# Republicans destroying Democraat voter registrations? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971 "2004-10-13T06:07:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/81 "2004-10-15T17:01:33Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Uh huh. > > I don’t pretend everybody’s the same, and I’m not excusing proven Republican cases. The law is the law, and it should be strengthened and obeyed. > > I’m going to flat out ask you, **Apos** , your views on the Austin Murphy matter. This was a congressman who was as corrupt as they come in Washington, to the point that he had a ghost employee on his congressional payroll. > > Now he’s been convicted of voter fraud, casting ballots for old folks in a nursing home. Taking advantage of confined senior citizens to gain political advantage. > > Can you denounce this? Or will you merely keep on your tack that whatever crimes Democrats commit, the Republicans are worse? You are utterly retarded. He sounds like a scumbag, of course I denounce that. But what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Your attempt at claiming parity is simply pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/82 "2004-10-15T17:16:29Z")
> [@Apos](#): > > You are utterly retarded. Very nice. [You must be a Tennessee Democrat.](http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?NEWS/news_storyV2.mv+link=200410146588785) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/83 "2004-10-15T17:30:02Z")
> [@Mockingbird](#): > > It’s pretty simple. If rereading it isn’t enough to help you figure it out, perhaps an adult can help you understand it Rereading it isn’t enough for me to figure it out, either. Maybe I just need more coffee. Some clarification _would_ be nice, though. ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/84 "2004-10-15T17:34:11Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Very nice. [You must be a Tennessee Democrat.](http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?NEWS/news_storyV2.mv+link=200410146588785) Quote the Democrat: > [@](#): > > ‘‘This is the absolute worst example of last-minute, election-year gutter politics,’’ Fitzhugh said. ‘‘I will work with local authorities including the commissioner of the division of elections to shed some light on where this started.’’ Sounds like the condemation you so long desire. Did you read your cite? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/85 "2004-10-15T17:40:37Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > House reprimands aren’t easy to get. You really have to have done something truly reprehensible. Now to engage in a little [_tu quoque_](http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/012297/houseoks.htm), [just for fun](http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/2839063). ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/86 "2004-10-15T17:40:55Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Some clarification _would_ be nice, though. I would suspect that the actions resulting in the vote fraud case took place long before 1999. However, since **Mr. Moto** has not seen fit to hand out any hard information on whatever he’s talking about, that is only a suspicion. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/87 "2004-10-15T17:44:39Z")
Sure. That condemnation didn’t change the fact that someone superimposed Bush’s face on a picture of a boy running in the Special Olympics, and then made a flier of it with the caption, “Voting for Bush is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.” The flier was distributed at a Democratic headquarters. If I were a Democrat running for election, I’d disavow this too. Right now advocates for the developmentally disabled in Tennessee are fuming mad. The same mentality that caused this outrage caused **Apos** to call me retarded. I really don’t think that’s the sort of rhetoric we should abide on this message board. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/88 "2004-10-15T17:49:13Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > The flier was distributed at a Democratic headquarters. Actually the TeamGOP claim it was distributed at a Democratic headquarters. Take note that they deny the charge. Was it or not? We don’t really know. But the Democrats did condemn the flyer. Where’s the Republican denunciation of their dirty tricks? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/89 "2004-10-15T18:50:21Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Sure. That condemnation didn’t change the fact that someone superimposed Bush’s face on a picture of a boy running in the Special Olympics, and then made a flier of it with the caption, “Voting for Bush is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.” > > The flier was distributed at a Democratic headquarters. …and _created_ at a Republican headquarters, I’d wager. Why would Democrats need to recycle a dated handicap joke against Bush? They can just quote his actions and iterate his deeds of the last four years and let those speak for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/90 "2004-10-15T19:57:00Z")
Heh. [Funny story.](http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?NEWS/news_storyV2.mv+link=200410156591581) > [@](#): > > Andrea Lafferty with the Washington-based Traditional Values Coalition adamantly told The AP she knew the man who could implicate the Fitzhugh campaign with the flier. But James Mitchell of Ripley said he has no idea where it came from. > > ‘‘This should not be a political thing. This is something making fun of special needs children,’’ Mitchell said in a phone interview. ‘‘I don’t want it pinned on Fitzhugh, I want it pinned on the one who done it. Fitzhugh is a nice man.’’ > > Mitchell said he didn’t know who did it. […] > > Fitzhugh concedes the flier did appear, at least briefly, in his re-election office. Democrats say it was only in the office for at most a couple of hours after someone unknown left it on a table - and it was promptly thrown away when found. And how long did TeamGOP have it up on their website? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/91 "2004-10-15T21:30:56Z")
> [@Apos](#): > > Guess who’s running the entire New England regional campaign for Bush 04? > > Oh, yes, it’s Jim Tobin Not any more. [Bush’s New England Campaign Chief Resigns](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20041015/ap_on_el_pr/gop_resignation) > [@](#): > > President Bush’s New England campaign chairman stepped down Friday after the Democrats accused him of taking part in the jamming of their telephone lines on Election Day 2002. > “The Democrats’ allegations against me are without merit,” James Tobin said in the statement. “But to avoid any harm to the campaign from their underhanded tactics, I elected earlier this week to step down from my voluntary position with the campaign.” How noble of Mr. Tobin! I wonder if this will also put a stop to the [Mail Fraud Campaign in N.H.?](http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/09142004/news/37416.htm) > [@](#): > > The gubernatorial campaign of Democrat John Lynch turned over another fraudulent letter, along with its envelope, to the N.H. Attorney General’s Office on Monday. > The Lynch campaign repeated its call for a federal investigation of the letter, which stated it was from “Independents for Lynch,” by the U.S. attorney and the U.S. postal inspector, saying the intent of the letter was to defraud New Hampshire voters. Nah, it’ll probably just get relocated to Nevada or one of the other swing states. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/92 "2004-10-15T21:32:55Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > …and _created_ at a Republican headquarters, I’d wager. > > Why would Democrats need to recycle a dated handicap joke against Bush? They can just quote his actions and iterate his deeds of the last four years and let those speak for themselves. Well, no one ever said politicians were smart. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/93 "2004-10-15T21:43:49Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Sure. That condemnation didn’t change the fact that someone superimposed Bush’s face on a picture of a boy running in the Special Olympics, and then made a flier of it with the caption, “Voting for Bush is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.” > > The flier was distributed at a Democratic headquarters. > > If I were a Democrat running for election, I’d disavow this too. Right now advocates for the developmentally disabled in Tennessee are fuming mad. > > The same mentality that caused this outrage caused **Apos** to call me retarded. I really don’t think that’s the sort of rhetoric we should abide on this message board. Tacky and unpolitic, if the Dems really did make and distribute it, but what does that have to do with voter fraud? ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/94 "2004-10-16T00:13:38Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Sure. That condemnation didn’t change the fact that someone superimposed Bush’s face on a picture of a boy running in the Special Olympics, and then made a flier of it with the caption, “Voting for Bush is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.” > > The flier was distributed at a Democratic headquarters. Only… it wasn’t. It was mysteriously discovered in the trash at Dem HQ and rushed to the newsmedia post haste. > [@](#): > > The same mentality that caused this outrage caused **Apos** to call me retarded. I really don’t think that’s the sort of rhetoric we should abide on this message board. In the Pit? Laff. The mentality was the fact that you tried to insinuate that I wasn’t against corruption when it was Democratic. I think most would agree: that IS pretty darn retarded. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/95 "2004-10-18T17:30:31Z")
Still more. From the Defiance County, Ohio, Sheriff: > [@](#): > > October 18, 2004 > > The Defiance County Sheriff’s Office arrested Chad Staton, age 22, of Stratton Ave., Defiance, on a charge of False Registration, in Violation of Section 3599.11 of the Ohio Revised Code, a felony of the fifth degree. > > The Sheriff’s Office alleges that Staton filled out over 100 voter registration forms that were fictitious. Staton was to be paid for each registration form that he could get citizens to fill out. However, Staton himself filled out the registrations and returned them to the woman who hired him from Toledo, Ohio. Deputies allege that Staton was paid crack cocaine for the falsified registrations. > > Defiance Deputies along with Toledo Police Department detectives conducted a search warrant of a residence on Woodland in Toledo, believed to be the home of the woman who hired Staton to solicit voter registration. Officers confiscated drug paraphernalia along with voter registration forms from the home. The occupant of the home, Georgianne Pitts, age 41, advised law enforcement, along with Ohio B.C.I.&I., that she had been recruited by Thaddeus J. Jackson, II, of Cleveland, to obtain voter registrations. Pitts admitted to paying Staton crack cocaine for the registrations in lieu of money. > > A business card provided by Pitts indicated that Jackson is the Assistant NVF Ohio Director of the NAACP National Voter Fund. > > The initial complaint received by the Sheriff’s Office came from the Defiance County Board of Elections. The Board had received the 100 plus registration forms from the Cuyahoga Board of Elections that had been submitted to the Cuyahoga Board by the NAACP National Voter Fund. > > Sheriff David J. Westrick Crack cocaine for votes? I hope everyone can agree that this is serious vote fraud and corruption. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/96 "2004-10-18T17:49:27Z")
Are you really this reading-comprehension impaired? He supposedly received crack for fradulent voter _registration cards_ not for votes. Even if true, these fradulent registrations won’t translate to votes since the people _don’t exist to vote_. Secondly, you’re linking to an individual acting of his own accord without any party affiliation and trying to equate it with systematic party organized activities. Either you are intentionally disingenous or you are an imbecile. I’m leaning towards the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/97 "2004-10-18T18:01:36Z")
Well, let’s see. If there was no danger in what he did, why is it a Class 5 felony? Maybe because ghost voters can vote by absentee ballot? More excuses for serious problems. I really can’t believe you folks. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/98 "2004-10-18T18:40:41Z")
It also doesn’t take much imagination to determine what candidate this voter registration drive is intended to support. It is the NAACP, after all, and they’re hardly neutral on the subject of President Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/99 "2004-10-18T19:18:42Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > It also doesn’t take much imagination to determine what candidate this voter registration drive is intended to support. Likely a _different_ corrupt county commisioner. Payment in crack for 100 bogus voter registrations sounds more like an attempt to rig local, perhaps even nonpartisan, elections than it does a plot to toss Bush out on his keester. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971/100 "2004-10-18T19:39:16Z")
Yeah, and Austin Murphy’s vote fraud was on behalf of a local race. And when I brought that up, I was dismissed. Nice to know you’ll champion vote fraud, as long as only local races are involved. How very democratic of you, **Squink**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-destroying-democraat-voter-registrations/268971.md?page=6)