Posted on 12/02/2005 8:45:17 PM PST by SmithL
Charleston, W.Va. -- Thomas Esposito's campaign for the Legislature seemed to be following the usual pattern. The longtime Democratic mayor issued press releases, raised money and bought newspaper ads. Signs bearing his name popped up in yards around rural Logan County.
But less than a month before the May 2004 primary election, Esposito dropped out, saying he had to withdraw because of his ailing mother-in-law.
The real reason surfaced only later: The FBI had planted Esposito among the field of candidates to help find evidence of vote-buying in southern West Virginia.
Federal prosecutors say the gambit worked.
They allege Esposito gave $2,000 in government-supplied money to a resident who had offered to bribe voters on his behalf.
They also credit the undercover sting operation for last year's guilty pleas by the sheriff of Logan County and the police chief in the coal-mining city of Logan, who both admitted to election violations.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Pageant crowns Miss West Virginia USA & Miss Teen West Virginia
And, of course, the democrats will deny election cheating by their operatives, even when they are caught in the act.
Nor is it a coincidence that this has taken place in West Virginia. Vote buying? Please. You could bring such charges in any major city in America, particularly in the minority areas. Can you imagine the outrage if the FBI put up a fake black candidate in D.C.? They can only get away with it in West Virginia because of decades of demonization that has led to places like West Virginia and the people who live there being considered to be lesser citizens, hell lesser humans, than other people. As if to drive home the point, one editorial in Slate even managed to work in the word "Deliverance" into its title.
I guess a vote buying sting should be conducted in a year with no elections?
You could bring such charges in any major city in America, particularly in the minority areas.
Exactly. So much for that prop you call democracy. Until we stop vote fraud in America we don't have a democracy. If only real votes were counted in 2000 Bush would have won Wisconsin and New Mexico, not to mention Florida by a cheat proof margin.
I'm am very much supportive of this. However, LE should be able to do so without distorting the election process.
West Virginia has been a Rat election fraud stronghold at least since they fixed the election of Kennedy there in '60.
Also this shows that there are sections of FBI that are not politically controlled by the Rats. What is not commonly considered is how lefties have infiltrated the alphabet agencies and subverted them from constitutional duty to political duty. Here the FBI adapted to entrenched Rat corruption, and got around local control of investigations and prosecutions. One interesting quote was: “if Esposito were to become a candidate for elective office, a virtual treasure trove of evidence could result”. More evidence=more patriot act warrants. This might be the first episode in a series.
This also speaks to the mistake W made in not cleaning out the alphabet agencies in 2001, as there are factions attempting to cover this sort of fraud rather than prosecute it.
I'm not sure this is way over the line. If whistleblowers are giving info that there is fraud and corruption in our political system there must be a way to clean house.
Innocent players have nothing to worry about. It's about time corrupt individuals doing the people's business be sent home if they are more concerned with self interest. JMHO
I'd be concerned about Republican vote fraud too. It's just that at least 95% of the fraud is Dems.
If this was fake Republican candidate (and a criminal coerced to run by a plea bargain, no less) that sucked up 2000 votes this board would be outraged, and rightfully so.
You've got to reread that article: But less than a month before the May 2004 primary election, Esposito dropped out, saying he had to withdraw because of his ailing mother-in-law.
He didn't suck up any votes.
Innocent players have nothing to worry about.
Exactly.
These people actively disenfranchise their fellow americans.
Let's see some frogmarching!!!!
While I appreciate that he dropped out, an election is not only determined on election day or even a month out. Elections are affected by all the politics involved during the campaign.
Who runs, who supports whom, who works for whom, who contibutes to what campaign, etc. are all dynamic factors affecting an election.
Running the mayor as a bogus candidate distorted the election. It is a matter of degree just how much. What I'm objecting to is this distortion. I would like the FBI to catch crooks with the minimal possible effect on the lawful election process.
Which distortion is larger, vote buying or running a fake candidate during the primaries?
How else does one catch corruption of this nature? How about the FBI going up to a legitimate candidate and entrapping them into buying votes?
The least he could have done was to offer some of the money to Robert KKK Byrd. I'm certain he woudl hvae taken it.
False choice, but running a fake candidate could easily be the correct answer.
How else does one catch corruption of this nature?
By means that have less negative cost. A fake drug buyer sting is one thing, but a fake candidate for the legislature is another.
How about the FBI going up to a legitimate candidate and entrapping them into buying votes?
That would be a better method.
I'm from Texas, vote buying is widespread, common and well known in some areas. The problem here, and I imagine elsewhere, is not lack of evidence or witnesses, but lack of honest LE at the local and state level.I really don't think the Feds would have to run a fake candidate or entrap a real one. Surveilance and good basic investigation and evidence gathering would work.
thanks for your reply..
That would be a better method.
The problem is you'd have to hit all the candidates. It wouldn't be fair otherwise. And wouldn't it be embarrassing to indict all the candidates before an election? Wouldn't that be a bigger distortion?
I'm from Texas, vote buying is widespread, common and well known in some areas.
I'm from Chicago where vote buying is cheaper because the dead don't charge much :^)
I said it would be a better method, not the best.
I'm not a fan of stings in most cases anyway, but I would guess the act would have to be completed, indictment likely after the election.
I'm still voting for old fashioned investigation, interrogation, evidence gathering...
I would dearly love for vote fraud to be discovered and prosecuted severely; running a fake candidate is just not the way, IMHO.
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