From LBN: Florida Consultant Gathered Absentee Votes -- UK Guardian

[Patsy Stone]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1134020

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4720836,00.html

Various snippets:

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A campaign consultant said he was hired by several Florida politicians over the past seven years to gather absentee ballots during their elections, a violation of state law.

Ezzie Thomas, who has been granted immunity, told prosecutors that he was paid numerous times since 1998 to gather absentee ballots, most recently by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's campaign last year, his attorney said Friday.

Thomas told prosecutors four months ago that he was hired to do similar work for U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez when he ran for Orange County chairman in 1998, Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood's 2000 campaign for Orlando mayor, and two other minor campaigns.

Florida made it illegal in 1998 to pay or accept money "for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, delivering or otherwise physically possessing absentee ballots." The law was passed after the 1997 Miami mayor's race was marred by allegations of absentee ballot fraud.

"His specialty was absentee-ballot work," Mosley said. "It would be logical to conclude he was paid for the work he specializes in."

[Patsy Stone]

1. Um, hello? Anyone? n/t

[New Earth]

2. i'm a little confused

what exactly was this guy doing with the absentee ballots? sorry, my hair must be extra blonde today :crazy:

[Patsy Stone]

6. Just this...

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A campaign consultant said he was hired by several Florida politicians over the past seven years to gather absentee ballots during their elections, a violation of state law.

Ezzie Thomas, who has been granted immunity, told prosecutors that he was paid numerous times since 1998 to gather absentee ballots, most recently by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's campaign last year, his attorney said Friday.

Thomas told prosecutors four months ago that he was hired to do similar work for U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez when he ran for Orange County chairman in 1998, Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood's 2000 campaign for Orlando mayor, and two other minor campaigns.

Florida made it illegal in 1998 to pay or accept money "for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, delivering or otherwise physically possessing absentee ballots." The law was passed after the 1997 Miami mayor's race was marred by allegations of absentee ballot fraud.

"His specialty was absentee-ballot work," Mosley said. "It would be logical to conclude he was paid for the work he specializes in."


:hi:

[flyarm]

21. yes and remember it was in orlando...

that a box of votes was brought to soe office totally wet and unreadable...soaking wet...when there was no rain ...a totally dry period..they came from a church..gee..the funny things that go on here in fla!!
:puke: :eyes: :wtf: :grr: :cry:

fly

[flyarm]

22. thanks for info patsy...

just sent off to our dec chair and sec chair and local lawyer who was in on the election...and pres of dem womens club..she was one of kerry attorneys...thanks...i send all info important to the powers that be here in fla!!

fly

[icehenge]

31. THANK YOU

Glad to know someone is doing this for us. Good to know that
there is a connection to kerrys attorneys. Keep up
the good work, let me or us know what we can do to help.

[RevCheesehead]

3. a snippet helps the cause, dear.

>snip<
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A campaign consultant said he was hired by several Florida politicians over the past seven years to gather absentee ballots during their elections, a violation of state law.

Ezzie Thomas, who has been granted immunity, told prosecutors that he was paid numerous times since 1998 to gather absentee ballots, most recently by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's campaign last year, his attorney said Friday.

Thomas told prosecutors four months ago that he was hired to do similar work for U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez when he ran for Orange County chairman in 1998, Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood's 2000 campaign for Orlando mayor, and two other minor campaigns.

Florida made it illegal in 1998 ....<more>

[Patsy Stone]

7. I wanted to get it up there fast

They also said it so well on the other thread, and the word "Florida is always an attention-getter!

There's some really good stuff going on around here tonight. Not without its nominees however. Did you know, btw, that one of our dear sparring partners has met "the bitter end?"

self edited, just 'cause

[RevCheesehead]

9. check your messages. n/t

[mattclearing]

4. That's a big deal. It will be interesting to see what comes of it.

If the guy has immunity, doesn't that mean he would have had to go through the feds?

Any proof of impropriety helps the cause of election reform, so this can only be good news.

Edit to note: Yes apparently Democrats break the law too. It's not okay when our guys do it either. Throw the book at them.

[Patsy Stone]

8. Right you are. On all counts. Hi! :) n/t

[EuroObserver]

33. AP seems to be the source of this story.

Note how most MSM seems to be very interested in exposing Den "irregularities" only.

Of course, the widely-held European view is the Reps and Dems are but two wings of one "single party" and that the US is essentially a one-party state whch increasingly hardly bthers to pay lip-service to the idea of appearing to be "democratic".

No money? No hope.

[Carolab]

5. Holy moley.

This guy worked for BOTH parties? WTF?

[Patsy Stone]

10. He's no good. The system is no good. The whole thing stinks. n/t

[Carolab]

18. Daria?

Is she wearing Pop-Specs, sweetie?

[Patsy Stone]

24. LOL! I am Daria. n/t

[demo dutch]

11. Let's prosecute!

[Wilms]

12. Kick

[KaryninMiami]

13. Florida, the land Jeb, Katherine and Glenda our "beacon of fraud",

One does have to wonder however, how many more of these stories it will take before somebody in MSM WAKES UP and GETS THE PICTURE.

Thanks for the post Patsy! As we all know, stories like this and the Clint Curtis story and BBV investigations are but a tip of the iceberg. I for one, cam thrilled that they are finally getting out and can't wait to see what gets exposed next. Once the iceberg really begins to melt, and the flood begins as the evidence begins to really pour in (and it will), maybe then someone will finally pay attention. I sure hope it happens before I abandon ship and move to a blue state!

[Patsy Stone]

14. I want to make Florida Blue again!

I miss Blue Florida. I want to get to the bottom of all of the crap going on down here. This place is so crooked it's staggering. We breed 'em like cockraoches. Maybe it's the heat? :)

[KaryninMiami]

19. I, firmly, believe Florida IS BLUE

but the Reds have camouflaged our color in fraud.

(Forgive me Lord but I have this fantasy that Jeb will return from Asia with dysentery or a tapeworm that is so bad, he shits his brains out for months. May it be contagious and may it spread to Glenda and Katherine and Feeney and to all of their friends and supporters.)

[flyarm]

23. ohhh your scenerio....

makes me wishful....and giggling..i can just picture it...really picture it...:hurts:


hehehe.....and i believe we are blue as well....blue in a pretty blue dress squeezzzzzed into a red dress that doesn't fit!

fly:hi: :bounce:

[Patsy Stone]

26. We ARE Blue. I just want the rest of the world to know it! n/t

[flyarm]

30. me too!!! n/t

[Patsy Stone]

25. Amen. Let's go with that! n/t

[Oversea Visitor]

15. Bang Bang Bang

Dyers.... Democrats Mayor for Orlando dead

[Mojorabbit]

16. Ah Orlando

That's my city for ya

[Wilms]

17. Up ya go. n/t

[Al-CIAda]

20. "The Covert Op That Ate The World"

Election Fraud: Spooks, Saudis, Florida "The Covert Op That Ate The World"
January 4,2005 -Venice, FL. 
by Daniel Hopsicker
While both of the terrorist pilots who crashed into the World Trade Center were students at Venice Florida’s Huffman Aviation, the flight school's owner Wallace J. Hilliard, 72, of Naples, FL., was simultaneously pursuing a diplomatic opening to Fidel Castro’s Cuba.
But it's Hilliard’s involvement with ADNAN KHASHOGGI, arms merchant and international fugitive, which we find most intriguing. The SAUDI BILLIONAIRE’s name has now surfaced in connection with the ownership of two of the election service companies whose performance in the 2004 Presidential contest has inspired heated controversy.
http://www.madcowprod.com/

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. Ezzie Thomas works for whoever the highest bidder is at the moment

However, I do believe he has become a tool for the Repugs and is helping them set up people like Dyer. It's like a preemptive attack. Blame the other guy for the exact thing you've been doing all along.

Ezzie Thomas was also investigated for doing the same thing when he worked for the Orlando Fire Fighters recently. Jeb and Glenda decided to launch an FDLE investigation into that one, which gave them the excuse they needed to send law enforcement around to black people homes looking for evidence? Of course, Ezzie walked away from this investigation scot free too.

I'm surprisd Dyer was stupid enough to hire Ezzie considering his troubled recent past and that he is closely connected to Hood and Martinez.

Also, Ezzie isn't the only one who collected absentee ballots for candidates. The Repugs did this all over FL. They focus on poor, elderly, preferably illiterate people to 'help' them with their absentee ballots. Of course, they can fill out whatever they wish, get the person to sign and the voter has no clue who they voted for. This is one of the ways that the padded the vote for George Bush.



This little investigation leads to a big can a Republican worms.

[Miami Liberal]

28. Why does this NOT surprise me?

Welcome to Florida, land of the crooked politicians. :crazy:

[bleever]

29. Ballots handled illegally. Simple, easy to understand: I like it.

Thanks, Pats.

:)

[thanatonautos]

32. They make fraud the old fashioned way ... the same way they make money.

[Alizaryn]

34. They need to fix this stuff regardless of party. We need fair

elections. HOWEVER...if will be VERY interesting to see if this minor (in comparison to many happenings in Ohio)story will get a lot of MSM coverage since it involves Democrates being the bad guys too?