Notes from Conyers Hearing

[jmknapp]

I attended the Conyers hearing at City Hall, Columbus, Ohio today and want to blog a few notes while it's relatively fresh in my mind. I didn't write down a lot since I was busy taping with a camcorder, so this has to be from memory. If anyone can host a video or audio file, please let me know.

An amusing incident happened right off the bat, before the hearing started. I was talking with a friend who brought up Clint Curtis and whether his story was legit. I said that I heard that Arnebeck is giving him some credence. A lady in the seat in front of me turned around and said, "What are you saying about Clint Curtis?" I just repeated the bit about Arnebeck and said, "So maybe he's for real." She said, I can assure you he's for real," and the guy next to her turns around and sticks his hand out and says, "Hi, I'm Clint Curtis." Ha! it was a real Marshall McLuhan moment.

He seemed like a clean-cut and level headed person. I asked if he was going to testify and he said that he wasn't sure. I asked "Did you come all the way up from Florida today?" and he replied that he had, remarking on the bitter cold weather today in Columbus.

Arnebeck was there, as was Cobb, Jesse, Conyers, Waters, Nadler, Stephanie Tubbs-Jones, State Sen. Miller, Fitrakis, Truitt, Bill Moss, Steve Rosenfeld, Columbus Councilwoman Tavares, Ronnie Dugger, Harvey Wasserman--left out a bunch.

Opening statements were made by Conyers and other panel members followed by a long speech from Jesse. Conyers said that this is just the beginning of hearings. Nadler said that the disenfranchisement is intentional. Many references were made to the meeting of electors happening a block away at the Statehouse, and that it was premature and unconstitutional before the recount has been completed. Jackson called the electors' votes today "provisional ballots" which elicited a snort from the crowd.

The chambers were standing room only with people spilling out into the hallway. There was a lot of applause during the speeches.

Cobb got up to speak, and my arms being tired from taping Jesse, I decided to skip taking him, as his testimony at the DC hearing was largely a commercial for the Green Party. I wish I had taped him though because this time it was substantive, and he ended with some startling allegations about Triad Corp. rigging a recount. It went something like a "technocrat" whistleblower came to Cobb and revealed that Triad employees were very worried about the recount matching the tabulated count, and to ensure this they had posted the "answers" around the counting rooms, disguised as emplyee information bulletins so as not to attract the attention of observers. That way they would just make sure that the recount matched the original count. Something like that. I'm sure someone will post a transcript.

This really got Conyers' attention, as well as that of Maxine Waters, and they set up a followup private meeting with Cobb. Cobb said he has the name of the whistleblower.

Professor Norman Robbins (professor emeritus, Case Western) presented a statistical study showing systematic voter disenfranchisement, particularly in the area of of rejected provisional ballots. In his presentation he used a graph I had sent him, which was pretty cool. Evidently, based on his team's analysis, voters were purged from the registration rolls in Cuyahoga County late this year, and thus were forced to fill out provisional ballots Nov. 2, which were then rejected for the reason "not registered." His team has identified hundreds of voters who were purged and subsequently rejected.

Arnebeck then called a surprise witness of sorts, and that was one Clint Curtis. Curtis approached the microphone and was sworn in under the penalty of perjury. Arnebeck then questioned him lawyer-like on the well-known (in these DU parts) story about his writing vote-hacking software at the behest of the Florida speaker of the House. there was a lot of followup from the panel. Nadler in particular honed in on the specifics of how the vote could be so hacked and yet leave no trace. I got this on tape if anyone cold host it. Of course, maybe Pacific or some other web entity will put it up hopefully.

Testimony was then taken from a number of activists and voters who told stories of trouble voting on election day. Most of this testimony was good, although several Larouchies weighed in, as well as a black fellow railing about the Council on Foreign Relations. OK, that's enough for the present. I'll have to review the tape to jog my memory as to what transpired.

[Stephanie]

1. You TAPED IT?!?!

You might have the only tape- did you see any other cameras? Can we get your tape uploaded to web somehow? Take Back the Media might be able to host it, or somebody else. Can we get your tape to C-Span? Thank you so much for doing that! Now I will go back and read the rest of your post.

[Guarionex]

3. I can host or get someone to host...send me the file.

I got a blog, http://firebrandsbreath.blogspot.com .

I also know Brad Friedman, of the Brad Blog...or the people at crooksandliars.com can host it.

Send me the file and I'll put it up...I'll find a way!

[rumpel]

11. second that! Any media crew local or otherwise?

[jmknapp]

26. I don't know what media entities were represented

Other than

Radio:

WVKO -- Columbus black-oriented radio station broadcast the hearings live

610 TVN -- local news radio

Pacifica

I suspect that some of the cameras were from the local TV stations, but I don't know.

[RFSea]

2. Hey there

Thanx a lot.

First report I have heard on this all day.

Great job-

[rumpel]

4. You are an angel!

[ReneB]

5. i may host it for you..

whats the exact size of the audio and / or video file?

[jmknapp]

9. It's still in analog form

I'll digitize it later & let you know the size. But I'm still hoping that someone else puts up footage, because there were numerous video cameras there (I'd say at least 5), on tripods and with a better vantage point than I had. I was thinking it might be good to put up some choice excerpts of the audio at least.

A couple other items I just remembered:

Copies of the 11-point Kerry letter were passed around. I stupidly left my copy on the bench though, so I don't have it. Has it been posted on DU yet?

Kerry's lawyer was also in attendance--Daniel Hoffheimer.

[Stephanie]

10. Here's Kerry's letter >

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

That's awesome that Kerry's lawyer was there!

[rumpel]

12. Yes, letter was posted.

[jmknapp]

54. OK, looks like about 150 MB

I have about 100 minutes of footage, so it's not everyone who spoke, but a little over half, and most of the mainliners. Windows Media file.

Video quality is 256Kbps.

It's actually still being rendered by my movie software, which should take a couple hours--so sometime tomorrow I'll give the link to anyone who can host it.

Joe

[rumpel]

6. ask will Pitt, truthout may be able to host, too!

[Guarionex]

8. big man...

just send us the files...I got broadband and space...if you give it to me, I will send it to the right places and see if I can host it on my Blogspot.com blog....Space is not a problem on the Net!

We need the file!

[YellowDoginthehouse]

7. Thanks, JM

We wouldn't know what was going on if it weren't for you and Brad, who has been taking reports from someone present in the hearing room.

You guys are great!

[crispini]

13. Yay, THANK YOU!

and PLEASE, get us tape!

[rumpel]

14. Tell us when it's up an running!

[ourbluenation]

15. thanks jm eom

[Helga Scow Stern]

16. Congratulations on the use of your excellent graphics! n/t

[jmknapp]

21. Thanks,

And Prof. Robbins introduced me to a number of people who had seen my maps and commented on them, so it's good to know they got to some of the people on the front lines.

[jhgatiss]

17. I'm not up to speed on the details.

Did the hearing end up at City Hall or the Statehouse?
What time did it begin?
How long did it last?
About how many people would you estimate were there?
I wish I didn't have to work today. I wanted to go.

[jmknapp]

19. Started at 10:30 -- ended at 2:30

It was in the main City Council chambers at City Hall in Columbus, which is a block away from the Statehouse.

It was originally going to be at the Statehouse but that was nixed by the GOP. Columbus City Councilwoman Charleta Tavares was credited with obtaining the City Hall venue. The hearing had to wrap up when it did because the City Council is meeting there this evening, and they had to prepare the room for that.

The hall doesn't seat a whole lot of people, maybe a couple hundred including the balcony.

A few more things I recall --

Greg Palast was there, as well as a honcho in Pacifica Radio (didn't catch the name; he had a full beard).

Arnebeck said that while reforms are needed for the future his focus was applying the law to the current election, before Jan. 6.

[jhgatiss]

28. Thanks for the update!

I had read here on Friday that it was supposed to be at the Statehouse but then a friend in Worthington yesterday told me it was moved to City Hall for exactly the reason you explained. I wasn't exactly sure how that all panned out. We live in a Democratic city in a Democratic county, now only if we could live in a Democratic state in a Democratic country!

[chalky]

18. Kick,

since this is the only word that I've seen on what went on there so far.

[joevoter]

20. I can host audio and video

I can host audio and video <http://www.fugw.org > Quicktime/mp3 is probably best for playability. I can also burn some VCDs to hand out localy here in southern Oregon. Email me at [e-mail].

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. Thank you so much JM! The possibility of seeing this on video is priceless

[Lil]

23. Awesome experience for all of you who were there (envy) & eagerly. . .

. . . await the video. Thanks for taking it and to those who are hosting it!!!! The "media" is rapidly becoming IRRELEVANT!

[rdmccur]

24. I believe some other duer

recorded the Cobb part (on dvd) if my recollection is right.
Anyone here remember who that was?

[Straight Shooter]

25. I saw the name "jmknapp" as posting this thread & knew it would be good

Thanks ever so much. A most excellent recitation of events.

If you meet Cliff Arnebeck again, kiss him for me, and I don't how much it embarrasses you

[Straight Shooter]

27. Dupe

What the huh? I got a buggie error report. I guess it's not okay to send kisses to Cliff

[shiina]

29. Place to host video/audio files

The Internet Archive exists for just such purposes!

http://www.archive.org/movies/movies.php


Pacifica was there? I've been checking their website every ten minutes for the past 3 days looking for something about it and I haven't seen a thing...

Oh, and THANK YOU!!

[ohio_liberal]

30. I have video as well....

I'll almost certainly need some help hosting.

[rdmccur]

31. see post 29 if

you haven't already

[Guarionex]

32. there's many places...just send it to them..or me!

[e-mail]

I got a blog, http://firebrandsbreath.blogspot.com

We'll get it out there...but we need the file!

[ohio_liberal]

34. I'm downloading it from miniDV right now

I'm doing the Clint Curtis testimony first.

[Guarionex]

37. thanks.....

As soon as you have it, send it to HTTP://WWW.CROOKSANDLIARS.COM . They get their video feeds from http://movies.ziaspace.com . you could try the Internet Archive...send it to Brad Friedman (his email is at http://www.bradblog.com )

finally, send it to me ([e-mail] ). I'll post it on my blog, http://firebrandsbreath.blogspot.com

[ohio_liberal]

41. It's imcomplete

Arrrrrgh! I'm not sure what happened but the first few minutes are cut off. I've uploaded what I have here:

http://home.comcast.net/~clotheshorse1967/video/curtis1...

[New Earth]

43. GOOD ENOUGH!

thank you! it's really scary that we have to rely on every day citizens to bring us coverage of a CONGRESSIONAL HEARING!!!!!!!!!!!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

44. Thank you very much! You have recorded history!

[ohio_liberal]

45. I'll probably feel better

after I stop sobbing over the lost minutes

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

47. Awwwwww sending you a hug and a tissue! You did great!

Just finished watching for my second time! I sent have already passed it on, including to a journalist who has been covering this extensively. Thank you again Ohio Liberal from a NY Liberal!

[ohio_liberal]

48. ...

[rumpel]

33. Great job! Thanks to both.

[corbett]

35. Out-Of-Staters Thank You

I'm overjoyed that so many patriots spoke and/or gave testimony today! I live in Florida and we need the same thing to happen here. Kudos for your efforts!

[Road Scholar]

36. Thank you very much. It is a shame that we really are having

to be underground. This is historical and we are having to get this in bits and pieces,like so many outlaws, thanks to the media.I am gratefully, however and appreciate your efforts. Please keep us posted.
Please do not become discouraged.I guess we will always have to deal with the ignorant, the incompetent, and the indifferent.

[Stephanie]

38. We ARE the media, and now it's for real

We keep saying it but today's it's really true. Imagine, the greatest fraud in the history of our nation and we can only see news coverage of the investigation if we tape it, digitize it, upload it, host it, and stream it ourselves.

Well, Thanks Al Gore! Thanks for the internet!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

39. I'd laugh it wasn't such tragedy. I never in my life thought that I'd

Be a conduit for the Real News to family, friends, and to Stepford posters on AOL.

Give the masses Scott Peterson and they'll be happy. Being against the death penalty I shuddered after hearing the crowds cheering. Cheering for his blood. Moral Society my ass!

[dlaliberte]

50. Be the media for friends and family

I've started doing this too -- I send smallish emails to a few friends and family around the country, with the news highlights of the last couple days, including links in case they are interested in following up.

This approach lends a personal touch that helps readers identify with the news. It lets them ask me questions, if they have any. And they can forward the email on to their friends, etc.

The DU Pyramid news scheme: if everyone emails to a few friends and family and if the recipients do likewise, everyone in the world will know in about 6 hops.

[jbond56]

42. glimpse in the future

MSM better wakeup or we will make them a thing of the past.

[indigonation]

40. Thank you and please let us know where available for view n/t

[genieroze]

46. Not complete

Edited it's not the complete one. sorry


http://home.comcast.net/~clotheshorse1967/video/curtis1...

[mom cat]

49. kick..Keep this one kicked....Thanks

[elleng]

51. THANK YOU!!!!!

[ntwkgirl]

52. CONYERS HEARING ON RADIO LEFT NOW!!!

http://blog.radioleft.com/blog/_archives/2004/12/13/204...

[newyawker99]

55. Hi ntwkgirl!!

Welcome to DU!!

[AtLiberty]

53. Just once...

...I'd like to bump into a Dem friend in town who knows what's happening in Ohio. I've informed about 25 Dems so far who were completely clueless. Disheartening.