Posted on 01/17/2006 11:22:00 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
For all the overheated talk of fraud in Wisconsin's last presidential election particularly in Milwaukee one incident stands out and demands significant punishment.
Those who slashed the tires of 25 rented vans and cars at the GOP headquarters in Milwaukee the morning of the 2004 election may have prevented hundreds of people from voting.
Five men, including the sons of two prominent Democrats, are on trial for felony property destruction. Testimony resumes today in a Milwaukee courtroom.
This is not just another run-of-the-mill case of vandalism. It's an affront to our democratic system.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin had rented the vehicles to shuttle GOP-friendly voters to the polls. That's perfectly legal. In fact, it's noble.
If you need a ride to the polls, you probably can't drive or don't own a car. Perhaps you are disabled or elderly. Democrats target similar help to voters likely to vote Democratic.
What's not OK is preventing people from voting by sabotaging their transportation. It's dastardly and far worse than the actual physical damage to the vehicles, esti mated at over $2,500.
Charged in the Milwaukee case are Democratic campaign staffers Sowande Omokunde, 26, Michael Pratt, 33, Lewis G. Caldwell, 29, Lavelle Mohammad, 36, and Justin Howell, 21.
The trial has drawn extra attention because Omokunde is the son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D- Milwaukee, and Pratt is the son of former Acting Milwaukee Mayor Marvin Pratt.
Defense attorneys in recent days have suggested out-of-state Democratic operatives may be trying to pin the crime on the local men.
We trust the jurors will determine, beyond a reasonable doubt, who is responsible. And when they do, a severe penalty is in order.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin has exaggerated the extent of voting problems in the last presidential election to bolster its misguided attempt to require all citizens to show photo identification cards at the polls. Some in the GOP also want to do away with same-day voter registration, which would squelch voter turnout more.
That said, the Republicans have a right to be sensitive about Election Day shenanigans when 25 of their vehicles are slashed and rendered useless hours before the polls open.
The tire attack was partisan, blatant and brash. The penalty must be steep to deter similar crimes and to protect future elections.
First-term U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., enters court with her son Sowande Omokunde in Milwaukee. Omokunde and four other Democratic activists were charged with slashing the tires of vans rented by Republicans to drive voters and election monitors to the polls on election day in 2004.
"The Milwaukee Five" Ping.
Omokunde?
How is it that Moore's son's last name is Omokunde? Born out of wedlock or he changed it in an effort to honor his African "roots"?
He also goes by "Supreme Solar Allah"
Republicans were disenfranchised!
Where's Jessie Jackson?
All you need ask is what the reaction would be if the situation were reversed - if Republicans had done this.
I hope the judge asks himself that too before sentencing.
I don't understand why the democrats just can't accept the fact that the levee we bombed in New Orleans was not done out of malice, but mere payback. </ sarcasm>
Whoa. Okay, that provides some insight.
Why isn't this Republican Disenfranchisement?
Just had to get that dig in, didn't they? But even they have to admit, this is no joking matter. The Democrats are the guilty ones here and no amount of spinning will get them out of it. It would appear, however, that the WSJ would like to put this behind them as quickly as possible without looking to terribly closely at out of state connections.
Diana, how much longer is this trial expected to last? What's your take on getting a conviction? I REALLY want a guilty verdict & harsh sentence!
FAILURE TO CONVICT will be a dire signal to the future of the democratic process in America. The next step is thugs intimidating voters at the polls.
I noticed the same thing but I just couldn't bring myself to give a crap, no matter how hard I tried.
Democrat crime in a Democrat district? No jail time whatsoever is my bet.
The trial started on the 9th. They're trying the five together, and it's expected to take 2 weeks to wrap up.
They're going down for this, I have no doubt. No one was allowed to plead out. It's a jury trial. The only thing would be if the defense can prove that these thugs didn't do it and it was "DNC Operative Ninjas" from out of state, LOL! Either way, we win. :)
Agreed.
Gesundheit!
Yeah, isn't it funny how the MSM just looks the other way when Republicans are electoral victims? No double standard here.
Where's Jesse Jackson he probably supplied the box cutters to slash the tires!!
"IMHO it's quite possible that this was a nationally coordinated operation and there's at least a small chance this case might blow it open."
I don't doubt that efforts were coordinated one tiny bit. And I'm not a Conspiracy Theorist by any stretch.
In Madistan, people with Bush/Cheney signs on their lawns had SWASTIKAS burned into their grass! I had a Bush/Cheney bumpersticker keyed off my car while I was at work one day in Madistan (I no longer work in the city.) I had my lawn signs repeated stolen (once by my stupid, leftist brother in law!) and I live out in the boonies.
The Madistan GOP Hqs was vandalized and had laptop computers stolen, windows broken and spray painted messages on the walls.
It was insanity, and NOTHING was done about it. Nothing. So this is very important to many of us in this state.
.... four other Democratic activists
Activists? So that's what they call criminals in Wisconsin.
This was a terrorist action.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
Please remove me from ping list.
What do you mean "other sites"? Are there other web sites out there somewhere?
The msm "personalities" you mentioned still have their "news" dictated to them by Soros, et. al. And we all know in which direction THAT wind blows.
I read in an earlier article that a witness is testifying for the prosecution. He evidently heard them talking and laughing about it right afterwards. I bet the defense is trying to dig up all sorts of dirt on the poor guy for helping the prosecution.
Don't mean to assert that there are any other of the quality of FReep. But, there ARE some other news sites I visit. Certainly, there are no other sites I visit where someone might ask as intelligent a question as the one you just asked...:-)
You're not on my ping list. Did you mean this for someone else?
The witness is a Democrat that worked with these criminals at one of their Demonic HQ. IIRC he did overhear them before and after the dirty deed was done. Not all Democrats are evil, it just seems that way. I hope he's a good guy that was just fooled into being a Democrat and is now waking up!
This fact is rarely mentioned in the MSM. Wonder why?
A shame they didn't so this in Singapore.
Joe - loose lips and all that
NO will make a great duck hunting spot
we had a loony broad here in St.Paul throw her kids off the Wabasha bridge a few years back. I recall one was named
Supreme Allah Knowlege.
The Cream City Mentors is run by Supreme Solar Allah, 23; Self Wise Allah, 24; Universal Knowledge Allah, 25; and Charles Dennis, 50.
Wonder why the older member of this group kept a normal name?
Wonder how his mom got elected to Congress? Her predecessor, Jerry Kleczka had a few issues, but she makes him look like a choirboy!
Yes. I guess so. I could never figure out how this ping stuff works. All I know is I've got tons of stories pinged to me. Sorry.
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