Legal Funds Needed by 7/10 for "Voting Machine Sleepover" Debacle!

[emlev]

Bold Election Justice stand MUST be taken. We're drawing A Line in the Sand. And we need your help to keep the tide from washing it away.

You've likely heard by now that our country's most hackable electronic voting machines were sent home with volunteer pollworkers in the days and weeks leading to San Diego County's June 6 Congressional runoff election. the machines became immediately uncertified, therefore illegal for use in the election. However, voting took place as planned.

Despite there being no way to determine who actually won the election, short of counting the paper ballots and paper trails, Brian Bilbray (R) was declared the winner and sworn into office.

Sound like democracy to you? It doesn't to leaders in the election integrity movement, either.

Statements of No Confidence have been issued in the San Diego Busby/Bilbray election by BradBlog, Progressive Democrats of America, California Election Protection Network, Velvet Revolution, Commonweal and the Election Defense Alliance and other groups. Lou Dobbs and conservative talk show host Roger Hitchcock have added their voices, as have Jeeni Crescenzo, John Bonifaz, Clint Curtis and more. (You can read them all here.) All are calling for a hand count of the paper ballots and paper trails. Several DUers are key organizers.

Timelines are very tight for the few legal methods of calling elections into question. While we're all working hours and hours without pay, we need to raise money for legal fees. Specifically, we need $10,000 by Monday July 10 to retain our attorney.

DU, you've done it before and we're counting on you to do it again. An amount this small for a cause so important should be easy for this committed group of over 90,000! Velvet Revolution (a group started by DUers) is accepting donations on our behalf. Please give what you can this very minute by clicking here.

Those of us who are working long hours without pay to drag our democracy up the beach and attempt to revive it depend on occasional support like this-in dollars and words-to keep us going. Please, let us know you're there, you appreciate our work, and that you'll do what you can to help.

Please post a reply to this thread, saying a few words about why this is important to you and/or what more you'd like to do to help. Then contact your friends and ask them to do the same. It'll take you a few minutes and makes you part of a plan that's critical to the greater fight for electoral justice and true democracy.

Remember: San Diego was and remains a test case for the November elections. If we allow fatal compromise of the laws protecting our elections to go unchallenged, we can count on seeing more of it-multiplied thousandfold-in every state come November. Momentum is building to toss out the electronic voting machines. Government officials are our employees, not our bosses. Arise and Supervise!



Required disclaimer: The administrators of Democratic Underground have given permission for one discussion thread on this topic. The administrators of Democratic Underground make no claims regarding the legitimacy or illegitimacy of this fundraising effort. Permission was granted by Skinner on July 6, 2006 and the moderators have been notified.

[GuvWurld]

1. Very important. Please support.

Identify the least you can do, and commit to doing (or giving) at least that much.

[havocmom]

2. K & R

it's important

[drm604]

3. K&R

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Kick

for when i get home and can examine this.

Sorry, but I never do anything "this very minute".

[emlev]

6. Okay, but it's not this very minute anymore. EOM

[GregD]

5. this is as key as Georgia was in 2002

[veness]

7. k & r ! n/t

[ThomCat]

8. Done. K&R

It would be nice to see how much they've raised.

[rumpel]

9. k&r

[stellanoir]

10. 16th rec

Coming up

[mod mom]

11. donated and forwarded to list servs!

[emlev]

15. Thank you! Let's keep it growing! EOM

[GardeningGal]

12. Donated, K&R n/t

[Reckon]

13. Question: Has the San Diego election been certified yet?

I know how important this is to the election integrity movement.

I'll do what I can.

K&R

[emlev]

14. Yes.

[EFerrari]

28. Certified and the "winner' sworn in. We cannot allow this to stand.

[emlev]

56. Yes, but in reverse order...

Announced winner was sworn into office *before* election certified. And way, way before it should have been since the votes haven't been counted in a trustworthy way yet.

[GuvWurld]

16. Kick (eom)

[Peace Patriot]

17. With grass roots efforts, it's the EARLY MONEY that counts the most--even

small amounts help generate bigger donations, and do add up. Challenging these election theft machines, and especially the irregularities in CA-50, is very, very important. We must let the officials in this corrupt election system know that we will no longer be silent and passive, that we challenge them every step of the way, and that we will not rest until we have restored our right to vote in TRANSPARENT, VERIFIABLE elections!

Please DONATE NOW--$10, $20, $100, whatever you can afford. Send this message to the thieves of democracy! We will fight you in the courts! We will fight you in the legislatures! We will fight you in the polling place! We will fight you in the board rooms! We will fight you at the country registrar's office! We will be watching your every move, and we WILL win!

[Peace Patriot]

18. DONATION made! K&R! GO, VR! n/t

[AntiFascist]

19. Done, K&R nt

[GardeningGal]

20. For people worried about election fraud.....

Put your money where your mouth is. If you can't afford anything, I understand but you can help keep it kicked.

[Melissa G]

21. K&R! This must be pursued! Support it however you can! n/t

[eridani]

22. Just donated

This is very important, people! Do what you can. Do it for Andy!

[emlev]

23. Thank you everyone who's donated so far!

When I get a report on how much has been raised, I'll post it here.

Please help keep this kicked through Monday!

[Eric J in MN]

24. I donated.

NT

[Kip Humphrey]

25. Give me a K, givie me an I, give me a C, give me a K...K-I-C-K, KICK!

[Senator]

26. k&r

[EFerrari]

27. emlev, who is the attorney representing?

Thanks.

[Wilms]

29. .

[EFerrari]

30. Kick

[Garrett]

31. Done!

Contibution made!

[Eric J in MN]

32. K & R.

NT

[nedbal]

33. K

[Eric J in MN]

34. kick

kick

[sagesnow]

35. Donated...

what I could. Hope it helps.

[helderheid]

36. Sent $15 in Andy's name!

[Eric J in MN]

37. Cool.

NT

[helderheid]

38. kick

[understandinglife]

39. Kick.

Not One Line Of Software Between A Voter And A Valid Election

[mod mom]

40. I hope the good DUers from Ohio chip in. We had so many wonderful

people from CA help us after the election. Now it is time to assist them. KICK!

[juajen]

41. Will do what I can.

I miss Andy.

[Nicole]

42. No can do

I tried to donate $5.00 today. I can't donate more until I get a check deposited on Monday. I keep very little in that account I use for online transactions only.

I got this message:

Invalid entry. Please click the DONATE option
again and enter a value above or
equal to $10.00.

Donations not valid? That's a first for me. I would think even $5.00 donations could add up to a decent sum. I guess not.

[emlev]

57. I'll check this out and get back to you if I'm able to find outwhat hap'd

[Eric J in MN]

43. kick

kick

[Eric J in MN]

44. kick

kick

[mycher]

45. Donated $25 Today

In many ways, this is the number one issue facing us right now, I think, because without the ability to ensure the integrity of our elections, everything else is moot and democracy is no more. I know that Brad Friedman of The BradBlog and Velvet Revolution has been working steadfastly on this issue, and the least I can do is spend 5 minutes of my time and a little bit of my money to support the folks working for us and for our democratic elections. Please do what you can to help, too. And the Bilbray/Busby election isn't just about California; I live in Pennsylvania and our state is now using the hackable e-voting machines all over the state now. Let's all get on board to take back the integrity of the vote!

[elocs]

46. Not to be too cynical, and I believe this is legitimate

but I regularly get desperate requests like this in my inbox all the time and I delete them. Look at the plea to us to save democracy and the money is needed by Monday or else. There are no Democratic lawyers in San Diego or the area who would do the work pro bono or at a reduced rate? There are no wealthy donors in San Diego that could cough up $10,000 which would be chump change to them? It all has to be done under the gun in 2 days by the little guys? If it were anything else, would people give this a second thought? I have also noticed the "required disclaimer".

[EFerrari]

47. Welcome to DU, elocs.

[emlev]

49. Would we could get a pro bono atttorney

Election law is a very specific kind of law, and those progressive lawyers who are knowledgeable all seem to be quite embroiled already. There are lawsuits going on all over. Feel free to check out our efforts and see if they seem legitimate to you. I did hear you say you believe this is. I think it's good to ask these questions. I'd love it if we could get a big donor's "chump change." Know any chumps?

[elocs]

52. What I am saying is

look how this plea was presented. It is like thousands made everyday and come to us in one way or another. Some are legitimate and many are not. I would tend to believe this because I saw it here, but if it came in my email, I would toss it. It's almost like, "If you don't help this sick child in 2 days, she will die. It is vital, vital, send money now." What I am saying is there not a large Democratic donor or donors, even on these boards, who could write a few large checks to help get over this immediate hump? That would seem more practical than getting small donors to raise it in a few days over a weekend. I am sure this has been thought of, I don't understand why it cannot be done.

[lisby]

54. Feel like doing it for them? n/t

Lisby

[garybeck]

48. kick

[Omaha Steve]

50. We pitched in

Please let us know if you do raise enough in time!

[EFerrari]

51. kick

[lisby]

53. Done!

Lisby

[Wilms]

55. .

[emlev]

58. Well over halfway to the $10K, I think we can make it!

Thanks for all your donations so far. We need to keep 'em coming.

This $10,000 we've requested is just to get the lawyer rolling on the case, it's a "retainer," which means he'll gradually use the money for costs and to be paid for his work.


We're also raising money to pay for a hand count if that's necessary.

Other kinds of help are also needed, which I'll write about here as I'm able. But if you want to get involved, we want you! Post here or PM me.


(Edited for typo in amount of money in subject line, wishful thinking I guess)

[emlev]

59. That is, if people keep giving! (eom)

[EFerrari]

60. Is BBV a plaintiff in this suit? n/t

[benburch]

63. I received a reply from Brad.

Nope. Bev isn't involved in this.

[EFerrari]

65. How is she not involved? Is she or her org not a party to the suit?

Was that specified?

I'm sorry to even ask. But, better to ask now and just get over it.

Every movement has its bumps. That grifter, better or worse, is one of ours.

[benburch]

67. Neither she nor Her organization is party.

They are funding people "on the ground" in SD.

And I think we need to help them.

[EFerrari]

68. I still have no statement from the fundraisers that that grifter

is not involved.

And that is disquieting. Is she organizing the press conference, is she going to join the suit -- you see, there's more than one way to skin DU and this situation is irresistable to that kind of personality.

I'm dying to support this effort. I've been calling out "California! They're targeting California!" for months, for months.

I will now stop disrupting this thread and return to crossing fingers.

[benburch]

69. He said specifically she isn't!

Brad himself is the one doing the organizing here.

[EFerrari]

70. "Isn't" what? Isn't filing NOW? Will she being joining later?

Brad is that grifter's friend, that's a fair question.

Will she be organizing a press conference?

Will she be claiming this action as her own?

I trust Brad up to his relationship with that grifter. And that's the sorry state of affairs.

[benburch]

71. She might falsely claim ownership like she does with everything else...

...but that won't be Brad's doing.

Brad says she isn't involved and I believe him.

[EFerrari]

73. Okay. It won't be Brad's doing.

[benburch]

75. He can't control her, Beth.

But he hasn't asked her to be part of this at all. And if he had, he would not need this money as she has hundreds of thousands.

[EFerrari]

76. Okay. n/t

[troubleinwinter]

78. Lay down with dogs.....

ya come up with fleas.

When will organizations quit knuckling under to her publicity and 'fame' and toss her dirty squirrelly ass out?

[EFerrari]

74. Hope you're right. n/t

[troubleinwinter]

61. Who, specifically is "we"? 'we need $10,000'

"Specifically, we need $10,000 by Monday July 10 to retain our attorney."

"Velvet Revolution is accepting donations on our behalf."

WHOSE BEHALF?????

[BradBlog]

62. The folks fighting the battle over Busby/Bilbray...

...Which is comprised of election integrity folks in San Diego (and elsewhere). Coming together now to organize as best as possible to fight this fiasco. Organizers include folks from PDA (both national and SD local), DFA and MoveOn (local), VelvetRevolution.us and reps from California Election Protection Network etc.

You'll note there are a lot more orgs and candidates that have declared "No Confidence" and called for a manual hand count, etc.

Ultimately, however, it's a rag-tag ad hoc group of citizen patriots coming together to fight back. Hopefully, the effort will become larger and more organized as it moves forward and as funding arrives (from the Gods of Democracy?) to help accomplish that.

In the meantime, quite literally, there is no time to waste.

We're fighting for election integrity here, so we don't have to fight for it everywhere come November!

Brad
P.S. Thanks EmLev for all your doing here! It really is helping!

[benburch]

64. Oh! Didn't see you here before I replied, Brad. nt

[EFerrari]

72. So, is BBV involved in this?

Will they be holding a press conference?

Will they be joining the suit?

Will they be a part of this in any way?

Sorry, Brad, but some of us need that information. And we need it today, not Monday.

How is Bev Harris exploiting California this time? That's the question I really want to ask.

[AntiFascist]

80. The work of Harri Hursti seems to be an important aspect..

of the evidence supporting the hackability of Diebold (and other) machines. He also happens to be sponsored by BBV, so I don't see how they won't receive some recognition in this latest episode of election fraud.

That's not to say Hursti is necessarilly squeeky clean, being hired by Diebold and participating in closed door sessions certifying Diebold machines?

[troubleinwinter]

77. Surely there is an organization

other than just 'folks' that I can send a contribution to?

I will not donate to an organization in "proud affiliation with BBV".

[Boredtodeath]

81. There's no doubt.

If Brad is pushing it, it's a BBV stunt.

[benburch]

83. I respectfully disagree on this one.

Brad has NOTHING but the very best of intentions here. He wants to solve this problem. I trust him to do his best.

[troubleinwinter]

85. It is an important effort.

I WANT to donate to the work.

But I will NOT send money to an organization that is "in proud affiliation with" BBV. You KNOW why. If you want 30 links, let me know and I will post them.

Surely someone can post (or Brad can PM) an address where a contribution can be sent other than just saying there are 'folks' from various groups backing it and send to BB.

[benburch]

87. The donation is to Velvet Revolution.

http://www.velvetrevolution.us/

[troubleinwinter]

88. That is my problem

I want an alternative. VR is "in proud affiliation with" BBV.

[benburch]

91. You know I have no use for Bev Harris...

...but Brad is trying hard to make a difference here.

I know he did not help us try to save Andy. And I know he should have.

But as a Liberal I believe in redemption and forgiveness, and I think that Brad deserves some of both.

We cannot agree on all things all the time in politics - human nature is such that no two of us are ever in complete agreement, but if we let that prevent us from doing what needs to be done to advance our causes, we will always lose!

I guess I am just asking y'all to give him a chance here.

[EFerrari]

97. There is a lot in what you say, Ben.

[Kelvin Mace]

89. I'll be happy to send some money

I just need a public statement that Bev will not be part of this and that she will not in any way handle the money.

[benburch]

93. Brad wrote the following to me;

Bev has nothing to do with this appeal. It's folks on the ground in SD, who
I've helped organize, and it's VelvetRevolution.us (my org) that is
collecting it at: http://www.velvetrevolution.us/donate.php

Can use ALL the help we can get here. Need much of it for this battle! So
appreciate whatever you can do!

[dapper]

66. Are you there yet?

If not, how much has been donated thus far?

Dap

[dapper]

79. How much has been raised so far?

Paypal balance Today-Paypal balance on Friday=approximate donations so far.

Have you guys met your goal?

Dap

[Boredtodeath]

82. Doesn't look like they're willing to answer those questions.

Which is telling.

[emlev]

84. I'm trying to get that information for you...

I don't personally have access to the Velvet Revolution site in order to look. Am waiting for response about that. I want to know as much as you do!

I see that some people are getting frustrated with the lack of information here, and that it seems to be making you suspicious. I have not been able to tend this thread as much as I'd hoped, and I think you feel that absence. I hope Brad's post helped. We're trying to balance here the donors' need to know with the damage that could be done to our strategies by revealing too much publicly too soon. It's a trickly dance and we may not do it perfectly.

This is also my first time trying to raise money for anything via DU.

Oh, and BTW, the "required disclaimer" has to be put on all fundraising threads on DU. sfexpat2000 can attest to that. I remember reading it on her fundraising thread for Andy's medical expenses.

Again, I'll post more info about what we've raised so far as soon as I can!

Thanks for your patience, however much of it you can muster.

[troubleinwinter]

86. "damage"?

"...damage that could be done to our strategies by revealing too much publicly too soon"

Please do post when some trasparency is available other than some "folks" are backing the effort, and where I might donate without affiliation to BBV.

I want to contribute. Perhaps to the attorney's office? I don't know what the secret is, it's just financial donations, right?

[benburch]

92. These donations are going to get representation for people actually in SD

...who are damaged by the stolen election directly and have standing to sue.

I believe Brad when he tells me this.

Give the man a chance?

If later we find that Bev Harris is in this in spite of Brad's assurances, that is soon enough to write him off, isn't it?

[emlev]

90. Progress report

posted on this thread:

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

We're getting there!

[Kip Humphrey]

94. Progress as of 3PM PDT:

[livvy]

95. Donated and a Monday morning kick. n/t

[tiptoe]

96. kick!

[emlev]

98. Thank you everyone who's donated so far! eom

[dapper]

99. Donated, K&R

I liked the chart so I donated.

Dap

[emlev]

100. Report on funds raised as of Monday afternoon

This came in to my email from Brad of Bradblog:

"Latest numbers I have are just above or below $9000 (have been on calls all day, so don't have the absolute latest hard numbers. VR will donate the rest of the money needed to cover immediate expenses for attorneys as necessary. Costs, obviously will likely be a great deal higher than that initial $10,000 of course, as the SD County Registrar is attempting to charge $150,000 for a full hand count at the cost of $6,000 a day -- first payment due tomorrow, Tuesday @ 3pm according to Haas)."

VR is Velvet Revolution.

If you want more info about his comment about hand count charges, there's a piece about it at bradblog.com.

I appreciate everyone's donations and support.

[Omaha Steve]

101. update please

I'm one of the donors. Thanks.

[emlev]

102. Official "thank you" thread has an update--here's the link

And thank you individually for your donation, Omaha Steve!

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

[emlev]

103. Official "thank you" thread has an update--here's the link

And thank you individually for your donation, Omaha Steve!

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