Election stolen stuff. Why would Dodd fight Kerry on this?

[TayTay]

If indeed this is happening. Chris Dodd sponsored HAVA and has been a pretty good advocate for voting rights. (He had strong objections to the Carter-Baker commission endorsement of Voter ID.)

I know that Dodd doesn't think much of paper ballots. (He claims they are the easiest of all voting systems to tamper with.) But I do't see him as being the obstacle in the middle of the road of election reform.

So, what gives on this? Anyone here know more about Dodd and what would lend credibility to the idea that he is an obstacle to a Dem idea that last years election was stolen?

[hedda_foil]

1. Dodd listens to Jim Dickson.

Dickson works for American Association of People with Disabilities, and has been deeply enmeshed with Diebold for years. They insist that VVPB robs disabled voters of their right to vote privately and independently (one of the major HAVA issues) which is anything but true, but he's very, very vocal. Dodd's wife (I believe) is disabled and he's a huge advocate for the disabled. AAPD honored him for his advocacy a year or so ago at their big banquet. Dickson is a liar but a very persuasive one, and he has Dodd wrapped around his little finger on this.

[TayTay]

2. I saw this when Dodd was at the commission earlier this year.

Wasn't there some fund-raising funny business this year as well with money being donated to Dickson's group and then AAPD would oppose the reforms? I heard a strategic $1 mil went to AAPD. It this correct?

Is Dodd gettable or is his mind made up? It seems to me that a united Dem voice on election reform might (and I wish I could use something stronger than might) get some press attention focused on the things that went on last year. I'm sad to hear about Chris Dodd being a road black. (I know he means well, but this needs to be addressed.)

[Snotcicles]

55. If privacy is the issue

lets make absentee ballots automatic for all disabled voters.

[KittyWampus]

58. hedda, thanks very much for that information. It will help immensely in

trying to communicate with Dodd.

[EFerrari]

3. CONTACT INFO FOR CHRIS DODD HERE:

Is he benefitting from the theft of our democracy? I'm going to call him and ask if this report is true.

We have to find the obstructors and change their minds, one by one.

PLEASE JUST ASK THE QUESTION: ARE YOU BUCKING JOHN KERRY ON AN INVESTIGATION OF 2004?

CONTACT
SENATOR DODD

IN WASHINGTON:
Senator Chris Dodd
SR-448 Russell Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]


IN CONNECTICUT:
Senator Chris Dodd
Putnam Park
100 Great Meadow Road
Wethersfield, CT 06109

Tel. [phone] (CT only)
or [phone]

Link to email form:
http://dodd.senate.gov/webmail/form-opinion.html

If the form only takes a CT zip code, use one. YOU PAY HIS SALARY.

[EFerrari]

4. I am so not kidding about this. KIck and recommend, please.

:kick:

[MelissaB]

7. I'll help. I'm #2. People need to know this info.

:kick: :kick:

[EFerrari]

8. Thank you! I don't want to go off half cocked but simply

asking Dodd the question cannot hurt, can only help him rethink his position.

[JudyM]

11. That form on his website requires an entire address, not just zip... n/t

[EFerrari]

15. Sure, but if you're going to be denied, the zip is usually the trigger

[pacalo]

25. Will do!

[pacalo]

29. I just sent my note...

On the form I used "Great Meadow Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109" as my address!

You have been one of my favorite & most valuable legislative voices -- you are a true statesman. That's why I'm upset to learn today that you (angrily) rebuffed John Kerry's assertion to you that there was election fraud in the 2004 election.

I beg of you to take a look at the GAO report, which firmly supports John Kerry's suspicions. The ball is now in Congress' court. Obviously, John Kerry is not in a position to be the one to speak out about this.

So I have to ask one of my favorite senators: Why are you bucking John Kerry on an investigation into the election fraud?

[EFerrari]

34. Perfecto!

:)

[NewJeffCT]

56. Dodd has an office in Wethersfield

I sent him an email on this yesterday, but I'm in CT.

His office usually does respond to my emails.

[pacalo]

59. Yes, I got that address from his website & used it on the form.

Personally, I think at the federal level people should be able to write any congressperson, regardless of what state sent them to Congress.

I guess the fact that they limit access to their e-mail to state constituency is to prevent overload? At least, that's what I hope the intention is.

[NewJeffCT]

61. yes, that is the reason

Offices of Senators are generally swamped with requests, as there are only 2 per state, while Congressmen & women have a more manageable amount of requests... but, it is still significant. You know how often people need help with INS? In Connecticut, reps have staff members dedicated to just immigration inquiries!

[blm]

38. Right there with you...Come on folks, What Would Andy Do?

.

[NewJeffCT]

57. If you need some CT addresses, please PM me

I'd be happy to give you some almost real ones.

[Trish1168]

5. Yes, the green party had a news article on this. Dodd helped squashed

election reform in Connecticut, they said. The CT legislature had passed it with wide margins (I believe they wanted all machines to leave a paper trail). Dodd (despite that he has no business interfering in state matters) somehow managed to influence the executive branch to squash the legislation (I'm not sure how he did it). The article was pretty damning of Chris Dodd and alleged that his ties to the defense contractors in CT were a motive.

Also, Chris Dodd...when he championed vote reform...put in his bill to have the reforms implemented in 2009 (a little late, don't ya think?). Worse....HAVA is a mechanism for stealing elections more easily than before, not reforming them (its the centralized computer tabulators that make it easy). If he backed HAVA, then it makes him more guilty.

After reading about Dodd from the Green party article and then the 'lateness' for implementing his proposed plan.....it makes me think he not only knows about the election theft, but also probably condones it (for now at least). He's a dem (like LIEberman) that I would like to see ousted.

Its just my opinion.

[TayTay]

6. Any links for that article. Thanks! n/t

[Trish1168]

9. I knew you'd ask, so I went and found the link

http://www.ctgreens.org/articles/dodd_08-15-2004.html

[KoKo]

31. Some of the DRE Machine makers also work for the Defense Department

so that might be the key. HAVA act was bad. If was passed for a good purpose to try to modernize the voting machines but it was rushed through like everything else since the Chimp was installed and allowed the DRE makers to ram through the machines. Plus they already had key Elections Officials in states in their pockets (both Dem and Repug) because they'd been wining, dining and in some cases "Bribing" them with money. There was a case here in NC where there was "influence."

Also HAVA put the funding on a timetable so the States have to rush to buy more machines to get the money from the Govt.

We don't know who all has been influenced by the Diebold's and their competitors (they are all the same) but it's another influence pedaling scam that will need to come out.

[EFerrari]

53. I'm rereading this thread. What you posted is really important

I didn't know that the machines were linked to the Defense spending mafia! OMG!

That's huge. So, they steal elections AND funnel money to CronyCentral at the same time?

Christ.

[Trish1168]

10. The green article is copied here. Dodd is an a-hole who should be ousted

Senator Dodd Kills Voter Paper Trail Bill
By Mike DeRosa

When does a U.S. Senator have influence on a state legislature? If CT legislative Bill 388 is any indicator, the answer is anytime he feels like it. Bill 388 was a bill recently passed by the CT State Senate unanimously. It required a voter verifiable paper trail for every vote cast on a computer voting machine in CT. Bill 388 got unanimous support in both the Government and Elections and Appropriations committees of the CT legislature during the last session.

The bill was created and supported by the activist organization V.O.T.E.R. (Voter Opportunity Through Election Reform). According to sources, the bill fell on hard times when it reached the CT House. “The people in the office killed the bill,” said one highly placed member of the legislature. The “office” is a secret caucus were the top leaders of the legislature and a representative of the governor decide the ultimate fate of all bills. They did so according to several sources after Senator Dodd circulated a letter he had written to other U.S. Senators that claimed that a CT voter verifiable paper trail bill for all computer voting machines would violate the so-called Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

Senator Dodd was instrumental in writing and getting HAVA passed in the U.S. Congress. Critics say that the HAVA act, which was created in response to the 2000 election debacle in FL, is really the “Help George W. Bush Steal The Election Act.” Senator Dodd has also stated publicly that a “paper trail” would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Unfortunately, Senator Dodd has not read a recent position paper written by the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department that says that voter verifiable paper trail legislation does not "on its surface" violate HAVA and ADA. It seems that the last time Senator Dodd had contact with the Department of Justice was when he voted to confirm John Ashcroft’s nomination to become Attorney General of the U.S. (he was one of only a handful of Democrats that did so).

Our sources say that Dodd encouraged Secretary of State Bysiewicz, a candidate for Governor, to circulate his letter to key legislators including Rep. Jim O’Rourke (co-chair of the G & E committee, who some say initially put the breaks on the bill in the house). Another source said that Dodd made his views about the CT paper trail legislation know to Bysiewicz during a casual meeting at a political event. O’Rourke says he supported the legislation but had no control over the outcome. O’Rourke says he “could not find anyone in the CT legislature who opposed the bill”. So how is it, that a bill that was supported by everyone, including Bysiewicz, ended up the cutting room floor? Welcome to business as usual, back room style, at the CT legislature. All legislators are equal but some legislators are more equal than others, especially if they are U.S. Senators.

The bigger question is why would a Democratic Party insider like Senator Dodd be willing to put his party in harms way in the voting booth in 2004? Why would he oppose one of the few secure and reasonable ways to defeat voting fraud and manipulation by voting machines companies (Diebold and ES & S, etc.) owned by right wing Bush supporters? Didn’t he and others in the Democratic party learn anything from the debacle run by Jeb Bush, Catherine Harris, and Clayton Roberts in FL in 2000? Have they learned nothing from the recent “breakdown” of voting machines and other voting machine company lawbreaking in California? And by the way, why and how did a “liberal” senator from CT ever vote to confirm John Ashcroft, a man who does not believe in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill Of Rights, and who is consider by many legal scholars to be the worst Attorney General in U.S. history? Why indeed!

Mike DeRosa is a member of V.O.T.E.R. If you would like further information on voter verifiable paper trail legislation and related issues, go to Mike DeRosa’s website: www.newfocusradio.org (look under Black Box Voting).

[EFerrari]

13. Thank you, Trish! n/t

[EFerrari]

12. I called the DC office and said I needed to confirm an

"astonishing report" that aired this morning on Democracy Now! :)

MCM reported that it was his understanding that CD was bucking JK on an investigation of the 2004 election -- not to overturn it, but to secure future elections.

Is there anyone I can talk to about voting issues? No? That's surprising considering Sen Dodd's work on HAVA.

I told the staffer that she might want to get a designated hitter because a lot of us concerned about the election AND who respect Dodd will probably be calling today.

Now, don't make me a liar. :hi:

[JudyM]

14. We need some LTTEs in CT! n/t

[EFerrari]

26. Judy -- can you give us some contact info for LTTE? n/t

[JudyM]

52. I don't live in CT, but here's info for LTTEs

----------
NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE
The New Haven Advocate welcomes letters to the editor. However, our priority is to publish letters responding to stories published in the Advocate. Please submit letters, typed, and 250 words or less, to:
· Letters, New Haven Advocate, 900 Chapel Street, Suite 1100, New Haven, CT 06510; or
· faxed to 203-787-1418; or
· e-mailed to: [email protected].
Please include a telephone number where you can be reached during the day. Letters for publication must be signed.
--------------------
HARTFORD COURANT
Online submission form, along with snail mail and fax info:
http://www.courant.com/about/custom/thc/thc-letters,0,86431.customform?coll=hc-utility-thc
---------------------
Link to sites of most CT newspapers:
http://www.50states.com/news/conn.htm

[EFerrari]

54. Thank you! n/t

[Punkingal]

16. I asked this question today in another thread..

and I am glad you posted this and now there are some answers. Disgusting! Some small part of it might also be plain old jealousy...he once had Presidential ambitions.

[EFerrari]

17. Call and ask the question!

:kick:

[Punkingal]

20. But of course!

:hi:

[EFerrari]

22. Thank you!

:hi:

[seabeyond]

18. i dont care repug or DEM, fuckin with votes i want their ass

explosed and out. have question about hillary and senate race 2000 and gov richardson closing 2004 so quickly with obvious fraud

[Gloria]

62. Yes, our Sec of State here in NM refused to allow a recount....

I am still pissed about that! They were pulling all sorts of things to prevent the groups putting up the money for the recount from getting it done. It was outrageous...

[WHAT]

63. Yes! I don't think Dodd is trustworthy...

He was labeled an Enron Democrat in an article in the nation

snip
It is not that Enron Democrats got a lot of money themselves from the now-ruined energy company, but they are implicated in more significant ways. On various matters, they helped set the stage for the scandalous behavior of Enron and other highfliers now in disgrace. They defended the degraded accounting standards that hoodwinked investors. Or they promoted financial gimmicks and deregulatory measures that opened the way for grand malpractice. Or they formed thick alliances with the very banks, auditing firms and corporations that are now running for cover--sued, investigated or defrocked as New Economy marvels.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020408/greider

What strikes me is the similarity in machinations that allow for a more corporate agenda. It's like it's all the same thing. Also, he and Lieberman seem to work hand in glove for legislation favorable to big financial interests.

I am similarly skeptical about Hillary and Richardson. There was a thing up on du about two weeks ago where persons involved in vote companies donated money and donations were made to Richardson way back (about '86, I think). I wish I would have book marked that thread but I didn't so I'm just going on my memory.

finally, I echo your sentiment..."i dont care repug or DEM, fuckin with votes i want their ass"

[stopbush]

19. It shows just how out of touch DC is with reality.

We need to remind ourselves that web-savvy types are much better informed than the politicos on the Hill. Think Poppy Bush with barcodes or Dennis Hassert with his new weblog ("I'm new at this.").

The information we take for granted hasn't even reached these people. They live in a bubble.

[EFerrari]

21. Please knock on the bubble!

[seabeyond]

23. i agree with this post. they are aware, get their butt, BUT i think

it is jsut as strong of a possibility that they could never process that repugs would be so corrupt. that anyone would dare to steal millions of votes nationwide. that is pretty big you know. but i have seen this often over the last couple years, a politician learning from US. boxer jan 6 was all about us contacting her. informing her

[EFerrari]

24. Exactly. n/t

[BeHereNow]

28. Kick for calls!

Thanks for the heads up sfexpat2000!
BHN:hi:

[EFerrari]

32. Thank you!

I've got to earn a living for a little while. I'll be back.

:hi:

[blm]

41. And appreciate the obstacles we are NOW realizing that Kerry's up against

from those who are SUPPOSED to be on his side.

Sounds like IranContra and BCCI alll over again.

[TayTay]

27. Wow! Thanks to everyone for the info

I thought Dodd was on the side of the angels in this one. Guess not. (Guess not in a big way.)

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. It means a lot.

[dwahzon]

30. just read this thread

I live in CT (recent transplant from midwest) and I need to do some research. But I'll see what I can find and will write him letters and call, if all this information confirms.

For the most part, from what I've read and seen in the last 2 years, he's been a good Senator. It's Lieberman that I despair about.

[EFerrari]

33. Welcome to DU, dwahzon!

I don't have an informed opinion on Dodd and I'm not from CT.

But, I am a voting taxpayer and feel okay about raising the question with him. We could use his help.

:hi:

[EFerrari]

35. He may think he is. Let's ask him. Thanks for opening the

discussion. :)

[TayTay]

40. You're welcome.

I will be seeing Sen. Kerry tomorrow in New Hampshire. Should I be able to ask a question, I will ask about this. (The possibility of asking a question exists, the probability depends on what the forum is like, if they have questions and if I get picked for a question.) In other words, I will try.

I will ask anyone there who might know. This is a critical issue. (And poignantly so in the week Rose Parks was buried.)

EDIT: And thanks to everyone who wrote back with the solid info. So many of these threads seem to dissolve into shouting matches. It's nice to post a request for info and get it, snark free. Really nice. This is not about me or which pols I like or dislike, it's about the right to vote and how to secure it.

[Land Shark]

36. Some people swayed by small-time paper ballot frauds (visible) but not

seeing how easy the bigtime frauds are with machines, because they allow a focused point to change thousands of votes at once, instead of one vote at a time.

Basic test between a good election system and a bad one is what the size of the payoff is for an average fraud. ALways expect fraud, too much at stake, and election corruption, despite media silence, is an American Tradition since literally George Washington himself. See new book DELIVER THE VOTE: HISTORY OF ELECTION FRAUD IN AMERICA, 1742-2004.

Dodd may be one of the people that "sees" problems with paper ballots, but can't "see" computers. BUT THE ISSUE IS NOT ULTIMATELY ABOUT PAPER, IT'S ABOUT CHECKS AND BALANCES AND THOSE CHECKS AND BALANCEs ARE RENDERED IMPOSSIBLE WITH BLACK BOXES.

[shance]

37. Being a sponsor of HAVA is in no way being a voting rights advocate.

Perhaps Mr. Dodd has some connections to the voting machine companies as well.

The most important thing to remember is this is not about Republicans or Democrats in an isolated sense, its about corruption in our elections by those in BOTH parties.

[TayTay]

42. It's about securing the sacred right to vote.

People have died to provide that right. It is the most basic right in a democracy and has to be protected at all costs. It's not about the politicians involved, it's about the voters who thought their votes were being counted. (It's about We The People.)

[CanSocDem]

43. You said it!!

"The most important thing to remember is this is not about Republicans or Democrats in an isolated sense, its about corruption in our elections by those in BOTH parties."

Two stolen Presidential elections in a row and many of you are still focused on the personalities.....

[sepia_steel]

39. Good question - let's ask him. nt

[Tuesday_Morning]

44. kick and recommend!

Let's give him a kick!

[Walt Starr]

45. Apparently, he didn't

Looks like Kerry is rebuffing the Miller account.

[EFerrari]

46. Doesn't he pretty much have to?

And finally, it doesn't matter. We need Chris Dodd to let us know, is he with us or with the terrorists? lol

[BigBearJohn]

47. Come on DUers!! This is something WE can rally on & it's (((IMPORTANT)))

Let's make our voices heard

and get our democratic leaders to back us up on this! Don't we all agree this is a good cause to champion?

Here is a perfect situation where WE actually, factually and really CAN make a difference. It's up to US.
If it's gonna be, it's gotta be me. Got any energy left. Here, have some of mine!!!

LET THEM KNOW WE ARE WATCHING!

[EFerrari]

49. The eagle has landed AND HE'S HUNGRY

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

PLEASE JUST ASK THE QUESTION: ARE YOU BUCKING JOHN KERRY ON AN INVESTIGATION OF 2004?

CONTACT
SENATOR DODD

IN WASHINGTON:
Senator Chris Dodd
SR-448 Russell Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]


IN CONNECTICUT:
Senator Chris Dodd
Putnam Park
100 Great Meadow Road
Wethersfield, CT 06109

Tel. [phone] (CT only)
or [phone]

Link to email form:
http://dodd.senate.gov/webmail/form-opinion.html

If the form only takes a CT zip code, use one. YOU PAY HIS SALARY.

[Califooyah Operative]

48. dodd fought paper trails. nt

[EFerrari]

50. We need VOTER VERIFIED PAPER BALLOTS! N/T

[EFerrari]

51. a little kick for the East Coast evening crew

:kick:

[Tuttle]

60. Here's my mail to CD

I'm shocked to hear that MY senator angrily opposed Sen John Kerry's assertion that there may have been election fraud in 2004.

I will seriously reconsider my vote for someone who denies access to the voting booth to anyone! That offense is so vile and un-American: I suppose you are an emminent-domainer as well!

I strongly support voter receipts for computer voting as well: I understand you oppose this safeguard - are you trying to crowd Lieberman out of that corner on the right???

Hoping to hear from a Democratic senator - please respond via email because of an unsolved ANTHRAX poisoning in my town (OXFORD) I throw out all junk mail, rather than poison my own family with empty promises from direct mail marketers and/or politicians.

Tut-tut