NYT Herbert-More on Jeb's Police Intimidating Elderly Black Voters

[RamboLiberal]

Too important for editorials boards.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/opinion/20herbert.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

Voting While Black
By BOB HERBERT

The smell of voter suppression coming out of Florida is getting stronger. It turns out that a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, in which state troopers have gone into the homes of elderly black voters in Orlando in a bizarre hunt for evidence of election fraud, is being conducted despite a finding by the department last May "that there was no basis to support the allegations of election fraud."

State officials have said that the investigation, which has already frightened many voters and intimidated elderly volunteers, is in response to allegations of voter fraud involving absentee ballots that came up during the Orlando mayoral election in March. But the department considered that matter closed last spring, according to a letter from the office of Guy Tunnell, the department's commissioner, to Lawson Lamar, the state attorney in Orlando, who would be responsible for any criminal prosecutions.

<snip>

"The documents were reviewed by F.D.L.E., as well as the Florida Division of Elections. It was determined that there was no basis to support the allegations of election fraud concerning these absentee ballots. Since there is no evidence of criminal misconduct involving Mayor Dyer, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement considers this matter closed."

Well, it's not closed. And department officials said yesterday that the letter sent out in May was never meant to indicate that the "entire" investigation was closed. Since the letter went out, state troopers have gone into the homes of 40 or 50 black voters, most of them elderly, in what the department describes as a criminal investigation. Many longtime Florida observers have said the use of state troopers for this type of investigation is extremely unusual, and it has caused a storm of controversy.

The officers were armed and in plain clothes. For elderly African-American voters, who remember the terrible torment inflicted on blacks who tried to vote in the South in the 1950's and 60's, the sight of armed police officers coming into their homes to interrogate them about voting is chilling indeed.

[Eric J in MN]

1. Shameless. Nothing is beneath George W. and Jeb Bush. nt

nt

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Ah, election season has begun in FLA

Intimidation and harrassment already beginning. What a concept.

[Hekate]

3. Please forward this story to media outlets...

...asking for national coverage

Wonderful. These two sections just about say it all.

SNIP: One woman, who is in her mid-70's and was visited by two officers in June, said in an affidavit: "After entering my house, they asked me if they could take their jackets off, to which I answered yes.
When they removed their jackets, I noticed they were wearing side arms. ... And I noticed an ankle holster on one of them when they sat down."

SNIP: State officials deny that their intent was to intimidate black voters. Mr. Tunnell, who was handpicked by Gov. Jeb Bush to head the Department of Law Enforcement, said in a statement yesterday: "Instead
of having them come to the F.D.L.E. office, which may seem quite imposing, our agents felt it would be a more relaxed atmosphere if they visited the witnesses at their homes."

Suppose I am an elderly woman and a couple of size-large goons come to my house showing badges. I'm already intimidated and I don't even have to be black! Then after inviting themselves into my living room they remove their jackets to make sure I can see their weapons. They are bigger, stronger, and younger by many years and their conversation implies that I'm involved in a crime. Boy-howdy, do I feel relaxed now!

Suppose instead they come to the home of an elderly African American, someone who has lived through some harsh times in the South, much of it enforced by white cops like these. I'm thinking it's a recipe for bad PTSD flashbacks.

Intimidating? More like terrorizing.

Hekate

[NightOwwl]

4. Every time I think BushCo can't sink any lower, they prove me wrong.

"Instead of having them come to the F.D.L.E. office, which may seem quite imposing, our agents felt it would be a more relaxed atmosphere if they visited the witnesses at their homes."

First, this is complete and utter bullshit.

Second, WTF? Why would they need to go to the F.D.L.E office in the first place?

[DeepModem Mom]

5. kick

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. Someone needs to confront Bush on his fear of democracy

in Florida.