The only known members of this allegedly non-partisan group -- which spews GOP spin points while pooh-poohing genuine concerns over computerized vote fraud -- are Republican party movers-n-shakers, such as "Thor" Hearne and Jim Dyke. Their source of funds remains unknown. Their only address is a mail drop in a UPS store in Texas -- even though the only known leaders of the group operate elsewhere. (What kind of legitimate group uses a mail drop?)
The Republican National Committee is already citing the report of this newborn group to buttress its claim that Democrats, not Republicans, intimidate voters. An RNC flyer instructs us to "check out the documented Democratic intimidation tactics at www.ac4vr.com."
Non-partisanship at its finest!
(Anyone else out there recall how the Christic Institute had its 501(c)3 status revoked for allegedly partisan behavior? A lot of folks on the left and right disliked that organization, and I don't want to revive the controversy. Suffice it to say that most of its members, both in private and in public, evinced no faith in either major party.)
This highly-slanted piece on the right-wing Cybercast News Service alleges that ACVR came into being in February. So far, no independent evidence indicates that this group came into existence before March 17; four days later, they testified before Congress, as if ACVR were the acknowledged experts in this field.
You like irony? Consider this: The CNS piece accuses Brad of being "partisan" -- even though he is not a Democrat and not (so far as I know) an official activist for any party. By comparison, Hearne was the General Counsel for Bush/Cheney 2004 -- yet CNS would have you believe that Hearne has no partisan bias.
ACVR is, in short, an obvious front group -- just like "Talon News." Can we say something similar about CNS...?
In its defense of "Jeff Gannon," Cybercast News Service proudly proclaims GOPUSA a "client": As you will recall, Talon was a front for GOPUSA, itself something of a Potemkin village populated largely by propagandists with ties to Reverend Moon. (See here.)
Fortunately, other media voices are taking note of this odd tale. The Lone Star Iconoclast of Texas offers this fine account of ACVR's miraculous conception, while the fine "Watching the Watchers" website has also targeted this issue.
The last-mentioned site connects ACVR to the Blue-Ribbon election-reform commission co-chaired by Jimmy Carter and James Baker. Baker, of course, is a long-time Bush family consigliere and co-conspirator in the election theft that occurred in the year 2000 -- a shady history which has led to calls for his resignation.
A side note: I'm not particularly wild about the stance Carter has taken so far. Frankly, I'm not sure if he understands the real issues involved:
Carter said his group will address "issues of inclusion" in federal elections and make recommendations on how to improve it.The phrase "issues of inclusion" covers only a part of the problem.
Most vote fraud activists focus on the companies which manufacture all-too-hackable computerized voting machines -- companies run by Republicans and largely funded by the theocratically-minded Howard Ahmanson. More to the point: We now know that the exit poll disparity offers irrefutable evidence that fraud did occur in 2004. Not "may have occurred": DID occur.
If Carter has not yet made the transistion (based on evidence already available to all who care to read it) from "may have occurred" to "did occur," then his efforts will be just as valueless as Baker's.
Back to the American Center for Voting Rights:
Brad believes that the Carter/Baker commission may be the real reason for the creation of the ACVR. He notes that Hearne had knowledge of this commission's creation before any other group or news service. Since the ACVR has money and lawyers and paid staff, they possess a voice likely to catch the commission's ear, while grass-roots groups shout from outside the walls.
We may be able to buttress Brad's scenario once we learn just who is the power behind that mailbox in Texas.
A poster to his blog maintains that the strange mailbox "home" of the ACVR is within the same retail complex where T. Boone Pickens (a major funder of the Swift Boat crusaders against Kerry) maintains offices for British Petroleum Capitol LLC.
Some may file that possible link under "coincidence." But I doubt that anyone can fairly apply that label to the following connection:
The same UPS store -- and the very same mail box -- is (was?) also used by another group called "Todd's Fund." This is a charity established in the name of Christopher Todd Pitman, a victim of the 9/11 attack.
According to this page originally published on the Todd's Fund web site (now available only via Google's cache function), Todd's Fund owes its existence to "the pro-bono work of Baker Botts, a law firm in Dallas, Texas."
Baker Botts is James Baker's law firm, of course.
Again: Baker is now co-chairing the election reform commission. Again: ACVR learned of this commission's existence before any other group or news service. Again: ACVR and Todd's Fund use the same mailbox.
Curious, eh wot?
3 comments:
ACVR is partison I agree and so are you obviously. Don't reject everything so quickly, it doesn't mean that Republicans are not attempting fraud as well. If you value your vote then step back and think about this scenario.
Within any large group there always exists smaller "fringe" groups whose agendas are different from the main group. If these fringe groups exist within both parties they could be pursuing different fraud strategies. Ask yourself these questions. Could either the Democrats and Republicans have "Fringe" groups that are attempting to subvert the Voting process? If so can either one or the other succeed? If either one succeeds what happens to our Democracy?
Now maybe you can see that regardless of party affiliation if a fringe group succeeds in stealing the elections then America as we know it is finished. The group that was able to steal the election will use the additional power to consolidate their position. They will control future election outcomes from that point on and nothing short of revolution will take it away from them. Your vote whether Democrat or Republican will become worthless. It will not be your candidate but theirs that always wins.
P.S.
I worked for T. Boone for a few years at Mesa Petroleum. I feel from that experience I don't think you are being paranoid, you could be "On the Money" if you get my drift.
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