From the Nut Jar: Philly “write-in” candidate charged with election fraud



Candidate takes “write-in” too far:


 


A 65-year-old Philadelphia woman has been charged with election fraud after writing her name on a voting booth as someone was trying to cast a ballot…


 


Investigators examined the booth and found the name “Dianah Gregory” scrawled in marker next to the button to select a “write in” candidate.  Gregory, who was still at the polling place, admitted she wrote her name on the voting machines so voters would know how to spell her name. 



Gregory, who has worked as a Democratic election worker for the 28th Ward in past elections, is accused of following a voter into the booth and trying to write her own name in on the ballot for the position of judge of elections. The voter got upset and left while Gregory wrote in her name, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140221_Politics_and_crime__intersecting_in_Philly.html#smgQFuEGhhS2Y1tl.99

Gregory, who has worked as a Democratic election worker for the 28th Ward in past elections, is accused of following a voter into the booth and trying to write her own name in on the ballot for the position of judge of elections. The voter got upset and left while Gregory wrote in her name, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140221_Politics_and_crime__intersecting_in_Philly.html#smgQFuEGhhS2Y1tl.99
Gregory, who has worked as a Democratic Election Board worker for the 28th Ward in past elections, was campaigning for the position of… Judge of Elections.  

“Florida’s chief elections official to Miami-Dade: Draw new voting precincts now”



Miami Herald: 


 


Mayor Carlos Gimenez and his appointed elections supervisor, Penelope Townsley, have planned to delay the new precincts for another year.  Counties are supposed to evenly distribute voters once every 10 years. Miami-Dade has not “re-precincted” since 2002.


 


“It’s not a question of if re-precincting should be done in Miami-Dade County, but when,” [Florida Secretary of State Ken] Detzner said… 

Some commissioners say they fear that would cause widespread confusion. 

In fact, Miami-Dade’s decision to delay re-precincting until after the 2012 presidential election “to avoid voter confusion and inconvenience” actually contributed to the long lines and other problems reported on Election Day 2012, according to the Final Report issued by the Mayor’s Election Advisory Group.    

Event on Latest Schemes By Speech Regulators to Stiffle Dissent

The Heritage Foundation is sponsoring an event Friday about the latest schemes by speech regulators and their pals in power to regulate free speech.  Cleta Mitchell, Hans von Spakovsky, Eliana Johnson are part of the panel.  The public is invited and the event can be watched online.

“With April 15 rapidly approaching, the federal agency that Americans ubiquitously dislike and fear – the Internal Revenue Service – is once again targeting nonprofit advocacy organizations in what may be an effort to censor political speech.  Instead of trying to correct its internal bias and problems, the IRS is apparently trying to double down and stifle the political activity of opponents of the Obama administration and its policies. This effort is supported by some politicians such as Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who wants the IRS to “redouble” its efforts to squelch conservative groups.”  Link.

Comments: “Registration Fraud, Not Voter Fraud”

I normally don’t ascribe much weight to comments to articles.  Some writers think that comments represent an underlying trend and are worthy of building a story around.  I don’t. 

But I couldn’t help but notice in comments to Deroy Murdock’s story at National Review about the illegal activities of Battleground Texas a comment that this was “registration fraud” and not “voter fraud.” 

Put aside the fact the comment represents the familiar phenomena among activist groups and academics to excuse criminal behavior.  The more important observation is that it doesn’t matter whether it is “registration fraud” or “voter fraud.”  Both are corrupting influences over the process of clean elections.  Both deserve to be stamped out.  Both compliment each other.

The atmosphere of lawlessness inside Battleground Texas was a shock, and as usual James O’Keefe captured it on video for all to see.  But pay attention to the subsequent acceptance of lawlessness by those attempting to differentiate between “registration fraud” and “voter fraud.” 

Fraud is fraud, and it has no place in the electoral process.  Power flows from the process, and as we have seen for the last 5 years, abuse of power justifies steps to remove fraud from the process.

UPDATE: Deroy Murdock emails me: (used with his permission): 

“Yes, the Leftists just excuse one crime after another, don’t they?

Say someone loosens the lock on the back door of a bank. And you and I accuse this person of bank robbery.

“That’s not bank robbery, you liar!”

OK, maybe not precisely. But if the goal is to come back and rob the bank at 2:00 AM, we’re supposed to overlook and excuse (perhaps even applaud?) the lock-picking at 7:00 PM?

Utah Bill May Violate NVRA

Utah is considering legislation that may violate the public records provisions of the National Voter Registration Act. The public has a right to voter records, and Virginia found out the hard way that no state law may stand in the way of Section 8 of Motor Voter.  It seems legislators in Utah haven’t heard about the litigation regarding this provision and are considering a state law that seems to conflict with the federal mandate.