Posted on 11/03/2009 9:57:12 AM PST by flutters
Athens County authorities are investigating whether local Democratic Party officials illegally offered a $5 bounty to Ohio University students to bring friends to the polls today.
Susan Gwinn, the county party chairwoman, said this morning that such a plan was discussed with members of the OU College Democrats, but that no agreement was reached.
The county party agreed to pay some students for get-out-the-vote efforts, but "this whole idea that somebody was paying people to vote is ridiculous," she said.
The flap surfaced when Kellie Galan, vice president of the college Democrats, sent out an e-mail on Friday urging students to gather at 1 p.m. today to march to the polls.
"Remember, if you bring a friend from 4th Ward, they are more then a friend, they're 5 bucks!" she wrote.
The 4th Ward in Athens features a heated city council race between appointed Democrat incumbent Christine Fahl and Republican challenger Randy Morris.
Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren said today that he was investigating the matter to determine if any elections laws may have been violated.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a statement: "I urge Athens County Chairwoman Susan Gwinn to suspend the program immediately and not issue any payments that may have been planned. I call for a complete investigation and prosecution for any wrongdoing in this case."
Chris Mullen, spokesman for the OU College Democrats, wrote in a statement that the group denies any misconduct and fixed blame on the county party.
The get-out-the-vote effort was an effort by the county party "to compensate volunteers financially for their time spent canvassing," he said.
No member of the group has been paid by the county party and "under no circumstances will we have any future involvement in such a program," he said.
Athens County Republicn Party Chairman Pete Couladis seconded calls for an investigation by Warren and elections officials.
"If money was being paid or offered by the College Democrats to college students or anyone else to vote, this is a serious violation of Ohio's election laws," he said.
Gwinn said "the whole situation has been blown out of proportion. I have no idea why (Galan) wrote that e-mail. There's really nothing going on here."
Gwinn is under fire after being indicted on six counts, including theft in office and money laundering, for allegedly using her personal checking account to conceal the sources of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. She lost to Warren in the 2008 Democratic primary for county prosecutor.
Typical response. When you get caught, deny, deny, deny. No matter how much evidence they have. We’ve seen this with ACORN, even when they got caught on film. Our laws are meaningless.
ACORN steals elections while the FBI snoozes.
I read the email and the postings that were sent out she clearly was offering $5 for each person someone brough to vote and is illegal in Ohio to pay people to vote. I want this girl prosecuted with the felony that this is and taught a lesson. NO vote for you!
Do you have the e-mail?
I wanted to say that it is beyond belief that this woman is still a county chairman for the Dems but, of course, it isn't. The circumstances this woman tries to pooh-pooh as simply a situation where there is no there there is of course contrary to the limited eviidence known but when it comes from a woman indicted on jail-possible time is just spitting in the face of democracy.
And would paying five dollars skirt minimum wage laws? It's fine to not have to worry about taxes and what not when someone is volunteering (working for free) but this amounts to a payment for services rendered and thus wage laws would seem to come into play.
Yes. Prosecute. Not only because she committed a crime, and to teach her a lesson, but to get her to roll over on the Democrat operatives who put her up to it and are now denying any knowledge or involvement. It's unlikely this girl thought this up on her own and even more unlikely she planned to shell out her own money to make good on the promise.
Walkin’ around money. Nothing new about this, it’s been happening in Atlanta for years.
And while Holder and his Just Us Department informs Georgia that they cannot verify CITIZENSHIP when folks come to vote here.
How much longer will the good people of this country permit this INSANITY????
Athens County? Where is Athens County?
Nevermind. I was thinking Columbus, GA. My bad.
They snoozed under Bush too. Definitely, Bush’s fault.
Insert standard denial
-just a few bad apples
-not part of the party
-launch blue ribbon panel
-internal investigation reveals...
The Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, will probably get involved, and say, “There is no evidence of wrong doing here.” That will be the end of it.
Not personallybut they had a copy online here last night at:
http://www.electionjournal.org/2009/11/02/oh-vote-fraud-alert-bring-a-friend-to-vote-and-college-dems-will-pay-you-5-dollars/
Thank you.
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