'Decision Points'

Bush On Wiretapping, The 9/11 Shootdown Order And Executive Power

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 6:26PM

Fmr. President George W. Bush

Former President George W. Bush, in his new memoir out Tuesday, contends that he gave the original order to shoot down planes on Sept. 11, 2001, according to excerpts in the New York Times.

"I told [Vice President Cheney] that I would make decisions from the air and count on him to implement them on the ground," he wrote. "I told Dick that our pilots should contact suspicious planes and try to get them to land peacefully. If that failed, they had my authority to shoot them down. ... I had just made my first decision as a wartime commander in chief."

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Oklahoma

CAIR Member Sues Oklahoma Over Sharia Ban

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 5:06PM

Oklahoma Rep. Rex Duncan (R)

Days after Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure to prohibit its courts from considering Sharia or international law, CAIR's Oklahoma director filed a lawsuit asking for an injunction against the law.

Muneer Awad, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Oklahoma chapter, filed suit against the Oklahoma Board of Elections in federal court on Thursday. In the suit, he alleges the law both violates the First Amendment and harms his family's ability to carry out his will after he dies.

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Nicholas Bickle

Feds Say 'Rogue Navy SEAL' Smuggled Iraqi Machine Guns

Eric Lach | November 5, 2010, 3:49PM

U.S. Navy Seals

Federal agents arrested a Navy SEAL on Wednesday in San Diego, CA, on charges that he and two other men smuggled firearms from Iraq and possibly Afghanistan to sell them on the black market.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Log Cabin Republicans Ask Supreme Court To Block DADT Enforcement

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 3:41PM

The Log Cabin Republicans, which is fighting Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the court system, today asked the Supreme Court to block an appeals court's decision to allow the military to enforce the policy.

Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the military could continue enforcing DADT while the federal government appeals a lower court's ruling that the policy is unconstitutional. The lower court had issued an injunction ordering the military to immediately stop enforcement.

The Log Cabin Republicans, which brought the original lawsuit, is now asking the Supreme Court to vacate the appeals court's stay of the lower court's injunction. In other words, they are trying again to end the enforcement of DADT immediately.

Robocalls

Robocalls Telling MD Voters To 'Relax' Came From Dem Supporting GOP Nominee

Ryan J. Reilly | November 5, 2010, 2:50PM

Julius Henson and Fmr. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R-MD)

Two hours before polls closed on Tuesday, over 50,000 Maryland voters started receiving mysterious phone calls instructing them to "relax" and not bother voting because Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) had already won re-election.

The Baltimore Sun reported that calls were sent from the account associated with a controversial Democratic operative, Julius Henson, by Rhonda Russell, a former director of Progressive Maryland.

Russell, now a Universal Elections employee, placed the order with Robodial.org, a Pennsylvania company which works exclusively with Democrats. Universal Elections is the company of Henson, a longtime Democratic operative who is based out of Baltimore but worked as a consultant for the former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R) this election cycle in his campaign against O'Malley. In an interesting twist, Hanson previously called Ehrlich a "Nazi," but eventually took at least $32,000 in consulting fees from the Ehrlich campaign, according to the Sun.

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George Bush

Bush: If I Hadn't Quit Drinking, 'I Really Am Convinced' I Wouldn't Have Been President

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 12:58PM

President George W. Bush in an interview with Matt Lauer

The dribbling out of excerpts and interview clips continues as former President George W. Bush re-emerges to promote his book, Decision Points. In the latest round of pre-release strategic leaks, Bush says he was able to quit drinking cold turkey at age 40 because he was never "chemically addicted."

The book reportedly opens with Bush's decision to quit drinking. In his interview with Matt Lauer, which airs in its entirety on Monday, Bush said alcohol had become a "love" that "began to compete" with his love for his wife and daughters.

"I was a drinker. Now I wasn't a knee-walkin' drunk. And I have concluded I was not chemically addicted, like some of my friends were, who required a 12-step program for some," he said.

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Orly Taitz

'Unapologetic Birther' Is New MO House of Representatives Majority Leader

Ryan J. Reilly | November 5, 2010, 11:44AM

Missouri State Rep. Tim Jones (R) and Orly Taitz

State Rep. Timothy W. Jones (R-Eureka) of the Missouri House of Representatives was unanimously elected by the new Republican caucus to be the next Majority Floor Leader. Why is that newsworthy? Because he was represented by "Birther Queen" Orly Taitz in a federal case alleging that President Barack Obama was secretly an Indonesian named Barry Soetoro and ineligible to be President of the United States.

Jones was listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by lawyer-dentist Taitz to obtain an original birth certificate, immigration records, passports and other vital records from Obama.

Taitz is pretty pumped about Jones being in a position of power. "WOW, an unapologetic birther is unanimously elected to be the speaker of MO Hopuse of Representatives!!!" Taitz wrote on her blog. "PLEASE, CONTACT HIM AND DEMAND THAT HE BRINGS THIS ISSUE TO THE FLOOR OF THE STATE HOUSE OF REP-S."

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voter fraud

Report Notes 'Sudden Silence' From Voter 'Fraud-Mongerers' Post-Election

Ryan J. Reilly | November 5, 2010, 11:13AM

Dick Armey, Catherine Engelbrecht, Michelle Malkin, and David Norcross

Claims of massive voter fraud efforts backed by Democrats were all the rage in conservative circles in the weeks and months leading up to the election on Tuesday. But since the polls closed, there's been barely a peep.

So says a report from the public policy center Demos issued Friday analyzing the "mixed bag" outcome of the 2010 campaign in the areas of voter access and effective administration of elections.

"Also noteworthy after Election Day had come and gone was the sudden silence from the fraud-mongerers and Tea Party poll watch groups," Tova Andrea Wang, a Senior Democracy Fellow at Demos, wrote in the report. "Not a peep of one case of substantiated fraud at the polling place."

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Potential House Armed Services Chair: 'Unwise' To Repeal DADT In Lame Duck

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 8:37AM

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA)

Rep. Buck McKeon, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and a candidate for the chairmanship come January, doesn't think Congress should pass repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell during the lame duck session.

"I think that's unwise," McKeon said Wednesday in an interview with Reuters, noting that the Pentagon's review of how best to repeal the policy will not be released until early December.

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Hans von Spakovsky

Dem Remains Ahead In Virginia Race Where Bush-Era Lawyer Counting Ballots

Ryan J. Reilly | November 5, 2010, 8:00AM

Hans von Spakovsky

As we told you Wednesday, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) is just ahead of his Republican opponent Keith Fimian in a close race, and now the Fairfax County Board of Elections is canvassing the voting machines and examining provisional ballots.

With 100 percent of the precincts in, Connolly has 111,630 votes to Fimian's 110,700, according to state election data last updated at 1:56 p.m. on Thursday.

In Fairfax County, Connolly has 76,086 votes to Fimian's 71,571. With a split of 4,515 votes in Fairfax County, provisional ballots -- of which a county spokeswoman said there "a little over 100" -- aren't going to swing the result in the county. Still, some are concerned due to the involvement of Hans von Spakovsky, a Bush-era Justice Department official who was accused of politicizing the Civil Rights Division and putting an undue emphasis on combating voter fraud.

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Bell, CA

Judge Says California's Lawsuit Against Bell Officials Could Be Flawed

Jillian Rayfield | November 4, 2010, 5:37PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

The Judge presiding over the California Attorney General's case against the Bell City officials expressed some doubts in a hearing today that the state had a case, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ralph W. Dau said that the attorney general might not have the authority to pursue a lawsuit against the eight officials, who are accused of using public funds to inflate their salaries for elected position. "There is a real question of authority here," he said. "You say they're looting the city and you can enforce it, but where is the case that says the attorney general can enforce it?"

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Illinois

Man Who Sent Threat To IL Mosque Sentenced To Year In Prison

Rachel Slajda | November 4, 2010, 3:57PM

The Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center

A 25-year-old Maryland man was sentenced to one year in prison yesterday after sending email threats to an Illinois mosque, demanding that the mosque close or else he would "eradicate Islam."

The man, Ilya Sobolevskiy, pleaded guilty in August to obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs, a civil rights violation. He was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Illinois to 12 months in prison and a $3,000 fine.

The judge who sentenced him called the threats "an act of terror."

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Benjamin Cardin

Cardin Asks DOJ To Review Election Day Robocalls In MD

Ryan J. Reilly | November 4, 2010, 3:22PM

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD)

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) asked the Justice Department to look at allegations that voters in Baltimore and elsewhere around Maryland received robocalls on election day that Cardin says were intentionally designed to suppress voter turnout.

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Cardin requests that the Justice Department investigate anonymous, automated phone calls his office said were made to predominantly African-American and other voters in Baltimore and elsewhere around the state.

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U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Conservatives Subpoena More DOJ Officials In Black Panther Probe

Ryan J. Reilly | November 4, 2010, 3:20PM

Members of the New Black Panther Party, with Todd Gaziano (top) of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and Justice Department lawyer Christopher Coates (bottom).

With less than two months left until the conservative majority of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights loses control of the agency, the Republican and libertarian members are hoping to breath new life into the controversy over the Justice Department's decision in the New Black Panther case by subpoenaing four more DOJ officials. The subpoenas -- first announced at a meeting on Friday -- show that depositions have been set up in mid-November, a TPMMuckraker review of the documents sent to the Justice Department shows.

The new subpoenas were sent to former acting Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Loretta King; her former deputy, Sam Hirsch; Deputy Assistant Attorney General Julie Fernandes and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Steve Rosenbaum, a career employee.

In an e-mail to the commissioners, DOJ's Director of Federal Programs Joseph H. ("Jody") Hunt accepted service of the subpoenas on behalf of the Department employees on Oct. 28. The Justice Department previously declined to comply with subpoenas issued by the commission on the issue and instructed two employees to ignore them (one DOJ employee quit and testified anyway, another stayed at DOJ but testified against their instructions). A DOJ spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new subpoenas.

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Tom DeLay

DeLay Takes 'A Little' Credit In Big GOP Win, Plans Return To Politics After Trial

Rachel Slajda | November 4, 2010, 1:04PM

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, whose corruption trial began this week in Austin, on Wednesday took a little credit for the Republicans' takeover of the House Tuesday night.

"Well, I hope I played a little part into it. A lot of the guys that are there now are from Texas came from our redistricting and we gained three more seats in Texas and that's pretty amazing," he said. "So what every little bit I had to play, I am very proud of."

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Military Shootings

After Shootings, Coast Guard Closed Down D.C. Area Recruiting Stations

Ryan J. Reilly | November 4, 2010, 12:30PM

A military recruiting station

The Coast Guard shut down several recruiting stations in the D.C. area yesterday as a precaution after shots were fired at their center in Woodbridge earlier this week. That shooting was just the latest in a string of incidents targeting military installations that have left law enforcement officials searching for answers.

"Obviously, we were concerned about it and we're continuing to assist the FBI however we can," Scott Carr, a public affairs officer for the Coast Guard's recruiting command, told TPMMuckraker on Thursday. "Yesterday we had closed the recruiting office in Potomac Mills, we also went ahead and closed the recruiting offices in D.C. and in Baltimore as a precaution."

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George Bush

Bush: I Gave The Order To Waterboard

Rachel Slajda | November 4, 2010, 9:38AM

George W. Bush

In his new memoir, former President George W. Bush says he personally gave the order to waterboard Khalid Sheik Mohammed in 2003.

According to the Washington Post, Bush writes that the CIA asked him if they could use the torture technique on Mohammed.

"Damn right," he said.

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FBI

Mysterious Gunman Targeting Military Facilities In D.C. Area

Ryan J. Reilly | November 4, 2010, 9:23AM

A mysterious gunman has shot up a series of D.C. area military buildings in recent weeks, stymieing local and federal investigators, alarming residents who live near the nation's capitol and evoking memories of the Beltway sniper shooting spree nearly a decade ago.

Law enforcement officials have yet to figured out who is behind the five shootings, which began in mid-October. But federal agents have linked all five incidents after analyzing the type of weapons being used, Andy Ames, a spokesman for the FBI Washington Field Office told TPMMuckraker on Wednesday.

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2010 Elections

Four Dead Candidates Won On Tuesday (And Two Lost)

Rachel Slajda | November 4, 2010, 8:47AM

Democrat Jenny Oropeza

Four candidates who died while campaigning won their elections on Tuesday. Two deceased candidates lost.

In California, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D) won re-election with 59% of the vote. Oropeza, who was 53, died two weeks ago from complications of cancer. The local Democrats, however, mailed supporters encouraging them to vote for Oropeza anyway.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Reid On DADT: 'I Think It's Something We Could Work Out' In Lame Duck

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 5:14PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today that it is his "goal" to pass the Defense Authorization bill -- and with it, repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- in the Senate's lame-duck session, but warned that it'll be a tough squeeze.

According to The Hill, Reid said today that being able to pass the massive, traditionally must-pass funding bill will depend on Republican cooperation and support.

"The problem we have with the defense authorization bill is that it takes a while to get done," he said. "If we can get some agreement from the Republicans that we can move the bill without a lot of extraneous amendments, I think it's something we could work out. That would be my goal."

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Hans von Spakovsky

Hans von Spakovsky Will Help Certify A Tight Race In Virginia

Ryan J. Reilly | November 3, 2010, 2:24PM

Hans von Spakovsky

Both sides are claiming victory in the House race in Virginia's 11th district, which may be the closest contest in the country. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Gerry Connolly is leading Republican Keith Fimian by just 487 votes.

The three-member electoral board of Faixfax County is currently in the midst of canvassing the election results, a spokeswoman for the country government confirmed to TPMMuckraker. One of the individuals sitting on that board is Hans von Spakovsky, a Bush-era Justice Department official who came under fire from Democrats after allegations that he helped politicize the Civil Rights Division and placed an undue emphasis on voter fraud and identification that critics say often suppresses minority voter turnout.

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Kansas

Voter Fraud Candidate Kris Kobach Wins In Kansas

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 12:47PM

Kris Kobach

Kris Kobach, who ran on a platform of preventing allegedly widespread voter fraud and helped write the Arizona immigration bill, won his campaign for Kansas secretary of state.

Kobach, who was expected to win big, got 59% of the vote to Democrat Chris Biggs' 37%.

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ACORN

Issa: We're Interested In ACORN, But We'll Look At Jobs First (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | November 3, 2010, 11:40AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) -- the chairman-in-waiting of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and one of the new thorns in the Obama administration's side -- said on MSNBC this morning that he's still interested in investigating ACORN, which filed for bankruptcy yesterday.

"I think it's very important that we look at ACORN as something that occurred, it was criminal activity and it used government money and nonprofit money both to do politics. There's certainly going to be other examples on the left and on the right where we at least have to deny them nonprofit status and government money if what they're doing is being overtly political," Issa said. "I want to continue on that on the nonpartisan basis with my ranking member."

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Same sex marriage

Anti-Gay Groups Defeat Iowa Supreme Court Justices

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 10:39AM

The "Judge Bus"

Three of Iowa's Supreme Court justices were voted out of office last night, chalking up a victory for the national anti-gay groups that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the race.

With nearly all precincts reporting, the three justices -- David Baker, Michael Streit and Chief Justice Marsha Ternus -- were voted out by an average margin of 55% to 45%.

It's the first time an Iowa Supreme Court justice has been ousted since Iowa instituted its system of appointment and retention in 1962.

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Darrell Issa

The GOP Plan To Investigate Obama: The First Four Potential Investigations

Ryan J. Reilly and Johanna Barr | November 3, 2010, 10:37AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) have been attacking the Obama administration since pretty much the day Barack Obama took office. Until now, as just the ranking members of two powerful House committees and members of the minority party, their criticisms of administration officials and their decisions have been mostly limited to issuing press releases.

Now -- as the expected chairmen of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the House Judiciary Committee, respectively -- they're the proud new holders of subpoena power, will have a much more robust unit of investigators and will likely be a huge thorn in the side of President Obama and his top cabinet members.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

To Repeal DADT, Gay GOP Group Zeroes In On Five Senators

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 9:21AM

U.S. Marines on patrol in the Helmand province of Afghanistan

In a perhaps unlikely twist in the battle to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, it's a group of Republicans who may make the difference on whether the policy is axed this year.

The Log Cabin Republicans, an organization for gay Republicans, brought the lawsuit that resulted in DADT being ruled unconstitutional last September -- even though the government has been successful in staying the court's ruling pending appeal.

And it's the group that President Obama implored to deliver Republican votes when the Senate takes up repeal in the lame-duck session. But he's preaching, as Log Cabins executive director Clarke Cooper tells TPM, to the gay Republican choir.

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George Bush

Bush: 'I Was A Dissenting Voice' On Iraq War

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 8:47AM

Fmr. President George W. Bush (R)

Former President George W. Bush considers himself "a dissenting voice" in the decision to go to war with Iraq.

In the first interview of the publicity tour for his new book, Decision Points, Bush told Matt Lauer that he didn't want to use force.

"Not everybody thought you should go to war, though," Lauer said. "There were dissenting voices."

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Harry Reid

Angle Files Voter Intimidation Complaint With DOJ Over Reid E-Mails

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 10:19PM

In the final hours of Election Day, a lawyer for GOP Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle filed a complaint with the Justice Department alleging voter intimidation took place on behalf of the campaign of her opponent Sen. Harry Reid (D), Politico reports.

The complaint relates to an e-mail exchange between an unnamed Reid campaign staffer and the casino chain Harrah's, which was reported in a story published by the National Review. The National Review reported that the e-mails showed that "Executives at the casino giant Harrah's pushed company employees to vote early in an all-out effort to help the Harry Reid campaign."

Angle lawyer Cleta Mitchell -- co-chair of the Republican National Lawyers Association --said the e-mails showed "union intimidation tactics." Reid's campaign countered that the e-mails don't show anything against the law and mentioned that the conservative blogger who wrote the story told Fox News that she didn't think "anything either illegal or unethical was done here."

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Sarah Palin

Alaska Producers Fired Over Jokes About Joe Miller Story

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 9:24PM

Republican candidate for US Senate in Alaska Joe Miller

Two producers for the Alaska television station KTVA are no longer with the CBS affiliate after an internal assessment found that they made comments that were were not in line with the station's standards, the channel said in a press release late Tuesday.

In a recording posted on the conservative website Big Government, individuals could be heard discussing a supposed plan to make up a sensational story on Miller -- in reality, joking that they would find a child molester who was voting Republican to tie him to Miller.

But the station found that contrary to the claims of the Miller campaign, neither the news director, an assignment editor or reporters for the station were involved in the recorded conversation, the station said.

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Maryland

Early Robocall Reportedly Tells MD Voters To Relax, O'Malley Won

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 7:45PM

The campaign of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley posted audio to its website today of what appears to be a misleading message being left for their supporters in the state.

"I'm calling to let everyone know that Gov. O'Malley and President Obama have been successful. Our goals have been met. The polls were correct, and we took [inaudible]," the message says. "We're okay. Relax. Everything is fine. The only thing left is to watch on TV tonight."

The robocalls reportedly went out sometime before 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but the polls in Maryland don't close until 8 p.m.

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ACORN

ACORN Files For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Rachel Slajda | November 2, 2010, 6:00PM

ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis

Two years after becoming perhaps the most vocally maligned organization in the country, ACORN announced today it is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The community organizing group has been in the process of dissolving for the better part of the year. In March, it announced it was folding as a national entity.

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DE-SEN

Elex Official Tells O'Donnell Supporters To Quiet Down Outside Polling Places

Rachel Slajda | November 2, 2010, 3:57PM

Christine O'Donnell

The Delaware elections commissioner told the Christine O'Donnell campaign to get their supporters to quiet down outside polling places, after receiving complaints that their pro-O'Donnell chants could be heard inside.

The elections commissioner, Elaine Manlove, tells TPMmuckraker that the O'Donnell campaign is sending out "advance teams" of supporters to polling places where the Senate candidate is scheduled to appear as part of a voter-greeting tour.

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New Black Panthers

Philly Officials: New Black Panther At Philly Polls 'Doing Nothing'

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 3:35PM

Members of the New Black Panthers Party outside a polling place in Philadelphia, PA during the 2008 elections.

A member of the New Black Panther Party was spotted by a local Fox station today at the same polling location at which he was videotaped two years ago. His presence at that facility in 2008, along with a nightstick-wielding colleague, led to a controversial voter intimidation case that has dogged the Obama administration for over a year and a half.

Fox provided a photo of the individual and reported that he was seen outside the polling place "wearing a pin that indicated his party affiliation, along with a black hat, sunglasses and leather coat." The polling location, Guild House West, is located in a majority African-American neighborhood in northern Philadelphia.

The individual appears to be Jerry Jackson, who had a poll-watching certificate back in 2008 and was originally named in the civil voter intimidation case bought in the waning days of the Bush administration. The Obama administration did not pursue the case against Jackson or the national party, but did obtain an injunction against fellow NBPP member King Samir Shabazz, who carried a nightstick.

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voter fraud

Election Judges Dealing With Aggressive Poll Watchers In Minnesota

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 2:06PM

A polling place in San Francisco, CA

In Hennepin County, Minnesota -- one of the counties where conservatives groups have implemented an anti-voter fraud campaign called Election Integrity Watch -- election judges have had firm exchanges with overly aggressive poll watchers who did not seem to know their the role.

"I think we were very firm, we had to be very firm with some of the polling place challengers who wanted to have more range in the polling place than the law permitted them to," County Elections Manager Rachel Smith told TPMMuckraker. She said challengers were "having some questions" about where in the polling place they were allowed to stand.

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Kansas

Kansas Voters Report Callers Telling Them They Need Proof Of Home Ownership To Vote

Rachel Slajda | November 2, 2010, 1:22PM

The Kansas attorney general has opened an investigation into reports that voters across Kansas have received calls giving them a slew of false information about the election: That the election has been moved to Wednesday, that they need to bring their voter registration cards to the polls and that they need proof of homeownership to vote.

"That's a felony," AG spokesperson Gavin Young tells TPMmuckraker. Young said the complaints were not concentrated in a specific area, but came from all over the state. Contrary to original reports of robocalls, Young said many of the voters said they received live calls from real people.

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voter fraud

Hoyer: Republicans Depressing Turnout In Democratic Areas

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 11:21AM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said in a last-minute fundraising e-mail for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that Democrats have "already had disturbing reports about the Republicans trying to depress voter turnout in Democratic areas."

The DCCC will "have eyes and ears already on the ground, looking out for anything suspicious," Hoyer said in the e-mail. "They also have legal teams ready to be dispatched at a moment's notice any place where a recount is likely so we can decisively challenge all irregularities," he added.

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2010 Elections

Judge Approves Tea Party Items At Polls In Sheriff Joe's Territory

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 10:32AM

Tea Partiers -- or supporters of any political cause or candidate -- will be allowed to wear their gear to the polls in Maricopa County, the Arizona Republic reports.

After a federal judge decided on Monday that "'tea party' T-shirt or any apparel that does not express support for or opposition to" a candidate, proposition or political party on the ballot should be allowed, a Maricopa County election official said she would not be able to retrain poll workers less than a day before the election. So Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell told the Arizona Republic she'll let any apparel in.

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Pennsylvania

After Dispute, Bucks County PA Won't Count Absentee Ballots Until Wednesday

Rachel Slajda | November 2, 2010, 10:30AM

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Mike Fitzpatrick (R)

We've told you about the brouhaha in Bucks County, Pa., where Republicans have accused the Democrats of forging absentee ballot applications and the Democrats have accused the GOP, and the local board of elections, of disenfranchising voters.

The fight has centered over absentee ballot applications the Democrats mailed to registered voters in Bucks County. The return envelope, marked "Pennsylvania Voter Assistance Office," went to a P.O. box owned by the Democratic Party. Hundreds of those applications that were forwarded to the board of elections were thrown out. The Dems maintain that the Republican-dominated board of elections is improperly throwing out applications on technicalities.

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New Hampshire Phone Jamming

Phone Service Restored To NH Dems After Scare

Rachel Slajda | November 2, 2010, 9:42AM

After phone service at 11 local campaign offices went down yesterday afternoon, prompting fears of a 2002-style sabotage, the New Hampshire Democratic Party now says service is back up.

The party's executive director, Mike Brunelle, tells TPMmuckraker that phone service at the party's call banks is "almost fully operational."

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Minnesota

MN Anti-Voter Fraud Group: Ignore Judge's Ruling Against 'I.D. Me' Buttons

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 7:22AM

Minnesota Majority, one of the groups behind the anti-voter fraud initiative in the state called "Election Integrity Watch," told supporters in an e-mail last night to go ahead and wear their "Please I.D. Me" buttons and Tea Party apparel to the polls today despite a federal judge's ruling yesterday that such items would interfere with the elections process.

The e-mail said that anti-voter fraud advocates will "have a decision to make" if an election judge questions the items they are wearing. "You can simply remove or cover the challenged item and you'll be allowed to vote, or you can refuse and demand your right to vote and the election judge will allow you to vote, while also recording your name and you could be charged with a petty misdemeanor," says the e-mail.

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voter fraud

Rick Scott: Dem Allies Have 'Shown Willingness' To Commit Voter Fraud

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 7:10AM

Rick Scott

Allies of the Democratic Party "have shown a willingness to commit fraud across the country, in both this election cycle and recent years," the campaign of Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott said Monday in announcing his campaign's "Honest Voter Hotline." Voters are encouraged to "report any instances of irregularities at the polls, including voter fraud, intimidation, violence and electioneering."

Rob Jakubik, a Scott spokesman, said in the statement that, given the tightness of the polls, "all examples of fraud must be addressed to preserve the integrity of the election." But a spokesman for the campaign told TPMMuckraker they haven't had any indications of voter fraud so far.

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Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon Smacks DOJ For Warning Over Free WWE Gear

Ryan J. Reilly | November 1, 2010, 10:05PM

CT Sen. candidate Linda McMahon (R) and WWE CEO Vince McMahon.

The Justice Department warned World Wrestling Entertainment that it will not look kindly on the pro wrestling company distributing free merchandise near polling places in Connecticut -- where its co-founder is on the ballot for U.S. Senator.

WWE "might be operating in ignorance of applicable federal criminal law" wrote Richard C. Pilger, Director of DOJ's Election Crimes Branch in a letter (PDF) to the WWE. The letter explained that federal law -- specifically section 1973i(c) of Title 42 of the United States Code -- "makes it a federal offense to pay or offer to pay an individual a thing of value for voting."

"Please note the Department's understanding that this statute prohibits a person from providing a thing of value - such as clothing - in return for an individual's participation in the voting process," Pilger wrote.

Vince McMahon, the husband of Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon, didn't take too kindly to the warning.

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New Hampshire

Reports Of Phone Trouble In NH; Dems, Wary Of 2002-Style Sabotage, Call AG

Rachel Slajda | November 1, 2010, 9:09PM

The New Hampshire Democrats this afternoon lost phone service at their local campaign offices in 11 towns, prompting them to notify the state attorney general and put out a press release.

The cause of the outage was not known as of Monday evening. The Democrats said they took the precaution of notifying authorities based on what happened in 2002, when the state Republican Party purposely jammed the Dems' phones in order to sabotage their get out the vote effort. The scheme eventually ended in the criminal convictions of the party's executive director and a political consultant.

There's no sign of nefarious activity yet. A spokesman for the Republican Party said they were also experiencing phone outages at several of their phone banks.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Appeals Court Rules DADT Can Remain In Effect Pending Appeal

Rachel Slajda | November 1, 2010, 6:04PM

Troops in Afghanistan in 2003

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that the military can continue enforcing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, while the government appeals a decision by a lower court that the policy is unconstitutional.

Today's decision extends a temporary emergency stay the court granted on Oct. 20, which froze an injunction, issued by circuit court Judge Virginia Philips, against the military enforcing DADT.

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Iowa

Iowans Split On Whether To Drop Supreme Court Justices

Rachel Slajda | November 1, 2010, 5:18PM

The "Judge Bus"

As we told you last week, the question of whether Iowa will retain or fire three of its Supreme Court justices has drawn hundreds of thousands of dollars from third-party groups. The Des Moines Register is now out with a poll that shows Iowans are still split on the question, with a slight edge to those who would throw the judges out.

According to the poll, 37% of likely voters said they'd vote to remove the three justices. Another 34% said they'd vote to retain them, and 10% said they'd remove at least one.

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Beth Chapman

AL Secretary Of State Offers Reward For Voter Fraud Reports

Rachel Slajda | November 1, 2010, 3:49PM

Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman

Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman, who is up for re-election this year, announced today that her office is offering a $5,000 reward for reports of voter fraud that lead to a felony conviction.

"Alabamians are fed up with voter fraud and have decided that enough is enough. They want to protect democracy from those who are destroying it," Chapman, a Republican, said in a press release. "I hope that people with information will come forward so that justice can be served."

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Minnesota

Federal Judge To MN Conservatives: You Can't Wear 'I.D. Me' Buttons At Polls

Ryan J. Reilly | November 1, 2010, 3:12PM

A button from ElectionIntegrityWatch.com

A federal judge ruled on Monday that conservatives in Minnesota rallying against voter fraud will not be allowed to wear their "Please I.D. Me" buttons to polling locations, according to the Associated Press.

Minnesota Majority, one of the groups that is taking part in the Election Integrity Watch group, sued last week because of a ban on their pins at polling places. County Attorneys in two counties in Minnesota said those buttons count as campaign material. Minnesota Majority countered that their buttons were protected by the First Amendment and that the voter I.D. issue was not on the ballot -- and thus the buttons weren't a violation of electioneering laws.

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Barack Obama

Conservative PAC Ad Brings Together The Best-Of Anti-Obama Memes (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | November 1, 2010, 2:43PM

The National Republican Trust PAC has launched a video that features a number of anti-Obama memes

The National Republican Trust PAC has launched a 25-minute video in several key states attacking President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress and linking them to extremist groups and opinions. The video brings up ACORN and the New Black Panther Party -- and not-so-subtlety implies Obama is a Muslim, though the group behind the video says that is not the intention.

It is running heavy in North Carolina, Iowa, Kentucky, Delaware, Alaska, and Florida, Scott Wheeler, executive director of the National Republican Trust PAC, told TPMMuckraker. It began running on television stations last week but has been online for about two weeks, he said.

The ad features Muslim chanting layered over clips of Obama speaking about Islam. "Instead of standing up for America, he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia," the video says. But Wheeler said that ad isn't intended to imply Obama is a Muslim.

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True The Vote

Tea Partiers and New Black Panthers To Square Off At Polls In Texas

Ryan J. Reilly | November 1, 2010, 1:15PM

Members of the New Black Panther Party, and a Tea Party rally.

Members of the fringe group the New Black Panther Party have announced they intend to be at the polls in Harris County, Texas tomorrow. So has the Tea Party-backed group True the Vote -- with more than 1,000 poll watchers, they say. Both sides have already traded accusations of voter intimidation -- but, despite all their press coverage, neither will likely play a deciding factor at the polls tomorrow.

The face off between poll watchers alleging massive voter fraud in Harris County and many voters in minority neighborhoods of Houston during the early voting period have already been racially tinged. New developments indicate it will only get worse.

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Tom DeLay

Tom DeLay's Corruption Trial Begins Today

Rachel Slajda | November 1, 2010, 11:00AM

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)

Tom DeLay, former House majority leader and, more recently, contestant on "Dancing With the Stars," finally heads to trial today, five years after he was charged with money laundering.

DeLay, a Republican, faces charges that he illegally funneled $190,000 from corporations to Texas state races in 2002. That year, Republicans took the majority in the Texas state house, leading to a Republican-led redistricting that put more Texan Republicans in the U.S. House.

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NV-SEN

NV Secretary Of State: GOP Voter Fraud Complaint Unfounded

Rachel Slajda | November 1, 2010, 10:37AM

NV-SEN candidates Sharron Angle (R) and Harry Reid (D)

The Nevada secretary of state has declared that complaints made by Nevada Republicans alleging voter fraud are without merit.

Last Friday, Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat, released a 20-page report responding to several complaints filed by a lawyer for the Nevada GOP Victory Committee. The complaints alleged that one- or two-ballot discrepancies in the number of early voters recorded and the number of ballots cast should be investigated for signs of voter fraud.

Miller checked out several of the complaints and ruled that they were simple clerical errors.

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voter fraud

RNC Raises Money With 'No More Frankens' Website (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | November 1, 2010, 10:08AM

The Republican National Committee has launched a website called "No More Frankens" that raises money for their Get Out the Vote Program and appears to raise fears over voter fraud.

"The only way to prevent more Al Frankens is to win and win big," the website reads. "Your contribution will go toward the RNC's proven 72-hour Get Out the Vote program and help us get the margins of victory we need to make sure the real winners are recognized on November 3rd. There is no margin for error. Will you help us?"

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