The Tea Party's Election Spies

[marmar]

from MotherJones:



Playing off right-wing fears of rampant voter fraud, conservative groups are exhorting activists to film and photograph unseemly activity at the polls, question voters' citizenship, and follow suspect vehicles to keep the election from being stolen. Voting rights advocates now worry that such instructions—which are at the heart of the right's expansive poll-watching campaign—could encourage harmful and possibly illegal activity.

In Minnesota, for example, the tea party-backed Election Integrity Watch has issued guidelines for its volunteer poll watchers that push the envelope of what's permitted under state election law, raising concerns that activists could end up violating voters' rights—intentionally or not. As part of its statewide anti-fraud effort, the Election Integrity Watch is offering a $500 bounty for tips leading to the successful prosecution of election fraudsters, posting detailed instructions for its "fraud spotters" online. Backed by the North Star Tea Party, along with conservative groups Minnesota Majority and the Minnesota Voter Alliance, the campaign encourages its "fraud spotters" to take photos and video of election crimes that they see happening at the polls. "If practical, bring a camera to your polling place. Most mobile phones are capable of taking still pictures and video," the project advises.

Though there's no state or federal law strictly prohibiting people from using cameras to document their own voting experiences, the Minnesota Secretary of State says that it "strongly discourages voters from using cameras or video recorders" at the polls, according to a statement posted by the Citizen Media Law Project. "Voters have a right to privacy…(which) could be compromised by picture or video. In addition, other voters' objections to being photographed could lead to disruptions within the polling place," a Minnesota election official says in the statement. Voting rights advocates point out that such behavior could end up also "creating an atmosphere of intimidation and targeting persons of color," says Keesha Gaskins, executive director of the League of Women Voters in Minnesota. "We are very concerned about the guidelines they've put out." ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/10/tea-party-election-spies

[G_j]

1. $500 bounty

now that's asking for trouble

[LeftinOH]

2. "..take photos and video of election crimes that they see happening at the polls..":

Such as what "crimes", fer Chrissakes. Oh, I get it. Non-whites, and **especially** persons who appear to be Hispanic. I doubt that the teabags would show up in my liberal neighborhood, but I would LOVE to be confronted by these pricks outside the polling place; I've got an obscenity-laced rant just waiting to be unleashed on someone.

[LongTomH]

3. Voter Intimidation Already Started in Missouri

I attended a Get-Out-The-Vote training session in Kansas City last night. One of the participants told of hearing from people in the Black community that they were being told that, if they voted, they could be arrested at the polls for old traffic tickets or that they could be reported to a home-owners' association for violations.

The Democratic Party person conducting the class advises that there will be lawyers at the poll to help with attempts to intimidate, harass or otherwise disqualify minority or young voters.

[yella_dawg]

4. "film and photograph activity, question citizenship, follow suspect vehicles"

If I do that around here, I get arrested as a stalker.

[RagAss]

5. Not in my hood they ain't.

[blogslut]

6. kick