Linda Tripp's recordings of Monika Lewinsky led to the impeachment proceedings against former President Clinton. Afterwards, she was charged for violating Maryland's wiretapping laws in what has been termed "the most disgraceful, transparent campaign of politically motivated vengeance in recent American history". In an irony of disgraceful proportions she was the only actor in this drama to face criminal charges. To most of us she was a heroine who blew the whistle on our debauched former president.
Fast forward 10 years to today and nearby Pocomoke City. Stephanie Burke and husband Billy are political activists running a blog critical of the town administration. Stephanie also ran for town council against the local machine backed apparatchik. She was defeated last Tuesday by an unprecedented and overwhelming absentee ballot campaign supporting the town machine. The ballots have all been seized by the State's Attorneys office and an investigation of voter fraud is under way.
Thursday, Pocomoke City police raided the Burkes home, seized all electronic equipment, and arrested Billy for "wiretapping". It seems that Billy recorded a public rant by the town mayor on the town hall steps. He sent the recording to the State's Attorneys office as evidence of wrongdoing by the town administration. Clearly, he didn't feel he was violating any state law by recording statements in public because he then sent that recording to the State's Attorneys office.
It sure looks like the Linda Tripp case of "politically motivated vengeance" all over again. There is, however, one even more troubling difference. Linda Tripp did wiretap over the telephone as it's commonly understood. The Burkes recorded an elected official in a public area.
Between their blog and run for office the Burkes are a mortal threat to the Pocomoke machine. Their fight for good and open government is gaining ground and we can only hope that their efforts and suffering will bring about much needed change in Pocomoke City.
Showing posts with label voter fraud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voter fraud. Show all posts
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Mickey Mouse And His Dog Too
Voting fraud in urban America is a well established fact. With the reports yesterday that Obama supporters from ACORN had registered Mickey Mouse, I want to tell you a story about the voting dogs in my old hometown of Philadelphia.
In 1993, there was a special election for the Pennsylvania Senate, which pitted Republican Bruce Marks, against 33rd Democrat Ward leader Bill Stinson. Republicans had recently taken a local State Representative seat(won by John Taylor)and the odds were good the Republicans could take the empty Senate seat too. It was the first run for Bruce Marks, who was in for a Baptism by fire.
Back in Philly, I was an urban activist just like Barack Obama was in Chicago. There was one big difference, I was by then, a conservative Republican activist -- a very rare bird, indeed, in inner-city America. I volunteered for election day duty, and was assigned by the 33rd Ward Republican Ward leader, Mark Cumberland, to the polling place in the recreation center next to the Carl Mackley Homes housing project. I was a certified poll watcher for the party, with the legal right of entry to the entire polling place. Before leaving with another volunteer, Ken Bell, Mark gave us a phone number to call if "we had any trouble". I remember thinking --hmmm... OK!?
When we arrived, we were immediately "welcomed" by the Democrat committeeman and election judge, both of whom looked like they would have made excellent extras in a Fellini movie. They weren't going to let us in, period. The committeeman (who would later be convicted of absentee ballot voter fraud),was particularly obnoxious. At about five inches from my face, he boasted loudly that, "this is my neighborhood and I know everyone, their mothers, and their brothers. I even know their dogs, and they are going to vote too".
Ken and I reasoned that our "welcome" might be what Mark meant by "trouble". We called the number and explained about the recent events. Within 20 minutes, two 18 wheelers arrived. The trailers were painted with American eagles and flags and a loudspeaker system was blaring God Bless America. It was the Teamsters, who were in this election, a Republican union. Out of the trucks marched 8 men who looked like they meant business. One of them asked "where is Toby Gearhart?" and I was happy to step right up. In the next few minutes, without any problem, Ken and I were able to march right into to polling place and look wherever we wanted. Sometimes, the freedoms that we take for granted need to be backed up by a bit of muscle.
That afternoon, there was only one, almost comic incident, when the Democrat candidate himself showed up on the scene. As he was leaving he muttered to me, "you know, I know some tough guys too".
Well, they couldn't save him this time. Bill Stinson's election was overturned by the court, and a number of Democrat committeemen and campaign workers throughout the area were convicted of voter fraud.
With the Teamsters by our side, we didn't witness any voter fraud that day. However, there was fraud committed there, but BEFORE voting began, with absentee ballots. (Who knows what else was planned until we showed up.) Besides outright intimidation, illegal absentee ballots were the preferred method of election theft throughout the district.
How many canine names were involved in total is hard to say. Click on below for the complete legal conclusion of the story:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/1904058/Marks-v-Stinson
In 1993, there was a special election for the Pennsylvania Senate, which pitted Republican Bruce Marks, against 33rd Democrat Ward leader Bill Stinson. Republicans had recently taken a local State Representative seat(won by John Taylor)and the odds were good the Republicans could take the empty Senate seat too. It was the first run for Bruce Marks, who was in for a Baptism by fire.
Back in Philly, I was an urban activist just like Barack Obama was in Chicago. There was one big difference, I was by then, a conservative Republican activist -- a very rare bird, indeed, in inner-city America. I volunteered for election day duty, and was assigned by the 33rd Ward Republican Ward leader, Mark Cumberland, to the polling place in the recreation center next to the Carl Mackley Homes housing project. I was a certified poll watcher for the party, with the legal right of entry to the entire polling place. Before leaving with another volunteer, Ken Bell, Mark gave us a phone number to call if "we had any trouble". I remember thinking --hmmm... OK!?
When we arrived, we were immediately "welcomed" by the Democrat committeeman and election judge, both of whom looked like they would have made excellent extras in a Fellini movie. They weren't going to let us in, period. The committeeman (who would later be convicted of absentee ballot voter fraud),was particularly obnoxious. At about five inches from my face, he boasted loudly that, "this is my neighborhood and I know everyone, their mothers, and their brothers. I even know their dogs, and they are going to vote too".
Ken and I reasoned that our "welcome" might be what Mark meant by "trouble". We called the number and explained about the recent events. Within 20 minutes, two 18 wheelers arrived. The trailers were painted with American eagles and flags and a loudspeaker system was blaring God Bless America. It was the Teamsters, who were in this election, a Republican union. Out of the trucks marched 8 men who looked like they meant business. One of them asked "where is Toby Gearhart?" and I was happy to step right up. In the next few minutes, without any problem, Ken and I were able to march right into to polling place and look wherever we wanted. Sometimes, the freedoms that we take for granted need to be backed up by a bit of muscle.
That afternoon, there was only one, almost comic incident, when the Democrat candidate himself showed up on the scene. As he was leaving he muttered to me, "you know, I know some tough guys too".
Well, they couldn't save him this time. Bill Stinson's election was overturned by the court, and a number of Democrat committeemen and campaign workers throughout the area were convicted of voter fraud.
With the Teamsters by our side, we didn't witness any voter fraud that day. However, there was fraud committed there, but BEFORE voting began, with absentee ballots. (Who knows what else was planned until we showed up.) Besides outright intimidation, illegal absentee ballots were the preferred method of election theft throughout the district.
How many canine names were involved in total is hard to say. Click on below for the complete legal conclusion of the story:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/1904058/Marks-v-Stinson
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