Posted on 11/03/2002 6:07:39 PM PST by sweetliberty
We have just returned to Budge's house to do the FReep report because there is a lot of information to report.
In attendance were Budge, Travelgirl, The Battman, parsifal, Don Frivoinai, sweetliberty, and another FReeper who, for reasons you will come to understand shortly, needs to remain anonymous until after the election.
We arrived at Budge's around noon to get everything set up for the maiden FReep of the Arkansas Hog Wild FReepers and the FReepmobile. We got to the site around quarter after 1 and finished up some signs and headed over to the convention center to await the arrival of XXX42 and his horde of Rats. There we were joined by several folks from the Hutchinson campaign and there were quite a few folks who came down from Mount Ida. There ended up being about 30 of us on the outside.
During the wait, we were informed of quite a few "questionable" things going on. For starters, there was one young man who is active with Tim Hutchinson's campaign who was threatened with arrest if he didn't leave the premises. He had done nothing to provoke this action other than they knew who he was. One of the FReepers who is a poll watcher was also threatened with arrest when she tried to go inside the convention center. Another young man who is a Hutchinson aide had a ticket to the event and because he had been seen talkiing to the "opposition" he was not allowed in, being told that it was a private event and they could exclude whoever they wanted to. There was also a group of black folks who were with us so this young man passed his ticket to one of the black guys, who removed all his campaign stuff and went in incognito, laughing saying that they'd never suspect a black guy. Will give you his report later.
Nobody would tell us what door Clinton would be entering by so we took a chance and hung out on one side of the building where they said the car would drive by. True to form, XXX42 was late by nearly an hour. But here is the great part. We were positioned between 2 entrances. One was a major side entrance. The other was a small, fenced-in service entrance by the garbage dumpsters. Well, guess which one he used. Think....which would be most appropriate. Yep, you guessed it. The snake slithered in through the garbage entrance. And he got a look at our signs. It was a classic moment in FReeperdom.
There was a whopping 500 people or so there for the "event". There were few enough people that there was a Jehovah's Witness convention going on in the building at the same time. When Clinton arrived the Jehovah's Witnesses started leaving. At that time we didn't realize that there was another event going on and Travelgirl and The Battman asked one of the cops on duty why everyone was leaving. He responded, "if Clinton entered a room, what would YOU do?" When the Jehovah's Witnesses left, the parking lot started clearing out.
Anyway, we may have to flesh in this post after we all get home because there is a lot to tell, but there is certain information that it is very important to get out there NOW! Back to our "spy". When he came out, he said they were running it like a church service, and the whole focus was on how the evil Republicans are trying to keep them from voting. They were saying that we have all the poll watchers this election to prevent THEM from voting. Now, here is the clencher. They were told that there would be attorneys posted at every precinct to prevent poll watchers from challenging ANY ballots. Now, mind you, one of our poll watchers has already had massive problems with them at the polls during early voting the past couple of weeks and has been advised to retain an attorney. They have had the sherriff remove her from the polls twice when she had done nothing inappropriate...only challenging ballots for improper or no ID. There is an all out campaign by these people to intimidate the poll watchers and then turn around and accuse us of voter intimidation. This is serious and at least one person has some legitimate fear. I can't really elaborate at this point. The reason we wanted to get this up right away is to get other FReepers on the case to get this publicized and contact appropriate media, political and legal sources to alert them that Republican poll watchers in this county are likely to be facing an organized, all-out Rat attack. Any help that FReepers can offer is needed!! Make phone calls, send letters. Whatever you can do. Post your ideas as well.
If not a video .. differently a tape recorder
Thanks Lion!
All reports will be forwarded to the proper investigative authorities.
Well, that may be why they were so diligently trying to prevent any known Republicans from attending the event. There was presumably media present, but they were probably so busy slobbering on Clinton's shoes that they never heard a word that was said.
Like I said, Budge has the guy's name and they were pretty actively involved with the Jay Dickey campaign, and I think one of our FReeper poll watchers knows who he is too and can perhaps reach him and have him report this first hand...I hope.
If I recall they are ALSO sending a boat load of Lawyers down to Florida .. most likely to do the same thing
This is spiritual warfare, folks! We've got to be on our knees in prayer about this!!
I'm not sure how consistent the law is for poll watchers from state to state. Here we are entitled to be where we can see the signatures and make our own comparisons, keep our own lists of the names of questionable voters and challenge a ballot. This doen't mean that they are turned away. It means that they cast their ballot and it goes in a special envelope and the election judges have the final say whether or not the ballot is accepted. What they have been doing in at least two counties during early voting is preventing the poll watchers from being able to effectively do their job. We cannot challenge the voter directly, but the poll worker.
Sweetliberty, Budge, and some others FReeped the Creep tonight (not me). Because this is an important thread for you to read, I'm pinging you, even if I don't know you. Please read, especially the part quoted in red. According to an "honorary" FReeper "spy," the Rats said they were going to prevent Republicans poll watching by RAT lawyers.
our "spy" . . . when he came out, he said . . . They were told that there would be attorneys posted at every precinct to prevent poll watchers from challenging ANY ballots. . . There is an all out campaign by these people to intimidate the poll watchers and then turn around and accuse us of voter intimidation. . . . get other FReepers on the case to get this publicized and contact appropriate media, political and legal sources to alert them that Republican poll watchers in this county are likely to be facing an organized, all-out Rat attack.
PLEASE PING YOUR LISTS so we can get the word out. Thanks.
Isn't that the truth. And then he played a not so nice trick on our already distressed FReeper by calling her on her cell phone, faking an accent and claiming to be from the NAACP questioning her about preventing people from voting. We think parsy has "issues". LOL!
Yes it is, and yes, sadly, we are at war.
Good idea on keeping in the Breaking News .. I am sure the Rats are going to pull this stunt all over the country
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