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5 Democrats face trial for slashing GOP tires
WorldNetDaily ^ | 2/16/05 | WorldNetDaily

Posted on 02/16/2005 5:40:10 PM PST by wagglebee

Five Democratic campaign staffers who allegedly slashed the tires of 25 Republican get-out-the-vote vans on Election Day in Milwaukee will stand trial on felony charges.

The defendants, who include the sons of a congresswoman and former acting mayor, face a maximum three and a half years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of vandalism.

The vans were rented by the GOP to drive voters to the polls.

On Election Day, the five left Milwaukee just after 3 a.m. and returned shortly thereafter, according to the pretrial testimony of two Democratic presidential campaign workers, Levar Stoney and Opel Simmons.

Simmons said the five "seemed to be excited, excitable, kind of gleeful, laughing and kind of joking," according to the Associated Press.

Two of the defendants, Michael Pratt, son of former acting Milwaukee Mayor Marvin Pratt, and Sowande Omokunde, son of Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore, talked about the vandalism, according to Stoney.

But Stoney and Simmons were included in an alleged plan to plaster the Republican office with Kerry Edwards signs and bumper stickers, according to defense attorneys.

Meanwhile, a former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee staffer, Roger Chiang, pleaded guilty yesterday to mail fraud in the theft of $360,000 in donor checks.

The committee is the main fund-raising arm for Senate Democrats.

Most of the money was recovered before the November elections, but about 10,000 still is missing, the AP reported.

Mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: 2004; brownshirts; democrat; democrats; democratvandals; dirtypolitics; election; electionday; electionviolence; fraud; michaelmoore; tireslashing; vandalism; violence
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To: wagglebee
From another article:

2 Prominent Milwaukee Leaders' Sons Charged With Election Day Tire Slashing

Snippet:

Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Rick Graber issued a statement following the charges that called the tire slashings "political sabotage."

"This is a case that should outrage citizens of all political stripes. It is extremely troubling to see the depths to which the Democrat Party will sink to disrupt the political process through criminal means -- all in an effort to prop up the Democrats' flailing candidates and floundering agenda. This was not merely a case of hooligans committing an act of vandalism. This was a deliberate attack on our electoral system," Graber said.

Michael Pratt

Sowande Omokunde

21 posted on 02/16/2005 6:10:35 PM PST by flutters (God Bless The USA)
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To: leprechaun9

BTTT


22 posted on 02/16/2005 6:11:05 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: wagglebee

it's a start.
I can only hope a roll-up commences.


23 posted on 02/16/2005 6:12:23 PM PST by King Prout (Remember John Adam!)
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To: Frohickey

Of course they condone such actions,...its "fighting the Good Fight",a badge of courage


24 posted on 02/16/2005 6:13:11 PM PST by Dad yer funny
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To: wagglebee
Meanwhile, the Democrats are completely baffled by what the American people could possibly mean by moral values.
25 posted on 02/16/2005 6:15:50 PM PST by Savage Beast (My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents were Democrats. My children are Republicans.)
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To: Kurt_D
Well... don't send them to jail. Make'em pay a juicy fine.

Bull.


26 posted on 02/16/2005 6:16:46 PM PST by Lazamataz (Proudly Posting Without Reading the Article Since 1999!)
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To: buccaneer81

that's 'RaggOt'!! ;) LOL!


27 posted on 02/16/2005 6:16:47 PM PST by Maury
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To: exnavy

This story is getting absolutely zero coverage in the Peoples Republic of Madison just 70 miles down the road.


28 posted on 02/16/2005 6:19:45 PM PST by hubbubhubbub
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To: Lazamataz; Kurt_D
Well... don't send them to jail. Make'em pay a juicy fine.

Bull.

Agreed. Like Corporate America, money and/or "community service" is a joke to these people. Spending time with "Big Eddie" or "Big Rosie" in a tiny cell block would have a most salutory effect.

Sadly, I expect a wrist-slapping.

29 posted on 02/16/2005 6:27:03 PM PST by Oatka
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To: hubbubhubbub

Bust their asses with a huge fine, then lock their smart asses up for the maximum....

These bastards attempted to "disenfranchise" voters that needed a ride to the polls....

DISENFRANCHISED!!!!!! The Horror!!


30 posted on 02/16/2005 6:30:08 PM PST by river rat (You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: flutters

It should be noted that the man who owned the rental agency from which these vans were contracted is a personal friend and he informs me that the Wisconsin Republican Party has very graciously compensated him for his financial loss. Kudos to Chairman Graber.


31 posted on 02/16/2005 7:01:42 PM PST by Emmett McCarthy
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To: wagglebee

It would be nice to see "The Great Solar Allah" do some time in a nice dark cell.


32 posted on 02/16/2005 7:19:36 PM PST by mowowie
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To: mowowie

33 posted on 02/16/2005 7:24:34 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: Kurt_D

"..don't send them to jail. Make'em pay a juicy fine."

Disagreement here. Juicy fine AND jail time, then probation til after the next Presidential election. Of course, this is going to be tried in Wisconsin, so they'll probably just get 5 hours of community service, maybe cutting the local Dim party's lawn.


34 posted on 02/16/2005 8:22:21 PM PST by Chu Gary (USN Intel guy 1967 - 1970)
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To: Frohickey
"If the DNC does not respond and vehemently denounce the actions of these 5 criminals, it would mean it condones it."

. . .Howard should be screaming by now. . .but I don't hear him or. . 'it'.

35 posted on 02/16/2005 8:29:33 PM PST by cricket (Just say - NO U.N.)
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To: wagglebee

Wouldn't it be rich if they all lost their franchise because of a felony conviction?


36 posted on 02/16/2005 8:40:26 PM PST by LexBaird ("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats" --Jubal Harshaw (RA Heinlein))
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To: wagglebee

Wanna bet they get probation?


37 posted on 02/17/2005 2:41:31 AM PST by newzjunkey (Demand Mexico Turnover Fugitive Murderers: http://www.escapingjustice.com)
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To: leprechaun9
Their efforts were directed at illegally influencing a Presidential Election.

Those tires definitely had civil rights written all over them. This should not be taken lightly. They should get 10 years. My bet is they will get probation.

38 posted on 02/17/2005 2:46:15 AM PST by BJungNan (Please stand by while I think up a new one...)
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To: newzjunkey
Wanna bet they get probation?

Hey, you said that first! (see posts 37 and 38)

39 posted on 02/17/2005 2:47:19 AM PST by BJungNan (Please stand by while I think up a new one...)
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