tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post116820755694023935..comments2024-03-25T13:42:25.771-05:00Comments on Advance Indianaâ„¢: Bill Gives Secretary of State More Authority To Investigate Election Law ViolationsGary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168324731234663562007-01-09T01:38:00.000-05:002007-01-09T01:38:00.000-05:00Local authorities have looked the other way for ye...Local authorities have looked the other way for years when these acts have been reported and evidence presented. Having the Secretary of State's office to investigate any and all allegations removes the local officials from compromising their political positions within their own parties with precinct committeepersons. The same officials are usually voted on at their Party's slating coventions. <BR/>Even the elected judges don't like to preside over these cases in their courts. Neither major Party wanted to point fingers at their Party workers for commiting the acts for fear of a backlash from their voting constituents on the local level. This bill will impact the whole State not only Marion County. If you don't know, you really can't say fraud has not been committed in the past. <BR/><BR/>Anonymous 8:14 AM It doesn't matter that you dislike the current prosecutor, he was not in office at the time when I winessed such violations. The Democrat Party did look the other way. John Livengood, Tom Monayhan were the Party's chairmen at the times and nothing was ever done about it because some of your prominent Democrat officials were involved. Some of the Party's precinct committeepersons resigned their respective jobs because of the fraud and dishonesty they witnessed on election day. It is clear that admissions of guilt by the violators will not be forthcoming, unless witnesses to the acts are subpeoned to testify for their own protection. Political Parties do not have subpeona power and can not force witnesses to testify under oath. The allegations were always dismissed as "sore grapes or urban myths". Both local poitical Parties were concerned with the bad publicity and impact on voters' attitudes regarding particpation if the truth was publicized.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168299187284690132007-01-08T18:33:00.000-05:002007-01-08T18:33:00.000-05:00This is a useful post. I wouldn't have known about...This is a useful post. I wouldn't have known about the bill. I do want to quibble with one passage:<BR/><I>Opponents insist no such fraud occurs because the proponents can cite no cases where persons have been convicted of impersonating other voters.</I> I think that's a strawman. I don't know anyone arguing that. I am the lawyer in one of the suits against the voter ID. http://joellpalmer.blogspot.com.<BR/>The argument is not that there's no fraud, but that the voter licensing scheme is a bigger fraud, and will do more harm than good.<BR/>Cordially, <BR/>Robbin Stewart. <BR/>gtbear at gmail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168262064148622112007-01-08T08:14:00.000-05:002007-01-08T08:14:00.000-05:00More urban myths from 7:36...I don't think the Vot...More urban myths from 7:36...<BR/><BR/>I don't think the Voter ID law was necessary in the first place.<BR/><BR/>Why do we need more laws, when ample laws exist? If you see errors or violations, for cryin' out loud report them to the Election Board and the Prosecutor.<BR/><BR/>But, if the Voter ID fans would ease up a little on their Hitleresque pronouncements, I'd be in favor of giving the SOS subpeona and investigative power. It can't hurt. A tradeoff may be good: strip the Voter ID law of its ridiculous provisions, and give the SOS more investigative power. I can lighten up on Rokita a little too, whom I think is a raving goof. He won't occupy the office forever, thankfully. But whoever is in that office, having investigative power might solve some problems. There are lazy or turn-their-heads prosecutors everywhere. Ahem, Carl....<BR/><BR/>Can we please have a tally of fraud cases reproted in the 2006 primary and general elections? ANYwhere in Marion County? And please, no more urban myths.<BR/><BR/>(waiting) I thought so.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168216590726880582007-01-07T19:36:00.000-05:002007-01-07T19:36:00.000-05:00I heard a story directly from a judge who used to ...I heard a story directly from a judge who used to work for a liquor distributor in Indy while he was in law school. Marion County Dems ordered cartons of the small liquor bottles, which they distributed for use on election day to reward voters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168215937224727122007-01-07T19:25:00.000-05:002007-01-07T19:25:00.000-05:00This bill is long overdue and enforcement of curr...This bill is long overdue and enforcement of current election laws are needed to keep all of the would be violators at bey. A gold star fo Senator Delph. I am sure the Democrats will fight the bill.<BR/>Testimony before the committee is going to be very interesting when the fighting begins.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168214084305937082007-01-07T18:54:00.000-05:002007-01-07T18:54:00.000-05:00My dad grew up in small-town Louisiana in the 1940...My dad grew up in small-town Louisiana in the 1940's and he had some stories. New one-dollar bills circulating around town after election day. Releasing results-so-far during the day....so that enterprising voters could time their votes to get a couple of bucks rather than just one in a close race late in the day. (It's all about supply and demand.)<BR/><BR/>He never said anything about food at the polls, though. I'll have to ask him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1168213090925133252007-01-07T18:38:00.000-05:002007-01-07T18:38:00.000-05:00I have jay-walked. I have jay-walked several times...I have jay-walked. I have jay-walked several times in my life. Jay-walking is against the law in Indiana. I had an Aunt Joanne who actually got a ticket for jay-walking. Jay-walking is not something to be encouraged. Wholesale investigation and prosecution of jaywalking would be a waste of everybody's time. Doing hard-time at Michigan City for reckless, wanton and willful jaywalking would be a total waste.<BR/><BR/>Before the secret ballot, voters who visibly "voted right" could be rewarded with a half-pint of whiskey. To eliminate this, we adopted the secret ballot and criminalized such payments to voters. To ensure sobriety of voters, booze sales are prohibted while the polls are open. The laws remain on the books.<BR/><BR/>The casual giving of excess lunches to some voters at a precinct is hardly a major criminal project - at worst it is like jaywalking. In my own precinct, we stock up on snacks for the long election day and share the food with some voters. We used to get into competitive baking so sharing our tasty cookies and cakes to voters was important. This casual sharing of food with our friends and neighbors on Election Day is part of the Hoosier communal spirit - it is hardly the cynical manipulation of voters by clever political Machines.<BR/><BR/>I continue to be astounded at some folks distrust of those few sack lunches shared <B>on videotape</B>. By harshly criminalizing innocent and non-egregious violations, you will swiftly drive away the already-scarce patriotic volunteers who staff the polls for us with a pittance for pay.Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.com