Activists: Advisory proves Blackwell suppressing vote

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1154680349161840.xml&coll=2

Friday, August 04, 2006
Ted Wendling
Plain Dealer Bureau Chief

Columbus -- Voting-rights activists on Thursday produced what they said is the most compelling evidence to date that Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is trying to suppress the vote in November.

In an advisory that contradicts a provision in the voter-reform bill legislators passed last year, Blackwell's office informed county boards of election on June 5 that voters must present a photo ID "showing the voter's name and current address" to cast a regular ballot.

That conflicts with the new law, which permits a person to vote by regular ballot even if the ID -- typically a driver's license -- has the voter's former address.


After ignoring the activists groups' entreaties since early June -- even after they threatened to go public -- Blackwell's office sent an e-mail to all 88 county elections boards Thursday. It reiterated instructions the office sent in May that voters who present an ID with a former address may cast a regular ballot if they provide the last four digits from their ID card...



Court affirms Blackwell owes $65,000 in legal fees
Sandusky County Dems challenged voting directive

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/NEWS02/60804031/-1/NEWS

BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU


COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell must pay nearly $65,000 in legal fees incurred by the Sandusky County Democratic Party when it successfully challenged one of the chief elections officer’s directives over provisional ballots in 2004.

The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a court order that determined Mr. Blackwell would not have brought his directives into compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act if not for the lawsuit.

Prior to the 2004 presidential election, U.S. District Judge James Carr in Toledo determined Mr. Blackwell’s directives failed to say poll workers had to allow voters to cast provisional ballots even if they believed the voters were in the wrong precinct.

As a result, Mr. Blackwell sent revised directions to poll workers informing them that provisional ballots would be provided in such cases but only counted if subsequent investigation showed the voters were indeed eligible to vote...



Strickland leads Blackwell campaign in latest governor’s race fund-raising

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/NEWS09/60804013

By JIM TANKERSLEY
BLADE POLITICS WRITER


COLUMBUS — Ken Blackwell enlisted the best fund-raiser in America and banked the richest political event in northeast Ohio history, but he still couldn’t match rival Ted Strickland in the latest round of the state’s gubernatorial money race.

Campaign finance reports filed yesterday showed Mr. Blackwell, the Republican secretary of state, raised $2 million in June and July and ended the period with $3.3 million in available funds.

The total includes most of the $1.5 million Mr. Blackwell raised this week near Cleveland with President Bush.

Mr. Blackwell’s campaign trumpeted both numbers in an early afternoon press release, saying Mr. Blackwell “shattered campaign fund-raising records” with his monthly total and the President’s visit, which the campaign called a single-event record for an open seat and for northeast Ohio overall...



Ashamed of dad

http://www.cleveland.com/weblogs/openers/



.."I wanted to publicly apologize for the attacks in my father's email and the negative media that followed. Although I am a Republican and support Ken Blackwell in this race, I am ashamed of the way my father played his part in the elections. I know first-hand the hurt and anger caused by biting accusations such as these from my father as some have been directed at me. I am so sorry that this email has stained your reputation in this manner. The email my father sent was immature and embarrassing. I am also sorry that his response to the public outrage was further defense, not a humble apology...

The Ohio Republican Party, which employed Gary Lankford as a "voter contact consultant," fired Lankford after several days of media coverage of the email. "I will not tolerate anything like that," party Chairman Bob Bennett said in a statement whose sincerety was widely questioned by Democrats. "Unfortunately, I was a little slow to react to this."...


Bush visit brings answers



...(Blackwell, however, got to ride with the president's limousine.)

Reporters were able to catch a glimpse of the activity when their van re-joined the president’s motorcade. Hundreds of expensive cars – most notably a Rolls Royce -- filled an open field along Booth Road in Kirtland Hills, across from Crawford’s house, and made a statement that the economy is doing just fine, at least for the roughly 650 people inside...


Pricey governor's race is unfolding
Strickland leads in race for campaign dollars

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1154680310161840.xml&coll=2

Friday, August 04, 2006
Mark Naymik
Plain Dealer Politics Writer

Ohio's gubernatorial candidates continue to raise money at a record pace, though Democrat Ted Strickland holds an edge over his Republican rival, Ken Blackwell, with three months to go before the election.

Boosted by tens of thousands of dollars from unions, wealthy individuals and the Democratic Party, Strickland reported Thursday that he has collected $2.5 million since June 3, or about $44,000 a day. He has $5.1 million in the bank.

Blackwell raised $2 million during the same period, or about $35,000 a day. He has $3.3 million on hand.

The two campaigns report with the state detailing contributions they received through July 31, though they did not have to report expenditures...


http://www.freetimes.com/story/536

Blackwell Interprets the Word of God Literally, Selectively

Gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell has told the Columbus Dispatch that homosexuality, like his 'stache, is an unfortunate lifestyle choice.

Homosexuality "is a lifestyle, it's a choice, and that lifestyle can be changed," Blackwell said, adding, "I think it's a transgression against God's law, God's will."

Blackwell went on to compare gay people to arsonists and kleptomaniacs — other kinds of people who he says can change, despite a genetic inclination toward "immoral" behavior. He didn't explain why hordes of gay people have yet to burn his house down or steal all of his shit.

Blackwell has made it well known that his political and social principles are founded on his belief in a literal interpretation of the Bible. In fact, Scripture does condemn homosexuality, saying, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" (Exodus 18:22)...

[ellie]

1. So he is breaking the law then

I just moved and re-registered to vote in my new neighborhood. However, my driver's license has my old address on it. I wonder if I will be able to vote?

[xchrom]

2. if he is trying this hard to steal the election in 06 --

and under scrutiny this close -- then he stole the election in 04.

[zbdent]

3. Evidence doesn't matter to the writer of the fourth LTTE

(Voice of the People) in the Akron Beacon Journal:

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/2006/08/04/news/editorial/letters/15196423.htm

I would bet that either he or his parents always quoted the "stolen election" of 1960 ... and never "got over it" ... There's exponentially more evidence about Ohio alone than all the evidence that they use to claim JFK was illegitimately elected in 1960 ...