Whats going on in S.D.?

11/6/02 | TJC

[EternalVigilance]

The dems will keep on trying vote fraud and they must be caught and punished. The argument that the statesman thing to do is to concede gracefully is defeatism..

This time they've stolen MY vote for John Thune, and the votes of my whole family---and that makes it personal!

I'm on my way home to SD (I've been working for 15 weeks on the Senate race in WV), and I will certainly do what I can when I get there raise a ruckus about what the RATS have done.

The Democrats have repeatedly proven that they despise freedom and self-government, and therefore have made themselves my enemies.

EV

[McGavin999]

I think he should do exactly what he's doing. Remember, the FBI is already there and is already investigating fraud. As a result of their investigation the election results could well be thrown out. If Thune behaves like a gentleman, then he'll come out great in the re-run of this election.

[mwl1]

If Thune plays this right, he can get a federal appointment from Bush, stationed in SD, and use it as a launching pad to take out Daschle in 2004.

[ishmac]

Thune and the GOP must fight.

I totally agree. Even if they only find, say, 250 fraudulent ballots. Although Thune would still lose, we've got to stop turning a blind eye to blantant fraud. It's about time somebody got roasted for doctoring ballots. It's like the old "broken window" theory of law enforcement: just as unmended windows send the message that no one cares about law and order, so does cheating with impunity encourage more fraud.

[alethia]

My sister heard somewhere (Rush?) that Thune thinks that he has at least 3000 votes that haven't "shown-up" but will with the recanvassing. This should be interesting. Did anyone else hear that?

[Truth29]

Write the Thune campaign at info@johnthune.com and urge him to seek a full recount and aggressively defend honest voting in SD.

[Mensch]

Doing the noble thing means nothing to fanatics. It makes them laugh, they see it as weakness. They only respect a boot on their throats.

[Congressman Billybob]

The question has been asked and answered, repeatedly, on other threads. In a nutshell: 1) the recount is automatic and conducted at state expense because of the closeness of the outcome. 2) the federal investigation, already involving at least one indictment concerning fraud in Indian votes, will continue. 3) John Thune will kee his options open and his powder dry, as this process continues.

And don't forget there is a final option that the lamestream media have not woken up to (no surprise there). The Senate can refuse to seat Johnson and seat Thune instead, reagardless of who S.D. certifies as the winner. The House did this with respect to an Indiana Congressman in 1984. The Senate possesses the same power, pursuant to the Constitution.

Remember, you read it here, for the fourth time.

Congressman Billybob

On American Politics

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

[comebacknewt]

Are you sure that isn't Riley in Alabama?

It looks like he made up a 3000 vote difference.

[Truth29]

Agree. See reply #46.

[comebacknewt]

But, but, what about the new tone? </sarcasm>

[goldstategop]

No, to stop this fraud the Senate should and must seat John Thune. The Daschle and his compadres are hardly in a position to lecture to the Republicans about the rule of law and besides its not a sin to help your own. The GOP should set up a commission to investigate the South Dakota election mess and have it report back its findings to the Senate and the Senate should decide who gets awarded the seat from that state.

[CPT Clay]

Statewide hand recount with court challanges in counties with irregularities.

[TJC]

I tried to find other threads, must not have looked had enough. Thanks for the info.

[Congressman Billybob]

There's a way to avoid the "anti-Indian" backlash. A FReeper pointed out on another thread that there's a "Caucasion" county with about a 2,000 pro-Democrat fraud present on the face of it. The county is 1/2 Republican registered, was carried easily by Thune as a Congressman and Bush as a President, yet the 2002 reports claim that only 1/4th of the Republicans and none of the Democrats or independents voted for Thune.

A wise choice for Thune would be to stand aside from the federal and state investigations of fraud in the Indian Reservation, and go hammer and tong after the fraud in the non-Indian county. After all, it's entirely "P.C." to go after white guys....

Congressman Billybob

On American Politics

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

[handy]

THE RUB IS: Per law, Thune can have the recount or he can sue based on the fraud investigations but he can't do both. I say he should sue for a federal investigation.

I find the above very difficult to believe. I see no reason why an automatic recount would preclude the filing of a suit because of fraud. One has no relation to the other. The recount is simply to verify an accurate count, a suit alleging fraud is a whole different ballgame. I would like to see a link on this assertion.

[who knows what evil?]

This time they've stolen MY vote for John Thune, and the votes of my whole family---and that makes it personal!

Everyone seems to forget about all the people who busted their a*s campaigning for Thune, and all the people who supported him at the polls. To lie down and concede when you smell FRAUD (which IS against the law), you are spitting in the face of your constituents. If I had spent weeks on the phones, distributing fliers, signs, and such on Thune's behalf, only to have him cave to fraud, I'd be p*ssed. If he thinks THAT little of my efforts and my vote, perhaps he can do without BOTH next time around.

[comebacknewt]

Congressman Billybob:

What do you make of Thune's press release?

Sounds to me like he is ready to concede. Thanks.

[AmishDude]

Voter registration in Shannon county, from here:

Year	R registrants	D registrants	Other	% voted
1988	679	3073	328	36%
1990	663	2936	476	27%
1992	680	3142	582	37%
1994	461	2613	514	35%
1996	623	3817	783	43%
1998	526	3731	705	31%
2000	563	3909	866	37%
2002	505	5556	929	44%

Note that the jumps in registration numbers occur during years when Johnson is running for Senate. Hmmm...

From SoS website, Shannon county results:

Year	Office	R	D	Others
1988	President	256	1206	17
	US House	250	1167	N/A	Tim Johnson (D)
1990	US Senate	433	579	69
	US House	304	720	N/A	Tim Johnson (D)
	Gov./Lt. Gov.	630	430	N/A
1992	President	225	1267	159
	US Senate	165	1416	52
	US House	130	1373	102	Tim Johnson (D)
1994	US House	159	973	102	Tim Johnson (D)
	Gov./Lt. Gov.	46	985	102
1996	President	253	1926	105
	US Senate	348	1949	N/A	Tim Johnson (D)
	US House	364	1843	96	John Thune (R)
1998	US Senate	239	1228	92
	US House	623	912	96	John Thune (R)
	Gov./Lt. Gov	182	1137	99
2000	President	252	1667	34
	US House	619	1285	55	John Thune (R)
2002	US Senate	248	2856	14	Tim Johnson (D) John Thune (R)
	US House	208	2857	46

By numbers alone, I'd suspect at least 800 illegal votes.

[Gophack]

I heard that Dashole may retire in 2004 ... if this race will be difficult to contest, maybe it would be wise for Thune to take the moral high ground, and then take the seat in 2004???????????? I don't know, just throwing it out there, what do you people think?