Democratic National Committee Announces Ohio Election Review Team

http://www.democrats.org/news/200503040002.html

Democratic National Committee Announces Ohio Election Review Team
Washington, D.C. – The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced the members of its Ohio Election Task Force. This group of seasoned professionals in the electoral and technology fields are taking an in-depth look into the issues of voter registration problems, long lines at the polls, the issuance and counting of provisional ballots and voting equipment irregularities that voters faced during the 2004 presidential election in Ohio. The team has been hard at work since January, conducting surveys and reviewing election data from all across the state. The task force will submit its report to the DNC with suggestions for moving forward.

"I am confident that Voting Rights Institute (VRI) Chair Donna Brazile and her team of experts will properly investigate what went wrong in the Ohio election process," said DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean. "This investigation will ensure that every vote will be counted and everyone who is eligible to vote will be able to secure that right."

"This team is hard at work, analyzing voting irregularities," said VRI Chair Brazile. "We are putting the efforts and resources into this project because it is vital that we find out what went wrong, how we can fix it, and restore the faith of the American people in our voting system."

OHIO REVIEW TEAM MEMBERS
(Long list follows.)

But I'm not to sure about donna brazil. Anyone out there care to boost my confidence in her? Tell me that she is the person to do this job and get results.

Someone? Anyone? Please?

This is SO important!

Dean has a lot of confidence in her, I think. The list of people on the team looks very impressive indeed, very impressive.

And Gore's 2000 campaign wasn't exactly the greatest thing I've seen--how she will be in this capacity I can't guess.

have felt that she falls more closely into the Clinton group that advocates moving toward the Republican positions. I'm very nervous that she has been put in charge of the important Ohio Voting review.
We'd better keep our eye on her. She's slippery.

daylight between the DLC and the Democratic Party.
If there is, then we need to break out the axe handles.

like she is using lots of "weasel speak". In other words, she talks but never says much. For this voting study we don't need "weasel words".

nuff said

that she spoke to Rove every day on the phone?

I'm sorry but if that is true, then in my book, that is consorting with the enemy.

Iowa review commitee. Yep no more Caucuses for the Red folk.

The only thing that's worth a damn is their wrestling team.

made by Iowans. I had thought more of them than that. It's too bad Lt. Gov. Pederson is not going to run for Gov. Her presence in the office would have most definitely helped.

:toast::thumbsup::bounce:

NGU.

Good news, good news indeed.
I will sleep just a tad better tonight.

http://www.democrats.org/news/200412060007.html

DNC Chair McAuliffe and Voting Rights Institute Chair Donna Brazile Announce Comprehensive Investigative Study on Election Practices in Ohio
Washington, D.C. – "Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Terry McAuliffe and Voting Rights Institute Chair Donna Brazile announced today that the DNC will conduct a comprehensive investigative study of key election practices and issues surrounding the 2004 general election in Ohio. The purpose of this study is not to contest the results of the election but to fulfill the Democratic Party's commitment to ensuring that every eligible voter can vote and that every vote cast, is counted....."

SNIP...""We are launching this comprehensive investigative study not to contest the results of the 2004 election, but again to help ensure that every eligible vote cast is truly counted. This study will address the legitimate questions and concerns that have been raised in Ohio. Our goal is to understand and report back on what happened and why," said Chairman McAuliffe.

As soon as the team is named, it is anticipated the investigation will begin immediately and a full report will be issued in the spring....."


I guess Dean appointed or helped choose the team.(?) Would think so. I guess this was a group, VRI, Donna Brazile had already worked with.

It is about time it got its show on the road! Go Howard. Thanks, Terry for setting it up.

But what I want to see is either a verifiable paper trial for every voting machine or simply get rid of the voting machines completely. It is completely ridiculous and corrupt that in this day and age we have partisan corporations exercising absolute control over our vote counting process with no independent way to verify if they are honest or accurate.

Until one of those things happens, democracy is dead in America. All the campaigning, donating, and get out the vote efforts aren't going to amount to jack shit in the end. But I'm grateful to Mr. Dean for at least taking an interest. Let's just hope that that interest isn't short lived and that we see some real reform happen.

WASHINGTON — Two years ago, Donna Brazile, then Al Gore's campaign manager, was engaged in daily combat with Karl Rove, then George W. Bush's top campaign strategist.

Today, they chirpily exchange e-mail, chat on the phone and write letters, indulging in their shared zeal for the inner workings of politics.

"I like her a lot," said Mr. Rove, now ensconced in the West Wing as President Bush's chief political adviser.

Ms. Brazile, a committed Democrat who was the first black woman to manage a presidential campaign, has built similar relationships with other Republicans, like Grover Norquist, an influential conservative strategist. And her coziness with them comes as she is deeply frustrated with her own party for what she calls years of taking African-Americans for granted and for failing to organize for elections in a coherent way.

....

http://members.cox.net/fweil/NYT030221.htm

oh well,what`s a little fascism in the USA? i mean what`s it going to hurt? if we didn`t have dean we`d all be in a football stadium somewhere milling around waiting for our number to be picked....

anymore - she's gotten way too cozy w/ right-wingers

NYT? Could it be they are just trying to make us distrust her and/or each other? Wasn't there a NYT scandal lately?

is how it is timed to coincide with the sponsorship of the Bill on voting reform.

Does anyone else notice the coordinated messages coming out of the Democratic Party lately on this and other issues (SS)?

B.

Yes, there does seem to be real focus and coordination lately. The donkey is kickin' with precision.

too little, too late.
ummm...that horse is long gone closing the gate won't help now.

but it would be interesting to see if there is any legal precedent for overturning an election (be it local, state, or national) if anything could be proven to change the outcome months or even years after the official results took effect.

But you are right. If this thread is any indication, it is too late for the party.

Sorry for your loss of optmism. Who am I kidding, no I'm not.

Of course it is too late to overturn what happened in 2000 and 2004. Major League Duh. But if you don't think this is an issue that needs to be rode like a rented mule. Why are you wasting your time at a political site. Simply join the Nazi Party and sing Kumbaya.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important then fixing this. We can change the tone, change our leaders, change our bierkenstocks, it just won't matter.

So Donna, when you want to join the Disenfranchised Dems, or do you think Karl Rove will take care of it. GAG

Please find a way to get a national showing of what the People in Ohio went through. Their stories will straighten our asses out in a hurry. And yes it will hurt your little pity party, BIG TIME.

I watched a video which I didn't save, darnit, that showed people standing in lines in Ohio - obviously hours long. Being shut out and not allowed to get inside to vote.

I heard testimony of voters on how they got shuffled from one place to another and had to cast provisionals which probably weren't counted because the rules weren't followed by the elections judges.

92,000 ballots not counted.

1000's of pages of evidence presented in court by the Fraud Buster Four and Blackwell dragging Kerry and Edwards thru the mud now.

Yeah, no way we can stop fighting for vote reform, but let's keep our eyes on the facts and not claw at each other in frustration.

DEMS have the opportunity to pull all the disenfranchised under our protection, and the more that come, the more protected we all are. If we can get even 75% of Americans pulling in the same direction we can change the world... and boy is the world's diaper stinky! :nuke:

Numerous state & federal election law that he BLATENTLY broke as SOS to ensure that gop had their "win". Once the sElection was over, he continued to openly engage in illegal behavior, could it be because the Ohio AG had his back, in overseeing a recount that also broke both state & federal election law to ensure that the votes would not be counted, and that there would be no transparency.

Ask Donna Brazile, what about Ken Fraudwell? Is that bastard going to prision already??

IMHO, neither Ms. Brazile, nor Fraudwell are representatives of the African American community.

This is not about Donna Brazile, not about Howard Dean. It is about the future of our country.

It shows a great team of experts being brought together. It shows a message getting out.

If you read what the committee was set up to do, it is not to overturn the election. It is to find and fix what is wrong.

The party is fighting back and letting people know we are.

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What can I say?
:shrug:

Our folks are working as a TEAM to preserve democracy and people still want to batter individuals.

I am glad this is being pursued in the interest of DEMOCRACY because that is the ONLY way it can be advanced. To paint it as an attempt to overturn the election gives the other side the storyline they need to defeat the effort.

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Gee, that is very beneficial. What is going on here?

and this team does not look promising.
Very, very tired of style over substance.

You are accusing the party of not wanting to investigate, and you claim to know a lot about the team. Please take each one and explain. I would so much appreciate it. I was under the illusion that our party cared, so I would like to hear your critique of each one. I also am critical of either party when I know what I am talking about, so maybe I am just ignorant on these folks. Please set me straight.

OHIO REVIEW TEAM MEMBERS
Julie Andreeff - Julie Andreeff, a graduate of American University's Washington College of Law, is a practicing attorney and lobbyist. Andreeff was an associate at Powell Goldstein Frazer & Murphy where she specialized in election law. Andreeff left Powell Goldstein to become part of the team during the Iowa caucuses which helped John Kerry win a come from behind victory. She then traveled to three other primary states and served as political director in those states until Kerry secured the nomination. During the General election, Andreef returned to Iowa to serve as political director and left mid-cycle to go to the battle ground state of Ohio where she was a regional field director for the campaign. As part of her role in Ohio, she built and managed the largest voter protection and education team in presidential history in Cuyahoga County. Andreeff recruited and trained 1500 poll watchers to serve as a front line for voters to answer any questions and ensure their right to vote. She helped direct the largest Get-out-the-Vote effort in Cuyahoga County contributing to a record turn out of voters for Democrats in Ohio presidential history.

Cornell Belcher – Cornell Belcher is the founder and President of Brilliant Corners Research and Strategies and functions as the principal strategist on all of the firm’s projects. Belcher is experienced at campaign politics and has over a decade of expertise in quantitative and qualitative research, message development and product and behavioral insight. Belcher has built Brilliant Corners into an established brand that organizations and companies seek out for its unique perspective and creative approach.

Diane Feldman - Diane Feldman is President of The Feldman Group, a highly regarded national political research firm. Established in 1989, The Feldman Group has worked with Democratic candidates from President of the United States to local school board president, and with unions, issue campaigns, initiatives and referenda across the country. The Feldman Group has helped win elections nationally and in 40 states. In 2004, Feldman was a part of the Kerry - Edwards 04 polling team. Before founding The Feldman Group, Feldman was a partner at Feldman, Lester & Associates, and Senior Associate with Greenberg Research. Feldman is a research as well as political professional. She holds a PhD in experimental psychology and quantitative methods from the State University of New York at Binghamton and has held research fellowships at Yale University and Duke University.

Eric Greenwald - Eric Greenwald is a lawyer and consultant in Washington, DC with extensive experience in both the public and private sector. He has served as an Attorney Advisor with the Central Intelligence Agency's Office of General Counsel and in the National Security Law Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation where he focused on counterterrorism and international computer crime. In the private sector, Mr. Greenwald has worked as a litigator and an international trade lawyer with the law firms Steptoe & Johnson and Shearman & Sterling respectively. More recently, he has been involved in production and editing of television and radio news with 60 Minutes and National Public Radio. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Greenwald worked with the Voting Rights Institute as the Deputy Director for Voter Protection in Ohio where he coordinated very closely with election officials and collaborated on litigation concerning provisional ballots and voter registration.

Michael C. Herron, PhD - Michael Herron is Associate Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. He previously was on the faculty of Northwestern University and was a Post - Doctoral Research Fellow at Harvard University. Herron has published in the top political science journals, and his current research interests consist of the study of election irregularities, legislative districting, and the use of quantitative methods in political research.

Daniel J. Hoffheimer – Daniel J. Hoffheimer, former President of the Cincinnati Bar Association and of the Federal Bar Association, Cincinnati Chapter, is a partner with Taft, Stettinuis & Hollister LLP, Cincinnati, OH, where his law practice is concentrated in nonprofit, charitable, and political organizations; wealth management, succession and estate planning, trust and probate law, family business, elder law and guardianships estate and gift taxation and probate court litigation. In 2004, Hoffheimer served as State Counsel in Ohio for the Kerry-Edwards campaign. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Harvard College and his law degree in 1976 from the University of Virginia Law School.

Juan M. Jover, PhD – Dr. Juan Jover, a high - technology entrepreneur, received his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Masters in Engineering Management both from Stanford University. He has been involved in the investigation of false claims related to technology devices. His membership in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and its Standards Association provides insights to standardization of electronic equipment. Jover received a Fulbright Fellowship in 1980 and co-authored a book on computers in Spanish at age 24.

Walter R. Mebane, Jr., PhD - Walter R. Mebane Jr. is Professor of Government at Cornell University. He has published numerous research articles concerning topics in American politics, especially elections, and political methodology, including statistics and mathematical modeling. He wrote a series of articles that examined the discrepancies between voters' intentions and the outcome of the 2000 presidential election, focusing on Florida. He has developed statistical methods useful for identifying anomalies in election results. Currently he is continuing work on a project that examines how information, partisan messages and rational voter choices all relate to the dynamics of election campaigns and the institutional structure of American government. He is a member of the Council of the Midwest Political Science Association and served on the Social Science Research Council's National Research Commission on Elections and Voting.

Jasjeet S. Sekhon, PhD – Sekhon is an Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University and an Associate of Harvard's Center for Basic Research in the Social Sciences. He’s done extensive research on elections, voting behavior and voting irregularities. Sekhon has developed numerous statistical methods including techniques to detect election irregularities and methods to make causal inferences. He is the author of numerous scientific articles and software programs. For more information please see http://jsekhon.fas.harvard.edu/.

Dan Wallach, PhDan Wallach is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He earned his bachelor's at the University of California, Berkeley and his PhD at Princeton University. His research involves computer security and the issues of building secure and robust software systems for the Internet. Wallach began his security career in 1995 when he and his colleagues found serious flaws in the security of Java applets; an attacker could use your web browser to hijack your entire computer. Wallach has also studied security issues that occur in distributed and peer-to-peer systems. Wallach, along with colleagues at Johns Hopkins, co-authored a groundbreaking study that reported significant flaws in Diebold's AccuVote-TS electronic voting system. He has testified about voting security issues before government bodies in the U.S., Mexico, and the European Union.

OHIO ADVISORY TEAM MEMBERS
Timothy M. Burke - Timothy M. Burke is an attorney with the Cincinnati firm of Manley Burke. His practice is concentrated in local government law. He is in his 12th year as the Chair of the Hamilton County Board of Elections. Prior to joining the Board he handled many election law matters including successfully defending a rare contest of election case. He also served as an International Election Supervisor for the first post war municipal elections in Bosnia and did election training in Slovakia.

Susan Gwinn – Susan Gwinn has served as the Athens County Democratic Party Chairwoman and as a member of the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee since 1996. She has served on the Athens County Board of Elections since 1998 and in 2000 became the Chairwoman of the Board and continues to serve today. Professionally, she is an attorney in private practice in Athens County. She also served as regional counsel for the Kerry Campaign in 2004 coordinating 21 county counsels and helped shape the legal strategy for Ohio. She has been a leader in Ohio in promoting provisional balloting and secured the first provisional voting location on an Ohio campus in 2000. The Ohio University campus remains the only Ohio campus with a provisional voting location which has led to Athens County having one of the highest percentages of provisional voting in the State. Over 7,000 Ohio University students voted in Athens County during the 2004 election.

Greg Haas - A 25-year veteran political consultant, Haas is currently Senior Political Director for Mayor Michael B. Coleman of Columbus, Ohio. Haas has worked on numerous campaigns, including serving as Ohio coordinator for then Governor Bill Clinton in 1992 and was the first person hired to work the Clinton reelection. He served as campaign and media consultant for Mary Ellen Withrow, the only person to serve as County Treasurer, State Treasurer, and U.S. Treasurer. Haas has also served as Executive Director of the Ohio Democratic Party and Deputy Political Director of the Democratic National Committee.

Brooke Hill - Brooke Hill began working in the world of political campaigns and elections as a volunteer in the Cincinnati campaign office for Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988. Having since served in a variety of campaign capacities for members of Cincinnati City Council and the Mayor, Ohio Attorney General, US Senate and President, Ms. Hill’s consultation is now often sought by elected officials and candidates. She was a member of the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee and currently serves as Special Assistant to the Mayor of Cincinnati.

Dennis Lieberman - Dennis Lieberman is a partner with the law firm Flanagan, Lieberman, Hoffman & Swaim. He has served as Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party since 1994 and currently serves on the Montgomery County Board of Elections. He has also been active with the Ohio Democratic Party and Chairs Association.

Senator Mark Mallory – Senator Mark Mallory is the Assistant Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate, representing the 9th Senate District, which spans most of Cincinnati and some surrounding municipalities. He is the second highest ranking African American Democrat in state government. During his ten years of service in the legislature, Mallory has been a champion of voting rights and election reform, having served on both the Election System Study Commission and the Help America Vote Act State Planning Committee. Mallory has been a long time proponent of eliminating punch card voting machines, hosting a demonstration of alternative voting machines in the summer of 2003. Mallory has also been a tireless advocate to protect the voting rights of ex-offenders. Co-Chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party from 1999 to 2004, Mallory has helped lead a resurgence of the Democratic Party in the traditionally conservative Hamilton County. He has also been a member of the Democratic National Committee since 2000 and a member of the State Central Committee since 1998.

Alan Melamed - Alan Melamed is the President of Melamed Communications, a public relations firm specializing in governmental affairs, media relations, issue and candidate campaigns and crisis management. Melamed has served in a broad range of positions in political campaigns at the national, state and local levels. He currently manages the Mayoral Campaign for Cleveland City Council President, Frank G. Jackson. In 2004, Melamed served as Campaign Manager for Ohioans Protecting the Constitution leading the statewide campaign against the so-called Gay Marriage Amendment to the Ohio Constitution. In 1998, he chaired Lee Fisher’s Gubernatorial Campaign in Ohio and served as the campaign’s spokesperson. He has also worked as a staff member in the U.S. Senate, as an aide to former Governor Jack Gilligan and as a city councilman in Shaker Heights for 12 years. He is a member of the executive committees’ of the Ohio Democratic Party and the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.

Ron Malone - Ron Malone is the Ohio Director of AFSCME United, representing more than 90,000 working men and woman in Ohio. Malone has held that position since 1994. He also was the Assistant Secretary of State in Ohio, and was responsible for the election process of Ohio’s elections. Malone was the Mayor of Marion, Ohio from 1980–1988.

Russ Pry - Russ Pry is an attorney with the law firm of Cassetty, Muse & Pry and has been chair of the Democratic Party of Summit County since 1998. He served as the past Secretary and Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Summit County. Pry has been on the Summit County Board of Elections since 2000, and prior to that served as a local elected official for approximately ten years. From 1980-1984, Pry served as the Field Representative to former Congressman John Seiberling (14 Cong. Dist. OH).

Jim Ruvolo - Jim Ruvolo is principal of Ruvolo and Associates, a public affairs and political consulting firm in Toledo, Ohio. The firm specializes in providing strategic counsel to clients in the areas of government affairs, political campaigns, and crisis management. Prior to starting the firm, Ruvolo served as Executive Director and Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party from June, 1982 through January, 1991. He also was formerly the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs and Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee. In 1992, Ruvolo chaired the Rules Committee at the Democratic National Convention. Ruvolo served on the Lucas County Board of Elections from 1976 until 1983. These county boards are comprised of two Democrats and two Republicans and oversee the conduct of the election in the county. In national campaigns, Ruvolo was the delegate selection coordinator for President Clinton in 1996 and Vice President Al Gore in 2000. In 2004, Ruvolo was the Chair of the Ohio John Kerry campaign.

Fred Strahorn – Fred Strahorn is serving his third term in the Ohio State Legislature. He is a member of the Montgomery County Democrats and serves on the Economic Development and Environment, Finance and Appropriations, Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, Public Utilities and Energy, and Ways and Means committees. In 2003 he received the Charles Wesley Peckham Award for Humanitarian Leadership.

Nan Whaley - Nan Whaley is former Executive Director of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, a former Board Member of the Montgomery County Board of Elections and was the co-Chair of the County Kerry Campaign. A grassroots activist, Whaley has been involved in elections in Southwest Ohio for over 10 years. Whaley currently serves as an assistant to the Auditor in the Montgomery County Auditors Office.

Dennis White - Dennis White has over 18 years of public service in the Democratic Party. He is the Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party and a Madison Township Trustee, overseeing a $9 million budget that includes fire, police and public services. He is the former Franklin County Democratic Party Chair and during his chairmanship he oversaw a massive revitalization of that organization which resulted in over 130 Democrats being elected to office, including the first Democrat mayor in over thirty years.

Have both run campaigns for R's in Ohio, campaigns that were very negative against Dem candidates.

They're for sale to the highest bidder, whether R or D. Its not to say they aren't good campaign consultants, they're just not people whom I would consider staunch, loyal Democrats.

Denny White - I called him for months trying to get him to talk to Verified Voting about problems with electronic voting in Ohio. He wasn't smart enough to figure it out until it was too late. He's the worst Dem chair we've had in Ohio in decades. Maybe he just needs a paycheck, who knows?

These are all people from Columbus, Dayton or Cincinnati. Cuyahoga County had huge problems, why is there no one from Cuy Co on this committee?

Maybe these are leftovers from McCauliffe, who knows?

Washington, D.C. – The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced the members of its Ohio Election Task Force. This group of seasoned professionals in the electoral and technology fields are taking an in-depth look into the issues of voter registration problems, long lines at the polls, the issuance and counting of provisional ballots and voting equipment irregularities that voters faced during the 2004 presidential election in Ohio. The team has been hard at work since January, conducting surveys and reviewing election data from all across the state. The task force will submit its report to the DNC with suggestions for moving forward.

"I am confident that Voting Rights Institute (VRI) Chair Donna Brazile and her team of experts will properly investigate what went wrong in the Ohio election process," said DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean. "This investigation will ensure that every vote will be counted and everyone who is eligible to vote will be able to secure that right."

I count 23 on the team. I will keep the ones you mentioned and start a list. Thanks.

Let's get it out in the open with insinuations. We all need to know. This is Donna's team, and by saying things like this you are accusing her of not being fair.

it's a question of her predilection (sp) to buying the Official Story or Mythology or Big LIe. I don't find her a rigorous and skeptical enough thinker for me to be comfortable with her leading this effort and I DO find her far too entrenched in the old style order of the day in Washington.

Further, anyone who finds something -- anything -- civil to talk to Karl Rove about isn't on the same page as I and a LOT of better thinkers, analysists and historians than I am about what's going on in this country and that concerns me a LOT. This is no freakin' GAME this time around, this administration. It's not politics as usual, where a little give and take won't hurt in the overall, longview scheme of things. This is about the total destruction of democracy (or not) and likely an irreversible fascist state. Maybe you yourself don't see or agree with that take, I don't know.

But I'll tell you this: one of MY enduring frustrations with Gov. Dean (and you of all people know how I otherwise idolize him) is that HE doesn't get it about the voting problem. DESPITE the fact that I personally prepared a 50-page in-depth, heavily foot-noted and hot-link sourced report for him which I PERSONALLY handed to him in hardcopy with accompanying disk in Aug. 2003 (at a PERSONAL expense of $100 to get into the fundraiser in hopes of getting an upclose and personal opportunity to just that -- which I don't regret, of course), DESPITE pleading the case with him AGAIN this past month when he was in Atlanta, reminding him of my report (which he remembered somewhat vividly), he still speaks as if we can do ANYthing at all, ever, to win elections in spite of the voting machines. Ain't gonna happen. Those damn voting machines (PLUS all their other techniques and fun and games) trump everything. Even if we "fix" all the other problems -- voter registration fraud, long lines, etc. -- we STILL risk not being able to win without fixing the voting machine problem.

And Howard and his theories and philosophies and his wondeful, right on emphasis on The People and grassroots efforts will only look like a FAILURE if/when we STILL don't win any elections -- and we won't.

So, I'm sorry. I don't think Donna Brazille has what it takes to "get it" about the keymost issue (the voting machines), and worse, I'm not sure if she DID get it that she'd have the guts to go with it and make it public, and I'm deeply worried about the details upthread about the several of the "team" members. There should be NO one on ANY of our "teams" ever, EVER EVER!! who has had anything to do with Republicans EVER, unless that person can be shown demonstrably to be not just non-partisan but totally apolitical (like a real, live, genuine, totally objective academic). These days there are fewer and fewer people who fit that description.

Alas. This gives me a heartache. I fear it's the pattern I see over and over and over and over again: we get just SO FAR and can't break through to the other side. Half measures, sometimes because of bad luck and timing, but sometimes because of our own ineptness, lack of organization, and most of all failure to REALLY see the truth of the matter and also to just keep pushing, pushing, pushing til we bust through to the other side. Of all the Bush scandals, if we'd have taken just one and dogged it to death, never letting go, we might have been able to bring down this administration. I suppose it's still possible, but I've nearly given up hope. (Sorry for the added rant.)

the right thing by letting them know our guard is up and we are watching and keep reminding them that if they blow it they can be brought down.

Never. Never ever concede that 3 weeks is not long to change anything.

I get it. Eloriel's words just chilled me to the bone. I see there is no hope for the party this way.

needs our support, yes, but also if they are even thinking of straying, we have to let them know ahead of time that they just can't do that.

Look at my letter, I was firm, but I honestly want to believe that Donna will do the right thing.

It's like having better table manners in public. If she knows we are watching and she's fully into doing the right thing, we will all be ever so happy to feel silly for thinking otherwise.

Of the party. I have been dragged all over this damn forum for holding feet to the fire.

I felt kind of excited at the activism coming out of the party this week, but I don't feel it anymore.

I really don't. There is a difference between holding feet to the fire and killing enthusiasm.

This damn thread just killed any enthusiasm I built up for the DNC. I see now that Dean will never be given a chance, because he has to work with all kinds of people.

I see now that the very ones who wanted this party to succeed for the grassroots simply kill any enthusiasm. Even my friend Eloriel put me down, and yet she named no names. Name the names of those. I saw two had the wrong philosophy, 3 from Ohio who won't be fair.

I just see this thread as putting out the fires of enthusiasm in a manner with no proof, just insinuations.

Way to go. Now I can no longer be criticized for being too demanding.

We all hope for the best, but no one expects it to just happen because steps in the right direction are being made. I think pushing the DEMS to do the right thing IS supporting them and behaving as real DEMS do.

When I look at someone like John Conyers or Barbara Boxer who are very consistent, I can let down my guard.

I still think this group can do a good job - if they know they are being watched. I don't know most of them, but by reading all the posts there are reasons to wonder if they are the best people for the job. If even one is a ringer, things will be difficult for the rest.

But that doesn't matter. Something more than all of us is directing things to happen the way they are. God isn't really a Republican. I promise. I asked Him once and I haven't been able to meditate again - He's STILL laughing.

The momentum the party is building is bringing more people back from the dark side. Even repubs are distancing themselves from some of the things Bush is doing and some of their attempts to make us look bad really reflect back on them.

.

And I feel hurt and frustrated me that that's how you interpreted what I've posted.

My final paragraph in my initial post upthread was about my frustration and despair about what we Democrat activists (and to a small extent elected officials) have been through and tried to accomplish since Jan 2001. Again and again and again true "victory" eludes us, for one reason or another. I blame no one in particular for the whole picture, but I do have some really grave concerns about many individuals within the party in positions of power and influence.

Frankly Donna Brazille is one of them, and in regard to her, I expressed my assessment based on seeing and hearing her on TV a number of times as well as reports here at DU for many occasions when I didn't see her) that she's not up to this IF we need someone who can put together the type of team which will recognize, acknowledge AND REPORT the massive fraud re the voting machines in OH and elsewhere.

It amounts to this: when I've seen her address the issue of voting, she has been pretty good on everything BUT being willing to acknowledge or even suspect that there was voting FRAUD. If you refuse to

Mad, I posted my observation and OPINION, along with my speculation about the outcome based on my cynicism revolving around several different factors. If you want proof for my opinions and speculation, I can't help you. This is, after all, a discussion forum. I have personally benefitted greatly from the opinions, speculation, and cynicism of others here far more than those who were expressing agreement. The last thing I wanted to do was curb your enthusiasm -- but then I had no idea a few cynical opinions could have that effect.

I could respond to some of your other posts, but I think it better to leave it at this. If you wish to continue THIS conversation, I think I'd prefer you PM me.

point to a resounding yes at this point, can you bring the ones abusing the system down?

I got it from the beginning.

I just wanted to see someone come out and say it.

I guess we saw two different things, Eloriel. He has been passionate about a way to verify. Are you aware the committee was set up by Terry Mc? Are you aware he would have been criticized for choosing another?

He is not perfect, thus doomed to fail. Donna B. is not a favorite of mine, but I am ashamed that people would use words like cover up, pay-off.

I am just wishing the DNC never made the press release, wishing I did not post it.

I am just very sorry about the whole damn thing. I totally give it up.

This has been a wonderful discussion. We all got to put our fears and hopes out there and we're aware now, good or bad, that things are moving in this direction.

It's just not as rosy of a picture as we'd all like.

If someone like John Conyers was leading this, we'd have breathed a sigh of relief.

We can still win this and the one thing that's been keeping DEMs moving is our lighting fires under their butts.

If we are going to accuse Donna B. have some proof other than one article.

If we are going to cry cover-up, pay-off, and then not respond, it is unfounded accusations.

I question you on that. He has only been on the job for 3 weeks, and I fail to see what it is you expected to be done by now.

"Me of all people" is right. I do know what he has said on it, and there are many sources.

I am very upset that you think it is something he could do more about. It makes me sad right now. I felt enthusiasm, now I don't.

That is what I am trying to figure out. And please tell me when Dean said he was for keeping the machine vote. He has not been perfect on the issue, but my God, he did address it. On TV, when he was host, in writing.....over and over.

I am so confused at what you are saying. It does not sound like you. This thread has been accusatory, no facts, and you agree. Not like you.

And yes, I have a heartache as well. Every time a lot of us try to feel good about things then all the attacks begin.

I have no doubt we will lose next time even if the election system were perfect.

We demand it all in 3 weeks, we have no tolerance. That is from me, the one accused of intolerance.

For instance, Dean was the outspoken Dem. that allowed us to think we could beat Bush. All the others were pussyfootin' around issues. In this media where short snips control the news we need people that say things that grab the short attention of the hard working people that have little time to read and listen to all the angles. If Dean doesn't see the big problem with the voting situation then we seem to have a big problem.I don't know if he does or not. You insinuate that he doesn't truly "get it." The Dems have got to pick their fights and stick with it until the busy general public hear. You are right, we need to pick a fight and hang in there. Our problem is we see all the lousy issues of the Reps. and can not understand how they get swept under the rug, Plame, Enron, WMD, geez, the list is too long, and these are not simple issues.

I don't think he will be easily fooled.

Let's all just stay on top of it. We know how to push and....We're not going away.

You need to put your money where your mouth is on this issue.

It's not a cover-up if you never allow yourself to SEE the truth. (It's just denial.)

I've never seen any evidence that Donna Brazille allows herself to SEE the truth. And, sad to say, as I wrote upthread, I also see too little ability/willingness/whatever on Dean's part to really SEE the truth on this subject.

Some of the others discussed upthread could have very GOOD reason to help whitewash the truth.

I do, however, trust Dean to push hard on what parts he DOES see clearly.

.

Is it a cover up or just an unfortunate thing that maybe Dean trusted people who volunteered to do the work to be honest? I don't know. I'm going to wait for the evidence, but remain vigilant.

The twists and turns on Blackwell's involvement make me leery. That man operates as if he's in a small town run by the KKK. What influence does he have over these people from Ohio?

When any committee comes out like this that seems to be possibly biased toward the group that cheated us out of an election, we have to demand that they SEE what is in front of them.

If they are honest, they will forgive us, knowing how hard this whole thing has been on the people who were cheated and just want the truth.

You know, I know what is going on. I am not stupid, and I always try to see all sides.

Any enthusiasm garnered will be put down quickly, though I really thought a lot were working together.

There is too much at stake for accusations without posting specifics, and too much at stake to lie about Dean's stance on machine voting.

:hi:

lied to by so many, we ought to adopt the "show me" state mentality and become as stubborn as MO Mules about people doing what they say they are going to do and not giving us fluff promises.

I don't see how this is about overturning the election. It is about finding out for sure what happened, hearing it on local news, along with many many apologies to those whose votes were not counted.

The fact that most of us know about real evidence out there that proves which party screwed the other and how multiple attempts to get that information out there have fallen flat, it's easy to worry that this is another repub plant to make it look like DEMOCRACY works even while turning it around and spinning a lie.

I don't know Donna from anyone. I hope she really is going to do a great job. If Dean trusts her, that's a good thing. Still, she has to be UP TO THIS FIGHT as well as an honest person doing her best.

I do think we DEMS get this all worked out here and show public support, but put her on notice. I am SO tired of being lied to by public officials that I could puke, but they are what we have to work with to get the job done.

turning a blind eye to even the possibility of computerized voting fraud.

"Eliminating long lines" by insuring that poor districts get the lion's share of the HAVA money (and thus more computerized voting machines) won't answer the problem.

But, again, we'll have to wait and see how this thing plays out.

Why are people so upset over this list. I want to know, and I posted the whole team just now in this thread.

Dean pointed out those issues in speeches on C-Span. Why do people say this team will cover up.

I will check back later. I want to know.

And, with the exception of Boxer, I wasn't very impressed by what was said during the debate after Boxer et. al. challenged the Ohio vote.

don't consider this a particularly stellar list. It looks more like a way to give some incompetent political hacks a paycheck.

Many of these are the same people who refused to believe the R's would try to steal the election in Ohio until it was over.

I'm glad Dean is doing it, but many of these folks are not good choices. I'm just not expecting much from them, they're either incompetent or ignorant or both. Don't expect them to come up with any good recommendations in time for 2006, either.

The good news is, we can look over their shoulders and recommend real reform.

Name them.

I'm not going to label Donna a DINO, but I understand people's concerns. I'm cautiously optimistic and I told Donna* to "pony up and ride" this thing because "1000's of eyes are watching".

*email below

Do you really think they will investigate? They NEVER raised any questions in the post election. Michael Coleman's rep? Where were these guys when Conyers, Waters and House Judiciary came to Ohio for hearings? They dismissed election investigation. This is where OUR $500,00 is going? to pay party fat cats?

One bright note is OH Sen Mark Mallory. He is from Cleveland and witnessed confusing precinct labeling at multiple precinct poll places.

I think you should write the DNC and tell them what you think of their efforts.

Don't you?

take this seriously, asking that they utilize the efforts of those who investigated post election. I am disappointed that they have not included representation from the House Judiciary Staff, or people like Bob Fitrakis, Richard Hayes Phillips, who were on the ground working (at their own expense).

BELIEVE ME-I HOPE I'M PROVEN WRONG!

Where are you getting the idea that they are not consulting with them? Look at those listed. Many are from the Kerry team. Are you saying they will not consult with the team on the ground? Here is the list of the type of members they tried to include, December 2004. BTW this is not about overturning the election. Kerry conceded.

http://www.democrats.org/news/200412060007.html
The DNC investigative study will examine the legitimate questions and concerns that have been raised in Ohio and will develop factual information which will be critically important in crafting further necessary election reforms. Specifically, the investigation will seek to address questions surrounding the issues of adequate voting resources (machines, pollworkers, etc), the high number of provisional ballots – valid and invalid – as compared with other states, anomalies in the reported results as compared with exit polls, historical data, and reported anomalies within counties and precincts and whether the touch-screen machines and tabulating systems functioned properly.

To address these questions and more, the DNC, at its own expense, will assemble a top-flight team of recognized experts to be named at a later date including:

a political scientist expert in quantitative analysis;
an expert or experts in the design of computer hardware and software systems;
an expert in voting systems and machines;
an investigator with forensic expertise; and
a pollster to survey voters who cast provisional ballots and to conduct other original survey research as needed.
This team will be supported by DNC and state party staff, consultants who were deeply involved in the election effort in Ohio, Ohio attorneys and the DNC legal team. McAuliffe announced that he had reached out to local Democratic elected officials in Ohio and they expressed strong support for the project and promised to cooperate in anyway that they could.

"We are launching this comprehensive investigative study not to contest the results of the 2004 election, but again to help ensure that every eligible vote cast is truly counted. This study will address the legitimate questions and concerns that have been raised in Ohio. Our goal is to understand and report back on what happened and why," said Chairman McAuliffe.

As soon as the team is named, it is anticipated the investigation will begin immediately and a full report will be issued in the spring....."

It began in January.....so how do you know they were not working with the folks you mention. No one appears to have known anything. Yet people feel free to accuse the party of not picking good people.

If they picked the people we KNOW would be bent to prove fraud, then the repubs could call foul.

By picking these people - if all is aboveboard -then when they deliver the verdict it will be even more convincing.

Kind of like having your car looked at by a total amateur, "Ayup, looks like that engine is plumb gone, fella." Well, at least we know why it won't run, but can it be repaired?

Look at those listed. Many are from the Kerry team.

:eyes:

Sorry for the sarcasm, but I don't think you've followed the voting machine issue like I have.

.

IIRC. Agree Denny White is a lap dog for Ohio R's, pretty weak. Same with Ruvolo.

I'll have to look again, but I don't see many on this list with brains, passion or loyalty to any cause but their own.

Each one. If you think they will cover up, let's talk to Donna B. about it, not just accuse without naming names.

As a lifelong resident of the State of Ohio I can tell you there was hanky panky by the Repubs in the last election. I saw first hand the confusing ballots. Both of my parents are senior citizens; both sent in applications for absentee ballots at the same time; both received their absentee ballots on the same day; however, here is the cute part: they each received a different ballot. No, all of the candidates were the same they were just in a different order. It was not just with the presidential candidates but also with judges, etc. So if ma and pa are sitting at the kitchen table doing their absentee ballots and say pa's eyesight is not quite what it used to be and ma says: "well, just push number 2 because that's the one I'm voting for" then there is a real possibility that ma and pa voted for different candidates. Furthermore, I saw first hand the letter Blackwell sent to all his Republican friends after the election high-fiving himself and patting himself on the back for helping the Moron win. You don't really think he would be congratulating himself if he didn't do something illegal, do you? I would bet the farm Kenny boy either looked the other way or got the ball in motion to help disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of poor and low income voters. That's what Republicans do best. For all of you who don't believe hanky panky took place in Ohio - think again. We are the home of Diebold and Ken Blackwell; we have 2 Republican senators and we also have the worst Governor in the nation: Bob Taft. Do I need to say more?

I wish someone from Ohio who is aware of the current leadership of the ODP would post about how well they did.

So the rest of us can know. Here is the list. Tell me who the ones are who are not good. I am from Florida and I want to know. If we were sold out by Donna Brazile, Terry McAuliffe and Howard Dean, tell me. Who are the folks.


OHIO ADVISORY TEAM MEMBERS
Timothy M. Burke - Timothy M. Burke is an attorney with the Cincinnati firm of Manley Burke. His practice is concentrated in local government law. He is in his 12th year as the Chair of the Hamilton County Board of Elections. Prior to joining the Board he handled many election law matters including successfully defending a rare contest of election case. He also served as an International Election Supervisor for the first post war municipal elections in Bosnia and did election training in Slovakia.

Susan Gwinn – Susan Gwinn has served as the Athens County Democratic Party Chairwoman and as a member of the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee since 1996. She has served on the Athens County Board of Elections since 1998 and in 2000 became the Chairwoman of the Board and continues to serve today. Professionally, she is an attorney in private practice in Athens County. She also served as regional counsel for the Kerry Campaign in 2004 coordinating 21 county counsels and helped shape the legal strategy for Ohio. She has been a leader in Ohio in promoting provisional balloting and secured the first provisional voting location on an Ohio campus in 2000. The Ohio University campus remains the only Ohio campus with a provisional voting location which has led to Athens County having one of the highest percentages of provisional voting in the State. Over 7,000 Ohio University students voted in Athens County during the 2004 election.

Greg Haas - A 25-year veteran political consultant, Haas is currently Senior Political Director for Mayor Michael B. Coleman of Columbus, Ohio. Haas has worked on numerous campaigns, including serving as Ohio coordinator for then Governor Bill Clinton in 1992 and was the first person hired to work the Clinton reelection. He served as campaign and media consultant for Mary Ellen Withrow, the only person to serve as County Treasurer, State Treasurer, and U.S. Treasurer. Haas has also served as Executive Director of the Ohio Democratic Party and Deputy Political Director of the Democratic National Committee.

Brooke Hill - Brooke Hill began working in the world of political campaigns and elections as a volunteer in the Cincinnati campaign office for Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988. Having since served in a variety of campaign capacities for members of Cincinnati City Council and the Mayor, Ohio Attorney General, US Senate and President, Ms. Hill’s consultation is now often sought by elected officials and candidates. She was a member of the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee and currently serves as Special Assistant to the Mayor of Cincinnati.

Dennis Lieberman - Dennis Lieberman is a partner with the law firm Flanagan, Lieberman, Hoffman & Swaim. He has served as Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party since 1994 and currently serves on the Montgomery County Board of Elections. He has also been active with the Ohio Democratic Party and Chairs Association.

Senator Mark Mallory – Senator Mark Mallory is the Assistant Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate, representing the 9th Senate District, which spans most of Cincinnati and some surrounding municipalities. He is the second highest ranking African American Democrat in state government. During his ten years of service in the legislature, Mallory has been a champion of voting rights and election reform, having served on both the Election System Study Commission and the Help America Vote Act State Planning Committee. Mallory has been a long time proponent of eliminating punch card voting machines, hosting a demonstration of alternative voting machines in the summer of 2003. Mallory has also been a tireless advocate to protect the voting rights of ex-offenders. Co-Chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party from 1999 to 2004, Mallory has helped lead a resurgence of the Democratic Party in the traditionally conservative Hamilton County. He has also been a member of the Democratic National Committee since 2000 and a member of the State Central Committee since 1998.

Alan Melamed - Alan Melamed is the President of Melamed Communications, a public relations firm specializing in governmental affairs, media relations, issue and candidate campaigns and crisis management. Melamed has served in a broad range of positions in political campaigns at the national, state and local levels. He currently manages the Mayoral Campaign for Cleveland City Council President, Frank G. Jackson. In 2004, Melamed served as Campaign Manager for Ohioans Protecting the Constitution leading the statewide campaign against the so-called Gay Marriage Amendment to the Ohio Constitution. In 1998, he chaired Lee Fisher’s Gubernatorial Campaign in Ohio and served as the campaign’s spokesperson. He has also worked as a staff member in the U.S. Senate, as an aide to former Governor Jack Gilligan and as a city councilman in Shaker Heights for 12 years. He is a member of the executive committees’ of the Ohio Democratic Party and the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.

Ron Malone - Ron Malone is the Ohio Director of AFSCME United, representing more than 90,000 working men and woman in Ohio. Malone has held that position since 1994. He also was the Assistant Secretary of State in Ohio, and was responsible for the election process of Ohio’s elections. Malone was the Mayor of Marion, Ohio from 1980–1988.

Russ Pry - Russ Pry is an attorney with the law firm of Cassetty, Muse & Pry and has been chair of the Democratic Party of Summit County since 1998. He served as the past Secretary and Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Summit County. Pry has been on the Summit County Board of Elections since 2000, and prior to that served as a local elected official for approximately ten years. From 1980-1984, Pry served as the Field Representative to former Congressman John Seiberling (14 Cong. Dist. OH).

Jim Ruvolo - Jim Ruvolo is principal of Ruvolo and Associates, a public affairs and political consulting firm in Toledo, Ohio. The firm specializes in providing strategic counsel to clients in the areas of government affairs, political campaigns, and crisis management. Prior to starting the firm, Ruvolo served as Executive Director and Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party from June, 1982 through January, 1991. He also was formerly the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs and Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee. In 1992, Ruvolo chaired the Rules Committee at the Democratic National Convention. Ruvolo served on the Lucas County Board of Elections from 1976 until 1983. These county boards are comprised of two Democrats and two Republicans and oversee the conduct of the election in the county. In national campaigns, Ruvolo was the delegate selection coordinator for President Clinton in 1996 and Vice President Al Gore in 2000. In 2004, Ruvolo was the Chair of the Ohio John Kerry campaign.

Fred Strahorn – Fred Strahorn is serving his third term in the Ohio State Legislature. He is a member of the Montgomery County Democrats and serves on the Economic Development and Environment, Finance and Appropriations, Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, Public Utilities and Energy, and Ways and Means committees. In 2003 he received the Charles Wesley Peckham Award for Humanitarian Leadership.

Nan Whaley - Nan Whaley is former Executive Director of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, a former Board Member of the Montgomery County Board of Elections and was the co-Chair of the County Kerry Campaign. A grassroots activist, Whaley has been involved in elections in Southwest Ohio for over 10 years. Whaley currently serves as an assistant to the Auditor in the Montgomery County Auditors Office.

Dennis White - Dennis White has over 18 years of public service in the Democratic Party. He is the Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party and a Madison Township Trustee, overseeing a $9 million budget that includes fire, police and public services. He is the former Franklin County Democratic Party Chair and during his chairmanship he oversaw a massive revitalization of that organization which resulted in over 130 Democrats being elected to office, including the first Democrat mayor in over thirty years.

This thread has many saying the DNC has appointed a team which will not investigate. Now I want to know the names of the people you are referring to.

Is the best on the list. She is passionate about voter verifiable ballots and she does "get it". I talked to her when we were in the battle to stop Blackhole from forcing Diebold blackboxes on the entire state. I am not happy with Donna B and do believe that she is from the Repug-lite wing of the Demo party. Dennis White handed our state to the Repubs and is just hanging on to his paycheck. He will neither help or hinder the cause. Ruvulo is another who is only for himself, but he might be trying to build a good legacy here in Ohio and may just behave himself. I think Greg Haas may do some good. The rest on the list are just OK and nothing special. I am sorry they did not choose some of the dedicated, hardpushing, grass-root activists who gave their all in this election in Ohio to serve on this committee.

I am happy to see this is not "going away"

Go Bucks

I can't speak for all of us in Ohio who are feeling lukewarm about this list, but I'll throw in my two cents. I will only discuss the members who I know personally, or who I can reliably discuss. (It doesn't seem fair to spread gossip, but I can understand that generalizations can be frustrating.) Also, as an active Dem. and member of the legal team that kept Nader off the ballot, I can think of many people who are more knowledgeable about election law.

Susan Gwinn: She's our all-star. She understands election law, and has worked with provisional ballot issues we have in Ohio. She will also address the problems with taking the vote from younger voters. (The hours to vote in college towns.)

Greg Haas: Bad choice. He is heading Mayor Coleman's Gubernatorial campaign and will not have to time to devote to voting issues. He is an average political consultant, but not a voting expert.

Senator Mark Mallory: I don't know him personally, but I have heard wonderful things. He is truly committed to ensuring that everyone, including the poor and minorities, are able to vote. Another great pick.

Ron Malone: On a purely personal basis, I don't like him. I was quite disappointed in AFSCME's support in 2004. A few of their members would grab some stage time with Kerry, but that was all the help they gave. Also, why would we want anyone who helped design the mess of system we currently have?

Jim Ruvolo: Nicer man you'll never meet. I'm not sure if he knows much about this issue, but if he has the ear of some powerful people. He is also well respected in Ohio. I think he belongs on the list for his contacts alone.

Nan Whaley: I'm torn about this pick. I really like Nan and she will be a very hard working member which is needed. However, I don't think she is qualified. (I don't have the heart to say anything else negative.)

Dennis White: He brings in money. Period. This is a good thing for ODP, but he should stick to fund raising.

They started work in January. They could be almost through.

Where did you get that?

Are you sure they were both for the same precinct? The reason I ask is that I believe that mixing up the order of the candidates for different precincts was one of their little "tricks" that could account for problems in punchcard areas. In THIS instance, if they were different precincts, I suppose it's possible one of them would've been thrown out and not counted (yeah, even if it was their fault) or at least was capable of being challenged by the other side for not being in the right precinct.

OR, maybe I'm just too damn cynical and don't trust anything about elections from anybody, not even our side who too often is at best ill-informed. :-(

Sorry.....90 % of Americans still dont know that Gore won Florida in 2000....Im sure what ever fraud and other crimes are exposed by this will be kept under wraps by the " Liberal Media "

No one besides diehards like us will even hear of an investigation and the findings.

I know how discouraging this gets at times. I sometimes get so overwhelmed that I don't know why I bother. Then I just keep doing something, because my apathy could be just what the repubs want... and if I even think that's what they want, I'll be dammed if I will give it to them.

Besides, bitch, pissing and moaning appeal to the Irish in me. I'm not a brawler, but it's a good outlet for all the anger I feel over the media being a whore anyway.

There are a few people on the list who swing both ways, depending on the party in power. Pardon if I maintain a little skepticism in this group.

If you know them, please list them. It is an important issue to all of us. I don't know a lot of the people, especially the ones from Ohio.

Credentials look good. If we are going to say they will cover up, let's be frank and honest about who they are.

Floridians want to know.

see my post above for more details

Denny White
Alan Melamed (I'm not even sure he's a full time Dem, he works for R's so much)
Ruvolo

Any political consultant is a bad idea. The ones in Ohio are notorious for having no party loyalty and repeating everything they hear to any Republican within earshot.

There's also no one from Cuyahoga Co, where many of the worst cases happened. Strange.

Thanks for the names. If others agree, we should write Donna B. and let her know that her choices are questioned. I just want specifics.

This thread mentions cover ups, lack of investigation, lack of substance. You have mentioned 3 which I will keep a list of.

I don't want my party trying to screw me over, do you?

on the list of Ohioans who is knowledgeable or believed anyone who tried to warn them.

Not having a competent, loyal and motivated group of Ohioans on board will hinder the others. You can also count on many of these Ohio Dems to regularly leak anything they hear to Republicans. I'm not sure why they do it, its a long-standing practice of downstate Ohio Dems.

There are dozens of other Dems in Ohio who would serve this commission much better.

I am getting really upset by this. Why would Donna do this to us. I wonder.

She's led the charge in Ohio and could have put together a much better list, though she may agree with a couple of these. By that, I'm referring to the Ohio Advisory Board.

It looks like these spots are a payoff - giving some folks a paycheck.

Boy,we sure do have a party that needs help. On this thread alone, people allege cover-up, lack of investigation, pay-off? Unbelievable.

You know what....I don't know why Terry did not choose Tubb Jones. I really don't.

You have named 3 names out of 23. You have just said they are pay-offs.

This is alarming to me.

Isn't this supposed to be the people the DNC is sending in FOR our party, not a group representing both parties?

http://www.democrats.org/contact

Donna Brazile,

There is a lot of talk floating around that you are thick with Karl Rove. How can you expect Democrats to believe you will really pursue this investigation whole heartedly?

I would like to believe that you are a good person and will do your best, but you will have to go out of your way to prove that you can rise above a conflict of interest of this type.

Is it your agenda to sink the DNC? Because if you (like Ken Blackwell who had ties to the Republicans while pretending to run a fair election) don't protect our rights they will be eroded.

You only have one chance to do this right and for the sake of America, you better pony up and do your job.

Your words and deeds will be watched, measured and reported - if not in the government run media - then in watchdog organizations which are getting more and more support.

1000's of eyes are on you Donna. Do the right thing.

Sincerely,

Tigress DEM

Don't just insinuate. Name them. It is important to all of us.
SNIP..." Washington, D.C. – The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced the members of its Ohio Election Task Force. This group of seasoned professionals in the electoral and technology fields are taking an in-depth look into the issues of voter registration problems, long lines at the polls, the issuance and counting of provisional ballots and voting equipment irregularities that voters faced during the 2004 presidential election in Ohio. The team has been hard at work since January, conducting surveys and reviewing election data from all across the state. The task force will submit its report to the DNC with suggestions for moving forward.

"I am confident that Voting Rights Institute (VRI) Chair Donna Brazile and her team of experts will properly investigate what went wrong in the Ohio election process," said DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean. "This investigation will ensure that every vote will be counted and everyone who is eligible to vote will be able to secure that right."

Please name the names of those who will not investigate. This is not about Howard Dean, not about Terry McAuliffe. It is about this thread saying the DNC will cover up, Donna is a traitor, and it is all making me livid.

Please name the names of those who are going not going to be fair. We all want to know.

She didn't believe anyone who tried to warn her about election rigging in 2004, either, until it was too late to do anything. She may be sincere now, but people who were so clueless in the face of so many appealing to them a year ago aren't good candidates.

Better to use people who understand the situation a little better and are more motivated. This is the B team, insider hacks.

The committee began work in January. You need to be right on her back, those of you in Ohio who do not approve.

Loud and clear.

Remember, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

Don't let this dim your enthusiasm, you have a right to be happy.

I've had this done to me too. I was all excited that all 8 DEMS of the Judiciary Committee voted NO on Gonzales. He still got appointed and people didn't think that small stand meant anything, but it did.

I've done it to myself too. I read too much of the truth and can't handle the grief over everything that is wrong.

Still. Like you when you're ripping someone a new one or trying to understand what people are having a problem with. Like I said before, "You are one of the good ones." Don't forget it for a second.

Tigress DEM

I'm not impressed. Where were these people when it mattered? We knew on November 3 we'd been screwed. Where were these people who seem to have so much more power than any of us? It's frustrating. Maybe this is why Democrats have a hard time winning. For starters, it takes 4 months to figure out there is a problem. I'm glad it's FINALLY become an issue, but will it take another 4 months for them to get around to Gannon, social security and the bankruptcy overhaul?

I can see that today. I did feel it for a while, but not now.

At least we are finally getting some version of due process we can work with. I'll take it.

Go get those thugs and put them in jail where they belong.
Go Democrats.

:kick:

tied firmly to a judicial bench and under subpoena.

Here is what I have gotten, so correct me if I am wrong. A hurried count of the committee appointed by Donna Brazile shows 23 on it.

I have gotten these responses.

1.Donna Brazile may not be trustworthy, has GOP friends. (So do I.)

2.Mebane did not correctly analyze Florida data. (another was mentioned, but I can't find it...someone else on the list worked with him and also did not correctly analyze.)

3. Melamed, Ruvolo, and Denny White are apparently not considered staunch Democrats in Ohio.

4. Hoffheimer, one of Kerry's attorneys works in the office of the Taft family law firm, which is Republican in nature.


This is 6 out of the list of whom someone disapproves. Does anyone have anything specific to add? Did I get this about right from the info that was posted? This is from this thread and the one in Elections 2004.

I think if people feel that strongly, they should contact Donna Brazile and let her know what you think.

She is a good friend of Rove and managed to screw up the Gore campaign.

Need I say more?

I'm less than happy about the choice.

link thanks to BuzzFlash:

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/index.php?ntid=30826&ntpid=1

We don't like the composition, then let's be pushing some better recommendations.

I was hearing of reports of potential election fraud months before Nov. 2, how come they are starting this late? I'm glad they are looking into fraud, but this late?