Kelly Shackleford is president of Liberty Institute, which
represents King Street Patriots and its True the Vote Initiative.
He says they stick by the alleged voter registration fraud it uncovered
and presented to Vasquez.
Posted on 10/20/2010 12:44:17 AM PDT by American Dream 246
Mediaite’s Tommy Christopher reports voter intimidation in Harris County, Texas (Houston) by volunteer poll watchers trained by King Street Patriots, a local non-partisan group who started the True The Vote campaign. Tommy leads with this inflammatory paragraph saying:
In a story that’s sure to draw comparisons to the New Black Panther Party member who brandished a nightstick at a Philadelphia polling place in 2008, a Tea Party group called the King Street Patriots has been accused of “1960s style” voter intimidation in primarily minority precincts on the first day of early voting in Texas. The group is being sued by the Texas Democratic Party, following the filing of 14 voter intimidation complaints with the county clerk, and another two dozen with the Texas Democratic Party chairman.
Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of King’s Street Patriots strongly denies the allegations and noted that it was absurd that “little old ladies” would be intimidating anyone. She says that one 65 year old woman poll watcher came back from poll watching, after being kicked out for simply being present–itself a violation of the law–in tears.
Engelbrecht also notes that King’s Street Patriots learned they were being sued by the Texas Democratic Party at 11 a.m. yesterday morning when not one poll watcher had yet been removed and not one complaint sent to the county about any untoward actions.
In one instance, three poll watchers were yelled at by a Democrat Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee who said,”Why are you here? We have never had poll watchers here. Ya’ll need to get on out of here.”
Lee then demanded that the polling place judge give him information about the three poll watchers and the presiding judge complied–giving him their private information. The three poll watchers now fear for their safety and wonder what will be done with their personal information which included their phone numbers and home addresses.
Tommy Christopher, who, it should be noted is a White House correspondent and not a Texas native nor a Texas reporter, makes an outrageous linkage to the Philadelphia Black Panther case. In that case, Black Panther members were armed and preventing people from voting.
The alleged cases here in Houston are unsupported accusations with no documentation and no video or audio proof. Meanwhile, the poll watchers themselves report being yelled at and harassed, told to leave, and intimidated.
Catherine Engelbrecht expressed frustration about the situation–about being sued, about the constant barrage of negative national media and the misunderstanding around the purpose of True The Vote.
“We want everyone to have a free and fair election,” Englebrecht said. “That’s all we want. We are 100% innocent.”
Houston blogger Kevin Whited notes that it looks like the “Colorado Model” is being brought to Harris County, Texas. He goes on to explain:
Of course, Matt Angle features in The Blueprint, a fine piece of political journalism that describes how a handful of committed millionaire progressives managed to flip formerly reliably Republican Colorado to the Dems over a few election cycles, through strategic funding of down-ballot political races, creation of a loose network of “independent” news organizations and “ethics” groups to pound targeted opponents, and liberal use (no pun intended) of the legal system to tie up ostensibly conservative organizations. Angle all but promised to bring the Colorado Model to Texas, in the form of his Lone Star Project (and associated groups).
And if you begin to connect the dots locally — as Cory Crow also does — you can see elements of the Colorado Model at work, right here in Harris County. Now, There’s nothing illegal or unethical per se about the model. In many ways, The Blueprint is a great political novel that just happens to be true. However, given the state political media’s occasional interest in the influence of big money in politics (when it happens to be a donor like, say, Bob Perry), it would be nice to see that same interest extend to progressive big money and the machinations of nominally “independent” front groups.
Another local Houston blogger, Cory Crow does connect the dots:
It’s interesting to note that, on the same day the HCDP added KSP to their lawsuit the George Soros/Matt Angle backed Texans for Public Justice filed an ethics complaint against KSP based almost entirely on reporting found in another Colorado Model media outlet, The American Independent, which was then dutifully carried by another Colorado Model “news” outlet The Texas Tribune which conveniently forgot to disclose TPJ’s funding ties to Texas Democratic king-maker Matt Angle.*
So we have several (allegedly) Democratic partisan groups suing and filing ethics complaints against an (allegedly) Republican partisan group for (allegedly) performing the exact same actions they’re (allegedly) involved in.
Now, to connect the dots even further. Earlier today, I noted that The Texas Tribune just partnered with the New York Times who has just opened a Texas division. From Poynter Online there’s this:
In addition to Texas Tribune’s public policy reporting, the Times plans to publish some cultural and lifestyles coverage in the new regional pages. Evan Smith, who was a longtime editor of Texas Monthly before becoming editor of Texas Tribune, will commission and edit the additional content separately from his duties at the Tribune.
The Democrats seem to want to make Texas a battleground state–by any means necessary. The only sticking point has been a small grassroots organization simply wanting to make sure Harris County elections are free and fair.
No doubt, this is not the last we’ve heard on this story.
Cell phones are going to be our best protection, this election.
At 9:01am I would suspect the phone bank at the Harris County DA’s office to looklike an early Christmas...
At least one of those lights will be mine...
Ok, for clarification...
The local TV media...Sorry...muh bad...
Most of this activity took place inside the polling location...Per the law in this state no recording devices, video or audio can be operating within the premises of the polling location...Can’t even use your cell phone inside the polling location, we post a sign(s) in effect of notifying the public of this new rule...
A TV crew can come right up to the door of the facility and take pictures of people going to the tables, and to the booths to vote, but cannot record or interview anyone inside the 100 foot perimeter, per Texas election law...
The fact that El Franco Lee even asked for the proprietary information and the Election Judge gave him that information is a violation of the law...This is my biggest rub so far...The poll Watchers credentials (affidavit) has to be filed in the reports envelope and submitted to the County that evening after the polls close...Those are the only other people who should see this information...
I am sure that after the fact, that an official or citizen could request that information, but not in the manner and time that El Franco Lee asked for it...I would not have given him this information...
But I have a good feeling someone here will tell me its ok to do so...Just because...
I am an Election Judge in this county...Been doing it straight for almost 15+ years...
They're going to push us too far. This is getting REALLY CLOSE to that line.
Agree totally on the El Franco rub. I've poll watched before - outside of HC. The thought of someone asking for - AND being given - any personal info of the poll watchers, is beyond intimidating.
Good deal!
When there is real voter intimidation, look to the democrats.
They will do anything now to try to turn the tide, and “little
old ladies” are just collateral damage to them.
Just look for it to happen again...and again.
I voted on Monday, and saw nothing of the sort at my polling
place. In fact, we were the only ones there. And I feel GOOD
about having it done.
mark
Oh, well, that does tend to put a little different light on it. Except for Wayne Dolcefino on Channel 2, those guys do tend to bump into things and fall over a lot.
Are you able to call for hands outside your area? I’d be willing to travel and I’m sure there’s more than just me.
WE need about 4900 of you over here in Harris County -- the Colorado Lavender Gang-Showering Millionaires are going to try to roll over Barrett Travis and Crockett in their graves!
Evan Smith provides some glossy tone to PBS Channel 8 in Houston, interviewing celebs as they drift through town and local "boldface types" as Maxine Messenger used to call them in her gossip column.
He's a Gore Vidal Wannabe/Wannahave. Would love a Provincetown weekend with Tommy Tune. Think he hates real Texans.
This shows why one big win is not enough, it’s going to take a generation or two of big wins to let this bunch of commies die off.
Here is a better option to poll watching. Become an election judge. I did so years ago, and I am directly involved in ensuring fair and accurate elections. Poll watching is just a waste of resources. You are much better off being directly involved in the process.
Kelly Shackleford is president of Liberty Institute, which
represents King Street Patriots and its True the Vote Initiative.
He says they stick by the alleged voter registration fraud it uncovered
and presented to Vasquez.
Any info on a bunch called Back to BasicsPAC is running dirty smear ads on Perry. when I tried to find out who was behind it, the info is zero(as opposed to ZERO=Obama). The only thing I could find out is some guy in Freeport,Tx that has a company claiming 53,000 in income.
That doesn’t buy Tv time. Where are they getting their money???? Wild guess..SEIU. White is in bed big time with them.
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