Calif Fight Against McCormack's Assault on Election Protection

[JunkYardDogg]

PROTECT CALIFORNIA'S MANDATE THAT ALL ELECTRONIC
VOTING MACHINES as of Jan. 1, 2006 have a Voter Verified
Paper Audit Trail System- VVPAT
Former California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, mandated and established the highest standards and regulations in the U.S. to protect and safeguard the Sanctity of making every vote count with the use of HAVA mandated Electronic Voting Equipment. California's standards exceed any and all current Federal standards. Standards and regulations established by Shelley mandate that ALL Electronic Voting Equipment to be used after Jan. 1, 2006 must have a
Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail System. see:
SB 1348
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/sen/sb_1401-1450/sb_1438_bill_20040927_chaptered.html
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/avvpat_standards_1_21_05.pdf

As of today, there is only one (1) System certified for use in California on Jan. 1, 2006, which is in compliance with a VVPAT
The system is:
Sequoia Voting Systems
Win EDS V.3.0.134
Firmware 4.3.320 with VeriVote
certified 1/21/05
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/voting_systems/certified_vs.pdf
see bottom of page 3

In a full-blown, calculated assault seeking to eradicate and decimate the protections to Electronic Voting integrity presently mandated in California, Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Conny McCormack has launched her own Nuclear Option .
In a Sacramento Bee Article, dated Feb. 4, 2005, by Dan Smith,
"California's chief county elections official says Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's administration has created a "full-blown crisis" that threatens the state's compliance with federal law and its ability to conduct the 2006 elections.
In testimony prepared for a legislative committee, Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Conny McCormack blasted Shelley's process for approving voting machine systems the counties must purchase, and suggested he had manipulated the system "to favor or punish some equipment vendors." She called on the Legislature to step in and take over the process
County election officials have concluded that the voting system certification process in California is completely broken," McCormack, president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials, wrote to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee scrutinizing Shelley's alleged misuse of millions in federal Help America Vote Act funds. ..."
"McCormack said she is asking lawmakers to pass emergency "narrowly crafted" legislation to override Shelley's office and temporarily certify 2004 systems for use in the 2006 elections. Such legislation also would have to suspend a state law requiring a paper trail.
"There's a paralysis going on that we have to get beyond," McCormack said in an interview. "The situation is beyond dire, and it won't be solved if Kevin Shelley resigns or drops dead tomorrow. ... If Shelley's (office) has the only door, I need the Legislature to get a bulldozer and go in the back of the house."
Counties face a 2006 federal deadline to have state-certified voting systems ready for the elections, but Shelley's office has approved just one Sequoia model, and that is not certified for the June 2006 primary. If the counties are unable to use voting systems that comply with federal law, the results could be vulnerable to legal challenge"
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/shelley/story/12235220p-13099223c.html
McCormack is attempting to use the Secretary of State "Grandfather" clause to carry out her anti-Verified Voting agenda.
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/voting_systems/012005_3abcde_s.pdf
On the March 17 Secretary of State Meeting Agenda, the Issue of "Grandfathered" E-Voting Equipment is listed.
There is where Conny McCormack will mount her assault on California's Mandated Voter Verified Paper Audit System.
We MUST lobby the California Election Board to Protect and Preserve these VVPAT Regulations and repel McCormack's assault on Election Integrity.
The Election Board also is inviting citizen input.
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/voting_systems/vsp_agenda_0317.pdf

Location of Hearing:
VOTING SYSTEMS & PROCEDURES PANEL MEETING (VSPP)
Office of the Secretary of State
1500 11th Street
1st Floor-Auditorium
Sacramento, Calif. 95814
Date:
March 17, 2005 10:00 AM
“Comments must be received no later than 5:00 PM on the Thursday preceding the meeting to ensure their delivery to VSPP members prior to the meeting. If you wish to provide information or to present an oral statement at any meeting, please contact Michael Wagaman at 916-657-2166 or at:
[e-mail]
Contact all the appropriate individuals at the California Secretary of State Election offices and let them know that Conny McCormack's Election Integrity Nuclear Option is Unacceptable in California. Make sure that Michael Wagaman is contacted. These are good people.
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_contacts.htm

The defense, preservation, and protection of the sanctity and integrity of the very foundation of American Democracy, the right to have Every Vote counted, cannot and must not be left up to the capricious and arbitrary prejudicial manipulations and machinations of self centered County Clerks whose personal agenda is to seek to undermine and destroy legally mandated and imposed standards of Verified Voting Election Integrity.
It is not the function of Conny McCormack to circumvent California's Legal Election Protection laws. We must not let Conny McCormack be California's Kenneth Blackwell. California cannot and will not tolerate this action. If Conny McCormack is successful getting the VVPAT standards rescinded for L.A. County, this will set a precedent for the rest of California and it will result in all of California’s Electronic Voting safeguards to be null and void. Conny McCormack has absolutely no justification for seeking to invoke, use, and abuse the “Grandfather” clauses.
Start a campaign Now to undermine and terminate Conny McCormack's attempt to destroy California's Election Standards.
Contact ALL of California's Elected Officials, Federal (Senators and Representatives) and the California State Elected officials, and Committee and inform them that McCormack's agenda is unacceptable.exert them to put intense pressure on Conny McCormack.
Contact the California State Assembly Joint Legislative Audit
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.ascommittee=208p?

California State Assembly
Joint Legislative Audit Committee


Assembly
Nicole Parra, Chair
Dem-30 [phone] [e-mail]
Greg Aghazarian
Rep-26 [phone] [e-mail]
Jackie Goldberg
Dem-45 [phone] [e-mail]
Johan Klehs
Dem-18 [phone] Tim Leslie
Rep-4 [phone] [e-mail]
Pedro Nava
Dem-35 [phone]
Dave Cogdill*
Rep-25 [phone] [e-mail]
Rick Keene*
Rep-3 [phone] [e-mail]
Senate
Charles Poochigian, Vice Chair
Rep-14 [phone] Gil Cedillo
Dem-22 [phone] Tom McClintock
Rep-19 [phone] Bill Morrow
Rep-38 [phone] Deborah Ortiz
Dem-6 [phone] Gloria Romero
Dem-24 [phone] Jackie Speier
Dem-8 [phone] * Keene will serve in place of Cogdill for hearings related to “Secretary of State: Help America Vote Act of 2002”.
See Assembly Daily Journal, January 6, 2005, pp. 141-142.
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=208
Remember,
Unsecure, Unverifiable E-Voting Machines will affect BOTH Federal and State Elections.
For more California Election Standards and Regulations:
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/decert1.pdf

Pass this information along to any other group and persons who you know.

Demolish Conny McCormack’s Bulldozer before she bulldozes California’s Election Integrity Standards.


[e-mail]
VENTURA COUNTY PROGRESSIVES
http://www.venturacountyprogressives.com
DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA -Ventura County Chapter-DFA
http://dfa.meetup.com

[Helga Scow Stern]

1. Way to , JUNKYARDDOGG!

Thank you for making sense of what is going on so we can get busy with stopping this nonsense.

You have added clear instructions, but please let us know if there is anything you need help with.

It seems like someone should attend that meeting on the 17th.

[Einsteinia]

79. Insights into Conflicts of Interest: Conny McCormack & The Dieaboldical

Here's what I just received notice of:

Deborah Seiler, who went from the public sector to a high position with Diebold, has returned to the public sector and is now the Elections Director for Solano County, California.

But, it gets worse. Deborah Seilor occupied a prominent position at the SoS Elections Division office under Bill Jones before going to work for Diebold.

She was the one selling the Diebold TSx to Solano County.

She was the one working with the state to get the TSx certification rushed through in the fall of 2003.

She is the one writing the letters to the Elections Division in October, 2003 misrepresenting the status of the federal certification (copies of the letters are on file at the SoS’s office--I believe).

She also testified on October 9, 2003 before the VSPP misrepresenting the TSx certification.

She now goes to work as head of the Elections Division in Solano County.

The conflicts of interest just continue unbounded.

In the area of national defense we have the "military-industrial complex", in the field of elections we have the "election officials-vendors complex.”

[Helga Scow Stern]

81. That is good to know such specific information.

I am sure the situation is riddled with such connections.

[Peace Patriot]

2. This fabulous, JunkYardDogg! Thanks so much!

I'm now going to study it carefully. I just scanned it. Take a look at what we're trying to do at

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=336394

There's a progressive Dem meetup tomorrow (March 2) with new CA Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, for which we're trying to formulate questions. I think your post will be fantastic help. We have to get the question(s) in tonight by 9 pm.

[Helga Scow Stern]

3. I posted this in California Forum. n/t

[Andy_Stephenson]

4. Sick em Junkyarddog!

Conny McCormack...I would love to know what her financial disclosures reveal. Has anyone in California, done a records request on her yet, to determine what her investments are?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[JunkYardDogg]

5. Emphasis on "SICK"

Andy,
Ya got my number all right
Ya doin' any better?
SICK Minds wanna know

[JunkYardDogg]

7. How does one do a Financial Records Disclosure Request?

Now,
I just gotta know

[Andy_Stephenson]

8. Well...

just do a freedom of information act request. check your pm's.

[Helga Scow Stern]

9. Thanks Andy.

:loveya:

[yurbud]

12. someone should run against her

[Andy_Stephenson]

24. She is appointed

I believe.

[shance]

32. Who appointed her? Schwarzenegger?

n/t

[Amaryllis]

44. Follow the money, find the truth. How are ya, Andy?

[Peace Patriot]

6. Hey, JunkYardDogg, I just want to thank you again for this info.!

It really helped us focus on an immediate task--writing question in-put for a meetup with Assembly Speaker Nunez. Great info.! Just what was needed. And I'll be doing some more stuff on this in the next few days.

[ClintCooper2003]

10. "drops dead tomorrow" = typical Republican hate speech. C*NT!

[yurbud]

11. thanks--Dems should be investigating McCormack, Romero

and leave Shelley's reforms in place

[EFerrari]

13. We won't have to dig far

snippet:

You are friends with Deborah Seiler, Diebold’s chief sales representative in California, and L.A. County is now buying equipment from Diebold. Is the friendship appropriate?

I’ve had a long-term friendship with her. There’s nothing wrong with a friendship. Has it influenced my judgment? Of course not. In terms of the Diebold contract for L.A. County, I was not on the evaluation committee. I removed myself from that. But Diebold was the only vendor that met all the requirements for L.A. County. Sequoia wrote a letter saying it could not meet the requirements. And ES&S failed the demonstration, because it couldn’t handle seven languages.

http://lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=942&IssueNum=51

[Wilms]

14. Many lobbyists for electronic voting companies are ex-election officials

Sure could be taking it out of context but do you notice how her story here, doesn't seem to sync with the one she tells in your post?



Many lobbyists for electronic voting companies are ex-election officials

by Tim Reiterman and Peter Nicholas
Los Angeles Times

Nov. 10, 2003

-snip-

"Deborah and I are friends," said registrar McCormack. "We went away one weekend to Carmel or Monterey, and I paid my own way, with our husbands."

"But I think you can have friends and keep it separate from business," said McCormack, adding that she usually deals with one of Seiler's superiors.

-snip/more-

http://www.unknownnews.net/031117comvot.html

[EFerrari]

15. Yup. In the LABeat article (which I've only skimmed)

she says DREs are 100% reliable.

Maybe she knows something I don't know :)

[Helga Scow Stern]

16. And many election officials "retire" after installing DRE's.

Sally McPherson, registrar of voters for San Diego County, announced last week that she will retire effective March 17. This brings to five the number of California registrars that have resigned or retired after purchasing paperless, electronic voting systems. Other registrars who left their posts after the equipment acquisition include Scott Konopasek (San Bernardino), Mischelle Townsend (Riverside), Laura Winslow (Solano), and Ann Reed (Shasta).

http://calvoter.org/news/blog/index.html

We need for Conny to retire.

[Peace Patriot]

18. Now here are some odd coincidences! Anything to it?

Sally McPherson, San Diego registrar, retires on the very day--March 17-- that McCormack is making her move to exempt L.A. county from Voter Verified Audit Trail (required by Shelley, whom McCormack helped to destroy) at a scheduled SoS hearing in Sacto, where Schwarz pick to replace Democrat Shelley--Republican Bruce McPherson--may or may not be present or presiding (not approved by the Legislature yet, that I know of, but probably a shoo-in, given Perata's and Romero's complicity).

Why is she retiring on March 17? That is damn weird date to be retiring on.

Is she related to Bruce?

Might be nothing. But inquiring minds would like to know if it is nothing.

-----

This thing between McCormack and her buddy at Diebold is unbelievable (or, I guess I should say, all too believable)!

And they destroyed Shelley for...what was it? "Misusing" HAVA funds? (That is, withholding them from McCormack's buddy at Diebold until L.A. is compliant.)

The plot thickens. (It's already thick as thieves.)

[Helga Scow Stern]

19. The trouble might be that McPherson is such a good guy....

I just returned from the Meet-Up of Santa Barbara Progressives Coalition. The speaker was Hannah-Beth Jackson. She was very inspiring, a former CA congress woman who got redistricted out. Very progressive, has been working with Lakoff and has a big new project to Bring Back the California Dream. She got money and input from a bunch of Sacramento legislators. She means business, and I don't doubt she'll achieve it.

She sees Schwarzenegger very clearly--Rove's Robot. But then when I raised concerns at the end about how they got rid of the Secretary of State and now they were going to try to undo the reforms using grandfathering on March 17, she put down Shelley, said a lot of people didn't like him. Said that "yeah, a lot of people are concerned about that," (so we can talk about it in our future discussions), but kind of dismissed all concern with "McPherson can't be bought!"

Well, that may be true, but how can she see evil, evil, evil all around with everything the rethugs and der Grope are up to, and then turn around and think this SoS coup is nothing?

I am really puzzled about that. We need to write to her:

[e-mail]
This exciting new project of hers is on the web at the same name.

Another big inconsistency that occurs to me is how she said that ever since * has been in power everything changed in the CA legislature. There is no longer any possibility of having a discussion with the Republicans, where as there used to be a few with whom you could work things out. She said the last four who voted for a budget got zapped by the party, so that all moderate Republicans have been driven out.

Then what in the world makes her think that McPherson is going to be untouchable? Is the voting situation in California really that innocent and okay? Is it just a fluke that Shelley got kicked out just before der Grope has all these special elections?

I don't get it...

[Peace Patriot]

93. Ojai Person, I don't know if you'll ever notice this reply--I'll alert you

...with a message, too. I'm going to send H-B Jackson some stuff today (--my existing summary of election fraud, and the LETTER OF THE WEEK: Calif coup that I'm going to post here in draft form today (Tues 3/15).

[rumpel]

17. Thanks junkyarddogg. I am going to check some more on McCormack.

[Einsteinia]

20. The Red States Master Plan is Foiled!

JYD--

Thanks for doing this. I'm not a conspiracist, but I do believe the ousting of Shelley despite the fact that his audit hearing came up with NOTHING of consequence was the first step to reverse Shelley's 2006 paper trail mandate. Now, sure enough--out of left field--Conny McCormack using the Sacramento Bee and Ventura Star Press as her bully pulpit starts condemning Shelley's paper trail mandate as a "fake crisis." While it is possible the timing and feature in the newspapers may all be a mere coincidence----after witnessing the past four years--I sincerely doubt it.

I have sent your notice here (as you suggested) to all the election reform committees that I know of, as well as all my personal spam lists. They, the red coats and King George, may have the media in their pockets, but those individual Paul Reveres are screaming your action alert like there's no tomorrow.

[Helga Scow Stern]

21. Welcome to DU!

And thanks for your good work. I just finished writing a letter to Hannah Beth Jackson, who seemed to think that there will be no problem since McPherson "can't be bought". But how could anyone think such a plum position isn't going to serve their master plan?

[Peace Patriot]

22. Ojai Person, they (McCormack, Diebold) are making their move BEFORE

McPherson gets into office. I think that may be the key to it. He won't be responsible for it. He can talk a good line about how-all he's committed to transparent vote counting, but "it was the Panel's will" and he's new, and blah, blah, blah.

I'm very worried about the rush being put on this, and our having no Sec of State yet to praise or blame (hold responsible) for it.

VSPP not elected. McPherson won't face election for some years. Although the Legislature voted for these reforms UNANIMOUSLY (and Schwarz signed them), last year, the unelected VSPP can just reverse a key provision now?

And then it won't even be a factor in his nomination hearings--cuz he didn't do it? This is where Perata and Romero come in.

This situation--and the March 17 hearing (March 10 deadline for public comment)--is looking smellier and smellier.

[Helga Scow Stern]

38. Oh, so this is how it works....

That makes it all the more essential that we get on this now. Can any of attend the meeting in Sacto?

[Einsteinia]

35. Thanks for the Welcome! Also:

1. Who is Hannah Beth Jones?

2. Yes, my two concerns about McPherson are that he is a republican in a time when republicans are forced by their party to strictly tow the party line -and- he says he's pro-redistricting.

[Helga Scow Stern]

36. Hannah-Beth Jackson

Was a member of the California Assembly, 35th Disrict, which encompassed parts of Santa Barbara and Ventura. She said last night that redistricting cost her her seat, which is now held by a RWinger, O'Connell.

She is well-liked and outspoken, both locally and in Sacramento. She has been meeting in committee with George Lakoff, and has started this project called Institute for the Renewal of the California Dream. 18 legislators in Sacto have helped with preliminary funding. She hopes to gather 10,000 members as a start, and then to hook up with MoveOn.org. She is serious and means business. I was a bit disenheartened that she doesn't seem to recognize that in the Republican arsenal, which otherwise she identifies very clearly, she does not recognize their number one secret weapon--stealing elections.

Here is the website for her new endeavor, which is a great one. Unfortunately, it will be rendered ineffectual if elections are allowed to be stolen in the state. :shrug:
http://www.speakoutcalifornia.org/

Yes, I have heard about the redistricting support of McPherson. Nunez, I read yesterday, plans on allowing the plan after the 2010 census. This makes more sense to me than letting it happen now. Jackson did not address this issue.

[JunkYardDogg]

26. Einsteinia- We welcome DFA here

Thanks for helping out up North
Keep posting, after about 12 posts, you can put up your own topics

[Peace Patriot]

23. Ojai Person, sfpat2000, or anyone attending the Nunez MEETUPS...

...did our question get asked of Nunez? Any reply?

We need to figure out fast who our allies are, and what's what (where to put pressure), and at least get this LA county exemption SLOWED DOWN.

Maybe this is the way to do this: THIS MOMENTOUS DECISION SHOULDN'T BE MADE BEFORE MCPHERSON'S NOMINATION IS HEARD AND VOTED ON, and he is sworn in and in power (if that's what's going to happen).

No "Panel" should be doing this. This is a Sec of State (answerable to the people) decision.

JunkYardDogg: Do you know IF the Panel can MAKE this decision?

And if not--if it merely recommends to the Sec of State/or the Leg--even so, the agenda item should be postponed until McPherson is fully in office and has the time to study all legal/political implications.

This is TOO BIG of an issue to be just be railroaded through like this.

[Peace Patriot]

25. I just got the info from my state senator's office that Bruce...

...McPherson IS NOW our Secretary of State, pending his confirmation. But he IS empowered and in office.

So if this crap comes down--a weakening of the rules--it's on his watch.

That's something, at least. ALSO, there's his confirmation hearings.

He is currently answerable to Schwarzenegger, not to the people, since he was not elected. So our only input point on McPherson will be the confirmation hearings.

I'm thinking, if he's smart, he'll hold off any weakening of the rules (if that's what he intends) until after his confirmation.

[Helga Scow Stern]

37. Good question!

I heard that someone asked the question from San Diego, but worded it so Nunez had a hard time responding.

I didn't hear the conference call. Nunez was late, and the group voted to move on to Hannah-Beth Jackson.

She is well-connected and powerful. It is worth getting in touch with her, although the email address I listed above did not work.

Do you know when McPherson is expected to be appointed?

[JunkYardDogg]

27. McPhearson seems to be VVPAT Friendly

The Problem is the fact that the "GrandFather" Clause Does exist
and can be invoked
Our job is to have enough people and organizations and California Elected Officials -at the Federal and State levels to put enough pressure on the Elections Board to counter and repel any efforts to invoke the "Grandfather" clause
McCormack probably figured that it was a slam dunk to do this, on a Stealth basis, but we cannot let this happen.
I have spent two days sending this out to as many Progressive groups as possible throughout California and I have gotten some positive replies, especially from some DFA groups.
A lady from the DFA San Diego group asked Nunez a question regarding McCormack and her Anti VVPAT campaign, but she got confused and asked him why and if she supported McCormack to be Sec of State(???)
Also, there are some people in DFA groups in the Bay Area who plan on attending the Mar 17 hearing.
The DFA Marin group is very active on this Election Protection issue.
Thanks to all of you working on this.

[Wilms]

28. Thanks to all of you working on this?????

Thanks to YOU for setting-up the work shop! :)

[JunkYardDogg]

34. It takes ALL of Us

And this goes a lot deeper than it seems, from some stuff people have sent me
Besides,
This is something REAL that ALL of us can work on
It takes a lot of time to send this out to other groups and Elected officials

[Peace Patriot]

29. I'm learning as I'm going along here. The "grandfathering" agenda...

...item is (if I'm reading correctly) a "discussion only" item. No action can be taken. (--will review to make sure).

I've got a call in to Michael Wagaman, to find out what, specifically, this Panel can or might do.

The list of counties that have inquired about the status of their systems includes L.A. county (among others). And the list of voting systems at issue is an alphabet soup of versions of this and that, nothing easily recognizable.

This is what paper ballot advocates mean when they object to the SHEER COMPLICATION of this matter--made complicated and nearly or wholly incomprehensible to ordinary people by the electronic components. Voting and vote counting should be understandable by EVERY VOTER, and occur in the visible range of human perception, and at human speed.

As is, the system wholly favors "professionals" and "experts" with streams of gobble-de-gook coming out of their mouths.

[Peace Patriot]

30. CORRECTION; "grandfathering" IS an ACTION ITEM.

They orginally noticed the "grandfather" item as discussion only, then re-noticed it as action item. However, I just spoke to Michael Wagaman, and the item does NOT involve DRE's or paper trails. It involves old paper-based systems. L.A.'s Diebold TS paperless system is NOT on the agenda. No touchscreen issue is on the agenda. Both a Sequoia application for certification of optiscans, and the "grandfathering" of the older paper systems are action items.

The Panel does not have the power to enact regs or change regs, but recommends to the Sec of State.

He also said that CA's standard does have the Voter Verified paper record take precedence over electronic tallies in recounts (unless there is reason to believe that paper record has been tampered with). (--I don't know what THAT entails, establishing paper record tampering).

One other thing he said: To "grandfather" in L.A. county's paperless DRE's would take an act of the legislature.

I think we can breathe a sigh of relief for the moment (and only for the moment) on "grandfathering" of LA's paperless systems. But it would do no harm to write to the panel anyway, on the general principles we support. ALSO, I don't know what-all this Sequoia item is about, nor do I grasp the full significance of the current "grandfathering" item (of paper-based systems).

I think one thing might be CATEGORICAL--rather than case by case--exemptions (and that we would support case by case).

More study needed...(and I'll see if I can check out what they're saying in Marin)...

[Wilms]

31. Excellent. Thanks for the report. n/t

[JunkYardDogg]

33. To Grandfather Paperless DRE's takes a Legislative Act--

That is why Conny Blackwell McCormack so vigorously addressed the California State Assembly Joint Legislative Audit Committee
I wondered why she did that
She is building a campaign in the Calif State Legislature Against
VVPAT
There was tremendous pressure to oust Shelley because of this
The GrandFather Clause is still her work around
That is why we must continue to influence all the Calif Elected State and Federal Officials and counter Her campaign
Somebody who has a lot of SoS Election Division experience told me that they change Agenda Items and Issues at the last moment on a regular basis
She has 9 months to avoid being in Compliance with SB1348

[Helga Scow Stern]

39. And, she has GEMS tabulators in LA

Does that have anything to do with it?

[Peace Patriot]

40. JunkYardDogg, I don't mean we shouldn't be vigilant, even with...

...this new information. But I think we can un-push the panic button about March 17, as to a McCormack move on the DRE's. (Knock on wood!). I'm not familiar enough with the Panel's procedures to know if they can (or would) pull a fast one. I know this about admin. procedures: ALWAYS GET INTO THE RECORD, you never know what crap they're pulling or will pull, and if you have to sue them, you need STANDING. And you get standing by being in the record.

So, at the very least, we should get letters & docs into the record. Best: If someone could go, monitor their proceedings, and check this Panel out. (And others may well be there with whom we would want to become familiar--McPherson, company lobbyists, McCormack, other county supes, other activists, etc.)

I was preparing for a panic-button campaign of public in-put. But I would MUCH RATHER not have to do this on a panic-button basis. Need to get thoroughly informed, network, join with other groups, get a concensus on best pressure points. Like that.

They got rid of Shelley for a REASON. I've no doubt of that. And weakening the rules is probably it. Also preventing investigation. (I'm sure there is filth all over this matter, yet to be discovered.)

-----

JunkYardDogg, do you agree? Ojai Person? SFexpat2000? emlev? others?

I'm thinking, prepare a good letter and package for 3/10 (public comment deadline), and get it in.

Save big public comment push for later (many public letters, petitions, in-person actions). (But find someone in Sacto maybe who could attend March 17, and keep monitoring.)

Look into the other agenda items (and the "grandfathering" one) to see what needs to be said.

Start coordinating with other groups, activists.

Start letter writing, phone calling to legislators. Get advice on new Leg politics.

Monitor McCormack activity closely. (And that spot bill in...the Assembly?)

Get ready for a big campaign to, 1) stop McCormack; 2) pressure McPherson for strong enforcement AND improvement; 3) see what can or needs to be done legislatively; 4) see what's happening on redistricting.

[Helga Scow Stern]

41. Please write to Hannah-Beth Jackson about this....

She may be in a unique position to listen and communicate with those who matter...it's a good start for now.

Her corrected email address is [e-mail]


Otherwise, it seems that we should be applying pressure on legislators who may be in a position to change legislation at any time.

[Amaryllis]

45. Ojai, if you think it would help for me to write to her (I'm in OR) if you

give me a few talking points to use, I will do it. I haven't been following the whole CA situation lately as I'm up to my eyeballs with reform stuff here in OR, where we have some really positive stuff happening. But it's taking huge amounts of time!

But I have been following peripherally enough that I know how important this is, and I was following Shelley VS Diebold for quite awhile.

[Helga Scow Stern]

49. That would be great for you to write.

Hmmmm. Talking points....

1)It's great to activate grassroots and change the frame a'la Lakoff, but it won't do us much good if we don't stay on top of election protection.

2) There is too much at stake to trust the new Secretary of State or even the current legislature with the changes that are being proposed now, in this time of transition, especially those that call for overturning Shelley's standards in any way. There is the feeling that Democratic legislators in Sacramento think there is no problem because they trust McPherson.

3) Even though McPherson is a decent man, he is likely to be used by the Republicans to sneak in changes to Shelley's standards.

4)Since she is well aware of the dirty tricks and the agenda of the Republicans in power, it shouldn't be hard for her to understand that they will steal the vote if necessary, and that the removal of Shelley from office is no accident at this time, regardless of whatever else he has done. She knows that the White House and Rove have California in their sights!

5) Please put emergency election protection at the forefront, since now is when the changes will be snuck in. Help to make legislators with whom you have an ear aware of the situation.

6) Remember that no matter what else you do, if the Republicans can steal the vote in California, as they have in Ohio, Florida, and New Mexico, your efforts won't make any difference.


Other than that, I don't know. Just do your best to make her aware of the issue as you see it. No one really knows what is happening, but we know something not good is in the works. And perhaps there is something from your expereince in Oregon that might be useful. Most importantly, speak from your knowledge and from the heart to try to make her aware of the importance of monitoring this situation.


Thanks so much for offering to write! The more she hears from, no matter where you are from, the better!

[Amaryllis]

63. I figure it's always good for them to know out of state eyes are watching.

[Helga Scow Stern]

64. Thanks!

I wrote about this too on your MoveOn thread.

If they want to win anything, they must confront this first and foremost. It may already be too late...

[Amaryllis]

67. I try not to think about it may already be too late, and just focus on

what I can do. Get too depressed when I think about the enormity of what we are fighting. We have made a lot of progress since the election. I was trying to wake people up about e-voting before the election and wasn't gettting anywhere.

[JunkYardDogg]

69. I keep getting rejected at her E-Mail address

????

[JunkYardDogg]

46. I 'm in the middle of putting this into a 1 page letter,

Somebody brought something to my attention on this, and I'm
waiting for some more info,
it is something that Andy has brought up
On the agenda issue, they sent me some stuff on their experience going to SoS hearings,
so it is possible for the issue to come
remeber, invoking the "Grandfather " clause is the easiest workaround for McCormack,
when I get an answer , I'll finish my letter. We really do have to contact all Elected Dems State and Federal on this.

[Peace Patriot]

47. JunkYardDogg, I don't understand your answer...

"...so it is possible for the issue to come..." ???

Do you mean that, between now and the public comment deadline, March 10, or even after it, they could expand the agenda to include L.A.'s DRE's?

If that is the case, and if that's what they do (or if they finagle the agenda some other way, to let this McCormack thing come before them), then one thing we have to do is COMMENT ON any potential changes to the agenda, and object to it (which can be done in a letter).

I'm not getting a clear read on what you're saying. Is this a devious Panel?

You say, "We really do have to contact all Elected Dems State and Federal on this."

What do you mean by "this"? And what time-frame?

I totally agree that we need to contact a bunch of reps, and also media, and others, BUT, what I need to know is, are you expecting foul play on this coming hearing? Is there urgency re March 17? Or can we proceed at a reasonable pace and plan a compaign?

Maybe you don't know the answer to this--but you seem to be hinting that's what you fear.

I tried to pin Michael Wagaman down on this very matter--the agenda--and he sure seemed to be saying that L.A. DRE's and touchscreens will NOT be discussed or acted upon on the 17th.

----

It would be great if you could post your letter here. I will do the same.

[Helga Scow Stern]

50. LA DRE's may not be McCormack's objective.....

Weakening of the law or the standard, making an exception in any county that has Diebold or any kind of DRE that can be frauded would make sense. She is closely allied with all the Diebold counties, helped them file suit against Shelley, has rallied them to criticize Shelley out of office. It may not only be LA that is the objective....as long as there are enough counties with no paper trail....add a few votes here and a few there, like they did with the recall, perhaps, and viola! Rove gets his way.

[JunkYardDogg]

51. It was Brain Fade

I didn't finish the sentence
DUH me
It could come up on the agenda

[JunkYardDogg]

68. My take on McCormack's Plan

1. This is a $100 Million Deal
2. Diebold is working with her on this
3. She is eliminating her opposition and obstacles, i.e. Shelley
and running a trust me smoke screen campaign on the Calif
legislature people
4. Without having to overturn SB 1348 and Election Code
Sections 1919100 and 19205, her only workaround to circumvent these is to invoke the "GrandFather" clause, she has 9 months to do this
5. She thinks that she now has the Legislature in her pocket, and there is no Public Watching her
Our Goals
1. To educate and activate all the Dem Elected officials as to her scheme
2. Let the Elections Division of the SoS Dept be made aware of the fact that large groups of Concerned Citizens are intensely monitoring what they do on this
3. Let the Elections Division know that we will not permit them to use the GrandFather Clause on her
4. Get an investigation of her Financials and Diebold's Financials

As far as the March 17, Election Division hearing, I have talked to some people who have gone to these, and they can change the agenda overnite, if they told you that this particular item is not scheduled, it may not be brought up by McCormack this early, she may wait as long as possible closer to Jan 1, 2006 -Gives us more time to campaign- good for us also up to a point

[Peace Patriot]

42. JunkYardDogg...

You wrote: "Somebody who has a lot of SoS Election Division experience told me that they change Agenda Items and Issues at the last moment on a regular basis."

How "last minute" can that be? What are their public notice requirements? Do you know, and can you ask that person?

Could it happen between now and March 10 (public comment deadline)?

[Peace Patriot]

52. JunkYardDogg and Ojai Person, we need to get clear, if we can, on...

...what the problem is with the Voting Systems & Procedures Panel (VSPP) re: their March 17 hearing (and March 10 public comment deadline). I know from experience that these things (the critical point on the agenda) may be something obscure, such as the PAPER-BASED SYSTEMS on the agenda, with counties wanting them "grandfathered in." In the back of my mind is this matter of categorical exemptions vs. case by case exemptions. Could that be the real line of attack--making this current item into a categorical exemption, thus opening something up that Shelley wouldn't allow (categorical exemptions?).

We are looking at the most corrupt, the most obscure, the most difficult and the most important method of corporate control over our government, in this sort of committee-board-panel maneuvering in Sacto. I'm sure corporate has lobbyists all over this, and it may be very hard to find out what agreements have already been made in the back room, among Schwarz people, legislators and corporate.

I called my Assembly person yesterday, and really got the run-around on this. I was told, in a condescending tone, by an aide, that the Panel was in a different branch of government, and that all legislators do is legislate, which is B.S.--they also investigate, have to approve McPherson, have their own contacts in agencies, develop policy and law, and keep their ears to the ground. Could just have been a matter of the aide didn't know anything about it, and doesn't have good telephone skills. But I had the distinct feeling I was speaking to an anti-Shelley person (may not mean the Assembly person is anti-Shelley, or pro-Diebold--need to find out).

Suspicion (as we all seem to have): This "grandfathering" thing is a can of worms.

But it's important to KNOW--or find out, if we can--IF that is the move by McCormack & Co. that we need to try to counter. And maybe we can't do anything about this. Maybe the fix is already in, re: this Panel and its recommendations to McPherson. And we should just get letters in (get on the record), and concentrate all our attention on legislators, since--according to Wagaman--L.A. paperless DRE's cannot be exempted without an act of the legislature.

I HATE dealing with these admin. panels and boards. They are SO STACKED AGAINST THE PUBLIC. (But if we have to, we have to.)

[JunkYardDogg]

54. That is why we need to pressure ALL Calif Elected Officials

Even the Federal Officials are elected on California Equipment so they are impacted as well
We start with Boxer and Feinstein

and the California Dems on Conyers' House Judiciary Committee
and then the rest of California's Dem Reps
Then we go after all the State Dem Reps and Assembly persons
This has gone out to all the DFA groups in Calif and some others
I have gotten some feedback from at least a third of them
so we are not alone
We have to get this brought up at the local Dem club levels
I have sent to out to the Dem clubs in Ventura county and I go and speak to them and I do get responses
The hearings on Shelley would NEVER have happened it it wasn't for McCormack's pressure

[Peace Patriot]

43. Ojai Person, what kind of a letter are you thinking of--for Hannah-

Beth Jackson?

[Helga Scow Stern]

48. I wrote this...

Dear Hannah-Beth,

I attended the Santa Barbara Progressives Meet-Up tonight. I made the trip from Ojai because Victor Nunez was supposed to be telling us about how we could save California. I had come with some questions for him from a group of voting rights activists I work with. We had spent hours trying to word a good question.

I was not disappointed in the evening, however, when I heard you speak. Your talk was very inspiring and informative. You were engaging and inspired my trust. Finally, at the end of the evening, I got to ask a question about "now that they have gotten rid of the Secretary of State and are having a meeting on March 17 to grandfather in exceptions to the reforms he put in place..." I said something about "it won't matter how much we try to re-establish ourselves as Democrats as long as the voting system doesn't have integrity."

You answered my question first off by saying how a lot of people didn't like Kevin Shelley, so much so that no one would stick up for the reforms he made. Then you said that McPherson "couldn't be bought."

I know nothing about McPherson, other than that he seems to be well-liked all around, and that he helped author a couple of bills about voting, including one about paper trails. He is known for his integrity. I wish we could trust that alone.

But I will tell you, from the things you said in your talk, a couple of red lights go off for me. 1)You confirmed my suspicion that Schwarzenegger is up to no good, that he is "Rove's Robot" and a puppet of the Bush White House. 2) You also told how Republicans in the state, since Bush has been in power, aggressively get rid of all moderate Republicans.

If you think about these two facts, it is hard to conclude that this new appointment is going to be without consequence. I don't mean to cast doubts about McPherson's character, but about what might be done through him or in spite of him.

Now this concerns me, because no matter what Shelley has done, an elected Democratic official of great importance in the process of securing fair elections has been driven out of office. I may not understand the inner workings of the political scene in Sacramento, but this concerns me a great deal as someone who has studied the Republican modus operandi of using Secretaries of State as key operatives in procuring elections. One only need look to Florida and Ohio. A Secretary of State is a key official in pulling off election fraud. This is well documented in both Florida and Ohio. And Hannah-Beth, no matter how much we may strategize and get our grassroots and language in place, which by all means we must do, the Republicans will do anything in their power to keep us from winning. They are not beyond stealing elections. They have started this already; why wouldn't they do it in California too?

On March 17 is a meeting to go behind the reforms Shelley put in place. Conny McCormack, the Director of Los Angeles Elections, is making quite a clamor. She has a long history of shady elections, all the way back from her days in Texas, of all places. She said on Sixty Minutes that she doesn't like recounts because the numbers may not come out even. The whole thing she is trying to do away with is the ability to audit an election. She has publicly stated that providing the means via paper to make a recount feasible is a waste of time and money. She says this knowing full well from her days in Texas, when she had to testify in court about a suspicious election result, that elections do come into question and need to be verified. Now she has been actively testifying at the Audit Committee Hearings, ostensibly about Shelley's "abuses", but more to the point to try to get the legislature to allow standards for verified paper trail voting not to be met. The Republicans have been perfecting their methods to steal elections using a variety of ways. This may well be another trick to make sure things n California go their way.

We who care about fair elections are as passionate and committed a group of voters and activists as you will find. All election protection activists in the country have their eyes on California now. We see the potential of a very dangerous situation in the making. This new threat to fraud-free elections requires the utmost vigilance, especially since this "coup" has gone on without criticism, in fact with the full support of many Democrats. It has Rove-like tactics written all over it. It doesn't matter how big of a jerk Shelley was, this getting rid of him now just raises too many flags to dismiss it as just a coincidence.

I have asked other activists to write to you and send more information on the threat and reality of stolen elections. Unfortunately, election fraud is just one more tool in the Republican arsenal to take over and gut the country; one that if not successfully fought, will make all other fights obsolete.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
xxxxxxxx



Maybe if you just wrote and expressed your concerns. And a little about the information we have. She seemed to be really willing to listen to what our concerns are.

[Peace Patriot]

55. Great letter! I will send her the short version of Election Fraud 2004.

I'll use the following as the basis of the letter, and I'll add an introductory paragraph. And I have a better documentation list that includes all the credentials of the Ph.D.'s, not just the UScountvotes list. I'll do some thinking about slimming the documentation list down, but most items on it are important for supporting the bold statements of the summary.

I'll do this sometime this weekend, maybe not this morning. Suggestions welcome, of course!

Did you send your letter to her email address (listed at her website): (email: hbj {at} speakoutca {dot} org), or do you have better contact info.?

------

2004 ELECTION FRAUD SUMMARY

(--need a bit of intro here)

Gore 2000 repeat voters + huge Democratic new voter registration in 2004 (Dems 57%, Repubs 41%) + huge jump of Nader voters to Kerry = a 4 to 8 million vote margin for Kerry that inexplicably disappeared on election day. (--2nd report by Dr. Steven Freeman.)

This margin was virtually unsurmountable--by Bush--as every other statistic shows:

Kerry won both the national and state exit polls by a margin of 3%. (USCountvotes report, by 9 Ph.D.'s, and all other expert reports.)

Impossible skew to Bush in the official results vs. the exit polls, unaccountable by any conceivable bias in the exit polls--conservative odds of 1 in 10 million against the Bush win (confirmed by numerous Ph.D.'s and expert statisticians putting their reputations on the line to say so publicly in peer reviewed reports, including the USCountvotes report).

The UCCountvotes report, by 9 Ph.D.'s at leading universities, also indicates that Kerry's margin was even larger than the exit poll 3%, since the exit polls were actually skewed to favor Bush (the exact opposite of what was reported in the news!).

Skew to Bush in electronic voting vs. other methods in No. Carolina (--Democratic Underground analysis)

Skew to Bush in electronic voting vs. other methods in FLA. (--UC Berkeley statistics dept, study headed by Dr. Michael Haut)

Skew to Bush in electronic voting vs. other methods at the precinct level (USCountvotes report, by 9 Ph.D.'s).

Secret source code in the central electronic vote tabulators, held as proprietary info. by highly partisan, pr-Bush companies (Diebold and ES&S), no paper trail, and no recount or audit possible, in a third of the voting machines in the country--all conditions for fraud insisted upon by Republican politicians and electronic voting machine company salesmen.

Electronic voting machines proven to be extremely insecure, unreliable and hackable.

All reported vote suppression incidents were perpetrated by Republican election officials and Republican operatives against Democratic voters, mostly minorities. One investigator estimates that 2 million minority votes were suppressed.

57,000 incidents of machine malfunction or vote suppression lodged with Congress--virtually all favoring Bush and hurting Kerry.

Many reports of touchscreen electronic voting machines changing Kerry votes to Bush votes, and virtually none the other way around--huge odds against this.

The intense BushCon efforts to skew the election in such baldfaced, illegal ways in Ohio, Florida and several other key states indicates their fear of Kerry's big new voter registration advantage and the enthusiasm of the grass roots campaign. It was looking like a Kerry blowout--so they had to use every fraud plan they had in place.

Bush's approval ratings prior to the election were dismal - hovering around 50% - not possible for a sitting president to be elected with such low approval ratings, according to highly reputed pollster, Zogby.

Bush's approval ratings today remain dismal - hovering around 50% - dipping to 48% on his Inauguration Day!--an unprecedented "vote of no confidence" by the American people in a recently "re-elected" president.

Americans greatly disapprove of Bush's major policies (nearly 60% disapprove of the Iraq war, now, today--and 63% disapprove of torture under any circumstances).

-----

DOCUMENTATION

Exit poll analysis: Astronomical odds against the Bush win.

Dr. Steven Freeman: http://www.appliedresearch.us/sf/epdiscrep.htm
"The Unexplained Exit Poll Discrepancy"
"Hypotheses for Explaining the Exit Poll-Official Count Discrepancy in the 2004 US Presidential Election"
Article http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/1970

Dr. Ron Baiman: (PDF file) http://www.freepress.org/images/departments/997.pdf

Dr. Webb Mealy: http://www.selftest.net/redshift.htm

Jonathan Simon:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0411/S00142.htm


Nine Ph.D's from leading universities call for investigation of 2004 Election:

http://uscountvotes.org/ucvAnalysis/US/USCountVotes_Re_Mitofsky-Edison.pdf
(or - http://tinyurl.com/6e2yu)

TV networks alteration of the Exit Polls to fit the "official tally" (and Zogby prediction of Kerry win):
http://www.exitpollz.org/

Florida: 130,000 to 230,000 phantom votes for Bush--paper vs. electronic voting: Dr. Michael Haut & UC Berkeley statistics team: http://ucdata.berkeley.edu
Press release: http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/1118-14.htm

Democratic Underground (ignatzmouse): (North Carolina: absentee ballot vs. electronic, inexplicable 9% edge to Bush in electronic: http://tinyurl.com/52dzk

Johns Hopkins report on insecurity of electronic voting: http://tinyurl.com/6fwug

Easy demo of how insecure voting machines are (and good article):
http://www.chuckherrin.com/hackthevote.htm

"Myth Breakers: Facts About Electronic Elections" (2nd edition): www.votersunite.org

Ohio vote suppression: www.bpac.info/Votefraud/keyfacts.html

Documentation of widespread machine fraud and dirty tricks in over 20 states:
http://www.flcv.com/ussumall.html

57,000 machine malfunction/vote suppression complaints to Congress:
http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=3961

Greg Palast, "Kerry Won-just count the votes at the back of the bus":
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/kerry_won.php

Democratic Underground (TruthIsAll): "To believe Bush won, you have to believe..."

Part 1 http://tinyurl.com/4pucs

Part 2 http://tinyurl.com/4gqg5

Part 3 http://tinyurl.com/6okrm

Democratic Underground (TruthIsAll): The Time Zone Discrepancy
http://tinyurl.com/6u3cg

In progress compilations of various articles and materials on 2004 Election Fraud:

http://tinyurl.com/5tcyk

http://tinyurl.com/5rhsm

Excellent compilation of 2004 Election Fraud evidence:
http://www.solarbus.org/election/archives.shtml

-------

Note: The credentials of the Ph.D.'s who have studied this matter and have spoken out publicly is extraordinarily impressive. All of the Dr.'s mentioned above are tops in their field, at leading universities. In addition, here is the list of Ph.D.'s who did the USCountvotes report:

Josh Mitteldorf, Ph.D. - Temple University Statistics Department
Steven F. Freeman, PhD - Center for Organizational Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania
Brian Joiner, PhD - Prof. of Statistics and Director of Statistical Consulting (ret), University of Wisconsin
Frank Stenger, PhD in mathematics - School of Computing, University of Utah
Richard G. Sheehan, PhD - Department of Finance, University of Notre Dame
Elizabeth Liddle, MA - (UK) PhD candidate at the University of Nottingham
Paul F. Velleman, Ph.D. - Department of Statistical Sciences, Cornell University
Victoria Lovegren, Ph.D. - Department of Mathematics, Case Western Reserve University
Campbell B. Read, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Statistical Science, Southern Methodist University
Kathy Dopp, MS in mathematics - USCountVotes, President
Also Peer Reviewed by USCountVotes' core group of statisticians and independent reviewers.

[JunkYardDogg]

53. The Key to AVVPAT is its Definition

SB1348
Mandates the Implementation of AVVPAT compliant Equipment by Jan 1, 2006
This was put into the Election Code in Sections 19250 thru 19252
This is the teeth of the issue
The actual definition of AVVPAT is not in SB 1348, but was established as the Standards on Jan 21, 2005 and put into the Elections Code in Sections 19100 and 19205
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/avvpat_standards_1_21_05.pdf
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=elec&codebody=&hits=20
This is the Heart of the Issue
The definition of AVVPAT
ACCESSIBLE VOTER VERIFIED PAPER AUDIT TRAIL SYSTEMS
is the most advanced and protective standards in the U.S.
Section 2.1.1.2: The electronic record shall be considered the official record except as described in 2.1.1.3 and 2.1.1.4
Section 2.1.1.3: The paper record copy shall be considered the official paper audit record and shall be used for the required 1% manual recount and for any full manual recount.
Section 2.1.1.4: IN THE CASE OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ELECTRONIC RECORD AND THE PAPER RECORD COPY, THE PAPER RECORD COPY SHALL GOVERN, UNLESS THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT THE PAPER RECORD COPY IS INACCURATE, INCOMPLETE OR UNREADABLE AS DEFINED IN THE SYSTEM PROCEDURES.
Section 3.1.4: Post Election Procedures
Section 3.1.4.1: Procedures shall reflect the use of the paper record copies in the required 1% manual recount and any full manual recount.
These are the Standards which McCormack is seeking to Circumvent

The biggest negative is that The Electronic Record is considered the Official Record.

But section 2.1.1.4 establishes the Governing authority of the paper record in the case of a difference between the two

It is, unfortunately NOT a paper ballot, but it is a safeguard against Equipment without an Auditable Paper Record
AND it is so defined as "A PAPER RECORD"

[Peace Patriot]

58. Thank you, JunkYardDogg! Your information has been invaluable!

You wrote: "These are the Standards which McCormack is seeking to Circumvent."

Do you have any clue as to how the items on the Panel agenda for March 17 could be used or twisted to accomplish McCormack's purpose?

Or, how the Panel could change the agenda to that purpose? (--especially i.e., their public notice requirements?)

How is McCormack's agenda being maneuvered (i.e., this Panel and its March 17 hearing--with public comment deadline of March 10), or in other venues? (I understand your stuff about the Audit committee--I mean, currently)

--bearing in mind that (as I understand it) this Panel only recommends to the Sec of State, and, as Wagaman maintained, exemption from the AVVPAT (paper record) can only be done as an act of the Legislature?

It sure looks like this is why they got rid of Shelley. But how are they working it--and what are the best and most feasible pressure points for the public?

-----

One gut feeling I just had--maybe instead of trying to PROTECT the paper record (AVVPAT), and being in a defensive mode, we should be rushing the flag up the hill in attack mode, and DEMANDING some things, and getting good legislators to propose bills, to

I don't know...banish electronic voting?
throw these companies out of our state?
rip open their damned secret source code (and all PAST code used)?
do paper ballots temporarily until somebody comes up with an HONEST modern election system?
make the AVVPAT a real paper ballot?
more stringent mandated recounts/audits?

COUNTER-ATTACK!

What I've seen of the BushCons, they get the public into a defense position, for instance, "prove to us that we DON'T NEED TO invade Iraq and kill 100,000 people." And the public (via its reps) merely asks: do we have enough troops to do that?

We shouldn't just be defending AVVPAT, we should be audaciously demanding more, more and more--until we have a fully transparent election system.

Protect the flank, of course. But hit 'em right between the eyes with something so menacing, they'll be grateful for Shelley's rules. (I like, throwing these companies out of our state.)

-----

Note: That's what Conyers is doing on the national scene--by endorsing Velvet Revolution's divestiture campaign. (One of VR's items, in their letter to the voting machine companies, is to divulge their code--and their PAST code and machine records for recent elections, if requested. VR gives them 60 days. Next move: Get everyone to divest in their stock.) (Note 2: These companies have OTHER state contracts, besides voting tech. They should be ostracized, banished, made anathema.)

[Peace Patriot]

60. Another idea to scare the piss out of them....

....propose instituting Oregon's election system in California.

[Ryder911]

56. I sent this email to every Democrat on the list...

Dear ------,

As a California Voter, I am writing to urge you to please stop any and all attempts by Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Conny McCormack to undermine the voting reforms laws instituted by former California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. These reforms mandated and established the highest standards and regulations in the U.S. to protect and safeguard the Sanctity of making every vote count with the use of HAVA mandated Electronic Voting Equipment and a voter verified paper audit trail system.

Why are these reforms so important? Please take two minutes of your time to review the following link: http://nightweed.com/usavotefacts.html. This is not conspiracy theory, the claims are very well researched and documented by mainstream media sources. Mr. Shelley recognized these facts and it was the main reason he enacted his reforms. Please continue to ensure that our votes are safeguarded and held to the very highest standards!

Thank You.
Ryder

[Peace Patriot]

61. Ryder911, excellent! I love this letter! It's so short, but it says...

...everything that needs to be said. You cut right to the heart of the matter. We reallly need actions like this--streams of letters, hitting each of them--to keep the pressure on. Thank you so much for doing this!

[Helga Scow Stern]

65. Yay! Way to go!

I will set something up to fax them.

[Wilms]

66. "Sanctity" with a capital S

Nice touch. :)

[JunkYardDogg]

57. Here is my Calif Regs Reference File

FOR MEETING SCHEDULES:
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vs.htm

SB1348
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/sen/sb_1401-1450/sb_1438_bill_20040927_chaptered.html






STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SECRETARY OF STATE
"DECERTIFICATION AND WITHDRAWAL OF APPROVAL OF CERTAIN DRE VOTING SYSTEMS AND CONDITION APPROVAL OF THE USE OF CERTAIN DRE VOTING SYSTEMS'

9 PDF Pages
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/decert1.pdf

PROCEDURES FOR APPROVING, CERTIFYING, REVIEWING, MODIFYING, AND DECERTIFYING VOTING SYSTEMS,
VOTE TABULATING SYSTEMS, ELECTION OBSERVER PANEL PLANS, AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS,
AND PROCEDURES
28 pages PDF

http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/decert1.pdf

VOTING SYSTEMS INFO
(Machines used by each County in California

http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_w.htm
Web Page w/ links

http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vs.htm

VOTING SYSTEMS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN CALIFORNIA
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/voting_systems/certified_vs.pdf
4 pages pdf

AVVPAT
ACCESSIBLE VOTER VERIFIED PAPER AUDIT TRAIL SYSTEMS IN
DIRECT RECORDING (DRE) VOTING SYSTEMS
JAN. 21,2005
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/avvpat_standards_1_21_05.pdf
8 pdf pages

PARALLEL MONITORING OF ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS
Nov., 2004
203 pdf pages
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/avvpat_standards_1_21_05.pdf

KEY DOCUMENTS ON ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/touchscreen.htm#A
web page

CALIFORNIA ELECTION CODE
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=elec&codebody=&hits=20
20,000 page (?) document

OTHER DOCUMENTS:
"MYTH BREAKERS:
Facts About Electronic Elections"
Essential Information for those Entrusted with Making Decisions
about Election Systems in the United States
by VotersUnite.org
http://www.votersunite.org/MB2.pdf
70 pdf pages

[Peace Patriot]

59. Wow! What a jewel you are, JunkYardDogg! n/t

[JunkYardDogg]

70. L.A. County Board of Supervisors

L.A. County Board of Supervisors
http://bos.co.la.ca.us/Main.htm

Gloria Molina
Hall Of Adminstration
500 West Temple Street
Room 856
Los Angeles, Calif 90012
ph : 213-974-4111
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]

Yvonne B. Burke
Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Room 866
Los Angeles, California 90012
ph : 213-974-2222
Fax: [phone]
no e-mail address

Zev Yaroslavsky
Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Room 821
Los Angeles, Calif 90012
ph: 213-974-3333
fax: [phone]
no E-Mail

Don Knabe
Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Room 822
Los Angeles, Calif 90012
ph: 213-974-4444
fax: [phone]
no E-Mail

Michael D. Antonovich
Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Room 869
Los Angeles, Calif 90012
ph: 213- 974-5555
fax: [phone]
E-Mail: none given

[JunkYardDogg]

78. To File Calif Public Records Requests

The California Public Records Act (CPRA), Government Code Section 6250 et seq., requires state agencies to make public records available to the public upon request

PUBLIC RECORDS ACCESS GUIDELINES
The California Legislature has declared that access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. The California Public Records Act, Government Code Section 6250 et seq. and Title 17, California Code of Regulations, Section 91000 et seq. requires ( Department in Question) to make public records available to the public upon request.
WHAT ARE 'PUBLIC RECORDS'? "Public records" include any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used or retained by the Department in Question, regardless of physical form or characteristics.
'Writing' means handwriting, typewriting, printing, Photostatting, photography, and every other means of recording upon any form of communication or representation, including letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols or any combination thereof, and all papers, maps, magnetic or paper tapes, photographic films and prints, magnetic or punched cards, discs, drums and other documents.
'Member of the public' means any person, except a member, agency, officer, or employee of a federal, state, or local agency acting within the scope of his or her membership, agency, office, or employment
Reference site for info on California Public Records Act Requests:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/recordsaccess.htm

TO OBTAIN/REQUEST RECORDS FROM L.A. COUNTY:

CAO Records Requests
Requests for public records maintained by the Chief Administrative
Office should be directed to:
Public Affairs Office
Room 358
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone:[phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]



http://cao.co.la.ca.us/cao_records.htm


We probably could do the same thing to the SoS office for anything pertaining to McCormack
And
TO the: California State Assembly Joint Legislative Audit Committee to
Find out what McCormack presented to them

[Helga Scow Stern]

80. Get addresses, faxes, emails of all elected officials here:

http://www.vote-smart.org/

It's current, complete, even has religious affiliation, education, previous jobs, and birthdates, along with picture.

[Wilms]

82. That's funny, I opened the thread to post about the same thing!

If these are helpful, they're for reaching elected officials.


http://www.calvoter.org/voter/government/ceo.html

http://www.calelections.org/

http://www.csac.counties.org/default.asp?id=7

[Peace Patriot]

94. ACTION!!! Great web site for contact info for all elected officials:

http://www.vote-smart.org

JunkYardDogg asked me to post this a week ago! Didn't get the message! My bad!

[JunkYardDogg]

62. This is My One Page Action Plan I will send out to Groups

You can take parts of it and use in your letters
The problem is that most people are TOTALLY unaware of the Security safeguard standards in Shelley's Regs
All they know is Paper Trail
It is an
ACCESSIBLE VOTER VERIFIED PAPER AUDITABLE TRAIL
I actually got this one one page

PROTECT CALIFORNIA’S ELECTRONIC VOTING AVVPAT SAFEGUARDS FROM CONNY MCCORMACK and DIEBOLD’S ATTACKS

California’s Electronic Voting Safeguards are the strongest and most protective Standards in the U.S. today.
Under the provisions of SB 1348, as of Jan.1, 2006, ALL Electronic Voting Machines used in California MUST be equipped with a State Certified ACCESSIBLE VOTER VERIFIED PAPER AUDIT TRAIL SYSTEM – AVVPAT
See Election Code section 19250 thru 19252
The Standards for AVVPAT have been established on Jan.21,2005. See Election code sections 19100 and 19205
Under these Standards, the State of California has Mandated that:
Every Electronic Record Must have a corresponding paper record copy
The paper record copy shall be considered the OFFICIAL Paper AUDIT record and used for the required 1% Manual Recount & for any full manual recount.
If there is a difference between the electronic record and the paper record copy, the paper record copy shall govern.
Under Order issued April 30, 2004, by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, all
DRE Electronic Voting systems must: Not have Proprietary Source codes so secret & complex that the absence of malicious code in the firmware is extremely difficult, if not impossible to prove or determine.
Source Code must be available on demand by the SoS , for analysis.
No Telephone connections, Wireless Connection Hardware, and/ or Internet Connections Permitted.
Must have Sufficient Security Enhancements to prevent tampering and/or manipulation
There is presently only one system, by Sequoia, which is in compliance under these Standards and is Certified for use in California on Jan 1, 2006.
ALL OF THESE ELECTION PROTECTION SAFEGUARDS ARE NOW UNDER ATTACK by L.A. County Registrar of Voters, Conny McCormack and DIEBOLD
Because McCormack represents the largest Voting population region in California, what she wants to achieve will set a precedent for the rest of the State.
Conny McCormack has an extremely questionable close relationship with Diebold Sales Rep Deborah Seiler. Diebold Equipment is NOT certified for use as AVVPAT compliant for Jan. 1, 2006.
This is a $100 Million Purchase.
McCormack has publicly stated that she is adamantly against the use of AVVPAT equipment and she has launched a Nuclear Options full-blown calculated Assault seeking to eradicate the AVVPAT mandates of SB 1348.
By invoking the oft used and exploited claim of a “Full-Blown Crisis” in the certification Process ( Sounds Familiar, doesn’t it), McCormack is launching her campaign against California’s AVVPAT Mandates.
Her campaign was the powering force behind Shelley’s ouster by the California State Assembly Joint Legislative Audit Committee, thus removing her biggest obstacle to her insidious campaign.
McCormack has stated that “She needs the Legislature to get a Bulldozer and go to the back of the House.”
Complicating this situation, is the existence of the “Grandfather” Clause in the SoS regulations. McCormack’s best strategy to accomplish her (and Diebold’s) goal, is to use, abuse and exploit this “Grandfather " clause as a work around to avoid using AVVPAT complaint equipment.
The Integrity Standards of Voting cannot be in the Power and Control of County Clerks.
On March 17, the Voting Systems & Procedures Panel Meeting ( of the Elections Division) will hold a Hearing. On the agenda, is the issue of the Grandfather clause. So far, they have said that the AVVPAT Equipment is Not on the Agenda.
Contact the SoS Elections Division and voice your concerns.
Michael Wagaman- [e-mail] ph no. 916-657-2166
Contacts at SoS: http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_contacts.htm
For Meetings Schedules: http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vs.htm

Contact ALL the Elected Democratic Officials, Federal Senators and Representatives, and California Assembly Representatives and Senators.
Voice your concerns about McCormack’s assault on California’s Election Protection Laws, Standards, and Regulations.
Bulldoze McCormack before she Bulldozes our Rights to Voting Integrity

[shance]

71. This is wonderful information JYD***Will pass it on.

Thanks so much!

[Peace Patriot]

72. I'm going to be doing letters to all these people this weekend--to...

...state legislators, L.A. county officials and others, media, and email lists. The deadline for public comment on this Voting Systems and Procedures Panel meeting is MARCH 10, this Thurs., by 5 pm. That isn't the only thing at issue, but if you write a letter of concern about our election system, stating general points and priniciples...

...add your concern about this Panel's meeting March 17. The Panel should not be recommending exemptions from Calif.'s current election standards--that Kevin Shelley promoted and got passed by a unanimous vote of the Legislature, and that he vigorously enforced. Ask for continued vigorous enforcement. Say that exemptions, if granted on a categorical basis, could set a precedent for a much more serious attack on the Calif. standards. Exemptions should only be done on a case by case basis, and should be very rare and temporary. Also state your concern that L.A. elections head Connie McCormack has a nutso attachment to Diebold and paperless voting (well, don't put it quite that way). She is angling for an exemption on this. Tell them Diebold and paperless voting will be the death of our progressive legislature and state!

Ask for investigation of McCormack's friendship ties with Diebold!

Maybe we should do a LETTER OF THE WEEK on all this--a sample letter with the main points, that everyone can use, and contact info--much as JunkYard Dogg is already putting together here, but laid out in letter form.

I really think the urgency of this matter must be illustrated and dramatized by the evidence of 2004 election fraud, but maybe we should avoid an outright assertion of fraud or theft--so as not to get kneejerk reactions against the letter from the uninformed. But LIST all the evidence--and that long string of Ph.D.'s and their reports (that cry foul on the election)--and say (to legislators, to media, etc.)--just that: All of these experts are crying foul on the 2004 election and calling for investigations. There is reason for grave concern about our election system.

------

One of the USCountVotes Ph.D.'s--Brian Joiner--was recently interviewed in the Madison, Wisconsin, Capital Times. A REALLY GOOD ARTICLE. If nothing else, include this article, and maybe Dr. Steven Freeman's article in "In These Times." Dr. Ron Baiman's report also has a great quote. Here are those three references (also MythBreakers--which was written for lawmakers).

Interview of Dr. Brian Joiner (of USCountVotes), "'Voting Glitches Haunt Statistician":
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/index.php?ntid=30826&ntpid=1

Dr. Steven Freeman article: http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/1970

Dr. Ron Baiman: Economist/Statistician - senior research specialist, Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago; teaches at the University of Chicago.
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/997.pdf

Dr. Baiman: "I conclude that, based on the best exit sample data currently available, neither the national popular vote, or many of the certified state election results, are credible and should not be regarded as a true reflection of the intent of national electorate, or of many state voters, until a complete and thorough investigation…."

"Myth Breakers: Facts About Electronic Elections" (2nd edition): www.votersunite.org

(Also good--the USCountVotes.org report itself, signed by 9 Ph.D.'s:)
http://uscountvotes.org/ucvAnalysis/US/USCountVotes_Re_Mitofsky-Edison.pdf

[JunkYardDogg]

73. Letter of the Week is NOT a Bad IDEA

Good thinking
This campaign is slowly getting some legs
I'm starting to generate interest from some Local Dem Club leaders
A lot of People I've contacted are giving this to their groups
We are going to go someplace on this
My take:
McCormack is a front person for Diebold, no question
She did a snowjob on the Joint Legislative Committee to get them to Railroad Shelley, they believed her, as they obviously are not knowledgeable about the AVVPAT, SB 1348 and other Regs
They bought into her Accusation about Shelley misusing (by holding back) HAVA funds, when in Reality he was refusing to disperse the HAVA funds unless they were used to purchase AVVPAT Jan. 1, 2006 compliant Equipment
Her argument that Only Diebold Equipment can do 7 languages is Total Nonsense
Language Translation Software is very Common, it is a standard feature on Google, Microsoft has Language translation programs.
McCormack has ABSOLUTELY No Intention of Complying with the Law and as such should be removed from her Position

[JunkYardDogg]

74. Was McCormack on 60 Minutes ????

I thought that I saw a post somewhere that said Mc Cormack was
on "60 Minutes"
Does anybody know of this??
If yes, we need to get the transcripts
Thanks
JYD

[Wilms]

75. Here's one

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/25/60II/main651229.shtml

There was a reference to an appearance in 1998, as well, but I found nothing further about that.

[JunkYardDogg]

76. Thanks

I knew that there was a reference
Not much to go on in that
except for that guy David Jefferson,
California State Technical Advisor , from Lawrence Livermore Labs. I never knew that position existed.
Thanks
Wilms

[Wilms]

77. I thought McCormack was aiming to use Diebold.

All of what I've read said that McCormack was a Paper-less-DRE advocate.

Seems I've missed something...

It seems she's advocating InkaVote. And this InkaVote thing may be her
invention. (Royalties, perhaps?)Don't know but add the word "designed" to the search string and you'll see some stuff.

Here's the search string I used:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Inkavote+mccormack&num=100&hl=en&lr=&rls=CNDA,CNDA:2003-38,CNDA:en&as_qdr=all&filter=0


Here's a couple of articles:

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=3710

http://www.votersunite.org/article.asp?id=4798

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_42_25/ai_109570236

[Wilms]

83. California Voter Foundation

Here's a neat site. Sorry if a dupe.

http://www.calvoter.org

[Peace Patriot]

84. KICK for current letter writing action and new info.

GO HERE:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x341078

[Peace Patriot]

85. Kick! Deadline for letters to the Voting Systems & Procedures Panel is...

...tomorrow, Thurs., 3/10, by 5 pm. See the DU post linked above for further details, sample letters.

[Peace Patriot]

86. Let's get off the dime here, and get those love letters going to...

...California officials!

[JunkYardDogg]

87. Postings by Hubby McCormack on AVVPAT

Here are 2 postings by Conny McCormack's Hubby on AVVPAT
It's a Family Affair on their Attack on Election Protection

Postings by Austin McCormack:

http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/001526.shtml

Posted by: Austin McCormack on March 25, 2004 09:26 PM
"Voter Verified paper reciepts sound great in concept as a ballot security measure. They are not. They will not make voting more secure.
IN FACT they will be more easily used as an instrument of voter fraud.
It is far easier to duplicate a roll of paper with printing on it that it has ever been to duplicate a printed ballot. And MUCH easier than to than 1)gaining access to software, 2) writing and inserting code 3) doing so without being noticed. The issue of ballot security is a good one...Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (receipts) is an inadequate patchwork solution."

Posted by: Austin McCormack on March 25, 2004 09:53 PM
"There are some pretty wierd folks who have coalesced around Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail as a complete solution to electronic voting.
1) probably the least crazy are the paranoid anti Bush people.
2)Anti Technology people
3)Conspiricy freaks ("the Chinese will steal our elections" I actually heard this!)
4)Self promoters... Say anything that gets you press coverage/votes/attention... or grant money.
5)and lastly, those earnest concerned citizens who believe at first blush that voter Verified paper audit trails is a 100% solution. Itis much more complicated than that."

[Peace Patriot]

90. I agree with Hubby McCormack.

"Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (receipts) is an inadequate patchwork solution."

Yup. I agree. Best solution is to run Diebold and its brethren out of our state, and see that they and all private interests are entirely removed from our national voting system as well.

[Peace Patriot]

88. VSPP meeting of March 17 POSTPONED! SEE...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x341731

-------

Just got word from Don Goldmacher. The March 17 meeting WILL NOT TAKE PLACE. The agenda has been postponed to April 21. (See the postponement notice after each agenda item, below.)

Here's the notice: http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vs.htm

VOTING SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES PANEL MEETING (POSTPONED) AGENDA LOCATION
Office of the Secretary of State 1500 11 th Street 1 st Floor – Auditorium Sacramento, California 95814
MEETING DATE AND TIME March 17, 2005 10:00 a.m.
Pursuant to Elections Code section 19204, notice is hereby given that the Voting Systems and Procedures Panel will meet on the above date to consider the following items:

1. Sequoia Voting Systems (Postponed; Tentatively Rescheduled to April 21, 2005)

a. EMS/AERO central tabulation software b. Optech 400-C optical scan system c. Optech Eagle optical scan system d. Optech Insight optical scan system

2. “Grandfathered” Voting Systems (Postponed; Tentatively Rescheduled to April 21, 2005) a. Datavote b. InkaVote c. Mark-A-Vote d. Optech Eagle e. Optech IV-C/400C

3. Federal Qualification Process Report (Postponed; Tentatively Rescheduled to April 21, 2005)

4. Other Business (Postponed; Tentatively Rescheduled to April 21, 2005)

ALL ITEMS MAY BE RE-ORDERED TO BE HEARD ON ANY DAY OF THE NOTICED MEETINGS. THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MAY BE CHANGED WITHOUT NOTICE. The VSPP encourages the public to submit written comments on agenda items. Persons wishing to address the VSPP at these meetings, including any matter that may be designated for public hearing, are asked to notify the VSPP Office (see telephone/e-mail numbers below). Comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting to ensure their delivery to the VSPP members prior to the meeting. If you wish to provide information or present an oral statement at any meeting, please contact Michael Wagaman at [phone] or [e-mail] . In all cases, the presiding officer reserves the right to impose time limits on presentations as may be necessary to ensure that the agenda is completed.

------

See these posts for other discussions, and action items (prior to this announcement)...

Peace Patriot
DEADLINE for letters to Calif. Election Panel re: Diebold coup-Thurs. 3/10 (sample letters)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x341078

Peace Patriot
Urgent! New info on CA Voting Systems & Procedures Panel meeting (Mar. 17)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x341621

[JunkYardDogg]

89. Kick

So this doesn't sink

[Peace Patriot]

91. JunkYardDogg, do you have a ref to Audit committee testimony, or some...

...other ref (url, doc citation) to McCormack's testimony or views (re railroading Shelley on HAVA fund use, on AVVPAT, and/or other things she's said/done, recently)? Just an easy ref to provide to good CA legislators, to expose what she's doing. If nothing else, the date of the Audit committee meeting at which she spoke. (I hesitate to describe what she said if I haven't read/heard it, and don't have citation.) (I trust what you're saying--but people I'm talking to may want/need ref.)

One other question: I've been trying to figure out how she could twist Agenda item #2 (the already "grandfathered" systems, inclu her Inkavote system) to aid her in getting rid of AVVPAT. Wagaman told me there was nothing on the agenda that pertained to AVVPAT or touchscreens. So what do you think of this? McCormack WANTS them to come down hard on Inkavote (LA county's current system)--put it on a tough timeline for federal "qualification"--so she can use that to pressure Leg to let her jump to paperless DRE's (???)

Our strategy should then be to OPPOSE a tough timeline for Inkavote. Let it remain "grandfathered in" (if that's possible, ie the feds).

This problem made letters to VSPP difficult to write--cuz we don't know how she was planning to use THAT agenda.

I had a Leg aide say to me the other day: "What do you want us to DO?" (She meant, specifically.) And it was hard to answer. This was after the VSPP postponed its meeting. But I'm not sure what I would have said even if the meeting had gone forward as planned.

[Peace Patriot]

92. See AtLiberty's post on Diebold (et al) and Defense contractors:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x344061

More amunition.

[Peace Patriot]

95. To repeat: ACTION!!! Link to contact info-all elected officials:

http://www.vote-smart.org

(Trying to make amends here.)

[Peace Patriot]

96. See the new LETTER OF THE WEEK #5: California Coup, just posted at...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=344437#344522

1. Sample letter to legislators, civic groups, media: sums up our concerns about the California coup, perils to the integrity of our election system, 2004 evidence of election fraud (especially as it pertains to electronic voting), and an action list for legislators and others in government--and the letter has some good quotes in it

2. Reorganized documentation list

3. Additional talking points

[Peace Patriot]

97. KICK for current action - March 16 thru March 19. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

98. KICK for current action! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

99. Some contact info notes:

Johan Klehs (Assembly, D-18)

is hard to find on the web. Vote-smart.org email & web links don't work (unusual). I found some info through
http://[e-mail]/acs/acsframeset7text.htm

webform at above url

Johan Klehs (Assembly, D-18)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0018
[phone]
[phone] fax

District Office
22320 Foothill Blvd, Suite 540
Hayward, CA 94541
[phone]
[phone] fx?

______________

This part of the posted Assembly list above is confusing, becuz of lack of para return after Klehs' phone no.

Jackie Goldberg
Dem-45 [phone] [e-mail]
Johan Klehs
Dem-18 [phone] Tim Leslie
Rep-4 [phone] [e-mail]

It should read as follows:

Jackie Goldberg
Dem-45 [phone] [e-mail]
Johan Klehs
Dem-18 [phone] (no email)
Tim Leslie
Rep-4 [phone] [e-mail]