Voting machine controversy

Cleveland Plain Dealer via Drudge Report ^ | August 31, 2002 | Julie Carr Smyth

[Theyknow]

Voting machine controversy

08/28/03

Julie Carr Smyth Plain Dealer Bureau

Columbus - The head of a company vying to sell voting machines in Ohio told Republicans in a recent fund-raising letter that he is "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year."

The Aug. 14 letter from Walden O'Dell, chief executive of Diebold Inc. - who has become active in the re-election effort of President Bush - prompted Democrats this week to question the propriety of allowing O'Dell's company to calculate votes in the 2004 presidential election.

O'Dell attended a strategy pow-wow with wealthy Bush benefactors - known as Rangers and Pioneers - at the president's Crawford, Texas, ranch earlier this month. The next week, he penned invitations to a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser to benefit the Ohio Republican Party's federal campaign fund - partially benefiting Bush - at his mansion in the Columbus suburb of Upper Arlington.

The letter went out the day before Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, also a Republican, was set to qualify Diebold as one of three firms eligible to sell upgraded electronic voting machines to Ohio counties in time for the 2004 election.

Blackwell's announcement is still in limbo because of a court challenge over the fairness of the selection process by a disqualified bidder, Sequoia Voting Systems.

In his invitation letter, O'Dell asked guests to consider donating or raising up to $10,000 each for the federal account that the state GOP will use to help Bush and other federal candidates - money that legislative Democratic leaders charged could come back to benefit Blackwell.

They urged Blackwell to remove Diebold from the field of voting-machine companies eligible to sell to Ohio counties.

This is the second such request in as many months. State Sen. Jeff Jacobson, a Dayton-area Republican, asked Blackwell in July to disqualify Diebold after security concerns arose over its equipment.

"Ordinary Ohioans may infer that Blackwell's office is looking past Diebold's security issues because its CEO is seeking $10,000 donations for Blackwell's party - donations that could be made with statewide elected officials right there in the same room," said Senate Democratic Leader Greg DiDonato.

Diebold spokeswoman Michelle Griggy said O'Dell - who was unavailable to comment personally - has held fund-raisers in his home for many causes, including the Columbus Zoo, Op era Columbus, Catholic Social Services and Ohio State University.

Ohio GOP spokesman Jason Mauk said the party approached O'Dell about hosting the event at his home, the historic Cotswold Manor, and not the other way around. Mauk said that under federal campaign finance rules, the party cannot use any money from its federal account for state- level candidates.

"To think that Diebold is somehow tainted because they have a couple folks on their board who support the president is just unfair," Mauk said.

Griggy said in an e-mail statement that Diebold could not comment on the political contributions of individual company employees.

Blackwell said Diebold is not the only company with political connections - noting that lobbyists for voting-machine makers read like a who's who of Columbus' powerful and politically connected.

"Let me put it to you this way: If there was one person uniquely involved in the political process, that might be troubling," he said. "But there's no one that hasn't used every legitimate avenue and bit of leverage that they could legally use to get their product looked at. Believe me, if there is a political lever to be pulled, all of them have pulled it."

Blackwell said he stands by the process used for selecting voting machine vendors as fair, thorough and impartial.

As of yesterday, however, that determination lay with Ohio Court of Claims Judge Fred Shoemaker.

He heard closing arguments yesterday over whether Sequoia was unfairly eliminated by Blackwell midway through the final phase of negotiations.

Shoemaker extended a temporary restraining order in the case for 14 days, but said he hopes to issue his opinion sooner than that.

http://www.cleveland.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/106207171078040.xml

[Timesink]

Just as they did in Florida in 2000 Democrats depend on stealing votes in inner city precincts where in contravetnion of law all the poll watchers are Democrats. It is true in the inner precincts of every big city all the poll watchers are Democrats. It is against the law, but the area is so dangerous every republican is afraid to set foot in the precinct.

This would stop immediately if we DEMANDED it changed. Imagine the illegitimacy that would be cast upon any election if GOP observers were violently attacked by RATS as a live camera from Fox News broadcast the scene to the entire nation. And then did it again at another precinct. And another. And another.

And that's only one of dozens of ways we could get permanent access to those polls. We don't get access because we don't care enough to fight for it, period.

[Timesink]

We know that the current CEO of a single computerized-voting machine company happens to be a Bush supporter. (He could be fired tomorrow.) And he doesn't design, program or maintain the machines. All it would take is one truly dirty RAT in the right place in the design process...

[Americalover]

Well electronic voting won't fix that. It will fix other tricks they try anyway.

[Americalover]

"We know that the current CEO of a single computerized-voting machine company happens to be a Bush supporter. (He could be fired tomorrow.) And he doesn't design, program or maintain the machines. All it would take is one truly dirty RAT in the right place in the design process..."

There is no way that the RATS can corrupt this, if they could they wouldn't be complaining about the process. It is laughable that their frustration is so high. If there were real opportunity for fraud they wouldn't be working so hard to block these machines.

[RicocheT]

I hope all the voting machines used are Diebold and rigged to double count votes for conservative and Republican candidates. It's about time my side cheated as effectively as the Democrat side has done for years.

The only gripe the Democrats have over Diebold machines is that the Democrats don't have this company and brand of voting machines in their pocket yet. The Democrats will soon have the ones they control everywhere.

Then, don't bother going to the polls as your vote will be cast for you -- straight Democrat. When that time comes, please call 9mm or use the 30.06 extension to correct the vote.

[Americalover]

That is sort of my point also, but I didn't have the nerve to say it. Turn about is fair play.

[aruanan]

Because this isn't a partisan matter. If this is true, it should concern every American voter. (And that's a big "IF".)

No, you've overstated by assuming someone else's interpretation. IF it is true EXACTLY at the guy stated, there is no problem with it UNLESS he meant that he would deliver the vote by fraudulent means using his voting machines rather than delivering the vote by his work as a Bush supporter. Choosing to believe that he meant "by fraudulent means" was purely partisan. Drudge is just living off this meaning as a fly lives off a turd.

[Theyknow]

Talk like that only makes matters worse. We should just stay on the high ground and demand one vote per voter, free and FAIR.

[Lord_Baltar]

Quite frankly, I don't want either side to have their controls over the voting machines. PERIOD!

IF this thing is true, it smells

[Winfield]

DRUDGE posts too much crap sometimes....in an effort to
prove he is "fair and balanced". My opinion is he is also
too hungup on the "Hollywood scene". The N.Y. Post is going the same route; a once highly respected newspaper now looks
like and reads like a cheap super market tabloid. I have always been an avid N.Y. Post reader, but am getting tired of not being able to leave the paper out in sight of the kids.....because of the nudes, sex stories and emphasis on covering the rap, Hollywood and drug scene. Sometimes....it almost makes me turn to the N.Y. Times. (I said "almost"!)

[Lord_Baltar]

Fine, but would you have said the same thing if it was a vocal Clinton Supporter and Fund Raiser was doing EXACTLY the same thing?

Would you have been saying "It's no big deal" if that said Clinton Supporter and Fund Raiser's Company was up for a very juicy $$$$ Contract to provide the voting machines.

My guess is you would not be quite so "forgiving".

[Winfield]

DRUDGE posts too much crap sometimes....in an effort to
prove he is "fair and balanced". My opinion is he is also
too hungup on the "Hollywood scene". The N.Y. Post is going the same route; a once highly respected newspaper now looks
like and reads like a cheap super market tabloid. I have always been an avid N.Y. Post reader, but am getting tired of not being able to leave the paper out in sight of the kids.....because of the nudes, sex stories and emphasis on covering the rap, Hollywood and drug scene. Sometimes....it almost makes me turn to the N.Y. Times. (I said "almost"!)

[Americalover]

"Quite frankly, I don't want either side to have their controls over the voting machines. PERIOD! "

Yeah, but doesn't it make you sleep better knowing that the RATS don't have control? In a perfect world neither side would have a horse in this race, but since the world isn't perfect isn't it way better that the good guys have control?

[Americalover]

"Fine, but would you have said the same thing if it was a vocal Clinton Supporter and Fund Raiser was doing EXACTLY the same thing?

Would you have been saying "It's no big deal" if that said Clinton Supporter and Fund Raiser's Company was up for a very juicy $$$$ Contract to provide the voting machines.

My guess is you would not be quite so "forgiving". "

You are right, at least speaking for myself. It would be a problem if the Klintoons were in this business, but the beauty here is that they aren't and the people who are are on the side of honesty in government.

[anymouse]

So let's go back to punch cards and save a lot of tax dollars - hanging chads and all.

[Theyknow]

"DRUDGE posts too much crap sometimes....in an effort to
prove he is "fair and balanced". My opinion is he is also
too hungup on the "Hollywood scene". The N.Y. Post is going the same route; a once highly respected newspaper now looks
like and reads like a cheap super market tabloid. I have always been an avid N.Y. Post reader, but am getting tired of not being able to leave the paper out in sight of the kids.....because of the nudes, sex stories and emphasis on covering the rap, Hollywood and drug scene. Sometimes....it almost makes me turn to the N.Y. Times. (I said "almost"!)"

You are so right. This story doesn't deserve any press anywhere, even in the liberal media, because there is no story. But Drudge isn't making any friends by spreading this stuff. So many people read his page that are going to get mad about his tarnishing good people.

[metesky]

Quite frankly, I don't want either side to have their controls over the voting machines. PERIOD!

But everyone has a "side". Nobody is neutral.

[DiamondDon1]

Hummm, could be Gore, could be Bush...

From another day, the Florida recounts...

DD

[robjna]

drudge is an idiot who gets his scoops from the left , he just doesnt know it. it is unhealthy to visit his site. his infatuation with hitlery is very weird also.

[deport]

You are so right. This story doesn't deserve any press anywhere, even in the liberal media, because there is no story.

---

But you'll do your duty and help spread it..... LOL

GO TOMMIE GO.... CA Needs you