Third elections worker indicted over presidential recount

[kster]

Third elections worker indicted over presidential recount
Edited on Thu Mar-09-06 12:51 PM by Algorem
http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?...

3/9/2006, 5:11 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — The third highest ranking employee at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has been indicted on charges of mishandling ballots during the 2004 presidential election recount.

Jacqueline Maiden is the third board worker charged with six counts alleging that Ohio laws were not followed in the selection and review of ballots for the recount...

All three employees continue to work at the board.

"We're in the process of converting to the electronic voting, and we need our best people," board chairman Bob Bennett
<who is also Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party>
said. "We've moved them from any responsibility of recount or responsibility of ballots."...


3rd worker indicted in probe of vote recount

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/ba...

Thursday, March 09, 2006
Joan Mazzolini
Plain Dealer Reporter

...

The Board of Elections released a statement stating that, "These allegations are based on interpretation of procedures, not on any suggestion of fraud. . . . We are confident that no employee of the Board of Elections would knowingly or negligently engage in any unlawful conduct regarding the 2004 Presidential Recount. We, as Board Members, unanimously stand by our employees in the face of these allegations."...

"The special prosecutor's investigation must indicate some sign of conclusion. It is irresponsible to not finalize an investigation of an election recount that began more than 15 months ago."

Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter, who conducted the investigation at the request of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, said he was surprised that the board has allowed the employees to continue working. Mason recused himself because his office represents the elections board...

In a December letter to the board and Mason, Kerger charged that the elections board staff broke the law by failing to randomly select precincts to be recounted. Kerger also charged that the board staff failed to investigate discrepancies between the recount and original vote totals.

Posted by.........Algorem

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2154926