California Coup Attempt Compilation Thread

[Helga Scow Stern]

"The core of our American democracy is the right to vote. Implicit in that right is the notion that that vote be private, that vote be secure, and that vote be counted as it was intended when it was cast by the voter. And I think what we're encountering is a pivotal moment in our democracy where all of that is being called into question."

Kevin Shelley
California Secretary of State



California Secretary of State Addresses Voting Systems Panel

January 15, 2004
Secretary of State Kevin Shelley gave the following address before the Voting Systems Panel and members of the public during the presentation of the results of an audit of (Diebold Election Systems) hardware, software, and firmware installed in 17 California counties.

After Secretary Shelley completed his speech, the audit results were presented. The audit revealed that among the random selection of Diebold's systems in those 17 counties, NO instances of certified software were discovered. Further, it was determined that in Los Angeles and 2 other counties, the firmware in use on the audited machines had never been submitted for Federal certification. (By California law, all election equipment must be certified at the Federal level and then approved by the State.)

It was further revealed that all of these machines were used in their uncertified configurations in both the November 2003 and the October "Recall" elections.

The Address

Members of the Voting Systems Panel and Ladies and Gentleman behind me, I understand, from staff, that I, as Secretary of State, am breaking precedent by appearing before this panel. I appreciate all of the sage advice that you give me and recommendations that you make, but I felt it appropriate to break precedent, given the circumstance of the item you are hearing and discussing at the moment. My concern is beyond the individual item that is being discussed as it applies to Diebold and the recommendations to be made in that regard. It's much larger than that.
--snip


http://www.verifiedvoting.org/article.php?id=5021


******************************************

GOOD THINGS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF SHELLEY

AUGUST 24, 2004
Last of 11 counties win recertification for electronic voting in November
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=2229

AUGUST 26, 2004
Electronic voting still barred in San Joaquin County, CA
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=778844

AUGUST 27, 2004
Good News BBV
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=2297

The Bill
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2628229

SEPTEMBER 1, 2004
(Solano) County pays $415,000 to get out of e-voting contract
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=2375

SEPTEMBER 8, 2004
Calif. to Sue Diebold Over False Claims
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=808802

Bev Harris Comment
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2321744&mesg_id=2321744

JANUARY 21, 2005
Secretary of state approves first paper-trail voting system for California
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=5939

THE OBSTRUCTION AND ACCUSATIONS BEGIN

AUGUST 13, 2004
New storm buffets secretary of state - (CA re:Absentee Ballots) Conny McCormack
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=747806

AUGUST 21, 2004
Shelley's staffers call him abusive - complaints filed
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=2200

SEPTEMBER 18, 2004
State won't release bulk of voter funds (CA)("not essential" for election)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=836579

AUGUST 29, 2004
BBV Alert..... The Governor is getting involved..........
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=2327

AUGUST 31, 2004
Is Kevin Shelley getting Davis'ed by Schwarzenegger?- E-Voting Critic getting shafted, while CA counties go broke.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=2360

OCTOBER 2004
California Pollworkers Told to Withhold Information from Voters
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=3153
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=3263

JANUARY 8, 2005
California Politician's Rise Is Struck a Blow by Scandal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1134639

JANUARY 13, 2005
Shelley agrees to testify before committee investigating his use of funds
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=5521

JANUARY 25, 2005
Aides: Shelley may resign
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6094

JANUARY 26, 2005
Report: Shelley Accused Of Harassment
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1184134

JANUARY 26, 2005
State official blasts Shelley hiring practices
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6212

JANUARY 27, 2005
Feds will audit Shelley's use of election reform money
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6359

Son of Shelley donor was promoted after test score was altered
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6325

JANUARY 28, 2005
Editorial: Shelley must go--Sac Bee
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6392

FEBRUARY 4, 2005
(Calif.)Secretary of State Kevin Shelley to resign
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1213365

STRANGE-ACTING DEMS

JANUARY 25, 2005
State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero (D) suggests Shelley quit
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6160

JANUARY 31, 2005
Donors give only $250 to Shelley's legal defense fund
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6510

Shelley won't quit except for new job, legal immunity, pals say
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6482

(Diebold County Dem) Assembly leader would excuse Shelley from testimony if he resigns
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6675

Where is the California Democratic Party regarding Kevin Shelley?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=323332

Time we really cleaned house. Who is responsible for the loss of Shelley?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=319393

FEBRUARY 8, 2005
Committee may abandon Shelley probe
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x6856

REPLACEMENTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2005
State SOSs worried EAC is crossing the line, eroding state control
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=321103

Ross Johnson?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=322606

FEBRUARY 11, 2005
Rep BRUCE MCPHERSON to be CA Sec. of State-wolf in sheep's clothing?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=324246

LBN-Schwarzenegger expected to name McPherson as secretary of state
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1230240

So Mcpherson's the new Secretary of State
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x7033

Will Conny McCormack Get Her Way?

Shelley created 'crisis,' elections official Conny McCormack says
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=319264

We must know about Conny McCormack (LA County Elections Supervisor)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=320184

Need Expert Facts to Refute Conny McCormack on DREs in CA--McCormack on RW Radio Program with Gloria Romero
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=323789

Who is Conny McCormack and what is she doing?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x6818

SUSPICIONS

JANUARY 8, 2005
WE NEED TO STAND BEHIND KEVIN SHELLEY
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=5288

The pattern with Secretaries of State
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x6811

Is anyone else suspicious of Arnold's faith in ballot initiatives?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=5284

JANUARY 12, 2005
Arnold is going for ballot initiatives while Shelley is under attack
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=5488

JANUARY 29, 2005
Schwarzenegger seeks national donors for California overhaul
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6428

FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Tapes: Enron plotted to shut down power plant
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1211180

FEBRUARY 7, 2005
States See Growing Campaign to Change Redistricting Laws: NYT
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1219202

FEBRUARY 8, 2005
Schwarzenegger Booed, Questioned Over Fund Raising
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1222619

SUPPORT AND WHY WE NEED TO FIGHT

CA VOTERS NEED YOUR HELP
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=302899

If Shelley quits, we'll lose CA: GUARANTEED
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=141&topic_id=6300

Kevin Shelley Deserves Our Support
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=319175#top

California needs your calls. Hello, they're trying to take CALIFORNIA
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=322151

Kevin Shelley Legal defense fund
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=321980

Shelley staffer just told me supportive emails are very helpful!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=321171

Peace Patriot and others' draft letter
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=319613

Revised Letter
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=321070

Californians: Does Boxer know about Shelley? Could she help?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=318241

Please post anything below that is missed, your letters, comments, etc.

We need to decide what to say and start saying it loud and clear and all over the place, to the media, to state and federal Dems, to those Republicans who still care about integrity.

This is very important. Even if you are out of the state or even the country, what happens here will greatly affect you in the days, months, and years ahead.

[Helga Scow Stern]

1. Dems saddened over resignation...

Democrats Saddened But Relieved Over Shelley's Resignation
by John M. Hubbell, Rachel Gordon and Vanessa Hua, San Francisco Chronicle
February 5th, 2005

Sacramento -- Top Democrats in San Francisco and the Capitol met the resignation of Secretary of State Kevin Shelley with a mix of guarded relief and pragmatism Friday as they watched the career of a top state officeholder and son of a former city mayor dissolve in public view.

snip--
Stan Smith, longtime head of the Building Trades Council, said he was disappointed in Shelley's purported actions as secretary. The council had endorsed Shelley in every race, starting with the Board of Supervisors.

"It's disheartening to see that he has done this," Smith said. "I know he's not been found guilty, but he resigned in order not to stand trial."

That sentiment was echoed in Sacramento. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, D-Los Angeles, called it a "difficult time." Senate Leader Don Perata, D-Oakland, said Shelley's political demise was "a personal tragedy."

Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, who was the first in her party to publicly suggest that he resign, recalled a 7:45 a.m. phone call Shelley made to her two weeks ago as newspapers relayed her position.
--snip

http://www.verifiedvoting.org/article.php?id=5560

I don't know about you, but reading this kind of makes me feel like doing this :puke:

[EFerrari]

24. Chron Editorial compares Shelley to Blackwell, Harris

Sunday, February 13, 2005

DEMOCRAT Kevin Shelley became a poster child for what can happen when a secretary of state wades into the muck of partisan politics -- but he is not the only one.

As Florida secretary of state, Republican Katherine Harris created a national furor in 2000 when she certified George W. Bush as winner of the state's 25 electoral votes while Democrat Al Gore was still pressing for recounts. Harris was a co-chair of the Bush campaign in Florida, where allegations of voting irregularities will haunt that election into history.

Once again, the 2004 presidential election was decided by a close vote in a state with a Republican secretary of state and co-chair of the Bush campaign. Fairly or not, Republican Kenneth Blackwell's oversight of the Ohio election has been analyzed through the prism of his openly stated loyalties. After the election, he even sent Republican contributors a thank-you letter for delivering the state to Bush.

Shelley's scandals, which led to his recently announced resignation, run much deeper than his alleged partisanship in distributing federal voting act funds to political cronies. Shelley is facing state and federal investigations over fund-raising schemes, his hiring and promotion practices and his treatment of staff members.

(snip)

It is a message worth sending to all future candidates for secretary of state. Cynicism about the integrity of the process is one of the deterrents to voting. A secretary of state must be willing to submerge his or her ambition and party loyalties while performing this sacred duty.
Who handles elections?

By the numbers

34 states have the secretary of state serve as chief elections officer.

15 of those secretaries of state are Democrats.

19 of those secretaries of state are Republicans.

3 states have the lieutenant governor as the chief elections officer (all three are Republicans at this time).

1 state (New Jersey) has the attorney general (now a Democrat) serve as the chief elections officer.

11 states have elections run by a state elections board. In some states, the governor appoints the majority of the board members and the minority party appoints the rest. In other states, the members are elected.

1state (Delaware) operates elections under a state elections commission.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/02/13/EDGSMAPBLM1.DTL&type=printable

[Helga Scow Stern]

34. Is it just me,

or is this total bullshit, high propaganda?

[Helga Scow Stern]

36. Since there is NO comparison between Shelley and these two,

this must be propaganda. Shelley was not partisan. One of the reasons Dems didn't protect him according to an insider, was because of the way he conducted the recall--in supposedly an honorable, nonpartisan way, instead of using his office to block it. Although he did manage to keep a gay marriage amendment off the ballot.

They are trying like hell to tar him, so that they can question his reforms? Conny McCormack is saying the time limits he imposed are not possible to meet. I don't know what's going on, since even voting rights activists like Kim Alexander approve of McPherson, saying he wrote good legislation.

[EFerrari]

55. It's not just you. It's rank propaganda.

Beyond irony, that this partisan hack job is advocating against partisanship.

I've been sitting on myself because if I blast these people, it could have consequences for the press we need -- and usually get -- for our shows.

Maybe I can write today without sounding like I want raw human flesh. lol

Who was the media org that investigated Florida after the fact? Anyone able to pull that out of their brain?

[Amaryllis]

68. You should contact Robert Greenwald and get him on it. He did

Unprededented about the FL election.

[EFerrari]

72. Thanks! We've info overload and couldn't pull up the title. n/t

[Amaryllis]

73. See this for full info on the film:

http://www.unprecedented.org/UnprecedentedFirstPage.html

[Helga Scow Stern]

74. Wow. That's quite a film. I'll have to see all of it.

The more we know, the better equipped we'll be to successfully aim our pitchforks.

[Peace Patriot]

93. I haven't made much progress on LETTER OF THE WEEK, and won't be...

...posting a new thread until, probably, tomorrow morning. I'm still kind of chewing things over. What's going on? Where to put pressure?

Just re-read that SF Chron trash, above, comparing Shelley to Blackwall and Harris. And their dark threats against Shelley. This is so disgusting. Really terrible stuff. I'm feeling right now that what's deserved are citizen campaigns focused on SF Chron advertisers and investors, and on Perata, Romero and McCormack campaign contributors to destroy this newspaper and these politicians.

Revenge. It might be sweet--but it also might be a distraction, given the urgency of other things that must be done ASAP to restore our right to vote. I'm just saying what's deserved.

[Helga Scow Stern]

2. If this isn't kicked when I wake up in a few hours...

it might hurt my feelings...:nopity:

[In Truth We Trust]

3. Kick- Paper ballots NOW! Hand count NOW!

[RadicalMom]

4. How did I miss all this? I guess I don't come to this forum enough.

You might want to refer people from other forums. These people won't be happy till they take over everything, but I guess we knew that. I'm going to bed now, but hope someone will kick this agan. Hey, I LOVE Ojai. It's such a great place for artists, progressives and people with a soul. We drive up from Thousand Oaks whenever we can.

[Sporadicus]

5. KICK!

It's obvious that you've put a great deal of work into this compilation; important as this topic is, it deserves a kick AND nomination for front page. Thank you for your dedication to getting the truth out for all of us. This is another example showing why DU is among the very best in terms of research - all because of posters like yourself!
:kick: :hi: :toast:

[Helga Scow Stern]

35. Gee thanks!

I felt the least I could do was put out in the open what seems to be going on. It makes me crazy for this all to be happening and for it not to be acknowledged, at the very least.

[EFerrari]

6. Great job! O god, this is a lot of reading! lol

[Spiffarino]

7. Kick from a Ventura County native

:kick:

[Helga Scow Stern]

37. I wish that billboard was up in VC.

[Horse with no Name]

8. Very nice work.

:kick:

[Peace Patriot]

9. My God, Ojai Person! I am in total awe of what you have gathered up...

...here! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Now to the battle plan. I will be giving it thought all day today at work, and come back here late tonight or tomorrow morning.

Item #1 for me will be a second revision of the LETTER OF THE WEEK to reflect current developments, and to make it shorter and more usable. This, to give folks an action item right away. We need to EDUCATE Calif. Democrats on 2004 election fraud and what it means for Calif. and the nation. The main part of the letter does that--and the more people they hear it from, the better.

And we need to sort out the wheat from the chaff in our own party on this issue--as well as devising the talking points for a legislative hearing on McPherson.

And we have to hit alternative media NOW! (--lapdog media secondarily).

I think this is THE fight of fights for our democracy. I always knew it would come down to this, a state by state struggle over election reform. (The BushCons in Congress will never agree to any true reform--not even a paper trail. They set this fraud-friendly system up. They are not going to reform it now.) And California is the big banana. They know this. That's why they're a thousand steps ahead of us here.

Once again, THANK YOU! I'm extremely grateful for this compilation! You have been a very busy Ojaian!

[Peace Patriot]

10. KICK! FAB WORK! See ya later tonight! n/t

[shance]

11. Prime grade A stuff here, Ojai.

Wonderful catch and effort in finding all the threads.

Will send this to other Californeez.

THANKS.

[flyarm]

12. i knew the minute arnold was metioned that the repugs had something

on someone and this was their move ..a bold move to steal calif..they must have had a plant in shellys office or they had a plant setting him up..and shelly fell for it..i still dont understand what he actually did ..i lived in calif a long time ..but i was too busy with

after election stuff here in fla where i live now to pay attention in a big way to shelly..i know what he did for us pre election but i dont know suposedly what he did wrong or illegally that forced him to step down now...but i assure you he was set up and the repugs are behind it..some how some way!! they set him up for the final push to the steal of the lifetime..the grand enchalada ..calif...

well damn it stand up and fight californians...you know arnold was a set up for this..now fight!!

fly

[zann725]

14. Arnold is awful. This is about turning CA "red" in next Election.

And for that, he needs a S.O.S. like Katherine Blackwell. He needs a Repug, and Shelly wasn't. Arnold's already "re-districted" CA, now they're positioning themselves to turn CA miraculously Red. Given all of CA's Electoral votes, and Congressional seats...is it any wonder?

I just wish we could prove that Arnold's election was "fixed" as well. I'm guessing it was.

[super simian]

19. Fixed...

...from the get go. Paid signature gatherers at all the Farmer's Markets telling people they were signing a petition to keep Davis in office. A.S.s declared winner before a single vote was counted. I know, I was a poll watcher during the recall election and millions were disenfranchised by being sent to the wrong polling places. The DNC knew about this, but nothing was said. Surprise, surprise, the SCLM never covered it.

:nuke: :grr: :wtf:

[Helga Scow Stern]

17. There is an interesting post on this at dkos.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/5/145349/9746


Up close (4.00 / 3)

As someone who has watched this unfold from up close, the tragedy is magnified even deeper.

The reason why the HAVA program was so mismanaged was because Kevin essentially delegated the details of running the program to staff while he focused on electronic voting. Kevin became one of the nations leading voices in the electronic voting debate.

He gave the order to decertify all electronic voting machines in California. He came up with 25 security directives to the counties would have to follow to get their machines recertified. He fought (and won) a lawsuit that four counties brought against the agency challenging his authority to issue those directives.

That took up just about all of his time last year and, yes, he delegated a lot of the HAVA managment. While staff were telling him not to worry about stuff they in fact were mangling the whole program.
more....

Read the whole thread, especially the posts from PaulDem.

[mitchtv]

90. from what I have read Shelley didn't fire

all Bill Jones' apointees-fool

[dmac]

13. Great work - it will take a while but I plan to read every single link...

[Helga Scow Stern]

18. Thanks, and there is still more to the story.

The details are important.

[Peace Patriot]

15. I'm working on LETTER OF THE WEEK #5: California Under Assault

--a revision of LETTER OF THE WEEK #4, about the Kevin Shelley situation, which we've been sending to CA legislators. This letter needs to be hard-hitting, uncompromising and educational (re: 2004 election fraud). I NEED FEEDBACK ON THIS LETTER. Here' a draft:

Dear California Democrat:

In the years between the 2000 and 2004 elections, $3.5 billion in "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA) funds were stuffed into the pockets of the major Bush donors, campaign chairs and rightwing nuts who run electronic voting machine companies. These companies then employed secret, proprietary programming code to count all our votes, and insisted on paperless voting (no recount, no audit possible). National leaders of the Democratic Party failed to warn voters of this inherently fraudulent election system.

We at the democraticunderground.com are extremely puzzled by this failure of the national leadership. And we are now wondering about the California Democratic Party leaders who seem enamored of these same electronic voting machine companies, and who joined or led the "pack of wolves" attack on California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, one of the few election officials in the nation who was doing his job, trying to make these voting machine companies accountable to the public.

There is now a mountain of evidence that Bush operatives used this extremely fraud-prone election system to re-install George Bush as president although he plainly did not have the votes to win. Just a few facts:

• The Democratic base vote from 2000, combined with a Democratic blowout in new voter registration in 2004 (Dem 58%, Repub 41%), and the big jump of Nader voters to Kerry, adds up to a 4 to 8 million Kerry vote margin that mysteriously vanished on Election Day.

• Bush has had unprecedented low approval ratings for the last four months (since before the Election), sinking below 50% on the day of his Inauguration. These and other opinion poll numbers show an unusual "vote of no confidence" that simply does not tally with a 3.5 million Bush vote popular majority in the Election.

• Every set of numbers that you look at show an impossible skew to Bush, with astronomical odds against it—whether it is exit poll vs. official tally, paper ballot vs. electronic voting, top of the ticket vs. lower ticket, or the odds against touchscreen voting machines always changing Kerry votes to Bush votes, and never the other way around. And this is without even looking at the massive and illegal suppression of Democratic votes by Republican election officials in Florida, Ohio and other states.

• Americans were denied the information that Kerry won the exit polls on Election Day. The exit poll data on everybody's TV screens was "adjusted" to fit the "official tally." It took months of struggle to get the real exit poll data released. A recent study of this data by nine Ph.D.s at leading universities concludes that the odds against a Bush win are 1 in 10 million. They also find a skew toward Bush in electronic voting (vs. other methods)--a skew confirmed by several other studies.

These statements are strongly supported by the documentation provided below, which includes an increasingly long list of Ph.D.'s who are putting their reputations on the line to cry foul about the 2004 election.

We frankly don't understand how any Democrat could support electronic voting under these circumstances. Nor do we understand Democrats piling on against Shelley, based on trivial, unproven charges fomented by the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Diebold voting machine company's CEO was the Bush/Cheney campaign chair in Ohio, and promised in writing to "deliver Ohio to Bush in 2004"—an utterly absurd conflict of interest. Shelley rightfully decertified and sued Diebold for its lies about the security of its machines, and provided Californians with a paper ballot option for the 2004 election. He should have had the strong support of the Democratic Party.

So, what is really going on here? As long time Democratic voters and supporters, we would like to know.

We also want to know what you are going to do about

• protecting our right to vote, and our right to have our votes counted, in a fully transparent system.

• yet another Republican—Bruce McPherson—being installed in an office formerly held by a freely elected Democrat in a normal election.


------

This is as far as I've gotten. It needs a concluding sentence or two. And it will have an annotated list of original sources on 2004 election fraud in support of the above assertions. Total of 2 pages.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF BULLETED ACTION POINTS AT THE END? Of the tone of the letter? Of the bulleted stolen election facts? Or anything else?

I was just thinking it should have a sentence about Schwarzenegger and his pre-Recall meeting with Kenneth Lay--because that is the CONTEXT of our concern. Maybe the concluding sentence could say it: electronic voting = Bush in the White House & Schwarz taking Enron's $9 billion theft out of our hides with an electronically "elected", and Schwarz "re-districted", Bush-friendly Calif. legislature raising not a peep of objection.

I will post this draft letter separately as LETTER OF THE WEEK #5: California Under Assault.

[EFerrari]

28. Some feedback, fwiw

Boy, is your prose clear. Just the right punch/tone for this project.

Now, which is more important to you: The CA vote or the election fraud? 1) Because right now, the focus of the letter tries to go in both directions,

2) Making it too long for the average bear's attention span.

3) And, I'm not sure which elicits the most denial, that the election was rigged or that Shelley was offed because he obstructs the rigging in CA.

What do you think?
Beth in SF

[Helga Scow Stern]

39. Excellent letter, and I agree with sfexpat2000--

we need to keep it short and simple at this point. I'm not sure which thing needs the most focus.

How about a few bulleted action items for the whole letter?

We are already being marginalized in talking points as conspiracy theorists, etc, so I think it might be best to just stick to the bare facts of what needs to be done here, now, with McPherson's nomination and all future elections.

This is also the time to say that we are absolutely opposed to all redistricting attempts at this time. There may need to be redistricting, but THIS IS NOT THE TIME, and under no circumstances must they give in.

We need to reiterate our support of Shelley, just so they don't get carried away by the massive propaganda.

You wrote these:
• protecting our right to vote, and our right to have our votes counted, in a fully transparent system.

• yet another Republican—Bruce McPherson—being installed in an office formerly held by a freely elected Democrat in a normal election.


I am not sure how to word it, but of greatest concern are two things:

that none of the reforms are undone or the requirements relaxed, regardless of protests by C. McCormack.
That LA County and all others be fully auditable in all future elections. (We must know exactly what must be done to accomplish this.) We must aggressively fight to make sure the election can't be stolen. We need to tell them what to fight for, although it sounds as if several of them may be pretty saavy. Peralta was under FBI investigation with Shelley, for separate things, but he may have been threatened with that.

How widely known is it that RW bulldog Grover Norquist is behind der Grope's CalPERS scam, and most likely, the redistricting?

I want a big bumpersticker that says,

SCHWARZENEGGER:
HANDS OFF OUR STATE

What can we say and how do we say it?

[super simian]

16. kick n/t

:kick:

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. Any idea why Barbara Boxer has been silent on this?

:shrug:

[Helga Scow Stern]

21. I haven't heard anything about that yet.

I'll keep looking. Someone needs to call her office tomorrow.

[Freddie Stubbs]

48. Apperently no one has heard anything about that

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22kevin+shelley%22+%22barbara+boxer%22

[Helga Scow Stern]

22. About Boxer

I am not sure what she could say at this point. It is a done deal. The important thing is tha we stay on top of the voting, and the REDISTRICTING. The reforms are already supposedly assured by law, but Conny McCormack and other BoE directors are squawking loudly to try to get around it--blaming it all on Shelley's "incompetence", to try to get an exception made so they don't have to have paper, at least not by 2006.

Plus, the new SoS apppointee is supposed to be a decent guy, who even helped write some of the leg. for paper, but he is in favor of "redistricting". The Sec of State would have immmense power in that process, and that may be one of the main reasons to get rid of Shelley.

The more I read about the connection of Grover Norquist and what he is doing here is California with Der Grops and CalPERS, the more I know that this is no accident whatsoever.

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. It may be too late, but why has Boxer been silent for so long?

Has she sold out, or perhaps she actually thinks that Shelley is guilty?

[Helga Scow Stern]

40. Gee, ya think? Or is it that there are so many fires to put out?

[Freddie Stubbs]

41. How long does it take to have your press secretary send out a statement?

:shrug:

[Helga Scow Stern]

44. Come on. Would that really be the best use of her "capital" at this point?

Why should she have to fight the battles Perata and others should be fighting? :shrug:

You're not just trying to cause trouble are you, now, Freddie Stubbs?

[Freddie Stubbs]

47. Some DUers are making Shelly's downfall out to be the end of the world

Either Shelly's fall from grace isn't the all that bad, or Boxer has been derelict in defending against the end of democratic elections in California. Personally, I believe the former. What does everyone else think?

[Amaryllis]

69. Not from CA, but my guess is she may not understand the significance

of this. Don't know. She was a co-signer of the Graham Clinton bill in last congress which did pretty well on E-voting so she must know something about it.

[EFerrari]

32. Ojai Person, I don't have a handle on redistricting. Any suggestions?

[Helga Scow Stern]

45. There is a massive propaganda effort already to make it look good.

The problem is that it IS a good thing, but that this is not the time, and that Der Schwarz HAS NO BUSINESS DOING IT!!!!

There are several articles out, NYT, LAT, etc., making it sound like Repubs are worried about it, that it might throw them out of their seats. That megacreep, Dreier, "a very close friend of Schwarzenegger" was heard saying that it concerns him.

I don't trust that one bit!

I smell a propaganda rat in both those articles, because neither of them touches on whether or not the redistricting to be done is going to be impartial or not.

They just say, "a panel of retired judges" will decide, not how they will be picked, if they will truly be impartial, etc.

I read somewhere else that Arnold will pick the judges.

What has become very clear to me is that this is absolutely to be resisted. Grover Norquist has der Grope in his pocket, it sounds like, and he is bad, bad news.

[EFerrari]

23. Look here: from Andy's thread. They got rid of Harrigan

Ceo of Calpers. He was pushing corporate reforms.

Calpers owns 135,200 shares ($7,148,024) shares of Diebold.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=325327&mesg_id=325381&page=

[Peace Patriot]

26. I don't know, sfexpat2000, after reading your post on Harrigan, I'm...

...wondering if we shouldn't forget about writing to legislators, and instead make our LETTER OF THE WEEK an open letter to California citizens to get out your pitchforks and head for Sacto!

The coup is in progress.

[EFerrari]

27. Where the heck am I going to get a pitchfork in San Francisco? lol

Yep, I know.

It's like when you drop some newly washed laundry in a mud puddle. Going through the mess isn't pleasant. Is this dirty? Do I throw this away or will it wash?

[Peace Patriot]

29. It's not as if we couldn't have seen this coming--people who pay...

...attention anyway. We've had a Republicrat Party in Sacto for some decades--just as nationally. We put up with them because they protected things like Calpers, were into some aspects of good government, and protected the social and civil rights of white people. But our prison system is a snakepit of racism and oppression--and is a white, rural boondoggle as well. The Democrats' hypocrisy on environmental laws is well known in the forest activist community. And campaign contribution filth long ago separated our elected officials from ordinary people. You couldn't get past Davis' door without a $10,000 check in your hand. I know WHY that happened--Democrats felt they had to keep up with the Repugnant money machine. They did so--and it turned them into Repugnants!

Now we reap the whirlwind--hardly a courageous soul among them. And some of them can't get close enough to Bush plant Schwarzenegger and the gang of corporate criminals who are running things.

The initiative and referendum process from California's Populist, railroad baron-busting, days has long been removed from the hands of ordinary people, through restrictive laws and insane costs.

Now the BushCons are moving in, and there is almost nothing and no one standing in their way. It is appalling.

It reminds me of Vichy France--and also, way back further, the collapse of the Roman Empire (long after the collapse of the Republic) and its takeover by the most rightwing, empire-building, monolithic-minded, anti-female elements of the Christian Church.

Yet we have a huge progressive population in this state. We ought to be able to rouse them. We need to think about where best to put the pressure, and what to save. Actually, I'm sure the integrity of our vote is WHAT to save. But how?

[EFerrari]

30. To be honest, I was so busy surviving, I didn't pay much attention

until 2000. And even then, only to the Federal piece of this. So, on a huge learning curve here. (Really appreciate your assessments.)

I'd come down on the side of "all politics are local". Because there are people working on the problem of our stolen national elections but so far, I don't see much movement right here at home.

Arnheim's VOTE group is having a meeting tonight. I'm going to beg for some focus.

Did you see my notes on your letter? I also have to respond to the Chronicle's lumping of Shelley with Blackhole and Harris. Although, my cosy relationship with the Ed page will probably cease.

[Peace Patriot]

31. Just looking at your comments now. Didn't see them before because...

...they were embedded. Back in a moment.

[Peace Patriot]

33. We need a new word for "pitchfork"!

sfexpat2000, thanks for the feedback and the praise!

...which is more important to you: The CA vote or the election fraud? 1) Because right now, the focus of the letter tries to go in both directions,

--I want to educate CA legislators and Californians on the 2004 election fraud, because it's critical to understanding why the integrity of the voting system is so much at risk, and why we feel alarm at the treatment Shelley got. And, yes, you are right, it's a lot to do in a letter. In the orginal LETTER OF THE WEEK #4, I think I just SAID it: you need to understand THAT in order to understand THIS. Maybe I'll go back to that wording.

--not sure of the distinction you're making between "CA vote" and "election fraud." You mean "protecting the CA vote" vs. exposing 2004 prez election fraud?

2) Making it too long for the average bear's attention span.

--granted. Solution? I'm thinking TWO letters, one quite brief for letters to the editor and short-attention span mailings (say emailing to legislators); another for more pointed mailings--to key legislators (only via fax or snail mail), editors and editorial departments, alternative media...

3) And, I'm not sure which elicits the most denial, that the election was rigged or that Shelley was offed because he obstructs the rigging in CA.

--the latter. What with Ohio, Jan. 6, the Conyers hearings, Boxer, Bush's dismal approval ratings, etc., etc., I think more people are aware that something went very wrong on Nov. 2, than are aware of what Shelley's actions against Diebold might have triggered in the Schwarz Enron crowd. (I suspect that many don't even know of the Schwarz/Enron connection). (The idiots don't read Greg Palast!) So, let me work on that, make it a BEWARE ELECTION FRAUD letter, and focus it more on the future--McPherson nomination hearings, etc. (We could ask for tough questioning of McPherson, a la Gonzales and Rice hearings, cuz we smell a rat...)

We need somebody in the Sen/Assembly to be willing to buck Perata--who likely wants a nice, polite hearing and easy approval. I guess we're really going to need to get into this and supply them with questions, too. Goddamned lazy loafers on the taxpayers' dollar!

Tell me what you think about where to put pressure, who to aim the letter(s) at, and what the focus should be.

[Helga Scow Stern]

42. Please see my comments above.

I will keep working on what the focus should be. Thanks for the perspective above. It's hard to know. Everyone says we can trust McPherson. We have to look at what could go wrong, and let them no that under no circumstances should redistricting be allowed at this time.

[Helga Scow Stern]

43. And on Friday der Grope fired 4 more revered caretakers of the fund. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

46. That is sickening! But maybe it'll rile up all those retired teachers...

...and other government employees who remember good government! --AND who have a social and environmental conscience! That's a lot of Californians! We need to find out what Calpers pension holders (current and future) are doing on this issue. They're going to loot their pension fund, for sure--a local looting to run parallel to the Social Security scam! The Super-Rich are going for all they can get, in a madlong dash off the fascist cliff! I've never seen anything so crazy! --destroying our society, destroying our country, destroying the planet. The impacts of global corporatism on the planet have been so profound that it may be driving people nuts, and the Rich into a panic of acquisition.

[Helga Scow Stern]

49. dzika posted this article that we should all read:

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/021205.html

It isn't specifically about CA, but it is about the Norquist and Repub strategy, what it has done to the media, and how the Dems have allowed it to happen.

Then we need to figure out what to do!

[Peace Patriot]

38. KICK! n/t

[Helga Scow Stern]

50. I just went to the Ban The Machine Site.

http://www.banthemachine.com/

SAVE CALIFORNIA!

MOVE OVER FLORIDA AND OHIO! CALIFORNIA IS THE NEW BATTLEGROUND STATE!

FIRST: They went after Gray Davis and took over the governorship with Arnold.
SECOND: They went after Kevin Shelley and have forced him to resign.
THIRD: They will install an RNC compliant Secretary of State and will take control of California's voting system.
FOURTH: They will mandate e-voting without paper (the bill is ready, the campaign begun)
FIFTH: They will redistrict California as was done in Texas
SIXTH: California will become a red state

GAME OVER. If we don't save California's electoral system from takeover, the battle for our votes will be irreparably set back.


Item number four is worrisome. I wrote to them, gave them this link, and told them to help us see how exactly to target our efforts.

[EFerrari]

51. Thanks, Ojai Person. I'll go look in the a.m. Want to know

WHO started that campaign.

[EFerrari]

58. I sent the link to all my local people + the L.A. Greens. And subbed. nt

[Peace Patriot]

52. I think BanTheMachine has the right idea. And it reminds me of some-

thing I meant to say yesterday, about Democratic politicians being "in denial." Ojai Person asked me which of the two issues that were addressed in the new draft LETTER OF THE WEEK would most trigger the "denial" mechanism--the loss of our right to vote in Calif. via Bush Cartel/Schwarz/Diebold-engineered attack on Shelley, or 2004 Election Fraud?

I meant to say that some people are FAKING "being in denial" and/or we are INTERPRETING them as being "in denial" when they are actually corrupt as hell.

I am beginning to think this (faking it, or us interpreting "in denial" status) about most of the Democratic Party leadership re: the 2004 Election, including John Kerry and his campaign leadership, the DNC and many Dems in Congress. I mean, how could they NOT have known that BushCons controlled the vote count with secret source code? How could they NOT have been mortally concerned, and how could they NOT have screamed bloody murder about it?

It doesn't add up. Getting votes is what they DO for a living. And they never gave a thought to Wally O'Dell and H. Ahmanson counting our votes in secret?

Further, they had their own internal polls and election info.--for instance, that 2000 Gore voters + huge new Dem voter registration (Dem 58% vs Rep 41%) + huge jump of Nader voters to Kerry = Kerry wins by 4 to 8 million votes.

Surely they knew this. So, what accounts for their acting like they didn't know it?

I've toyed with the corruption angle--that $3.5 billion in HAVA money, for one thing. But there are lots of other billions of dollars at issue, particularly military money. I've thought: a lot of the Dems supported the war in Iraq, but maybe they'd just as soon Bush take the rap for all the deaths and the cost. A year before the election they didn't show much interest in ousting Bush. Not until Dean and the grass roots spoke up. Then Bush steals it. Then--after vociferous promises that every vote would be counted--they just walk away from it.

The other element involved may be FEAR--fear of the BushCons' retaliatory ruthlessness (including, probably, murder, but at the very least ruination, a la Kevin Shelley, through control of the press and blackmail control over certain Dems).

Sidelight: Remember the Gary Condit/Chandra Levy thing? I was struck at the time at how the media ignored the fact that Condit met with Dick Cheney on the day Chandra Levy disappeared, and that Democrat Condit voted for Bush's first tax cut for the rich two days later, on May 3, 2001. Condit, it turns out, had several mistresses--meanwhile sponsoring bills in Congress to place The Ten Commandments in all public buildings. CA Democrat but from a rightwing rural district. So...what did Cheney know about Condit and his private life, back on May 1, 2001, during that meeting, before anybody else knew about either Chandra's disappearance or Condit's life? The lapdog media absolutely wouldn't go near it--and in fact, neither the FBI nor the DC police nor ANY MEDIA ORGANIZATION ever even ASKED Cheney or his staff question one about that meeting, not even "Did it occur?" (meeting was revealed in a Condit release of details of his schedule that week, when he was under fire, and it was at the beginning of a three hour hole in Condit's schedule, her disappearance hours--and was, at the least, an important alibi item).

Meanwhile, a) Cheney has just been meeting with master energy market criminal Kenneth Lay and other Oil Cartel reps to plot the invasion of Iraq (spring '01), and b) on 5/17/01, Schwarzenegger is meeting with Kenneth Lay to plot the invasion of California (to stop Davis/Bustamante's actions against Lay, and to preserve the $71 billion in energy ripoffs that consumerwatchdog.org says energy companies bilked California for).

What I'm getting at is that we seem to have descended into the 9th Circle of Hell here, a veritable Byzantine Empire of dirty rotten backstabbing and poisonings of the well of democracy.

So, when Democratic politicians--or anyone else who SHOULD KNOW about election fraud--gives us the blank stare routine, we should NOT automatically assume that they are either uninformed, or just can't face the idea that Bush would steal another election. (I mean, come on...) We should probably assume something far worse--corruption, or fear.

Conclusion: We're going to need a mighty big broom to clean this house.

[Amaryllis]

75. OMG there IS a conspiracy! This means we are not conspiracy THEORISTS. We

We are conspiracy...finders? Exposers? Fighters?

[EFerrari]

81. Fair Witnessess. n/t

[EFerrari]

80. Had to read this twice because I'M in denial.

But, yes. Sure, and yes.

Who coined, "the dirty kitchen of politics"? I know it from "Antigone".

Maybe we should all get HAZMAT suits? At very least, the Costco size HandyWipes.

You're right, of course.

[donkeyotay]

53. Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004

Expect another miraculous episode of "America Moves to the Right" in California in 2008.

[Peace Patriot]

57. 2006, I'd say. n/t

[Helga Scow Stern]

65. Even 2005, if der Grope and Norquist get their way. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

54. KICK! The future of our democracy is currently being decided in...

...California. DUers who haven't been paying attention need to get on this.

[EFerrari]

56. Need feedback please on my reply to Sunday Chron editorial

against Kevin Shelley.

Can someone please run eyes over and tell me if this is factuallly correct?

The editorial is entitled "Not a job for partisans" My subj line is "Not a job for partisans, indeed" / thanks, beth


Editor,

Given that the Chronicle has lead the way on overstated partisan attacks on Kevin Shelley for months, it's beyond ironic to read Sunday's editorial -- a piece of work which also curiously understates the roles of both Katherine Harris and Ken Blackwell in our last two federal elections.

In 2000, Harris denied thousands black voters their right to vote as the media itself found in their investigation after the fact. Her office rubber stamped a felon's list of ineligible voters that failed in the upper 90 percentiles. She tried to head off a lawful recount by certifying the vote without counting it first. Kevin Shelley is no Katherine Harris.

In 2004, Blackwell refined the Harris method by withholding voting machines in heavily black, lower income and student precincts. He created havoc with new Democratic registrations and enabled an army of "challengers" to intimidate voters near and in voting precincts. Subsequent to the vote, he refused to cooperate with a Congressional inquiry, refused to be deposed in two civil cases against him, and presided over an equally partisan recount where in contravention of Ohio state law, the recounted precincts where hand picked instead of picked at random. Kevin Shelley is no Ken Blackwell.

In contrast, Kevin Shelley was the first Secretary of State to take a tough stand against proprietary source coding in electronic voting machines, the first to demand a voter verified ballot, the first to call the partisan vendors of these machines on their false statements to the public. And he has paid a heavy price for doing so.

Voting rights activists all over the nation owe Kevin Shelley a debt of gratitude, and we are very much aware of his contribution and of its cost to himself.

First they came for Gray Davis, then they came for Secretary Shelley. Calpers has now lost Mr. Harrigan and four others. And yes, we are keeping score.

Elizabeth Ferrari
contact info
San Francisco,

[Peace Patriot]

59. sfexpat2000, I'm reading it now. n/t

[EFerrari]

60. Why, thank you. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

61. Some suggestions...

I would suggest a little more clarity in your opening paragraph:

Your current text:

"Given that the Chronicle has lead the way on overstated partisan attacks on Kevin Shelley for months, it's beyond ironic to read Sunday's editorial -- a piece of work which also curiously understates the roles of both Katherine Harris and Ken Blackwell in our last two federal elections."

How about...?

Given that the Chronicle has lead the way on overstated partisan attacks on California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley for months, it's beyond ironic to read Sunday's editorial -- a piece of work that unfairly equates Shelley with Bush partisans Katherine Harris and Ken Blackwell, election officials in Florida and Ohio who broke and bent the law for Bush in our last two federal elections.

------

I'm not sure about Shelley and the source code (just not sure--can't verify right now). I would state his contributions this way...

Your current text:

"In contrast, Kevin Shelley was the first Secretary of State to take a tough stand against proprietary source coding in electronic voting machines, the first to demand a voter verified ballot, the first to call the partisan vendors of these machines on their false statements to the public. And he has paid a heavy price for doing so."

Re-write?

In great contrast, Shelley has fought hard for the integrity of California elections, took a tough stance on the partisan vendors of electronic voting machines and their false claims of security, and provided Californians with a paper ballot option. And he has paid a heavy price for doing so.

-----

Your letter is 316 words, currently. My suggestions make it 325 words. What's their word limit? (You don't want them editing it.)

----

Here are just a few clarity and word count cuts:

You wrote:

"In 2000, Harris denied thousands black voters their right to vote as the media itself found in their investigation after the fact. Her office rubber stamped a felon's list of ineligible voters that failed in the upper 90 percentiles. She tried to head off a lawful recount by certifying the vote without counting it first. Kevin Shelley is no Katherine Harris."

"In 2004, Blackwell refined the Harris method by withholding voting machines in heavily black, lower income and student precincts. He created havoc with new Democratic registrations and enabled an army of "challengers" to intimidate voters near and in voting precincts. Subsequent to the vote, he refused to cooperate with a Congressional inquiry, refused to be deposed in two civil cases against him, and presided over an equally partisan recount where in contravention of Ohio state law, the recounted precincts where hand picked instead of picked at random. Kevin Shelley is no Ken Blackwell."

Rewrite?

In 2000, Harris denied thousands OF black voters their right to vote as the media itself found in their later investigation. Her notorious felon's list of ineligible voters was 90+% wrong. Then she certified the vote in defiance of a lawful recount request. Kevin Shelley is no Katherine Harris.

In 2004, Blackwell withheld voting machines in heavily black, lower income and student precincts, created havoc with new Democratic registrations and enabled an army of "challengers" to intimidate voters at the polling booths--all in violation of the Voting Rights Act. He then later refused to cooperate with a Congressional inquiry, refused to be deposed in two civil cases against him, and broke Ohio law by permitting hand picked rather than random precincts to be "counted" in the requested recount. Kevin Shelley is no Ken Blackwell.

Note: This revision brings the word count down to 306 words.

------

It is a very, very fine letter--as is. These are just suggested refinements if you have the time.

[EFerrari]

62. Thank you, exactly what I hoped someone would do.

I don't mind axing stuff, in fact I try to condense and clarify, condense and clarify, as this brain lets me.

I don't expect this to be published. To get published, it would have needed to be in by noon yesterday, be under 150 words, be a little less brittle or something.

But, am still sending + to the reader's rep and to Shelley's office.

I want to raise the bar on what they know we know. Does that make sense?

Thanks so much,
Beth

[Peace Patriot]

66. Yup, it makes sense. And I'll come back to this later, and help you...

...work on a 150 word letter, and our mission will be to get it published there. It will still be relevant next week--but maybe some new bit of news can be the focus.

[EFerrari]

67. Right. We can write into many topics. Thanks for your help. nt

[Kip Humphrey]

63. www.BanTheMachine,com for use to Save California

Use http://www.banthemachine.com for efforts and initiatives to save California's election system from takeover by the RNC.

[EFerrari]

64. The link has gone out to the L.A. Greens, to all my local SF contacts

Send it everywhere! Their summary of this redding up process is very well done.

L.A. Greens number about 5K, and they were very awake to this, early on.

And, can we please sub to their email alert list? We HAVE to be more interested than the opposition.

Beth in SF

[Helga Scow Stern]

70. Excellent post about blockage on local level, and taking back grassroots:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1593965

I think what we are learning is that we need to be get our own grassroots together and fast.

And that we can't rely on local Dems to make any changes, and that big orgs like MoveOn aren't responsive to what's really going on.

Thanks for bringing this up, Peace Patriot.

Denial, schemial. There may well be just some downright corruption.

[EFerrari]

71. Omigod, when I read the subj line, the association was intestinal. lol

Ojai Person, it looks from here across the Bay that MoveOn is undergoing some shock. They've been really fragile sounding ever since 11/2 (in contrast to all those confident, "we have the facts, ma'am" emails I used to get). So be it. They have the capacity to learn, correct and get stuff done IF they have the courage.

We do have to tend to our grassroots. I'm 'way out of my depth, having mostly focused on federal issues along with the socail stuff I do.

I expect we'll find everything from naifs to corruptos along the way. Let's keep our stuff together, we can handle it.

Thanks for this great thread.

[Amaryllis]

76. sfexpat, please explain reference to MoveOn. Appears to come out of

nowhere. Do you know something? I have been SO frustrated with them since the election and even before; was emailing over and over about the Holt and Graham-Clinton bill and e-voting. NO response, and then at their post election house parties, people overwhelmingly agreed that election reform was the number one priority, and there has been NOTHING from them for three months on it. And now we have election reform being the number one issue their memebers wanted to ask candidates for DNC chair about.

[Helga Scow Stern]

77. Amaryllis,

look at the thread referenced just a few posts up thread. I know what you mean about MoveOn!

[Amaryllis]

85. Found it! MoveOn seems SO out of touch with grassroots . Seems like

an oxymoron, but true. Even when grassroots says ELECTION REFORM! Hello!
But then, maybe they just don't know how to tackle it. I know there are a lot of people around here who want to do something but don't know what to do. My group is taking on our ES & S and Sequoia tabulators and scanners, and taking on the task of educating our citizenry and legislators. My thought is even if MOveON just sent out emails to their members wiht links to really good fraud articles, just got them educated, that would be huge. That's almost three million people. I still wonder if a bunch of us just kept sending them this message on their feedback form every day until we got some response, if that would do anything.

[EFerrari]

78. I have a phone number that I don't use. Got it when we

helped launch their book on the West Coast. (That was fun!) Maybe I'm just registering how odd I feel to have lost a compass. :(

I work at this machine day and night, and they made it so easy to pitch in. Lately, they've been nowhere? I think they're on a learning curve, like so many of us. Yes, I know there's no Santa -- but I don't like it.

Maybe I'd use that number if I could collect a legit reason to do it. In the mean time, my belief is some very very serious rethinking is going on, and that deserves respect.

Whaddaya think?

[Amaryllis]

84. I' d use it. Tried the one I had for when I worked on GOTV with them but

it's dead now. If you don't wanna use it, pm me and I will call them!

[EFerrari]

86. This number is still good. But I'm saving it for a time when

we have a clear goal, a good plan.

Don't mean to be melodramatic. People are just people, right?

But, I want to be more careful than I usually am when I ask for attention.

[EFerrari]

79. Another way to break into public discussion: columnists

Who do you read and respond to?

I read several columnists every morning. Most of them write political columns regularly. And they all respond to me if I send a sincere and well written note.

Who you read and correspond with? Could you find an opportunity this week to ask them about this CA coup?

[Helga Scow Stern]

82. Perhaps I should become more regular in my reading.

Usually I jump all over the place. What you suggest sounds like a good thing. Now I just have to find some that I can stand reading on a daily basis.

[EFerrari]

83. LOL! Understood

I'm a language freak and writer. So, when I find someone I can read every morning with my eye opening coffee, it becomes a spiritual experience.

As a result, I've been in some kind of communication with 3 or 4 people who have daily or weekly columns. SF Chron types, but also Robert Scheer (sp?) and Harley Sorenson. (Most people are just people, right?) And if you think about it, most of the "better" ones post political takes pretty often. fwiw

[Helga Scow Stern]

87. We must stop meeting like this...

this thread is getting too cumbersome and long.

But, I just wanted to say that I just read that the EAC voted unanimously today to "investigate" Shelley.

I'll post some more details after my massage, unless someone beats me to it. Maybe someone could start a new thread???

[Peace Patriot]

88. KICK! I'll start new thread tomorrow, incorporating all this....

...in LETTER OF THE WEEK, short and long version.

Did you see this? TEACH IN!!! Hoorah!!!

ELECTION RIGGING 101
A National Teach-In
On the 2004 election and what we must do to restore democracy

With Bob Fitrakis
Ohio Attorney, Editor, Columbus Free Press
(one of the four attorneys fighting sanctions in Ohio for Moss v. Bush)

Saturday, Feb. 26th
10am - 4pm
1st Congregational Church
2501 Harrison St. Oakland

$10 suggested donation
please bring lunch
more information to be posted soon at: www.democraticrenewal.com

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=327393#328110

[Helga Scow Stern]

91. Thanks, Peace Patriot....n/t

[Peace Patriot]

89. KICK! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

92. sfexpat2000, what do you think think about re-writing your letter to SF...

...Chron to the 150 w limit, with the Oakland Election Rigging Teach In as the occasion?

[Helga Scow Stern]

94. That is a great idea! And they are including a speaker about

the Shelley debacle on the program, thanks to emlev.

[Peace Patriot]

95. Fabulous! sfexpat2000 hasn't replied, but I may go ahead and start...

... working on such a letter. There are a couple of places it could be sent to. I wonder if KPFA could be gotten to broadcast the Teach In? Or parts of it anyway. They probably know about it already, but it couldn't hurt to remind them how important we think it is. We have nine days. Need to cross ref to that Sacto MoveOn group, too; and make sure Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy and others at AAR get the word.

-----

Do you know who the speaker on Shelley is going to be?

[Helga Scow Stern]

98. No, emlev said someone recommended by

people in United for Secure Elections group.

I wonder if they will have the same person speak in S.Cal.

[Peace Patriot]

96. KICK! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

97. KICK! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

99. KICK AGAIN! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

100. Kick through this week! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

101. TEACH-IN's on election rigging, California, next weekend!

Calif. ALERT! Election fraud TEACH-IN's, Oakland 2/26, Sta. Monica 2/27

OAKLAND, Calif., Sat. Feb. 26

ELECTION RIGGING 101
A National Teach-In
On the 2004 election and what we must do to restore democracy

With Bob Fitrakis
Ohio Attorney, Editor, Columbus Free Press
(one of the four attorneys fighting sanctions in Ohio for Moss v. Bush)

Saturday, Feb. 26th
10am - 4pm
1st Congregational Church
2501 Harrison St. Oakland

$10 suggested donation
please bring lunch
more information to be posted soon at: www.democraticrenewal.com

How to Rig It:
-11 hour lines for democrats only
-"kerry" votes defaulting to "bush"
- registered voters purged
- exit polls ignored
- recounts that weren’t
and much more.

How to stop it:
- stunning documentary footage
- speakers
- action

Butch Wing, Rainbow Push
Larry Bensky, KPFA
Walter Riley, East Bay Votes
Speakers from Blackboxvoting.org
VotersUnite.org
Open Voting Consortium
the MMOB
and more

www.democratic renewal.com

------------

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sun. Feb. 27

"Who Got Glitched: An Election Reform Teach-In"
Sunday, Feb 27th, 2:00 - 5:00 pm
The Church at Ocean Park
(2nd and Hill, Santa Monica)

Presenting:

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Maxine Waters!
Bev Harris, Black Box Voting, Investigator
Bob Fitrakis, Columbus Free Press,
(Attorney, Moss vs. Bush/Cheney/Blackwell)
The Jonas/Quinn/ Ritt legal team for Ohio
Blair Bobier, Green Party, ‘The Ohio Recount’
Great Film Clips &
‘Building a Civil Rights /Voter Rights Coaliton’
Moderated by Ian Masters, KPFK
with Butch Wing, Rainbow Push
Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange & Codepink
Brad Freidman, Velvet Revolution
Kevin Spidel, Progressive Democrats
Blair Bobier, Green party
Susan Clark, Pro-Democracy Advocate
Mandeep Gill, Citizen Lobbyist ..and YOU!

Tickets $10 - No one turned away for lack of funds
Ticket orders & info: [email protected]
Seating limited. Reservations recommended.

http://www.citizensact.org/pages/2/index.htm

--------------

See emlev posts for additional details, discussion:

OAKLAND

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=327393&mesg_id=327393

SANTA MONICA

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x329512

And here's another:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x330544

[Peace Patriot]

102. Kick through Feb. 27! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

103. KICK! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

104. Keep kicking through Feb. 27, for the information of the TEACH-IN...

...participants, and until we have a plan.

Right now, I'm working on a mass mailing to media--which I'll post at DU first, in draft form--combining TEACH-IN info., election fraud info. and Kevin Shelley. Maybe could serve double duty as mailing to legislators/politicians, and other purposes. It will be titled LETTER OF THE WEEK#5. (I think I might throw Iran in there, too. Why is the country heading for a SECOND war in the Middle East, when nearly 60% of Americans oppose the first one? Answer: Election Fraud.)

[Peace Patriot]

105. Kick up a storm! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

106. ALERT! Election Fraud TEACH-IN'S, Oakland (Feb.26), Santa Monica (Feb.27)

OAKLAND, Calif., Sat. Feb. 26

ELECTION RIGGING 101
A National Teach-In
On the 2004 election and what we must do to restore democracy

With Bob Fitrakis
Ohio Attorney, Editor, Columbus Free Press
(one of the four attorneys fighting sanctions in Ohio for Moss v. Bush)

Saturday, Feb. 26th
10am - 4pm
1st Congregational Church
2501 Harrison St. Oakland

$10 suggested donation
please bring lunch
more information to be posted soon at: www.democraticrenewal.com

How to Rig It:
-11 hour lines for democrats only
-"kerry" votes defaulting to "bush"
- registered voters purged
- exit polls ignored
- recounts that weren’t
and much more.

How to stop it:
- stunning documentary footage
- speakers
- action

Butch Wing, Rainbow Push
Larry Bensky, KPFA
Walter Riley, East Bay Votes
Speakers from Blackboxvoting.org
VotersUnite.org
Open Voting Consortium
the MMOB
and more

www.democratic renewal.com

------------

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sun. Feb. 27

"Who Got Glitched: An Election Reform Teach-In"
Sunday, Feb 27th, 2:00 - 5:00 pm
The Church at Ocean Park
(2nd and Hill, Santa Monica)

Presenting:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Maxine Waters!
Bev Harris, Black Box Voting, Investigator
Bob Fitrakis, Columbus Free Press,
(Attorney, Moss vs. Bush/Cheney/Blackwell)
The Jonas/Quinn/ Ritt legal team for Ohio
Blair Bobier, Green Party, ‘The Ohio Recount’
Great Film Clips &
‘Building a Civil Rights /Voter Rights Coaliton’
Moderated by Ian Masters, KPFK
with Butch Wing, Rainbow Push
Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange & Codepink
Brad Freidman, Velvet Revolution
Kevin Spidel, Progressive Democrats
Blair Bobier, Green party
Susan Clark, Pro-Democracy Advocate
Mandeep Gill, Citizen Lobbyist ..and YOU!

Tickets $10 - No one turned away for lack of funds
Ticket orders & info: [email protected]
Seating limited. Reservations recommended.

http://www.citizensact.org/pages/2/index.htm

--------------

See emlev posts for additional details and discussion:

OAKLAND

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=327393&mesg_id=327393

SANTA MONICA

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=329512

-------------

Golden Staters, there is nothing more important than this! The BushCons stole our democracy on November 2, 2004! The methods were electronic voting and racist vote suppression. You will learn what happened. You will learn what to do about it!

• You wonder why we can't stop the killings and torture of people worldwide by the Bush Cartel?

• You wonder how a man with the lowest approval ratings in U.S. history could still be president?

• You wonder how the Social Security fund could now be fair game for ruthless stock market speculators?

• You wonder how Schwarzenegger is going to turn California into a BushCon client state, a la Texas?

THIS is IT! Election Fraud! Join these TEACH-IN's! If you can't go, PUBLICIZE THEM! Tell you friends! Put up posters! Call radio shows! Email your lists! Post everywhere!

[Peace Patriot]

107. IMPORTANT NOTICE! OAKLAND TEACH-IN details; posted web site is wrong.

The correct web site for the OAKLAND, CA, TEACH-IN is:

http://www.democraticrenewal.us /

Please RSVP Contact Don Goldmacher: [email protected]

Directions:

1st Congregational Church, 2501 Harrison St., Oakland, CA (Harrison & 27th - BART 19th & Broadway - shortcut make a right on 24th and Broadway three or four blocks to Harrison).

Sat. Feb. 26, 10 am-4 pm.

Further details and discussion:

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

(Note: The web site we've been posting here for the Oakland Teach-In--www.democraticrenewal.com--takes you to a Canadian site, not the one you want.)

-----

SANTA MONICA, CA, Teach-In, Sun. Feb. 27:

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

The Santa Monica event web sites are correct:

For tickets & info.: [email protected]
Seating limited. Reservations recommended.

http://www.citizensact.org/pages/2/index.htm

[Peace Patriot]

108. I'm thinking: We have to come back to this. We can't let it go by.

It's too important, what they did to Shelley, and why. But it reminds me of the spot we were in on 11/3, with our champion up folding his tent. It's hard to support Shelley if he won't fight back. (And I believe the Bush Cartel EAC is still threatening him.)

ALSO--the bigger issue(s), beyond the fate of one official, need to be addressed and STRONGLY, and NOW. 1. Protecting and expanding Shelley's reforms (including participating in the McPherson hearings and pressuring McPherson). 2. Getting Diebold and ES&S the hell out of this state. 3. Resisting the Bushification and Texification of Calif. (fighting Schwarz on redistricting, addressing the weird ways they are removing DEM officials--the Gov, the SoS--supporting, demanding continued effort to get our money back from Enron, etc.)

These should be the two issues in Calif. for the next couple of years:

1. Electronic voting.
2. Enron.

We also may want to do something about the SF Chron. Hit their advertisers. Something.

[Helga Scow Stern]

109. I agree.

I am curious to see what will be said about it at the teach-in today. Last night during a film that had a brief clip of Shelley talking about the problems in Riverside, everyone in the audience clapped and cheered.

I agree that we need to be especially aware now and apply pressure and encouragement where needed.

Thanks for bringing this up!

[Wow]

110. Is there another way?

I keep wondering with the ousting of Shelley whether we need to consider the initiative process as an approach. Does anyone know someone capable of writing one for California that would insure reforms including paper backups, verification of vote counts by routine recounting, etc? I keep feeling like we are waiting for our elected officials to take up the torch, but at some level us little folk are the ones who truly want to make sure we stand in the rain for something on election day.

[Peace Patriot]

111. Hi, Wow! Welcome to DU!

I've been through a grass roots Initiative effort, and it is a tough row. The rules are all against citizens actually have the power to mount Initiatives. Our Initiative rights have been eroded over the years by very restrictive rules that favor big money outfits, and make a real grass roots initiative almost impossible. One of the toughest is that you can't roll over the signatures you've gathered to the next qualifying cycle--so, you have to start all over again. Or, you have to have BIG BUCKS to hire signature gatherers (to get it done in the 3 to 4 month time frame allowed)--not to mention hiring lawyers and PR firms to fight the various attacks that Corporate will launch.

Anyway--not impossible, but very hard. I would almost say, don't do it, unless you have George Soros (or something comparable) lined up for financial backing.

Despite the VERY BAD ODOR around Don Perata and Gloria Romero in the CA Senate, and Connie McCormack, head of LA county elections, re: the destruction of Kevin Shelley, we still have a pretty good CA legislature, I think, and we should try them first.

We need to get on top of the McPherson hearings--and also need to inquire of our local reps what they're doing, where they stand, and like that--and then prepare to put max pressure on the legislature.

I don't follow its proceedings that closely. I don't know if any election reform bills are being prepared. Need to do some homework on this, and talk to some people. We've had a big change of leadership in the Leg (the old progressives retiring, termed out, etc.), and probably a lot of political squirming around and positioning going on. This Shelley thing is NOT A GOOD SIGN, but we shouldn't write them off just yet.

It'll be interesting to see what McPherson has to say for himself. (His statements on e-voting haven't been that bad--f.i., he's not the pro-Diebold zealot that C. McCormack seems to be--and she's a Dem!). The Bush Cartel's strategy may be more aimed at the redistricting than at preventing auditable elections. They may know that the latter won't fly in CA (although I'm beginning to wonder what kind of suicidal insanity, or corruption, has seized certain Dems!).

I do think we have a tangled web with the Dem Party and e-voting. (Read Rigel99's post on Cathy Cox in Georgia--Diebold, paperless voting zealot, Democrat, has been GA SoS, now running for Gov--backed by the head of Air America!!! Very tangled web.)

I'm still very bothered by the fact that the Dem leadership SAID NOTHING prior to the 2004 election about this blatantly fraudulent election SYSTEM. (Wally O'Dell and H.F. Ahmanson counting all our votes in secret. I mean, really...).

Ignorance? I don't think so. It's their JOB to know how votes are counted. Corruption? Maybe. Really bad, deep corruption (pro-war, pro-rich, pro-corporate, couldn't care less about us peons any more)? Maybe. Some of them.

Like I said, a tangled web.

[WeHoldTheseTruths]

112. KICK!

Because it's so damn important!

[Peace Patriot]

113. Kick for action this week! See

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=336599&mesg_id=336599