http://www.freetimes.com/story/4509"The Interpretation of Randomness"
Next Month's 'Rigged Recount' Trial Is Sure To Be As Contentious As the '04 Election That Sparked It
By
By James Renner
...Here's the gist: Several people sit around a table at the Board of Elections, sifting through mounds of punch cards. They are attempting to verify the totals provided by the optical scan machines (before Diebold we were still able to do that sort of thing). A 3 percent "random" sampling of ballots has been selected for the count. But slowly, election observers begin to notice that the ballots have been pre-sorted. All the Kerry votes are together. All the Bush votes are together. The observers realize this recount is just for show. The BOE has secretly counted them already, possibly to avoid triggering a county-wide recount.
As people begin to complain, the camera zooms in close on BOE Executive Director Michael Vu. He looks panicky. He moves to the corner of the room with Election Supervisor Jacqueline Maiden and Deputy Director Gwen Dillingham. Vu positions himself so that his back is to the camera as he whispers to his subordinates...
"The recount is nothing but a charade," says Cobb in the documentary. "And it was done, in my opinion, to ensure that there was never an actual recount conducted, but more importantly, to ensure there was never an investigation into the underlying allegations of voter suppression and election fraud that took place."...
An investigation did take place, however. Maiden and two other staffers have been charged with violating Ohio's election laws; their trial is set for January 22. But as the date approaches, it appears the investigation itself may be just another charade...
Ohio GOP chief sizes up losses, gains
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/isope/116575082633040.xml&coll=2&thispage=2 ...Many local and national voter activists that you have heard from think Cuyahoga County has one of the worst elections boards in the country. What's the problem?
"Activists have only one purpose: to embarrass. I'm well aware that in my position on the board and as chairman of the Ohio party, I had become a focal point."
Do you think your roles create a conflict of interest?
"I don't think it is a conflict."...