Dirty tricks are a staple of campaigns, but election
officials say this year's could achieve new highs in numbers and new
lows in scope, especially in key battleground states such as Florida
and Ohio, where special-interest groups have poured in to influence the
neck-and-neck race between President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry. "In
my 16 years as an election administrator, I've never seen anything like
this," said Ion Sancho, supervisor of elections in Leon County, Fla. "I
see it as an expression of a political culture that has evolved in the
United States of win at any cost. It's not partisan, but it's just lie,
cheat and steal, and ethics be damned." [more] The following activities are aimed at suppressing Democratic voters:
Students' party affiliations were unknowingly
changed to Republican after they signed unrelated petitions in Florida
and Pennsylvania. Florida officials estimated that some 4,000 potential
voters were affected.
Fliers in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, instructed Democrats to vote on Wednesday, November 3.
In Milwaukee, fliers labeled as coming from the "Milwaukee Black Voters League" (Pictured above)
has incorrect statements about election law, such as "If you've already
voted in any election this year, you can't vote in the presidential
election," as well as intimidating warnings about possible jail time
for violating non-existent laws. A Wisconsin Republican Party spokesman
suggested that Democrats may be circulating the fliers in order to
anger voters to increase turnout.
Voters in Ohio received letters falsely informing
them that if their registrations came from Democratic and NAACP voting
drives that they were unable to vote. The Post wrote that some Ohio
Republicans advanced "the double-dirty-trick explanation, saying the
Democrats are out to make the GOP look bad."
In Cleveland (where Democrats outnumber
Republicans more than 3 to 1), voters have received calls informing
them of incorrect polling place changes and people have reported that
people have come to their homes and made the illegal offer to collect
and return their absentee ballots.
In South Carolina, voters have received letters,
falsely claiming to be from the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), that incorrectly inform voters
they could be arrested at the polls if they have outstanding parking
tickets or if they are overdue on child support.
"Republican-leaning interest groups" have been accused of destroying or not turning in registration submitted by Democrats.
In Michigan, in a recording of a call played for
the AP, a young woman says: ``When you vote this Tuesday remember to
legalize gay marriage by supporting John Kerry. We need John Kerry in
order to make gay marriage legal for our city. Gay marriage is a right
we all want. It's a basic Democrat principle. It's time to move forward
and be progressive. Without John Kerry, George Bush will stop gay
marriage. That's why we need Kerry. So Tuesday, stand up for gay
marriage by supporting John Kerry.'' [more]
In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, this
official-looking flyer advises Democratic voters to "create a peaceful
voting environment" by voting on Wednesday, November 3 [SEE]
And then there's this Jefferson County flyer, which cheerily tells voters "See you at the Poles![sic]"... on November 4. [SEE]
FOR WHAT REASON are the media and its brainwashed followers falsely reporting
that Voter Suppression tactics and other Dirty tricks are being done by
both political parties? Republicans are trying to prevent Blacks and
Latinos from voting. BW knows of no stories in which Democrats or
Blacks or Latinos are preventing Republicans or Whites from voting. The
above information is taken from an article in the Washington Post.
Media Matters.org observes that the Washington Post curved the news
stating that Democrats are engaged in dirty tricks also. But the
WP article offered NO facts to substantiate their claim except the following:
Authorities in several states also are
investigating claims, by former employees of groups paid by both the
Republican Party and Democratic-leaning interest groups, that they
destroyed or did not turn in new registrations by voters of the
opposite party. [more]
