VOTER FRAUD ARREST TO BE MADE - SD

Mobridge SD Tribune ^ | 11/12/02 | LANA JOHNSON

[Elkiejg]

Becky Red Earth-Villeda, also known as Maka Duta, the Flandreau woman hired by the South Dakota Democratic Party to recruit voters, will be arrested for alleged forgery of absentee ballot applications.

According to Attorney General Mark Barnett, Red Earth-Villeda is suspected of forging the signatures on 500 to 1,000 absentee ballot applications in 25 counties statewide, including Dewey County. She will face the multiple charges in Minnehaha County.

"Maka Duta will be arrested in the ordinary course of events," said Barnett. "No evidence has been obtained that shows she has cast or made an attempt to cast actual ballots."

Red Earth-Villeda was interviewed by investigators extensively on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

Hired as an independent contractor, Red Earth-Villeda was fired by the Democratic Party after it was discovered in early October that two of the people she "registered" were invalid. One such "registration" was discovered by Ziebach County Auditor Cindy Longbrake.

Longbrake received a ballot application for Denise Red Horse. The main problem with the application is that it was dated Sept. 21, 18 days after Red Horse had died in an automobile accident. An application for Red Horse was also received in Dewey County.

Dewey County Auditor Adelle Enright said another application for a deceased woman, Marjorie Clown, was also received by her office.

Currently, there are 30 South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation agents working on the case.

[aladyjfw]

Why is it always the Democrats who commit voter fraud? Aren't there any crooked Republicans?

[martin gibson]

She was exemplifying diversity within the demoncrap party as one of the first nativehyphenamericans to help implement the fraudulent demoncrap agenda...

Yes, of course...

In fact, isn't Mzzz Duta the real victim here...?

[SD Badlands]

There are many more. In the county adjacent to mine, there were three formal complaints written on election day.

[SoDak]

Nothing really. I did a lot of work for the campaign, and I still haven't heard anything. Thune is waiting for the votes to be completely canvassed and then will decide whether to ask for a recount. I think he's very worried about being tainted by the process, because the state will have to pick up the tab for a recount. I've said that if he asks, his people will pony up for reimbursing the state, all he has to do is ask. News has all but been nonexistent.

[timestax]

bump

[wgeorge2001]

According to Attorney General Mark Barnett, Red Earth-Villeda is suspected of forging the signatures on 500 to 1,000 absentee ballot applications in 25 counties statewide, including Dewey County. She will face the multiple charges in Minnehaha County.

"Maka Duta will be arrested in the ordinary course of events," said Barnett. "No evidence has been obtained that shows she has cast or made an attempt to cast actual ballots."

Why does Barnett think the woman was forging ballots?
Perhaps she had to much time on her hands and needed a pastime? Perhaps she was seeing how it 'felt' to cheat for the first time in her life? Perhaps she did not know it is illegal to cast false ballots?
Sometimes I wonder about prosecutors.

[Coop]

Thanks for your perspective.

[backhoe]

GTBOS ( glad to be of service! )

[Tall_Texan]

There aren't enough GOP votes to impeach Johnson. Wouldn't you need 67 votes? Won't happen. The Dims would stick together.

What I'd like to see come from this is tougher anti-vote fraud laws, an end to motor-voter, same-day registration, provisional balloting and voting without identification.

Once January comes, we'll have the votes to pass it without needing a single Democrat other than one in each chamber to co-author the bill.

We could possibly gain more by using Thune as a poster-boy for vote fraud than we could gain by actually seating him. We could make Tim Johnson's name synonymous with election fraud.

[alethia]

I do agree with your suggestion of a special election. It would be difficult to generate so much fraud under the watchful eyes of about 30 or so Feds and lots of Republican poll watchers.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[timestax]

bump

[GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY]

Oh yeah, that whole two-thirds thing. The whole reason that Slick Willie was not removed from office. How many principled Democrats can there be in the Senate? I think I can count about two (Breaux and Miller, and who really knows about Breaux).

I agree with you on tougher voter fraud laws. I think voting with identification is a must and we should do something to help the states purge folks who are registered in multiple jurisdictions or pass away. The system now is not uniform enough and open to fraud. The problem is not enough people take voting that seriously and it is a shame.

[Otta B Sleepin]

A recount merely checks the math and ensures no votes were uncounted. That may not help Thune. Identification of fraudulent votes will help Thune immensely. This may end up in a federal court

Thanks for your explanation. I've been trying to figure out how a recount would help Thune, since it wouldn't necessarily expose the voter fraud.

It's my understanding that if Thune requests a recount and still comes up short, he forfeits the opportunity to go to court to have fraudulent ballots thrown out. After the debacle of Election 2000, I personally have no doubt that a recount would be to Johnson's advantage.

If there's not enough evidence to go to court (and I find that possibility hard to believe), then a recount would be the last resort. I believe Thune has till Nov. 15 to request it.

[Otta B Sleepin]

My understanding is that if Thune calls for a recount he cannot file a lawsuit. So he is standing by and keeping all his options open.

This is my understanding also. I think Thune has until Nov. 15 to decide.

[MamaLucci]

bttt

[MamaLucci]

The vote fraud investigation will continue no matter what Thune does tomorrow.

[Elkiejg]

OK freepers - we have a job to do today. The SD GOP needs to hear from voters across America that we DEMAND a full investigation into the SD Senate results. A child could see that Johnson DID NOT win this election without voter fraud. Make that call or send emails:

Republican National Committee Membership South Dakota

Executive Director: Laura Schoen
P.O. Box 1099
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone (605) 224-7347
FAX (605) 224-7349
administrator@southdakotagop.com
www.southdakotagop.com

National GOP

Mailing Address:
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Phone Numbers:
Phone: 202.863.8500
Fax: 202.863.8820

Email Addresses:
General Information: info@rnc.org

[jdege]

Severe punishment for the individuals? Yes.

But I'd punish the party officials not just if they were linked to the fraud, but if they hired the individuals who committed the fraud, and could be shown to have not provided proper supervision.

If the DNC is going to pay someone per absentee ballot application, what procedures do they have in place to ensure that they aren't paying for fraud?

What review do they have of the work their paid contractors are doing?

If the answer is none, that should be sufficient to make them liable for penalty.

[Lady In Blue]

What is Johnson's pronouncement on all these suspicious voting patterns? Have the media taking the adversarial position and in asking him appropriate questions? Or is he getting and taking a free pass?

I remember very distinctly that in one of their debates on C-Span(may have been the last one),Thune at one point and rather pointedly asked Johnson to "hold a press conference and say that you had nothing to do with the fraud."

I'll remember the look on Johnson's face for a long time.He didn't say a word about Thune's request and there was a blank look on his face.And just as telling was that NOT ONE REPORTER followed up on that or asked Johnson his views on the fraud investigation! It was really disgusting!