Voter ID, Ethics impaired MO S.O.S.,Pres.Carter & Media

(This is kind of a long read, but very interesting.) The original frmat is probably superior to my formatting abilities. - Here http://www.gopvideo.com/2006june/missouri_democrats_media_scandal.html

Missouri Democrat Robin Carnahan, Secretary of State, Shielded from Scandal by the Kansas City Star and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jason J. Carter, President Carter's Grandson, Attorney, Law Firm website Profile

Robin Carnahan, Missouri Secretary of State, daughter of former US Senator Jean Carnahan and former Governor Mel Carnahan (Governor Carnahan was killed in a plane crash during his election, which some fringe Democrats, encouraged by Roy Temple, tried to say was a Republican conspiracy.

Roy Temple, Former Chief of Staff to Governors Bob Holden and Mel Carnahan, MO Democrat Party Organizer, runs Democrat Party Website FiredupMissouri.com

Stacie Temple, wife of Roy Temple, spokeswoman for Secrretary of State Robin Carnahan

Russ Carnahan, U.S. Congressman from Missouri, House District 3, brother of Robin Carnahan

Missouri's Two Largest Newspapers Refuse to Report on Allegations of Wrongdoing by Leading State Democrats

In March, 2006, former President Jimmy Carter reiterated his support for free photo voter identification cards to ensure clean U.S. elections. Seizing on this as an issue that Missouri Democrats opposed with a Missouri Photo ID bill moving in the Missouri Legislature, the Missouri Republican Party fired off a press release:

3/23/06 MO GOP Press Release: President Carter Calls for Voter IDs – Missouri Democrats Reject Idea

JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Democrats intent on perpetuating voter fraud in the Show Me State are ignoring former Democrat President Jimmy Carter’s support of free voter photo identification cards – a suggestion similar to those being proposed by state Republicans – designed to prevent voter fraud.

Carter told The Associated Press on March 22 that photo identification was “practical” and would help the United States catch up with countries like Mexico, Palestine and Venezuela in terms of fairer and more doubt-free elections.

"Americans have to remember you have to have the equivalent to what we're requiring to cast a ballot to cash a check or board a plane," said Carter, who was co-chairman of the Carter-Baker Commission that made sweeping election reform recommendations. Carter also said states must take the lead in making elections fairer because "nothing happened in Congress."

Missouri Republicans are sponsoring legislation that would require government-issued photo identification at the polls. These voter identifications will be issued free to those who do not have one. Democrats are stalling the legislation under the guise that such legislation would be an obstacle for minorities, the poor and the elderly, and discourage their voter turnout.

Such outrageous and politically-motivated claims have been rejected by leading election officials including Carter-Baker commission member Kay Cole James who told the AP: “Every American should see that ID as access to one of the greatest privileges this country has to offer.”

“Missouri Democrats are so intent on embracing voter fraud that they will ignore the call for voter identification from a former Democrat president who has been hailed for his work around the world on election reform and is also a staunch supporter of minority rights here at home,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “Republicans are hopeful that Missouri Democrats will put aside their political agenda, listen to President Carter’s advice, and join Republicans in support of this important legislation.”

Meanwhile, Stacie Temple, communications director for Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, had been in email communications with James J. Carter, Presidential Grandson and attorney with Bondurant, Mixson and Elmore in Georgia. (pdf files of all emails are in the upper left hand corner box). They worked to get a revised statement from former President Jimmy Carter out by March 16th that would "discredit this offensive bill" and "preempt the debate going forward."

They were able to get the Carter revision to St. Louis Post-Dispatch Columnist Jo Mannies, so she could have it printed on the same day the MO GOP press release arrived: What Would Jimmy Do? by Jo Mannies, St. Louis Post-Dispatch 3/23/06 3:38PM

Perhaps based on a tip from the Missouri Department of Revenue, where at least one of these emails appears to have been sent from the State Secretary's Office, the Missouri Republican Party requested computer email transcripts from the office of the Missouri Secretary of State.

Through Sunshine Records requests, the Missouri Republican Party obtained at least 30 pages of emails and talking points the Secretary of State had been sharing with friendly sources at the Kansas City Star, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Tax-Exempt "Non Partisan" AARP and Congressman Russ Carnahan's office. These records also included the communications with Jason Carter and how they worked so hard to get the former President to rewrite and qualify his stance on voter photo ID cards.

On April 17, 2006 the Missouri Republican Party sent three press releases along with these emails that documented the political activity performed as official State business. The Missouri GOP also sent a press release asking Attorney General Jay Nixon (also a Democrat) to investigate the Office of the Secretary of State. To date, Missouri newspapers and Attorney General Jay Nixon continue to ignored these press releases.

Email Shows Political Hack Roy Temple Manipulating Secretary of State Policy JEFFERSON CITY – Failed Democrat political hack Roy Temple directed his wife to manipulate public policy through Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s office in order to attack legislation designed to prevent voter fraud, according to documents obtained by the Missouri Republican Party through the Missouri Sunshine Law.

Roy Temple, a top adviser to Bob Holden during his failed administration and disastrous re-election bid, instructed his wife, Carnahan spokeswoman Stacie Temple, that she “should contact” the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter to have the former president sign a letter crafted by the Secretary of State’s office criticizing important election reform legislation sponsored by state Republicans.

“Your sister, Sarah, advised my husband Roy, that I should contact you regarding the Photo ID issue in Missouri,” Stacie Temple wrote in the opening sentence of an email to Jason J. Carter, grandson of the former president, on February 23, 2006.

In an arrogant response to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Political Fix on April 14, Roy Temple shamelessly said he was above reproach by refusing to explain why he is conducting partisan political activities through the Secretary of State’s office: “I’m not inclined to take advice from the Republicans as to what’s appropriate or inappropriate.’’

Upon the release of the Carter letter in March, Carnahan’s office issued a release that clearly credited Carter with authorship in hopes of misleading Missourians about legislation that would require government-issued photo identification at the polls. These voter photo identifications will be issued free to those who do not have one.

“Robin Carnahan needs to come clean over this serious ethical violation in which she allowed a senior member of her staff to be influenced by an outside political operative who has no business directing how official state business should be conducted,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “When shady backroom schemes like these are taking place inside the Secretary of State’s office behind closed doors the credibility of the state’s chief elections official is rightfully called into question.”

The revelations about Roy Temple’s involvement in setting state policy comes after other emails obtained by the Missouri Republican Party showed that Carnahan’s office lied to the public by claiming it had not drafted the Carter letter when in fact a Stacie Temple email to Jason Carter clearly shows Carnahan’s office did author the document and begged the former president to send it.

“It is a disgrace that Democrats are abusing their power and deceiving the people of Missouri,” Sloca said. “The real losers here are Missourians who place trust in state government and in Robin Carnahan, our state’s chief election official. Carnahan has shown a total disregard for their trust.”

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4/17/2006 Secretary of State Spokeswoman Abusing State Resources to Aid Russ Carnahan JEFFERSON CITY – Secretary of State Robin Carnahan spokeswoman Stacie Temple used her state computer during working hours to act as a political consultant to U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan as part of a series of abuses revealed in emails obtained through a Sunshine Law request from the Missouri Republican Party.

In a Sunshine Law request limited to information regarding the Voter Protection Act, there are six exchanges between Temple and Carnahan regarding political activities on February 23 and 24, 2006. In one email, Temple offers Carnahan information about the voting reform legislation in order to score political points during a panel discussion filmed by Court TV in St. Louis.

“I tried reaching your staff yesterday and left a message for Glen today because we have a significant amount of information regarding this issue, which I’ll be happy to provide for you,” Temple emailed Carnahan on February 23. “Please have someone contact me or just let me know where to send it and I’ll do so asap. Just let me know how I can be helpful. Thanks!”

The blatant misuse of state resources comes on the heels of revelations from other emails that Temple’s husband, Roy, directed his wife to manipulate public policy through the Secretary of State’s office in order to attack the voter fraud legislation.

Meanwhile, other emails show that Carnahan’s office lied to the public by claiming it had not drafted a letter on the voter fraud bill signed by former Democrat President Jimmy Carter when in fact a Stacie Temple email to Jason Carter (the former President’s grandson) clearly shows Carnahan’s office did author the document and begged the former president to send it.

“This abuse of state resources for political purposes is part of a shameful and disturbing pattern of Democrat deceit that raises serious questions about whether the Secretary of State’s office has become nothing more than a hub for Democrat political operations,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “Democrats have disingenuously touted the importance of ethics in politics, but their hypocrisy clearly demonstrates that they refuse to practice what they preach .”

Copies of the emails are available at http://www.mogop.org/media/carnahanlie.pdf.

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4/17/06 GOP Calls On Nixon to Investigate Secretary of State’s Office JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Republican Party today called on Jay Nixon to launch an investigation into whether the Secretary of State’s Office has been using taxpayer dollars to conduct partisan political activities in violation of Missouri law.

Through a Sunshine Law request, the Missouri Republican Party obtained emails showing that Democrat political operative Roy Temple was manipulating policy within the Secretary of State’s office and that his wife, Carnahan spokeswoman Stacie Temple, was using state resources on state time to provide political advice to U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan.

“The use of an official state office for political purposes is a clear violation of Missouri law and we are requesting on behalf of Missouri taxpayers that Jay Nixon perform his duties as Attorney General by investigating Robin Carnahan’s office,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “If Jay Nixon decides to ignore his duty as attorney general to shield the unethical behavior of his Democrat colleague, he will have to answer to the people of Missouri.”

The response to these emails? On April 18, 2006 The Kansas City Star acknowledged the press releases by choosing to run an AP take on the press releases written by Kelly Weise. The AP story mentioned the GOP complaint, but avoided exploring any scandal or controversy.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch ignored both the press releases and the AP story. The KC Star printed no more.

GOP says Carnahan misled on Carter concerns on voter ID KELLY WIESE Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The secretary of state's office provided a letter for former President Jimmy Carter to sign expressing concerns about legislation to require voters to show a photo ID, according to documents released by the state Republican Party.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and other Democrats have decried the bill, saying it would keep the poor, elderly and disabled from voting. Republicans say the requirement is not unreasonable and would help prevent fraud.

Throughout debate about the issue, supporters and opponents alike have pointed to recommendations from an election commission co-chaired by Carter.

The commission called for states to require photo identification at the polls and said such ID cards should follow a federal law requiring people to prove they are legally in the country before obtaining driver's licenses or state ID cards.

The commission also said states should provide ID cards for free to those without a driver's license and make aggressive efforts to register people to vote and provide such cards.

Carnahan's office released a letter signed by Carter shortly after the Senate debated the bill and then set it aside in mid-March without taking a vote. Supporters and opponents of the bill were meeting Tuesday to try to reach a compromise.

Correspondence between Carnahan spokeswoman Stacie Temple and Carter's grandson Jason Carter indicate that the secretary of state's office sought Carter's involvement and provided a letter that he could sign.

"Here is our draft of a letter from President Carter for you to edit and propose as you see fit," Temple wrote in a March 3 e-mail.

Temple could not be reached for comment Tuesday. But Carnahan spokesman Mike Seitz said the office wanted to clarify that Carter didn't support the legislation.

"Getting caught up in the process of the e-mails between this office and President Carter is really just a way to distract" attention from supporters who claim the bill follows the commission's findings, Seitz said.

"It is clear that Robin Carnahan and her political cronies used the secretary of state's office to mislead Missourians when asked about their involvement with the Carter letter," said Missouri Republican Party spokesman Paul Sloca.

In the letter Carnahan's office released, Carter said that while supporters implied the commission backs the bill, it does not. Carter also said states must work hard to provide free IDs to those who need them.

"If SB1014 does not have such an active and comprehensive plan to register voters who are not now registered or who do not have voter IDs, and if it does not provide them with free voter IDs, then that is quite different from our report, and we could not support that," the letter stated.

The legislation would provide free cards and set up a mobile center to help people get cards.

The letter's language is more guarded than the draft letter prepared by Carnahan's office and sent for Carter's consideration. Carter starts out by saying he would rather not comment on the bill, but that from his understanding, it differs from the commission's proposal.

The proposed letter from Carnahan's office spoke of expanding voter registration and participation. It then read, "SB1014, however, falls woefully short in this regard" and said a requirement when casting provisional ballots "is certain to cause widespread disenfranchisement."

The letter also said the bill would give Missouri one of the most restrictive voter ID requirements in the country. Those passages never appeared in the final letter.

After this article appeared in the Kansas City Star, something changed in the editorial moods in Kansas City and St. Louis, but it was for the worse. The response was front page and front section attacks on Governor Blunt's handling of Missouri Driver's License office appointments. The following morning, with no confirmations of any investigation underway, Missouri political columnists from around the state hit with investigative "analyses" into how Blunt's appointments made to Missouri's license & fee offices might be improper.

April 18-20, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch & Kansas City Star print rumors of investigations on Governor Blunt's License Office Appointments

April 21, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Columnist Jonathon Rivoli, continues to ignore Missouri GOP press releases and repeats Democrat Robin Carnahan's anti-photo voter ID talking points with no analysis or questions: Photo ID bill "will disenfranchise the poor, elderly and disabled."

April 21, 2006 Kansas City Star Columnist Tim Hoover, uncritically repeats Democrat claims that bill is attempt to help Republicans.

April 25, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jo Mannies reports, Senate Elections Committee passes photo ID bill 23-9 (one Democrat, unnamed by Mannies, joins Republicans in supporting the bill)

April 27, 2006, Photo ID bill passes MO House Elections Committee by vote of 6-5

May 5, 2006 The Kansas City Star, Missouri Photo ID bill passes House along party lines 94-65 on May 4, 2006.

May 5, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jonathon Rivoli and Jo Mannies, Missouri House Softens Bill Requiring Voter ID

May 6, 2006 The Kansas City Star, in a lead editorial, attacks the Voter Identification Bill as anti-democratic

May 11, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Columnist Jo Mannies runs what mostly is a parroting of a press release sent from Secretary of State Robin Carnahan asking Governor Blunt to veto any voter photo ID bill that might pass.

May 13, 2006 The Kansas City Star, Missouri Senate passes voter photo ID bill, 23-10, on Friday, May 12.

May 14, 2006 Jefferson City News Tribune, Democrats claim Voter ID benefits Republicans, Carnaham claims 20% of Senior Citizens would have to cast provisional ballots

May 16, 2006 The Kansas City Star, prints "Missouri Voters Split over photo ID mandate" which mostly is an attack on the bill.

May 24, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Political Columnist Jo Mannies Renews her attack on Governor Blunt and the driver's license office appointments

May 28, 2006 Kansas City Star publishes "Many Could Lose Right to Vote" (ignores that voters can cast provisional ballots without photo identification)

May 31, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jo Mannies continues to ignore any wrongdoing by the Missouri Secretary of State (D)and instead redirects fire on the Governor and the license offices.

May 31, 2006 AP/The Kansas City Star, Secretary of State Carnahan Tries to Delay Missouri Voter Bill by calling for Special Legislative Session on the $2 million it may cost to implement.

June 1, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch prints anonymous news item on Governor Blunt's License Offices - "License to Loot" - Needs to be read to be appreciated - presumedly penned by Jo Mannies

Yes

http://www.kmox.com/pages/35126.php?

Missouri Legislature Passes Voter ID Bill

David Lieb Reporting
Associated Press Writer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Voters will be required to show photo identification to cast a ballot starting this fall under a bill that won final approval Friday in the Republican-controlled Missouri Legislature.

Republican leaders muscled the bill to passage over strong Democratic opposition. A 23-10 party-line Senate vote early Friday came after Republicans used a rare procedural move to thwart debate. The House also cut off debate later Friday before passing the bill 84-73. Republican Gov. Matt Blunt pledged to sign the bill into law.

The legislation requires voters to show a photo ID, such as a driver's license or military card, issued by Missouri or the federal government beginning with this November's elections. Free ID photo cards could be issued to the estimated 170,000 to 190,000 voting-age Missourians who don't already have one. People still lacking a photo ID this fall could cast a provisional ballot, which would be counted if their identities are verified.

The legislation also repeals the option for Missourians to vote a straight-party ticket by checking a single box instead of choosing candidates for each race on the ballot. Democratic Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has vigorously opposed both the straight-ticket repeal and the photo ID requirement, which she said could disenfranchise thousands of voters while leading to longer lines at the polls and delays in certifying election results.

But Republican supporters contend a photo ID requirement is necessary to give voters confidence their ballots aren't diluted by people who shouldn't be voting. ``This bill will increase trust in Missouri elections,'' said lead sponsor Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City. Blunt, who as secretary of state in 2004 declared Missouri's elections free of ``fraud and chaos'' under his tenure, said Friday that ``the potential for fraud still exists.'' ``We need to do whatever we can to safeguard the election process,'' Blunt said. ``Clearly, a photo identification requirement does that and helps make sure that those who are casting ballots are entitled to cast ballots.''

Senate Democrats battled against the bill throughout the 2006 session but were prevented from speaking on final passage when Scott made five straight motions to cut off debate and immediately vote. Since 1970, that motion had been used successfully on just seven previous bills in the Senate, where the walls are engraved with the motto ``Free and fair discussion will ever be found the firmest friend to the truth.'' ``The irony here is that we shut off debate on a bill that shuts people out of the political process,'' said Sen. Patrick Dougherty, D-St. Louis. ``The end result is that a number of our constituents whom we ask to vote for us will in reality be disenfranchised from voting this election.'' In the House, Republicans allowed two hours of debate Friday before cutting off Democrats to pass the bill.

Carnahan has said the elderly, disabled and poor are most likely to have trouble voting, because they are the least likely to have driver's licenses or other government identification. Figures from Carnahan's office indicate the removal of straight-ticket voting could have a slightly greater impact on Democratic voters than Republicans. For the 2004 elections, roughly two-thirds of Missouri's local election authorities provided information to the secretary of state's office showing that 594,262 people cast straight Democratic ballots and 497,805 cast straight Republican ballots. The counties that didn't respond were largely rural, with smaller numbers of voters.

Despite the partisan division over the legislation, Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons said he didn't believe the bill put Democrats at a disadvantage to Republicans. ``The people who are going to be disadvantaged by this bill are the people who want to cheat,'' Gibbons, R-Kirkwood, said.

Under the bill, the elderly, disabled and those with religious objections could cast a provisional ballot without a photo ID in any election. Until the 2008 general election, other people lacking a proper photo ID could cast a provisional ballot if they showed certain forms of ID, such as an out-of-state driver's license, a college ID or utility bill, or if two election judges know them. In either situation, the ballots would count if the voters signed an affidavit, they were in the right polling place and their signatures matched the ones on file with election authorities. The bill provides at least nine mobile units to visit nursing homes and other public places to help people get photo ID cards.

©AP

This is Florida's Voter Law:

It REQUIRES voter ID. It was found for FREE on http://www.findlaw.com

at: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=election&URL=CH0189/Sec4051.HTM

_____________________________

The 2005 Florida Statutes

Title IX
ELECTORS AND ELECTIONS Chapter 101
VOTING METHODS AND PROCEDURE View Entire Chapter

101.043 Identification required at polls.--

(1) The precinct register, as prescribed in s. 98.461, shall be used at the polls for the purpose of identifying the elector at the polls prior to allowing him or her to vote. The clerk or inspector shall require each elector, upon entering the polling place, to present one of the following current and valid picture identifications:

(a) Florida driver's license.

(b) Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

(c) United States passport.

(d) Employee badge or identification.

(e) Buyer's club identification.

(f) Debit or credit card.

(g) Military identification.

(h) Student identification.

(i) Retirement center identification.

(j) Neighborhood association identification.

(k) Public assistance identification.

If the picture identification does not contain the signature of the voter, an additional identification that provides the voter's signature shall be required. The elector shall sign his or her name in the space provided on the precinct register or on an electronic device provided for recording the voter's signature. The clerk or inspector shall compare the signature with that on the identification provided by the elector and enter his or her initials in the space provided on the precinct register or on an electronic device provided for that purpose and allow the elector to vote if the clerk or inspector is satisfied as to the identity of the elector.

1(2) If the elector fails to furnish the required identification, the elector shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The canvassing board shall determine the validity of the ballot pursuant to s. 101.048(2).

History.--s. 1, ch. 77-267; s. 533, ch. 95-147; s. 10, ch. 98-129; s. 3, ch. 2001-40; s. 13, ch. 2003-415; s. 23, ch. 2005-277; s. 30, ch. 2005-278.

1Note.--As amended and redesignated from subsection (3) by s. 23, ch. 2005-277. For a description of multiple acts in the same session affecting a statutory provision, see preface to the Florida Statutes, "Statutory Construction." This provision was also amended by s. 30, ch. 2005-278, and that version reads:

(2) If the elector who fails to furnish the required identification is an elector subject to s. 97.0535 and has not provided the required identification to a voter registration official prior to election day, the elector shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The canvassing board shall determine the validity of the ballot pursuant to s. 101.048(2).

Note.--Former s. 98.471.

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