Friday, November 30, 2007

Cleveland video on broken paper tapes and machine...

Really great footage and coverage of Diebold hardware problems. 
I'm hoping soon the citizens will start to ask for their money back
from defective product they were sold.

http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=49066
Watch the video!  Jam printers, unreadable tapes, crashes.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=78881

Paulson said,"I think most people admit they bought the wrong system. You don't want to be a laughingstock because your equipment doesn't work.

Board chairman Jeff Hastings said, "It looks like a hardware issue, not a training issue. We need to go to the vendor and say we have a problem with your equipment. Why do we have a problem."





--
Posted By nation.of.gandhis to Neocon Panic Attacks at 11/30/2007 02:56:00 PM

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

2008 Voter Suppression Tactics Pursued By The Right on NOW

In other news, Democracy Campaign Director David Becker will appear on PBS's NOW this Friday. David sat down with NOW host David Brancaccio in October to discuss the current state of voting in this country and challenges voters face as we approach the 2008 elections -- particularly in terms of voter suppression tactics pursued by the Right. The entire half-hour show will be devoted to David's interview. Check your local listings at http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html and set your Tivo now!
 
culled from PFAW email

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Ohio Election Theft Kills

This is an important video, titled "More Dead Cause of Ohio" that ties in the theft of the Ohio Election with the many soldiers now dead... because of what has happened in Ohio.  The ripples in this dark pond water are rolling around the world, and the dead are buried. 

 

This Video is based on a Neil Young song, and it includes scenes from the new David Earnhardt movie "UNCOUNTED".  David is a supporter of The Ohio Election Justice Campaign, and we recommend the movie.

 

 

 


Friday, November 23, 2007

Multiple requests - SOS - Observers for testing of Voting Machines, Project Everest, OH Sec. Of State

Jennifer Brunner, Ohio Secretary of State
Chris Nance, Assistant Ohio Secretary of State
Kellye Pinkleton, Director, Voting Rights Institute
Brian Green, Elections Council

Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2007

Dear Secretary Brunner, Christopher Nance Brian Green, and Kellye Pinkleton,

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and the staff at the Ohio Secretary of State's office.

The Ohio Election Justice Campaign (OEJC) writes to you this evening about the growing concern of many of the members of the OEJC regarding the multiple written and verbal unanswered requests we have made to be observers of your Project Everest testing of the Ohio voting machines. As we understand it, according to Kathy Spinelli of the Secretary of State's office, the testing finishes at the end of this month, with a report due out in mid December.

As we have repeatedly asked to be observers of the testing, we have continually been told that someone will get back to us, or we get no answer at all.

That leaves us now with a maximum of 6 day's left to observe, and this 6 days would include the Friday after Thanksgiving... which for many is still part of the holiday. So that takes us on a more practical level to 5 days of testing remaining.

Has any member of the public gotten to observe? As this 1.8 million dollars is taxpayer HAVA money (our money), used to do the testing, should not we as taxpayers get to take a look?

We understand that the members of the Voting Rights Institute (VRI) that were offered a chance to view the testing of the voting machines, on November 14th were also offered a dilemma. It is our understanding that to view the facility where the testing was, with the possibility that they might see some of the testing, they were informed they must agree to silence. It is our understanding that they would have had to sign a non disclosure agreement, to not speak about what they saw until the year 2017, ten years in the future. Do we understand this correctly? Could you please explain why this was a condition of observing the testing.

We request a copy of the form that you asked them to sign, please send it and the other documents we will now be requesting to our contact person, Paddy Shaffer. We request to know what they were told, verbally and in written form. Did any of them observe the testing? We request the forms of any VRI members that signed such a form.

What if they saw something that really troubled them, something that did not show up in your report. Do you really think they should not tell the public what they saw?

Who else was asked to sign a non disclosure agreement regarding Project Everest? If there are other versions of non disclosure forms that your office has asked people to sign this year, we request to have copies of these records.

Please send copies of all non disclosure agreements that you have asked any member of the Voting Rights Institute to sign, or for them to even consider signing this year in regards to anything having to do with interaction with the VRI, the office of the Secretary of State, or Ohio Elections. We request these items as part of the Ohio Public Records Laws, ORC 149.43

If there have been other verbal requests to "keep quiet" or not share information either verbally, photographically, audio, video, or other means from members of the VRI, or the public in their interaction with any County or State Ohio Election Officials, with venders of Ohio election machines, silence requests that in any way have come from the Ohio Secretary of State's office, from any member of the SOS staff, we request to know the details, and what and when things were agreed to. If this is in writing please provide it, if it is all been verbal, please write it down, that we may know what our tax dollars are paying for in the way of public servants.

It is known that Brian Green, who sends out the record requests from the SOS office likes to only provide paper records, but this topic is so very important and for our fragile democracy to survive, and for us to trust what we now see as non trustworthy voting machines, that we feel it is necessary to know about it all, and to know about it now. We hope that if the requested information has only been verbal up until this time, that it will be deemed necessary to put it in writing, and provide it to us.

If we can schedule observers in for watching the testing during the final week, we are interested. If we would also be asked to sign a non disclosure agreement to do this, we would of course, need to see what it says.

Sincerely,

The Ohio Election Justice Campaign

Contact Person:

Paddy Shaffer
Director, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign
paddy@columbus.rr.com
(614) 761-0621

Cc: All of The Ohio Election Justice Campaign
Mark Niquette
Jon Craig
Ian Urbina
Brian Rothenberg

P.S. Below you will find a previous request to view the testing, it was never resolved.

----- Original Message -----
From: Paddy Shaffer

Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 4:45 PM
Subject: SOS - Observers for testing of Voting Machines, Project Everest, OH Sec. of State,


Chris Nance, Assistant Ohio Secretary of State
Kellye Pinkleton, Director, Voting Rights Institute

November 7, 2007

Dear Chris Nance,

Dear Assistant Secretary Nance,

I write today to request to be able to place observers from The Ohio Election Justice Campaign to witness the Project Everest 1.8 million dollar tax payer supported testing of the Ohio Voting Machines. I wrote you about this previously in a letter about several subjects, and did not get a response. As I now wonder if my request was overlooked, I thought it was important that I repeat it.

It is my understanding that the testing is to be complete on Thursday November 15th, 2007. Is this correct? As there are only a few days before that date, please send me details on how to have observers in to watch some of the testing, and the location for which they would need to go.

Please let me know what the anticipated date is for your Project Everest Report on the findings to be complete.

Thank you so much for your assistance Chris and Kellye.
Sincerely,

Paddy Shaffer
Director, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign,
paddy@columbus.rr.com
(614) 761-0621

cc: Bev Harris
Victoria Parks
Dan Stanton
Tim Kettler
Sheri Myers
Jon Craig
Mark Niquette
Nancy Tobi
Ian Irbina
Paul Lehto Esq.
Brad Friedman
Greg Palast
Stephen Caruso
Jamia Sheppard
Ray Beckerman Esq.
Blair Bobier, Esq.
Tim Kettler
Paul Harmon, Esq
Michael Collins
Joan Quinn
Jo Anne Karesek
Jane Schiff

Thursday, November 22, 2007

LOBBYISTS HACKING YOUR ELECTIONS?


LOBBYISTS HACKING YOUR ELECTIONS?
The Case for Voting Systems Recall, Return, and Refund (Part I)

photo collage by Victoria Parks, 2007




Ohio Election Justice Campaign Press Conference of November 21, 2007.
This is 107 days after a meeting was requested with Jennifer Brunner, The Ohio Secretary of State, and Mark Dann, The Ohio Attorney General to begin the discussion of dealing with the need for investigation, prosecution, and a way for the public to follow the progress. So far, they have not agreed to meet with this growing national group, and their main comment for every question is "We are looking forward to 2008, we are getting ready for 2008", yet we have noticed that while they do this they also ignore a very troubling past.

As today is Thanksgiving, November 22, 2007... we have only 39 days until it is 2008, a presidential election year, and according to Secretary Brunner, absentee ballots go out in January. The continuing research by The Ohio Election Justice Campaign shows that more needs investigated now, not less. It seems Secretary Brunner has now inserted lobbyists of the voting machine companies into the picture. We hope that many things can be worked out for the benefit of the people, with Secretary Brunner and Attorney General Dann.

Artists Creating Justice members... Paddy Shaffer and Victoria Parks sculpted a large roasted turkey sculpture to help get the points of the Ohio Election Justice Campaign out to the world... The OEJC asks to "Toss Out These Turkeys" in reference to the Diebold, ES&S, and Hart Intercivic Voting Machines.


Thanks and Blessings to Progress Ohio for hosting our Press Conference!

Many Thanksgiving "Thanks" to Peace General Bruce for the below video of this press conference.

OEJC Press Conference, Columbus, Ohio, USA >11-21-2007 (part-1-)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2329730873176308759&hl=en

OEJC Press Conference, Columbus, Ohio, USA >11-21-2007 (part-2-)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8852338345804631566&hl=en


_____________________________________________________________________

A blog article by Columbus Dispatch reporter Mark Niquette (who was out of town on holiday and not at the press conference, but did give us some coverage - thank him) is in the below link. This has a place below for comments. Please add one.

http://blog.dispatch.com/dailybriefing/

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Lobbyists Hack Your Elections: The OEJC Calls for Voting Systems Recall, Return, and Refund (Part I)

The OEJC is calling for the recall, return, and refund of Ohio's electronic voting systems, widely documented as unreliable, inaccurate, and subject to manipulation, and subject of several product defect suits nationally. Lobbyist suggested elections officials to current review of Ohio 's voting systems. Selected officials include representatives from counties plagued by election irregularities such as failing to preserve 2004 ballots as ordered by federal court. Voting systems purchased pursuant to HAVA, co-authored by former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), met with lobbyist Abramoff during drafting, both serving prison terms for convictions related to bribery and corruption of public officials, respectively.

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) November 21, 2007 -- In a press conference today, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign (OEJC) is calling for the recall, return, and refund of voting systems used in Ohio, the state that clinches presidential elections. Representatives from Boards of Elections (BOE) plagued by election irregularities, such as failing to preserve their 2004 ballots in violation of federal court order, are now sitting in review of the state's electronic elections systems, courtesy of a lobbyist.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's answers to the State Controlling Board, which approved $1.8 million in Help America Vote (HAVA) funds to review Ohio's elections systems, the final recommendations will be the "responsibility of the Secretary of State's Office working with a representative group of the state's election officials."

Brunner's letter to this same board, dated Sept. 20, 2007, states, "The list (of election officials) was compiled with Aaron Ockerman who met with me this morning and suggested the names of those to be involved."

Aaron Ockerman, of State Street Consultants, is a registered lobbyist for the Ohio Association of Election Officials (OAEO), a corporation that promotes the business interests of Ohio election officials. He was a registered lobbyist for Election Systems & Software, ES&S, (ESS) in 2003.

Neil S. Clark and Paul Tipps, founders of State Street Consultants, were registered lobbyists for ES&S, 2002-04, and for Diebold (DB), 2004 and 2005. Clark is currently a registered OAEO lobbyist.

Ockerman, also a registered lobbyist for ACS (ACS) State and Local Solutions, Inc., formerly Lockheed (LMT) Martin IMS, co-hosted a reception for the Ohio SOS and others during the winter 2007 OAEO conference.

Of the twelve election officials, nine come from BOEs that disposed of 2004 election records protected by court order in King Lincoln v. Blackwell (S.D. Ohio), http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/klbna.php, four of the nine serving as BOE Director in 2004. Two of the nine disposed of their records before certification of the 2004 election; and another three have not submitted the requested explanation to the SOS for their missing records.

As of this date, almost half come from counties with various alleged recount irregularities, and one from a county with alleged voter suppression, King Lincoln v. Blackwell (S.D.Ohio). Although Ohio does have many BOEs secure from these problems, only two are represented on the list.

HAVA earmarked $3.9 billion in tax payer money to implement electronic voting systems. Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) co-authored HAVA, meeting with lobbyist Jack Abramoff during its drafting. Ney and Abramoff are now serving prison terms for convictions related to bribery and corruption of public officials, respectively.

The electronic elections systems have been widely documented as unreliable, inaccurate, and subject to manipulation. California decertified its electronic voting machines, Florida tossed them out, and New York has not even introduced them.

Lawsuits alleging breach of warranty, Lehto v. Sequoia (King County, Washington) and Axelrod v. Sequoia (Washoe County, Nevada), have been filed in state court. A complaint naming the Ohio SOS was filed in U.S. District Court, Schulz v. State of New York (N.D.N.Y.), seeking an injunction until elections are open, verifiable, and transparent.

To support the OEJC, donate at www.electiondefensealliance.org/OEJC. For background information on the failure to preserve the 2004 ballots, see http://www.prnewsnow.com/TextNews/168067.html.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Election Education Program

On November 11, 2007 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Columbus, Ohio, at the Community Leaders Forum multiple members of The Ohio Election Justice Campaign spoke about Ohio's ongoing election issues. This video documents the start of our Election Education Program, as we seek to teach the stories, and provide the actual accompanying documents for Ohio's election issues. We do this so that many can tell the stories, and have the documents to support the story, and then together we can resolve the issues.

Enclosed below is the video of this event. Many thanks to Peace General Bruce for the video, and to Earl Wurdlow, our generous host and moderator.

Warm Thanksgiving Blessings,

Paddy Shaffer

Director, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign
paddy@columbus.rr.com
(614) 761-0621



Earl Wurdlow on Truth 11-11-2007

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2256569015086148914&hl=en



Community Leaders Forum, OEJC, 11-11-2007 (Part 1 ) Paddy Shaffer

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4343550207887107984&hl=en



Community Leaders Forum, OEJC, 11-11-2007 (Part 2 ) Tim Kettler

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1167800014891261786&hl=en



Community Leaders Forum, OEJC, 11-11-2007 (Part 3 ) Victoria Parks

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3499095301239630559&hl=en



Community Leaders Forum, OEJC, 11-11-2007 (Part 4 ) Gloria Kilgore

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3864437158517936981&hl=en



Community Leaders Forum, OEJC, 11-11-2007 (Part 5 ) Q and A

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4949272307577333269&hl=en



Community Leaders Forum, OEJC, 11-11-2007 (Part 6 ) Q and A

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7176946520371142585&hl=en

Thursday, November 15, 2007

100 Days Since Meeting Requested With Brunner And Dann

AS OF TODAY, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2007 IT HAS NOW BEEN 100 DAYS SINCE THE REQUEST WAS MADE ON AUGUST 8, 2007 FOR A MEETING WITH THE OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE JENNIFER BRUNNER, AND OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL MARC DANN TO MEET WITH WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE OHIO ELECTION JUSTICE CAMPAIGN...

There are only 46 days left until the end of the year... and then it will be 2008. According to Secretary Brunner, absentee ballots start getting sent out in January.

The SAME people (with the small exception of a retirement in Fayette County, Licking County both Director and Deputy Director left their job, replacement of the Cuyahoga Board, and a job switch in Delaware County, Miami County Deputy Director quite her job the day a record request from Richard showed up, and possibly a couple others that we are not aware of, who may have left their jobs in the Ohio Boards of Elections) are running our elections. There are 88 counties... and little has changed in most of them.

With this number of 100 days passed... we can also mourn the dismal failure of these newly elected officials (the SOS and AG) to deal with most blatant crime in US History... with hunks and wads of evidence just laid out all over the state of Ohio.

We have added a new witness of election crime to our group, Dr. Andrew (Drew) Feight, who witnessed and documented the rigging of the Scioto County Recount in 2004. He tried to get the prosecutor to deal with it, and to go higher when he got no help. We will now be helping him, and our strong pile of evidence gains another glowing hot piece. Welcome Drew... we want to help you, and your story will help us all.

We have a Press Conference next week, to deal with the topic of the testing of Ohio's Voting Machines, a 1.8 million dollar taxpayer funded test. I have repeatedly, both in writing and verbally contacted the Secretary of States office, and asked to have observers there to watch. Chris Nance, the Assistant Secretary of State is who I have been told gets to decide... and he will not respond. Why? The testing has been ongoing for awhile, and they are scheduled to finish at the end of the month. I have an article I am writing about this and more darkness in what I see for this testing as it is now going. I'll try to get it out, and you all informed in the next few days.

Below is a shortened version of the video of the Memorial Event we held on November 2, 2007 on the 3 year Anniversary of the theft of the Presidential Election. Some wrote and said they were unable to open it up. I hope this works. If not, please give me feedback. Thanks to Bruce for doing this, and he also added a George Carlin video, with a warning.

Make it a Powerful Day,

Paddy Shaffer
Director, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign
paddy@columbus.rr.com(614) 761-0621



OEJCHonest Election Funeral 11-02-2007
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=667276555347081129&hl=en
15 Activists gathered at the Ohio State Capitol in Columbus, Ohio, USA to mourn the "Death of Honest Elections." The Procession went to the 1. Franklin County Board of Elections, 2. The Ohio Secretary of States Office, and 3. The Ohio Attorney Generals office.


Subject: George Carlin on the American Dream
so called because you have to be asleep to believe it... 3-minute video:

Warning: offensive language. and yes, this is related to fake elections with fake choices (among other topics).

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18690.htm