Posted on 11/02/2004 12:01:02 AM PST by Founding Father
UPDATE: The judge has issued an order restricting Republicans from recording license plate numbers of people leaving the polls in Charles Mix County. Well, this is a kick in the pants for the Democrats, who wanted the judge to force the Republican Party to completely re-deploy all its poll watchers. They had no substantive evidence, they relied on a Howard Dean operative who has been here for a day as the basis for their case, they looked desperate, they didn't get the relief they wanted, the entire GOP poll watching system is still in place, and more questions have been raised about why Democrats are so paranoid about people "ostentatiously taking notes."
See #41.
Shoulda sued in New Jersey, Tiny Tom! THEY'D have done it for you...
Daschle wanted all pubbies out of the voting area--he lost. Pubbies can stay and observe--they cannot, in ONE county, record license plate #s. But, since the order says only pubbies are prohibited--anyone else can record the plate #s. This is a total victory for Thune.
Thanks
Fricking unbelievable....the DemonicRats are really making a scene...
November 01, 2004
Dirty Tricks by the Daschle Campaign
The Daschle campaign, desperate at finding itself behind in the polls, has resorted to an especially low form of "push polling." Our correspondent reports:
am here in Brookings, South Dakota [and] just thought I'd pass on the following information if you haven't seen or heard it.
The Daschle campaign is having people claiming to be pastors and ministers calling local South Dakotans asking them whether the fact the "John Thune is attacking Linda Daschle" bothers them or makes them uncomfortable. When one constituent peppered the "pastor" with questions about his hometown, where he lived - it was apparent this "pastor" was not from South Dakota at all.
I called the Daschle campaign in Brookings posing as a sympathetic constituent, and they CONFIRMED to me that these calls are being made.
Needless to say, Thune isn't attacking Linda Daschle. But for Tom Daschle, this is what his long career in the Senate has come down to--hoping to eke out a victory through whining, false claims, and fraud.
I'm not making a lot of predictions this year, but I'm going out on a limb on this one--Thune will win.
Posted by Hindrocket at 01:35 PM | TrackBack (0)
It is a big practical loss for Daschle, since what he really wanted was a blanket ban of Republican eletion observers on the reservations.
The real question is how this is going to be covered in the local press.
No doubt as to how it will be covered in the Argus Leader and on KELO -- the question is the rest of the state, and what will the spin do.
Knowing the truth, South Dakotans will be incensed, but knowing only half-truths, some might be tempted to return to their vomit and vote for Daschle.
Wonder how many votes will change to Thune as a result of this childish ploy?
Thanks, time for me to turn in for the night.
Fox News said in Favor of Dashel.
"HE'S A WHINER."
A wiener??
Who on Fox? We should maybe send 'em a link to the live thread. Tommy got his arse kicked......but good ;^)
FGS
During a hearing Monday night, David Jordan of Charlottesville, Va., a volunteer Daschle poll watcher, testified about activity that he considered to be intimidating to people who had not yet voted early.
"On an Indian reservation, word travels fast," he said.
Jordan said he spent Monday at Lake Andes and saw GOP lawyers follow Indian voters out of the polls and write down their license plate numbers.
"They did it pretty much every time" an Indian voted, Jordan said.
He introduced several photographs that he said showed the activity.
Dick Gregorson, a lawyer for the state Republican Party, tried to keep the photos out of evidence, but the judge allowed them.
"I think they're worthless," Gregorson said.
Jordan said that at one point, a lawyer said something loudly that could be considered intimidating and that another attorney rolled his eyes when voters signed an affidavit if they didn't have identification.
"Then, he wrote something down," Jordan said. "I think that would be intimidating."
On cross-examination, Jordan said none of the lawyers kept anyone from voting, spoke to any voters or wore clothing with Thune's name on it.
Joel C. Mandelman, of Arlington, Va., also testified Monday night. Mandelman, a lawyer, said he was hired by the Republican National Senatorial Committee to monitor the voting process because of worries about fraudulent voting.
He said he believes 150 attorneys are working for Republicans in eastern South Dakota and a greater number in the western part of the state on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations.
Mandelman testified that he wrote down the license plate numbers of six or seven vehicles used to take Indians to the Charles Mix County courthouse to vote early.
Mandelman said he and another GOP lawyer went out of their way to avoid intimidating voters.
"Nobody was intimidated by anything. They all voted," he said.
He said he made sure nobody saw him write down license numbers, and he said he and other Republican observers never talked to voters.
"They paid no attention to us whatsoever," Mandelman said.
During a break in the hearing, Daschle spokesman Dan Pfeiffer and Thune campaign manager Dick Wadhams got into a back-and-forth exchange with a reporter.
Pfeiffer said Thune's campaign lied in saying that Daschle was trying to keep Republican observers from watching the polls.
"It seeks to stop this behavior," Pfeiffer said of the testimony. "All we're trying to do is to let people vote."
Thune campaign manager Dick Wadhams shot back that the intent was to keep GOP watchers away and lay the groundwork for a judicial challenge of the election results.
"Who goes into court the night before an election if they're not afraid they're going to lose," he asked.
Wadhams said Piersol was, at one time, Daschle's lawyer, the judge was recommended to the bench by Daschle and Piersol's wife supports Daschle's campaign.
"This is a joke," Wadhams said.
Pfeiffer challenged the Republicans to ask the judge to recuse himself if they are serious about the allegations that he couldn't be fair.
A crowd comprised mostly of Thune supporters gathered outside the federal courthouse with signs such as "Don't Steal Tom," "Shame on Tom" and "Time for Change."
Dirty politics from a dirty little man. To bad Tommy-boy , you should have stayed true to your State.
One hijacker stopped...several to go...
ping
Judge orders GOP to halt poll tactics
Mike Madden
Argus Leader Washington Bureau
published: 11/2/2004
Daschle sues to stop 'intimidation' of Indians
Republican poll workers in Lake Andes were intimidating Native American voters on Monday, a federal judge ruled early today.
Republicans may not write down license plate numbers or follow Native Americans from polling places during today's election, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol ruled in a temporary restraining order.
The ruling comes after Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle sued his opponent, John Thune, and the GOP in federal court in Sioux Falls on Monday, asking Piersol to stop what Democrats say was intimidation of voters.
"This ruling will hopefully ensure that every legitimate voter can vote free of intimidation on Election Day," said Daschle spokesman Dan Pfeiffer.
Piersol, whom Daschle chose for the federal bench, released his opinion about 1:45 a.m. today after hearing one witness from each side.
Daschle is depending on heavy turnout from Native American voters to win an expected close election.
Republicans had not decided whether to appeal, as of early today.
"It's a total joke," said Dick Wadhams, Thune's campaign manager. "What you've got is a situation where there is no credible evidence presented and the judge bent over backward for his long-time political pal."
Daschle charges that GOP poll observers have been crowding voters, making notes as they voted and writing down license plate numbers of cars bringing them to vote.
Scares me out o' voting every time ;^)
FGS
Obviously, I'm no lawyer, because it felt like a loss to me.
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