Posted on 02/15/2005 7:17:34 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
MILWAUKEE (AP) Five Democratic campaign staffers talked excitedly about how they carried out a plan to vandalize Republican get-out-the-vote vans early on Election Day, according to witnesses who testified at their preliminary hearing Tuesday.
Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Barry Phillips ordered the five, including the sons of Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore and former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt, to each stand trial on a felony charge of criminal damage to property.
Two Democratic presidential campaign workers who were sent to Wisconsin in the final weeks leading up to Nov. 2, Levar Stoney and Opel Simmons, testified they were in the Milwaukee Democratic headquarters when the five defendants left just after 3 a.m. Election Day and returned a short time later.
Simmons said the five were laughing and joking as they talked about what they had collectively done at the Republican office a couple of miles away.
Stoney testified that defendant Michael Pratt, the former acting mayor's son, talked about slashing a couple of tires, and Moore's son, Sowande Omokunde, also talked about the vandalism.
``I remember him saying he missed on his first attempt to slash a tire, yet he went back and was successful on his second attempt,'' Stoney said.
The five are accused of slashing the tires of 25 vans rented by the state Republican Party to drive voters and monitors to the polls on Election Day. The GOP rented more than 100 vehicles that were parked in a lot next to a George Bush campaign office.
The charge carries a maximum punishment of 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Also charged were Lewis Caldwell and Lavelle Mohammad, both from Milwaukee, and Justin Howell of Racine.
Both Simmons and Stoney testified the five defendants left the Democratic headquarters dressed in black early on Election Day. Simmons said when he asked where they were going, Pratt replied ``you don't want to know.''
Simmons said that the five returned about 20 minutes later.
``They seemed to be excited, excitable, kind of gleeful, laughing and kind of joking,'' he said.
Pratt said ``we got 'em and they're not going anywhere now,'' according to Simmons. Stoney said at least one of the five had a knife, but he could not recall which one.
Defense attorneys suggested Simmons and Stoney were also part of a plan called Operation Elephant Takeover, formulated by Democratic campaign workers to harass Republicans by plastering the GOP office and property with Kerry-Edwards signs and bumper stickers in the hours before the polls opened for Election Day.
Prosecutors contend the five defendants came up with the tire-slashing plan after Operation Elephant Takeover was dropped because a security guard was posted a the Republican office.
The five are each charged with a felony because prosecutors say damage to the vans rented by the Republican Party was more than $5,300, above the $2,500 necessary for a felony.
Howell's attorney, Rodney Cubbie, moved for dismissal of the charges because the vans were rented by individual Republican Party volunteers and not by the whole party.
Phillips denied that motion. The commissioner scheduled arraignment March 4.
Too true
This is the only evidence I've seen of people being disenfranchised and it was the Democrats that were the bad guys taking away an American's right to vote.
How could that possibly make one single bit of difference? Sheesh.
These pukes will get a slap on the wrist and mums and daddums will pay their fines for them.
"Oh Rochester! Get out the broom and sweep this mess under the rug immediately!"
They are Democrat Party MEMBERS.
And one is the son of a congresswoman (Gwen Moore), the other the son of the former acting mayor of Milwaukeee (Marvin Pratt). Hardly fringe characters.
When did you hear this on Quinn? I haven't had the time to listen to him since the beginning of the semester. Got a lot of catching up to do.
This really should be a RICO action.
How is this a defense? They planned to break different laws? Somone explain what this is trying to say, it looks like a "yea, we're guilty, but um, we meant to break another law first, and we premeditated breaking laws already"
Howell's attorney, Rodney Cubbie, moved for dismissal of the charges because the vans were rented by individual Republican Party volunteers and not by the whole party.
So if I rent a car, and you vandalize it, thats okay?
Even though your damaging somone elses property? This isn't a civil trial, its a criminal one, what kind of defence is this?
I think so to.
I honestly think, if you plea one of these guys out, you may start to move up the chain, and start nailing big fish.
The defence attorney seems to be implying that this was a premeditated thing organized by the party.
"The Democrats are the party of diversity and tolerance."
Well, if so, then the diverse and tolerant people in my own community keyed the Bush/Cheney bumpersticker off of my car when it was parked in Madison, WI.
"The commissioner scheduled arraignment March 4."
Thank you. My calendar is marked and we'll see what wrist-slappin' these knobs get. Don't hold your breath; I'm not expecting much.
You made me laugh. Thanks.
Notice too, how these wussies didn't get into trouble over being tough guys.
Liberals-NOT A REAL MAN AMONG THEM!
Fostered violence against free vote.Roots explored by the brave.
I smell a "larger conspiracy" and these 5 did "not act alone"
They're like the Watergate burglers. The loose thread that unravels the whole fabric.
Doesn't Moore's son go by some idiotic wacked out name? The great Solar something or other?
What did sKerry know??????
I looked it up on Yahoo. He's also known as Supreme Solar Allah.
That margin of "victory" would be 11,300, give or take a couple dozen.
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