WP: (Ashcroft) Voter (registration) Probes Raise Partisan Suspicions

[DeepModem Mom]

Thanks to Cyrano, who posted this article in GD2004 --


Voter Probes Raise Partisan Suspicions
Democrats, Allies See Politics Affecting Justice Department's Anti-Fraud Efforts

By Jo Becker and Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, September 20, 2004; Page A05


Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney David Iglesias in New Mexico launched a statewide criminal task force to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the upcoming presidential election. The probe came after a sheriff who co-chairs President Bush's campaign in the state's largest county complained about thousands of questionable registrations turned in by Democratic-leaning groups....

***

The probe is one of several criminal inquiries into alleged voter fraud launched in recent weeks in key presidential battlegrounds, including Ohio and West Virginia, as part of a broader initiative by U.S. Attorney General John D. Ashcroft targeting bogus registrations and other election crimes. The Justice Department has asked U.S. attorneys across the country to meet with local elections officials and launch publicity campaigns aimed at getting people to report irregularities....

***

Justice officials say it is the department's duty to prosecute illegal activities at the polls, and stress that civil rights lawyers are also working to ensure that legitimate voters can cast their ballots without interference. Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra said that "the department must strike a proper balance and we cannot be deterred from investigating allegations of criminal voter fraud."

Civil rights advocates and many Democrats, however, complain that the department is putting too much emphasis on investigating new voter registrations in poor and minority communities -- which tend to favor Democrats -- and not enough on ensuring that those voters do not face discrimination at the polls. More attention should be given to potential fraud in the use of absentee ballots, which tend to favor Republicans, the critics say.

They also charge that announcing criminal investigations within weeks of an election -- as was done in New Mexico on Sept. 7 -- is likely to scare legitimate voters away from the polls....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34109-2004Sep19.html?referrer=Demail

[BadGimp]

1. the qame plan is obvious

suppression of Democratic voters..

then there is the damn voting machines :(

[peacetalksforall]

2. It's so easy - if your own Party is suspected of voter fraud...reverse it.

Claim those immoral Dems are doing it.

This is a Rove-Ashcroft special.

So are there any good investigative journalist in NM who can provide details. A statement from non-credible Ashcroft is not good enough.

[Born Free]

3. democrats must holler long and loud to make sure everyone can vote

Democrats must not lay down on this one, they must be willing to fight to the end to make sure every Americans that wants to vote can vote! The GOP is trying to use every trick in the book to suppress votes and even cheat via electronic means, but democrats owe it to America to not give in not to turn the other check, this is America democrats must fight for, the way of life we all have grown to love.

[mongo]

4. Isn't voter registration a STATE issue?

I don't see how Ashcroft has the authority to investigate anything regarding voter registration.

It is a state issue, and any investigation should be done by state agencies.

[Eugene]

5. Voting rights are a federal civil rights issue.

The Voting Rights Act gives the the Justice Dept.
the jurisdiction.  Ashcroft is abusing that power
for partisan advantage, turning the law on its head
by stressing "voter integrity" while ignoring denial
of access.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Thanks, JP -- and welcome to DU!

[Zorra]

6. Republicans know that they are going to get slaughtered in Nov.

because millions of new Democratic voters have registered nationwide. They are desperate.

They will commit every conceivable type of voter fraud possible in order to steal this election.

[Carolab]

8. They are putting ID requirements

out at the state levels that were never there before. People need to be made aware of what is required of them before going to the polls. This information is or should be available on every state's secretary of state's website.

The New Yorker just ran a story on this whole thing. The "Voting Section" of the DOJ is focusing on "fraud" instead of "access" as an "integrity issue" and they are sending out teams of "on call" federal prosecutors at taxpayer expense to catch "alleged fraud". THIS--and the electronic voting machines--AND the scanned absentee military ballots--and the phonied up polls--are how they plan to STEAL the election again. It's a large, concerted, multipronged full-out attack.