Norfolk voter-group employee indicted on election fraud

Employing the usual half truths, distortions, and outright lies, and with the help of main stream media outlets like CNN and Fox News, the GOP has succeeded in turning the relatively inconsequential Acorn voter registration fraud story into a major propaganda tool for the McCain/Palin campaign. Meanwhile, the main stream media has all but ignored far more serious threats to a fair election in November, including the hacking of vote results, purging of voter registrations, caging, voter intimidation, and other illegal Republican tactics designed to suppress the vote.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/shoptalk_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003874422

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_republican_war_on_voting

Janet Reno's firing of all US attorneys was not political? Can anyone please explaing how firing attorneys that are actively engaged in an investigation is not political? Cite firing U.S. Attorney Jay Stephens while active in the House Post Office investigation of Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski for example. Hmmmm... Well, US attorneys serve at the convenience of the President so to be fair either Clinton and Bush acted illegally or both did not. Make up my mind.

I can't believe your last comment concerning low income people & long lines. That borders on condescension. People will get up extra early or rush to get in line before closing, to vote, if they were able to register. Places of registration don't have the hrs of polling precincts. Voting should be from midnight to midnight, on election dates, nationwide. People should be able to register to vote at work, banks, etc. 1 is required to give forms of proof of citizenship or right to work, when 1 is hired, at most employers. So, it shouldn't be a big deal to use the same proof to register non-registered citizens. Grocers, for quite a period of time, accepted utility payments from their customers. It should be just as simple for employers to give registration forms, (supplied by the proper authorities), to new hires, with their w-4 forms. Have a good 1.

because Clinton's firings were not illegal, nor were his hiring practices. U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey even admitted that the law was broken by the Bush firings and hirings. It is well documented. You can't blame Clinton for this one sir, Bush made his own bed...

Let me get this straight. Clinton's firing of all US attorneys was not political but Bush's firing of 8 was? So in 2007, the firing of a U.S. Attorney is an egregious ethical offense, but in 1993, it was merely a customary transition of administrations. Got it!!! Now, someones credibility has been completely demolished for insinuating that yet again.

First, Ira, show me one time that I have quoted Bill Maher. Secondly, Clinton's firings were not tied to politics, and the firings were not illegal -- as with what we witnessed with Bush. Go and do your homework on that issue.

"registered sex offenders who were not convicted of a felony are still allowed to vote, but they are not supposed to go near schools that are in session, so it is kind of a catch-22"

Perhaps they should make a stink about this. Make the issue more public. That way we can all get a good clear look at their faces.

The crowds that are going to be there on election day will keep those low income folks who work 12-hour days from the polls then, too. And that is another whole issue--why we don't have a holiday for the elections? One other reason to consider it is that many precincts are in schools and registered sex offenders who were not convicted of a felony are still allowed to vote, but they are not supposed to go near schools that are in session, so it is kind of a catch-22 . . . Cheers, MGM

I had 2 read your post twice to make sure you wern't talking about voting in a union. I have worked at companies from 10 to 10000 employees and I've never seen anyone discouraged from registering to vote. It can be done at nights and on weekends. If you want something bad enough you'll do whatever it takes. As for my remark about the poll tax call it jim crow or whatever. I don't care if you have to pay, take a test, or show a national id card. My point is the vote should be honest and people should have an idea of what is going on before they can vote. I've seen people ask election officials who they should vote for. I don't want these people having a say in who determines my fate.

If a retail employee takes money out of the register, do you accuse the entire company of being thieves? No, you accuse the actual thief! When a group pays people to go out an try to get people to register to vote, you're bound to run into some lazy people who will just fill out a bunch of fake registration forms and turn them in for a free days pay. It's sort of like the cliché of the paper boy who just throws all the papers in the dumpster instead of actually delivering them. Again, you don't blame the company, you just expect them to fire the offender and right the problem to the best of their ability. There's no reason to demonize the Community Voters Project, ACORN, or any other advocacy group.

"Frederick was quoted this week in Time magazine comparing Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden." Debbie, that has NOTHING to do with this story on voter registration fraud. Are there any editors reading this, or did one of them insert this useless tidbit in an effort to discredit the person suggesting an expanded look into voter fraud in the State?

I am flabbergasted that people are actually getting paid to register voters when most city agencies provide this as a free service. Canvasser's??? Something is really wrong with that picture.

I find it hard to think that they will be voting fraudulently. I know in my precinct, they check ID against the rolls. And the ID cannot be a bus pass, so if they are going through that much trouble to manufature fake ID's, and pass the scrutiny of the retired individuals that run the precint...then there is more to it.

This is mainly in reply to scotty4660. I agreed with most of your comments but one I must make a remark about is when you say you have to vote for Nobama. Do you realize that your vote for President means nothing, nada, zip? So in reality you won't have to vote for him just to be counted in the votes against McCain. It will be interesting, of course, to see the actual popular vote on election night but we do NOT elect the President - the outdated, antiquated Electoral College does. We actually elect the electors who will vote in December for the actual position of President. They DO NOT have to vote the will of the people. They can vote their own wills and have done so in the past. That's why I don't get all gaga about the Presidential election because I don't have a real say in the outcome. I vote for every other office, etc. that I can but this year in particular I don't even want to cast a vote because I want neither person. Nobama should have waited and he has his smooth talking head in the clouds about his shady dealings with racists and criminals. Wow what a head guy he'll make. I used to like McCain years ago but man o'man what a mistake it will be if they get him in there.

If they can't figure out how to register, I don't want them to vote. It is easy to register. I did it twice. I mean once in New York, then I moved here and registered here.

You won't really get the full story from the Pilot. Voter fraud is an actual vehicle used by the Democratic party to influence elections. And it's covered up by the media, who, for example, in this article publish quotes like, "a couple college students trying to make quotas" and statements like, "not associated with ACORN." In reality, there is a nationwide movement to get as many votes for Barack Obama as possible, how these votes are obtained isn't really an issue. That's just how the Democrats play. And have you heard how they tolerate diversity? Just take the recent case of the pro-Democrat county in Maryland, they're up in arms and want to boycott a hotel for having a McCain-Palin sign out front. That's comical. That's the Democratic party.

"Don't believe everything you hear on Rush. "

You have quoted and used Bill Maher as a source. Now your the judge of who to listen too.

Personally both make me ill.

Bill Clinton fired all 94 Federal Attorneys when he took office but I guess that didn't bother you since they were Republicians.

of my fellow posters need to think their comments through before posting. 1 actually suggested going back to Jim Crow days, with a poll tax. Too many of you, whether unintentionally or purposefully, disparage whole groups of people by indicating you doubt their intelligence & drive to vote on election day. Many low income workers work at places that don't give sick or personal days, to even take their child to see a doctor, attend a relative's funeral, or visit with their child's teacher on parent - teacher days. So why do you think, in an at-will state, a person would take the very real risk of losing their job, to take the time off to go register to vote. Some of you obviously are unaware how prevalent intimidation of employees by employers is when it comes to voting rights.

Don't believe everything you hear on Rush. Your assertions go beyond silly. Only democrats commit voter fraud? Did you sleep through history class? You may want to read "How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative" by Allen Raymond. There is a key word in the title (hint, it is not democrat). Additionally, did you pay attention to the articles regarding the firings of attorney generals, or did you sleep through that as well?

It is a crime, for those who are committing voter fraud. In fact, it is a Federal Crime, which means...spending time at the "resort" called Fort Leavenworth.

Voter fraud has ALWAYS been initiated by the Democratic party, becuase they know, that due to the high volume of military voting, that the Democrats will lose....

Statistically, Democrats have ALWAYS lost in Virginia since 1964, and they want to change that record.

Face it, Tidewater!! Register lawfully; fill out the registration paperwork legally, and vote ONE TIME only...(Fill out the regitration form with YOUR LEGALLY GIVEN NAME too...and not Mickey Mouse...)

cs63, don't spout off opinions that hold no water. no one, here or abroad, 'knows' we had voter fraud the last two elections. if your candidate won, you wouldn't even be saying so.

anyway, to those that have said that the false registrations don't equate to those people turning up at the polls, you obviously haven't been paying attention. They are voting fraudulently under these people's names. Funny how deceased persons cast a vote in the election. They also plan to pick up people in buses and carry them to the polls. The homeless, the drug users, etc. Anything to get Barack Hussein Obama elected, and at any cost.

When we all know the appropriate offices where you drop by to register to vote while you are out running other errands. I don't think it is anyone's job to "round 'em up and convince 'em to register." If they can't find the offices to do that on their own, chances are they won't find the polling place on election day either. Cheers, MGM

This is mind blowing! Since when does the GOP have a problem with voter fraud??? We have had voter fraud the last two elections and everyone, here and abroad, knows it. Where was the outcry then?

Stop reading those partisan web sites...they're making you ignorant of reality.

First of all, Why is is focus of most of these groups to get minority registrations?

Bring back the poll tax.

This is not about a nefarious plot to steal the election as some suggest but a much simpler problem. If you hire people for $8.00 an hour to canvass and register people to vote and set a quota, they will meet that quota however they can to keep the lousy job. It's a bad way to register voters, period. What's oddly inconsistent is that those who scream the loudest about voter fraud at the registration level deny it where it has been most documented -- at the polls and the counting level. The last two elections were rife with election tampering, voter disenfranchisement and outright fraud, especially in Ohio, Florida and New Mexico. I personally see no reason to believe we are capable of having legitimate national elections but ACORN and these community groups have nothing do do with it.

This is mind blowing! Since when does the GOP have a problem with voter fraud??? We have had voter fraud the last two elections and everyone, here and abroad, knows it. Where was the outcry then?

Aren't we a wonderful example for the very democracy we try to spread world wide? I predict another election decided by the US Supreme Court.

First of all, Why is is focus of most of these groups to get minority registrations? Why not get ALL registered!! Bottom line is, you can register all you want, but the motivation to actually go out and vote come from the person. If you have to be sought out to get your info to register, how likely do you think it will be that you will show up at the poll? This is really a way to show a large number of certian demographics that tend to vote for a certian party. This large numer will hopefully sway undecided voters to go with the bigger crowd!