Democrats sue over misdialed calls

[Omaha Steve]

Published Saturday
January 14, 2006

Democrats sue over misdialed calls



DES MOINES - The Iowa Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit against its former automated telephone service, claiming it misdialed calls and annoyed voters in 2004.

The lawsuit claims Atlanta-based Premiere Global Services Inc. sent automated phone messages to the wrong households and repeatedly called correct numbers.

The lawsuit, filed in Polk County, said the calls were made "on behalf of Democratic candidates for the Iowa House of Representatives in five key swing districts" in the November 2004 election.

A telephone message left Friday for Randy Salisbury, a company spokesman, was not immediately returned. - AP

This is so short I posted the full story.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2098603

[salin]

1. Hadn't heard about this

incompetent company? Or company with conflicted political loyalties that didn't expect to get caught? Probably the first, but in this era it is hard to not think about the second.

[NorthernSpy]

2. professional incompetence, or politically-motivated sabotage?

Thanks for posting that, Omaha Steve! It'll be interesting to see where this leads. Knowing what happens when Republicans start playing with the phone, I wouldn't be too quick to rule anything out.

[Ian David]

3. Premiere Global Services

Search Criteria:
Donor occupation: Premiere Global Services
Cycle(s) selected: 2006, 2004, 2002

Contributor: MARVIN, C RAYMOND
MCLEAN,VA 22101
PREMIERE GLOBAL SERVICES
2/24/2005
$1,000
Recipient: Kennedy, Edward M

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=Premiere+Global+Services&txtCand=&txt2006=Y&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N



Premiere Global Services, Inc. (NYSE: PGI)
Click Here
3399 Peachtree Rd. NE, The Lenox Bldg., Ste. 700
Atlanta, GA 30326 (Map)
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.ptek.com

Hoover's coverage by Kristi Park

Overview

Premiere Global Services, formerly known as PTEK Holdings, is spreading the corporate word. Through its Data Communications segment, the company automates critical communications activities, such as confirmation of scheduled appointments or notification of past-due bills. It also moves companies away from paper-based document management systems, enabling electronic creation and distribution of invoices and other documents. The company's Conferencing and Collaboration business unit provides teleconferencing and Webconferencing services, including operator-assisted and automated teleconferencing and Web-based document sharing tools. In 2005 the company acquired Netspoke for $23 million.

Chairman and CEO Boland T. Jones
President, COO, and Director Jeffrey A. Allred
EVP and CFO Michael (Mike) Havener

More:
http://www.hoovers.com/premiere-global-services/--ID__51688--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml


Search Criteria:
Donor name: Jones, Boland
Cycle(s) selected: 2006, 2004, 2002


JONES, BOLAND
ATLANTA,GA 30326
PTEK HOLDINGS INC
10/15/2002
$2,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

JONES, BOLAND
ATLANTA,GA 30309
PTEK
1/4/2001
$1,000
Miller, Zell

JONES, BOLAND
ATLANTA,GA 30309
PTER HOLDINGS
10/31/2001
$1,000
Cleland, Max
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Cleland


JONES, BOLAND
ATLANTA,GA 30309
PTER HOLDINGS
11/1/2001
$1,000
Cleland, Max

JONES, BOLAND
ATLANTA,GA 30309
PTEK
1/4/2001
($1,000)
Miller, Zell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zell_Miller

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Jones%2C+Boland&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2006=Y&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N


Search Criteria:
Donor name: Allred, Jeff
Cycle(s) selected: 2006, 2004, 2002


ALLRED, JEFFREY
ATLANTA,GA 30309
1/22/2002
$1,000
Cleland, Max

ALLRED, JEFFREY
ATLANTA,GA 30309
1/23/2002
$1,000
Cleland, Max

ALLRED, JEFFREY A
ATLANTA,GA 30309
4/13/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Allred%2C+Jeff&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2006=Y&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N

[HopeFor2006]

6. Well, with the exception of Zell Miller

his Democratic credetials look pretty good.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Note to Iowa Democratic Party

All automated phone messages annoy voters.
Please pass this note on the the national Democratic Party too.

[MindPilot]

5. Agree 110%. Which is why I won't do precinct-walking

The phone calls are annoying enough; somebody banging on my door when I'm in the middle of something (and I'm *always* in the middle of something) really pisses me off. If Ben Franklin himself arose from the grave to run for president and you interrupt my Saturday afternoon to tell me about it, I ain't voting for him.

[struggle4progress]

7. And it doesn't organize anybody either. With real volunteering doing ..

real phone-banking, you actually teach real people to set aside time regularly to do something political: they make friends and hone their skills ...

[Ian David]

8. I'm always sad when John Kerry calls me and it's only a recording

"Hi, this is Senator John Kerry. A vote for me is a vote to outlaw The Bible and to force all children to be gay-married by age twelve."