Subject: Republicans use another Co$ intimidation tactic in S Dak.
From: (Jeff Jacobsen)
Date: 2 Nov 2004 07:45:51 -0800
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2004/11/02/news/state/top/state01.txt
Jordan said he spent Monday at Lake Andes and saw GOP lawyers follow
Indian voters out of the polls and write down their license plate
numbers.
"They did it pretty much every time" an Indian voted, Jordan said.
He introduced several photographs that he said showed the activity....
* * * * *
I heard about this S. Dak. activity this morning when NPR said
Daschle succeeded in getting a restraining order against the
Republicans.
At the very first picket against Scientology here in 1994,
Scientologists walked across the street and wrote our license plate
#'s down. At almost every picket here they did that. When I went to
Gold, the guard followed me back to my car and took pictures of the
license plate. When I put my equipment in my trunk, he took a photo of
the inside of the trunk. I told him the license plate wouldn't help
him because it was a rented car. He said that was no problem and it
would only take about an hour more to find out who I was.
So Republicans so far in this election have used 2 Scientology
techniques (photo editing and license plate writing). Any others?
====================
Daschle files suit against GOP
By Carson Walker, Associated Press Writer
SIOUX FALLS — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle took his Republican
opponent, John Thune, the South Dakota Republican Party and 200 GOP
poll watchers to court Monday over allegations of intimidation of
American Indian voters.
(See related story below.)
According to the complaint, Daschle asked U.S. District Judge Lawrence
Piersol for a temporary restraining order to prevent Republicans from
doing anything that would "harass, intimidate or discourage voters or
having that effect."
Daschle, who is seeking his fourth term, and Thune, a former member of
the U.S. House who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Tim Johnson in 2002,
are locked in a close race.
During a hearing Monday night, David Jordan of Charlottesville, Va., a
volunteer Daschle poll watcher, testified about activity that he
considered to be intimidating to people who had not yet voted early.
"On an Indian reservation, word travels fast," he said.
Jordan said he spent Monday at Lake Andes and saw GOP lawyers follow
Indian voters out of the polls and write down their license plate
numbers.
"They did it pretty much every time" an Indian voted, Jordan said.
He introduced several photographs that he said showed the activity.
***** Gregorson, a lawyer for the state Republican Party, tried to keep
the photos out of evidence, but the judge allowed them.
"I think they're worthless," Gregorson said.
Jordan said that at one point, a lawyer said something loudly that
could be considered intimidating and that another attorney rolled his
eyes when voters signed an affidavit if they didn't have
identification.
"Then, he wrote something down," Jordan said. "I think that would be
intimidating."
On cross-examination, Jordan said none of the lawyers kept anyone from
voting, spoke to any voters or wore clothing with Thune's name on it.
Joel C. Mandelman, of Arlington, Va., also testified Monday night.
Mandelman, a lawyer, said he was hired by the Republican National
Senatorial Committee to monitor the voting process because of worries
about fraudulent voting.
He said he believes 150 attorneys are working for Republicans in
eastern South Dakota and a greater number in the western part of the
state on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations.
Mandelman testified that he wrote down the license plate numbers of
six or seven vehicles used to take Indians to the Charles Mix County
courthouse to vote early.
Mandelman said he and another GOP lawyer went out of their way to
avoid intimidating voters.
"Nobody was intimidated by anything. They all voted," he said.
He said he made sure nobody saw him write down license numbers, and he
said he and other Republican observers never talked to voters.
"They paid no attention to us whatsoever," Mandelman said.
During a break in the hearing, Daschle spokesman Dan Pfeiffer and
Thune campaign manager ***** Wadhams got into a back-and-forth exchange
with a reporter.
Pfeiffer said Thune's campaign lied in saying that Daschle was trying
to keep Republican observers from watching the polls.
"It seeks to stop this behavior," Pfeiffer said of the testimony. "All
we're trying to do is to let people vote."
Thune campaign manager ***** Wadhams shot back that the intent was to
keep GOP watchers away and lay the groundwork for a judicial challenge
of the election results.
"Who goes into court the night before an election if they're not
afraid they're going to lose," he asked.
Wadhams said Piersol was, at one time, Daschle's lawyer, the judge was
recommended to the bench by Daschle and Piersol's wife supports
Daschle's campaign.
"This is a joke," Wadhams said.
Pfeiffer challenged the Republicans to ask the judge to recuse himself
if they are serious about the allegations that he couldn't be fair.
A crowd comprised mostly of Thune supporters gathered outside the
federal courthouse with signs such as "Don't Steal Tom," "Shame on
Tom" and "Time for Change."
--
"Terrorism" isn't the enemy: George W Bush is!
http://lastliberal.org
Voting Republican makes baby Jesus cry!
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