EXCLUSIVE: WATERS TO WITHDRAW CO-SPONSORSHIP OF HOLT ELECTION REFORM BILL, CALLS FOR PAPER BALLOTS!

[BradBlog]

EXCLUSIVE: REP. MAXINE WATERS ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO WITHDRAW CO-SPONSORSHIP OF HOLT ELECTION REFORM BILL!
Calls for a Return to Paper Ballots During Commemorative MLK, Jr. Keynote Address in Santa Cruz!
California Congresswoman is First of Bill's 192 Co-Sponsors to Pull Support Amid Heavy Criticism of Legislation by Election Integrity Advocates...

-- Guest Blogged by Emily Levy of VelvetRevolution.us with additional reporting by Brad Friedman

During a question and answer period after a speech at during a Black History Month event last night sponsored by the University of California Santa Cruz, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), announced that she plans to withdraw her co-sponsorship of Rep. Rush Holt's Election Reform Legislation (HR 811).

Citing the bill's failure to require paper ballots, allowing for uncounted "paper trails" instead, Waters replied to a question of mine that she would "glad to withdraw name from the bill" when she returns to Washington on Tuesday in the wake of recent conversations she's had in California with Election Integrity advocates. The announcement drew an enthusiastic round of applause from those in attendance at Tuesday night's 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation at UCSC which was keynoted by Waters.

Waters would be the first of the bill's current 192 House co-sponsors to withdraw her support.

"What would it take," I asked, "for you to withdraw your support?"

"It takes me getting to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday morning," she replied before detailing her reasons for the move....

FULL STORY, DETAILS, TRANSCRIPT:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4170


---
Brad Friedman
THE BRAD BLOG - The uprising continues...
http://www.BradBlog.com
VELVET REVOLUTION - The revolution begins...
http://www.VelvetRevolution.us

[aquart]

1. That was a straight answer from a politician. I feel faint.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Can Rush fix or kill his bill?

Seems it would be quicker than getting 191 co-signers to unsign. I know Rush has been a big advocate of reform...is he on board with revising the flaws in his bill?

[BradBlog]

3. He could, I guess, but...

...I'm told it's not really great form to make amendments to ones own bills. PLUS, he had the opportunity to make the needed changes already and chose, for whatever reason, not to do so.

Other members, however, could make amendments, obviously. Don't know if co-sponsors are also disinclined to make amendments to a bill they're already signed onto or not (which could be a prob, given the bills huge number of current co-sponsors).

Fixing the bill via the Senate version (DiFi said to be working on a matching bill) may be a better way to go. Feel free to encourage Feinstein to fix it over there if ya can!

[hedda_foil]

5. Cosponsors CAN make amendments and would have more clout .

Waters would be ideal.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

12. people were working on amending it, but you have saved us

now maybe if you keep up the great work,
we can quit worrying about getting a law passed.

Hard work has been going into amending the bill,
its in committee and you knew that,
and Holt changed it and changed it in response
to activists requests.

He had to introduce it sometime if it were to ever
go anywhere.

It could be amended in committee, but hell, just
kill it.

Our opponents will smell the blood and capitolize
on this.

Why couldn't I be so smart and have worked to kill
our legislation in NC?

[Wilms]

13. I appreciate and respect your accomplishments.

So it's a little hard for me to read the posts you've put on this thread.

Serious people (not just the torch and pitchfork crew) have serious concerns about HR811 in it's current form.

Your posts on this thread don't acknowlege that. Worse, it seems you are putting words in others' mouths.

Calling for a bill to be ammended is not working to kill it.

I believe your comments are unfair.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

14. sorry, it just doesn't look encouraging

to me, the concern is that this may serve to weaken the bill
in total, rather than strengthen it.

this is a risky strategy, and assumes alot.

I hope it doesn't kill the bill, because then
our opposition will be emboldened and push for more
gadgets and paperless voting systems.

And, as it stands, the DNC IS pushing for internet voting.

HR 811 would prevent that.

Now, its looking weaker and weaker.

Maybe a miracle will happen, but I am not optomistic.

If its all or nothing, we could get nothing at all.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

16. asking to withdraw co-sponsorship not same as amendment

Its safer to try to amend a bill when
you have plenty of co-sponsors.

Losing co-sponsors weakens the bill, reduces its
chances of survival.

But remember, there have been some "activists" posting at
DU all along who have fought against passing any federal
legislation.

Just like us, the vendors and election officials
get the news and know about the disunited front of activists.

The vendors and election officials will pick up on
this new weakness and use it to their advantage.

The election officials have creditability due to
professions. They will be unified in their efforts,
and their message will be clear.

They can do like Diebold TRIED to do in NC,
they can offer to write the legislation for the lawmakers.

This could be like health care - it gets messed up by
the people who are supposedly supporters.

We may have another un-recountable election in 2008
in MD, GA, SC, VA, IN, and parts of FL, and other states.

Then, 10 years later, we try for legislation again.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. exclusively helping The Election Center and Vendors

More brilliant strategy such as the type that got us Bush for 8 years.

Say hello to paperless verification systems and internet voting,
because there will not be anything to stop them.

Oh, if only I had been so smart, maybe we could have
blocked our legislation in North Carolina and be like Florida,
Georgia, Maryland, and South Carolina.

Oh why oh why did I want to pass a law???

I guess I am not as smart as you folks.

Thats why I don't get money for doing this, cause I just can't
strategize like the rest of the folks.

[w4rma]

6. This bill would be so much easier to promote if they would just change that one part of it. (nt)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. why fix it if we can kill it??

Don't you understand, when victory is near, you have
to shoot yourself in the foot.

Thats how the Democratic party has been able to keep
Bush in the White house and have all this other great
stuff that goes with being so smart.

Its a brilliant strategy -
work 3-4 years for federal legislation and then
do everything you can to kill it.

[In Truth We Trust]

7. Hand Counted Paper Ballots! Nothing more and Nothing less! Thanks Maxine!

k&r

[kster]

8. KICK N RECOMMENDED..nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

9. thanks, now we get to have internet voting !!

way to go!!!


I was really worried about who I would vote for in the Presidential Primary.
But now it looks like someone else can take care of my voting for me.

Because I got the good news - no need to worry about anything, because
Harriet Tubbs Jones has said she would withdraw her co-sponsorship for HR 811.

Maybe with a little more effort, we can completely kill this legislation!!!!!!


Then we could go ahead and plan for those internet primaries that Donna Brazille wanted,

On August 19th the members of the Democratic National Committee adopted new rules for the Delegate Selection for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. In addition to recommending voter verified paper ballots on voting machines, the Democratic National committee slipped in another "election reform" - Internet Voting.

The 2008 Rules contain a new provision allowing Internet voting under certain conditions. Internet voting can only apply to State Party-run primaries and must be accompanied by in-person voting locations and vote by mail. Additionally, Internet voting must include a comprehensive outreach and education program to reach those who lack access as well as certain security and technical safeguards. http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/08/highlights_of_t.php

8/18/06 Forbes Magazine Democrats May Punish Candidates
Looking to broaden primary voting participation, the committee also voted to encourage state parties to provide for Internet voting. Some questioned whether such a step could disenfranchise some poor and minority voters, who have more limited access to computers.

"Because of the ongoing digital divide, we're going to continue to monitor how that's implemented," said Donna Brazile, a member of the rules committee who has been active in DNC efforts to reach out to minorities.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/ebusiness/feeds/ap/2006/08/18/ap2959797.html

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

10. Yay, now Election Reform can be a money maker for longer!

Shoot, I was afraid we were going to pass a law,
now if we are lucky, this election reform business will
continue on forever and ever.

I wasn't so smart in my state, we passed a law.

IF only I had lobbied against it.

Well, at least Florida, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina
and Virginia may be safe now, they can keep their paperless
machines!

Yayyayaya

Celebrations all around.

[stillcool]

15. after reading through all those posts..

I'm astounded, and am left speechless. Why pass a good law, when you can pass another bad one?

[KoKo]

17. Who at DNC is responsible for pushing Internet Voting in Primaries...Donna Brazille?

I can see this two ways. It would make sense that internet voting would bring in thousands of new voters and appeal to those involved voters who like the convenience. However it opens the door for lazy uninformed "voters" and tricksters who would love to hack the system.

Party Officials (like Brazille) would feel good about a high turnout of new internet voters (helping her keep her job) and folks would say since it was successful in primary then extend it to the National Elections (more opportunity for hacking and fraud) since folks are on to the voting machines.

Any way I look at this...Internet Voting just can't be made secure in time for 2008 and probably not the forseeable future..

I don't know what to think of the Holt Bill. And, hope it's not pulled, but amended. Surely the Black Caucus who had hearings on Election Reform should have a way to make sure we have a Verifiable Paper Ballot and random audits. What is the problem that things are bogged down like this? I haven't been able to keep up with all of it.

[tbyg52]

20. Who in their right mind

wants to fix DRE voting with *internet* voting! These people either haven't a clue or are on the other side.

[Mrspeeker]

18. thanks Brad

You ROCK!

[donkeyotay]

19. Thanks Bradblog and Velvet Revolution for working so hard on this issue

We sure don't need another HAVA. If we're going to get a reform bill, let's get a good one.

[BradBlog]

21. Did we have a choice?! ;-) (nt)