Jackson say JK supports "full investigation" Questions Ohio Tally [View All]

Wonder why more is not made of this on Du? I think this is major news. Say Kerry was inclined to believe original information that he was given but now that they have unearthed more information???????
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Jackson questions Ohio election tally

By Reid Forgrave
Enquirer staff writer

IF YOU GO
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is to lead rallies in Columbus today and in Cincinnati on Monday to encourage Ohio to seek an investigation of the presidential vote. Jackson is to speak at Integrity Hall, 2081 Seymour Ave., Bond Hill, at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson plans to lead rallies in Columbus this afternoon and in Cincinnati on Monday morning in an effort to seek an investigation into the state's presidential election, which the civil rights leader claims had enough irregularities to warrant a closer look.

Saying the American voting process must regain credibility after the disputed 2000 presidential election, Jackson said the country needs more open, free and fair elections. An investigation of voting and vote-counting procedures in Ohio would be a step toward credibility, he said.

"We were promised this time that every vote would count," said Jackson, president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

Jackson cited several voting irregularities in Ohio as indicators that voting problems could be more widespread than reported. Among them:

• An error with an electronic voting system that gave President Bush 4,258 votes in a suburban Columbus precinct where only 638 people voted.

• Elections officials in Warren County who cited homeland security concerns for locking the media out of the Board of Elections office while votes were being counted.

• Large gaps between exit polls and actual results.

"We want to know how deep this pattern goes," Jackson said. "We have been continuing to pursue the outcome of the election with disturbing findings. ... We want a full investigation of these irregularities."

When asked why it was him, not the Democratic presidential candidate, who is demanding an investigation and recount, Jackson implied that Sen. John Kerry could become more vocal soon about an investigation on the Ohio vote or a statewide recount.

"Kerry was inclined to believe what he was told, and he was told the election was over," Jackson told a group of reporters in a conference call Saturday afternoon. "But now we're unearthing information that did not surface at first. I suppose the more information Kerry gets, the more you will hear from him."

Although a demand for a recount typically is not made until after the vote has been certified, Jackson and others, including the Green and Libertarian parties who have filed a lawsuit demanding a recount, fear that waiting until certification would not allow enough time for a completed recount before Ohio presidential electors meet Dec. 13.

The Ohio Secretary of State's Office has said certification should occur around Dec. 6.

E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com


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