drug-related crimes, could open the campaign to charges of carelessness. Perry's report shows that the campaign has paid more than $360,000 to part-time employees. That's nearly 8 percent of the expenditures listed in his report, which covers the last half of 2009.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texass...

[TacticalPeek]

1. Convicted felons have to work, too.

Although a more reputable line of work than astroturfing for a subversive might be in order.

[Tx4obama]

2. After all the fuss that was made about ACORN, it's fair that Perry should be exposed n/t

[JI7]

3. yup, especially with wingnuts always going on about Dems want criminal votes

just imagine if it was a Democrat or some liberal group doing this.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Also, convicted felons can vote in most states,

Unless they're incarcerated or on parole. The only states in which they can't vote, for life, are Kentucky and Virginia.

[Tx4obama]

6. So you think it is okay for a Governor to hire a drug trafficker?

The article says that one of the employees was convicted in 2004 of felony possession of between 5 and 50 pounds of marijuana. I would say that that wasn't her 'personal stash'.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. I was just speaking of felons in general.

If she's done her time, I don't have a problem with it. In some countries, like Sweden, once someone's paid their debt, the slate is wiped clean... BTW, in two states, Maine and Vermont, citizens can vote even while they're incarcerated.

[Tx4obama]

10. Austria too, but....

but after they arrested Josef Fritzl for holding his daughter underground for 24 years Austria said they were planning on changing the law so that people's records will not be wiped cleaned. Fritzi's record had been wiped clean in the past and that is why his felony abuse charges were not known when they had investigated him years prior when the daughter had first disappeared.

Anyway something to think about

[Rhiannon12866]

11. Somehow I don't think that Fritzl's getting out anytime soon...

Yikes! And I totally agree about violent crimes. There are some, like Fritzl, who should never be able to walk the streets again...

It's rehabilitated prisoners whom I'm talking about. Those who have jumped through all the hoops for things like DWI or possession should be able to regain their rights, IMHO. I've known some folks who have worked really hard to graduate from programs and they're better citizens than when they went in...

[Tx4obama]

13. BUT

If Fritzi's 'prior' record had not been wiped clean in the past, then they might have caught him sooner for his newest abuses.
Thought I'd clarify what was a trying to say up above, cause I'm not sure if we were both on the same page.

And I agree about minor crimes such as DWI's and small amounts of marijuana should be disregarded once the person has paid for their crime.

But some of the felons that Perry's folks hired did not commit 'minor crimes'.

Felony possession of between 5 and 50 pounds of marijuana isn't minor - at least not under the laws that are now in place.

And some of those folks are still on probation.

It was carelessness on the part of the Perry campaign.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. We're on the same page.

I certainly would like to know if the likes of Fritzl was living next door to me...

And it was definitely more that careless on behalf of the Perry campaign not to have been aware of this. Republicans pride themselves on being the "law and order" types.

I'm reminded, however, when it came out that someone who worked for President Carter, think she was a "nanny," was also an ex-con. I remember my father joking about it with a colleague, who was horrified, so my Dad said that this was nothing, that Charlie Manson was his driver... They guy almost believed him...

And whatever mistakes Governor Perry makes, they still don't compare with the record of a previous Republican Texas governor.

[Tx4obama]

24. It's going to be an interesting campaign

One of the best things so far is that Palin has come out and endorsed Perry - and that has pissed TONS of her fans off, they are saying that Perry is a RINO and that she should have endorsed Medina instead!
Palin's fans are also pissed at her due to the fact that she is supporting McCain, while TONS of her fans are supporting Hayworth.

It's quite fun watching Palin's fan base implode

[Rhiannon12866]

25. I would think that an endorsement by Palin

Would be the kiss of death for any campaign. But, then, that's just from my perspectiuve... I was so sure that her 15 minutes were over. *sigh*

But McCain's supporters must be royally pissed at her, since she was certainly responsible for sinking any chance that he had...

What is her fan base, anyway?! I have yet to figure that out...

[tomm2thumbs]

5. rather them working than doing more felonizing - that being said...

he'll probably say 'the GOP hires ex-felons, not folks committing felonies' or something playgroundish like that and given that his voter base has the education of elementary school, it'll probably work.

[Tx4obama]

7. I think you have to be off of parole to be an EX-felon though.

Some of those folks are still on parole.

[Iggo]

12. Sometimes it seems we have to die before becoming ex-felons. (n/t)

[Tx4obama]

14. I have absolutely NOTHING against ex-felons that have served their time...

But I do think that the GOP should be called out on everything little thing that we can find on them since they revel in nitpicking at the democrats for every little thing that they can think up

The more ammo that we have against them then the playing field becomes more level!

[Bitwit1234]

8. So republicans are doing what they accused the Democrats of doing

but since they know so very well how to do it, don't you think that's how they could pretend Democrats where signing up illegal votes. After all they are the experts.

[davidpdx]

15. I convinced Hutchinson is going to be the R nominee

in Texas. Unless the D's have an aweful good candidate, they may end up with her as governor.

[Tx4obama]

16. Well in my opinion...

Kay Bailey-Hutchison would be better than Rick Perry, but Democrat Bill White would be better than both of them

Everyone in Texas be sure to VOTE for BILL WHITE for our next Texas Governor!

[w8liftinglady]

21. I agree-she's the only one who has(or her staff has) personally addressed my

many.many communications with her office-especially when my son was in Iraq.Much better than that smarmy,whiny Perry.
The Dem candidates-Farouk Shami http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farouk_Shami
No way,with these rednecks.
Bill White,former Houston mayor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_White_ (politician)
Kay's gang will tear him up over:
The Safe Clear program
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SafeClear_Program
The Red Light Program
Center for the Retarded
In 2007, the City under Mayor White announced that it was planning to terminate the lease for The Center for the Retarded, which also housed the Lighthouse for the Blind. The public raised $6 million to pay the City, and discussions about closing the facility ended.<76>

So-yes-if given a choice between Perry and Hutchison,I'll take Hutchison...but I'll vote Democrat.

[PDittie]

19. Sorry, but you're a-wrong. On both counts.

Perry leads Hutch by a wide margin even considering the TeaBagger running (Debra Medina, latest Rasmussen, Google is your friend). Kay Bailey is a RINO according to the prototypical Texas GOP primary voter. Not joking.

And Democrats do have a solid candidate that even the Lamestream Media thinks can pull the upset. (Bill White, Google again). Here, I'll get ya started ...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/casey/...

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

17. guess just anyone can vote in perry's fancy little republic of texas

the south shall rise again
yee-haw.

[Hubert Flottz]

18. Paling around with felons!

About every republican I can think of should be a "convicted felon"

[Ian David]

20. I wonder just HOW they go about "convincing" people to pledge their vote to Perry. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

22. It wasn't carelessness. They just didn't care how it was done. It was intentional.

[tabasco]

26. 100,000 Americans become evil felons every year for growing pot plants

Just a few plants in your closet = felony.

Big woop de doo.