# I'm pitting whoever is behind the phone calls attempting to suppress the Dem vote in Wisconsin.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [June 5, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160 "2012-06-05T15:18:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/1 "2012-06-05T15:18:35Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Tom Barrett’s Wisconsin campaign is sounding the alarm, with finance director Mary Urbina-McCarthy warning supporters in an email Monday night of a mysterious round of phone calls to suppress voting:
>
> I’m in our situation room right now and I have an urgent update about the state of the race on the ground. Reports coming into our call center have confirmed that Walker’s allies just launched a massive wave of voter suppression calls to recall petition signers. Here is what people are receiving across Wisconsin:
>
> “If you signed the recall petition, your job is done and you don’t need to vote on Tuesday.”
[http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/barrett-campaign-sounds-warning-on-vote-suppression-calls](http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/barrett-campaign-sounds-warning-on-vote-suppression-calls)
Fucking Assholes.
Anyone here want to try to defend this crap?
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### Author:  [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/2 "2012-06-05T15:21:20Z")
Jesus Christ.
Protip: if anyone, _ever,_ says “you don’t need to vote,” **THEY ARE WRONG.**
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/3 "2012-06-05T15:25:12Z")
I actually do know how to spell Wisconsin. Stupid typos. :smack:
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/4 "2012-06-05T15:30:00Z")
You’re right, of course. And there is one fellow here whom I can just picture saying “But it’s LEEEEEEEEGAL. I don’t see the problem. Besides, there might be an illegal voting in WI.”
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/5 "2012-06-05T15:30:11Z")
Forgive my ignorance, but this _does_ run afoul of the law, right?
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/6 "2012-06-05T15:34:36Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> Forgive my ignorance, but this _does_ run afoul of the law, right?
Yes it does - if it’s true. So far no evidence (such as a recorded call, or a traceback number) has been presented.
So, **BobLibDem** , you can stuff the “but it’s LEEEEEEGAL” crap.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/7 "2012-06-05T15:34:54Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> Forgive my ignorance, but this _does_ run afoul of the law, right?
Someone will probably get a fine and a slap on the wrist. They’d probably get a pardon from the governor if this wasn’t a federal crime.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/8 "2012-06-05T15:40:58Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> Yes it does - if it’s true. So far no evidence (such as a recorded call, or a traceback number) has been presented.
>
> So, **BobLibDem** , you can stuff the “but it’s LEEEEEEGAL” crap.
Barrett’s campaign says that they are receiving numerous reports, and they are putting resources into countering those calls. Those resources could be used for general GOTV calls, so why would they waste them if they don’t find the reports believable?
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/9 "2012-06-05T15:41:54Z")
> [@davidm](#):
>
> Barrett’s campaign says that they are receiving numerous reports, and they are putting resources into countering those calls. Those resources could be used for general GOTV calls, so why would they waste them if they don’t find the reports believable?
It’s very useful to be a victim once in a while.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/10 "2012-06-05T15:45:25Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> It’s very useful to be a victim once in a while.
Yes, wasting time and money, on election day, calling petition signers, many of who have already been called, instead of calling people who haven’t been called yet, is very useful.
Better a victim than a winner, I guess. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/11 "2012-06-05T15:47:20Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> It’s very useful to be a victim once in a while.
One of the great maxims of the Republican party.
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### Author:  [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/12 "2012-06-05T15:47:32Z")
Get back to us when you can produce the recording and prove that it isn’t a forgery created by Barret supporters.
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/13 "2012-06-05T15:47:40Z")
> [@davidm](#):
>
> Yes, wasting time and money, on election day, calling petition signers, many of who have already been called, instead of calling people who haven’t been called yet, is very useful.
>
> Better a victim than a winner, I guess. :rolleyes:
It is supposedly (from your OP) a “massive wave” of robocalls. Surely Barrett campaign could come up with one recording, no? Or a caller ID number they came from?
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/14 "2012-06-05T15:48:32Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> It’s very useful to be a victim once in a while.
There’s a difference between playing the victim and actually being one. Would testimony from those receiving such calls suffice for you?
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### Author:  [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/15 "2012-06-05T15:49:44Z")
> [@davidm](#):
>
> Barrett’s campaign says that they are receiving numerous reports, and they are putting resources into countering those calls. Those resources could be used for general GOTV calls, so why would they waste them if they don’t find the reports believable?
And why do you believe them? More likely it’s a lie the Barret campaign made up to energize their own supporters and get them to the polls.
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/16 "2012-06-05T15:50:41Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#):
>
> There’s a difference between playing the victim and actually being one. Would testimony from those receiving such calls suffice for you?
Definitely not. In every election there are all kinds of claims of “fraud” that turn out to be crap, mostly from Democrats. Record the call, and show which number it came from.
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### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/17 "2012-06-05T15:52:33Z")
Terr, Polecat, et al.
I can’t say Go Fuck Yourselves directly, but I can think it. You are a waste of flesh.
sincerely, a wisconsin voter.
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/18 "2012-06-05T15:53:25Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> Definitely not. In every election there are all kinds of claims of “fraud” that turn out to be crap, mostly from Democrats. Record the call, and show which number it came from.
My caller ID often shows “unavailable” when solicitations come in. I would not be amazed if the robocalls weren’t from someone with the knowledge of how to block caller ID.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/19 "2012-06-05T15:57:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#):
>
> There’s a difference between playing the victim and actually being one. Would testimony from those receiving such calls suffice for you?
Only if it was accompanied by a notarized copy of the long form birth certificate of the person who received the call.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pitting-whoever-is-behind-the-phone-calls-attempting-to-suppress-the-dem-vote-in-wisconsin/624160/20 "2012-06-05T15:58:13Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> Definitely not. In every election there are all kinds of claims of “fraud” that turn out to be crap, mostly from Democrats.
Cite please.
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