Netroots Catches Dirty Tricksters: Debra Bowen Investigates
| By Erik Love - Dec 18, 2007 2:54:48 AM PT |
The California progressive grassroots community has done it again.
Just before Thanksgiving, UCSB graduate student Steven Attewell contacted Courage Campaign, raising alarm bells about disturbing signature-gathering tactics being used by "California Counts" -- the right-wing organization behind the so-called "Electoral College Reform Initiative" that would help the Republicans steal the White House in 2008 by changing how California allocates its electoral votes.
As you may know, this dirty trick initiative is on life support, as California Counts struggles to get it on the November ballot, after failing to make the June ballot. And Kossacks, if today's great news from Secretary of State Debra Bowen pans out, may be part of the vast left-wing conspiracy that ultimately kills it.
As Steven discovered, the sneaky signature gatherers working for "California Counts" and Arno Consulting are luring people in to sign using a "children with cancer" bait-and-switch tactic. After getting in touch with Steven, I headed out on campus armed with a camera. I confirmed and documented what Attewell first noticed: that the dirty tricksters had obscured the petitions that students were signing. And I got it on video.
Today, I received a letter from Secretary Bowen's office.
Bowen's letter and Courage Campaign videos are on the flip
Here is Secretary Bowen's letter:
And here is the original video that prompted the investigation:
After contacting Secretary Bowen's office and providing them with our video, the Courage Campaign also made the video available to the media. We wanted to make sure that as many Californians as possible were aware of the despicable tactics used by the California Counts in their desperate attempt to get enough signatures to qualify their "Electoral College Reform" initiative for the ballot.
The CBS Evening News then interviewed Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign, and used a few clips from my video to illustrate how these dirty tricksters were using "curing children's cancer" as the bait to increase signatures on the petition designed to help the Republicans steal the White House in 2008.
Now, after seeing the video, Secretary Bowen's office is planning to open a formal investigation into the apparently illegal tactics used by California Counts. Thanks to the hard work of the grassroots and netroots -- and especially Steven -- even if the dirty trick initiative qualifies for the November 2008 ballot, the dirty tricksters may face jail time and or fines for breaking the law.
Just before Thanksgiving, UCSB graduate student Steven Attewell contacted Courage Campaign, raising alarm bells about disturbing signature-gathering tactics being used by "California Counts" -- the right-wing organization behind the so-called "Electoral College Reform Initiative" that would help the Republicans steal the White House in 2008 by changing how California allocates its electoral votes.
As you may know, this dirty trick initiative is on life support, as California Counts struggles to get it on the November ballot, after failing to make the June ballot. And Kossacks, if today's great news from Secretary of State Debra Bowen pans out, may be part of the vast left-wing conspiracy that ultimately kills it.
As Steven discovered, the sneaky signature gatherers working for "California Counts" and Arno Consulting are luring people in to sign using a "children with cancer" bait-and-switch tactic. After getting in touch with Steven, I headed out on campus armed with a camera. I confirmed and documented what Attewell first noticed: that the dirty tricksters had obscured the petitions that students were signing. And I got it on video.
Today, I received a letter from Secretary Bowen's office.
Bowen's letter and Courage Campaign videos are on the flip
Here is Secretary Bowen's letter:
Dear Mr. Love:
We have reviewed the video file you shot showing circulators on the UC Santa Barbara campus.
We will be opening a case for investigation for possible violation of Elections Code 18600 (misrepresentation) and Elections Code 18602 (obscuring the summary of a measure).
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
Sincerely,
Election Fraud Investigation Unit
Secretary of State
And here is the original video that prompted the investigation:
After contacting Secretary Bowen's office and providing them with our video, the Courage Campaign also made the video available to the media. We wanted to make sure that as many Californians as possible were aware of the despicable tactics used by the California Counts in their desperate attempt to get enough signatures to qualify their "Electoral College Reform" initiative for the ballot.
The CBS Evening News then interviewed Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign, and used a few clips from my video to illustrate how these dirty tricksters were using "curing children's cancer" as the bait to increase signatures on the petition designed to help the Republicans steal the White House in 2008.
Now, after seeing the video, Secretary Bowen's office is planning to open a formal investigation into the apparently illegal tactics used by California Counts. Thanks to the hard work of the grassroots and netroots -- and especially Steven -- even if the dirty trick initiative qualifies for the November 2008 ballot, the dirty tricksters may face jail time and or fines for breaking the law.
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