No Stolen Democracy

Action Memo from Progressive Democrats of Illinois - Jan. 1st

Happy New Year!
Rep. John Conyers sent a letter to all Senators 12/30 calling for Congressional Debate on 2004 Elections on Jan. 6 and of the intent of House Members to challenge the Ohio electoral vote. Activists who are presenting the facts to Democratic Senators say that 10-15 senators are seriously considering signing on. THIS IS HISTORIC! THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THE FACTS ARE BROUGHT OUT IN DEBATE! NOW IS THE TIME TO SEND FAXES or PHONE CALLS URGING SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE CHALLENGE AND OUR DEMOCRACY! MAKE THOSE CALLS or FAX YOUR LETTERS STARTING at 8am Monday, Jan 3rd and PLEASE do not stop until the close of the day on Wed, Jan 5th!!! We can change the course of history with your help!!! Pass on to all your contacts- this is the most important thing you can do for yourself, your country and the world!
1) Remember 1-800-839-5276 or 1-877-762-8762 to Congress
2) See list below of Senator's fax #s.
3) See sample letter attached – or do your own or,
4) To fax link to http://www.thedeanpeople.com/ or  http:miamedia.com/news/2004-12-28.efax.your.senator.html

Fax to: ARK: Pryor-D 202-228-0908 / Blanche-D 202-228-1371 CA: Boxer-D 202-228-3972 /      Feinstein-D 202-228-3954 CONN: Dodd-D 202-228-1683 /        Lieberman-D 202-224-9750 DE: Carper-D 202-228-2190 / Biden-D 202-224-0139 FLA: Nelson-D 202-228-2183 HI: Akaka-D 202-224-2126 / Inouye-D 202-224-6747 IL: Durbin-D 202-228-0400 / Obama-D 202-228-1372 and 312-427-6401 IN: Bayh-D fax, 202-228-1377 / Lugar-R 202-228-0360 IOWA: Harkin-D 202-224-9369 LA: Landrieu-D 202-224-9735 MD: Mikulski-D 202-224-8858 /      Sarbanes-D 202-224-1651 MAINE: Snowe-R 202-224-1946 MASS: Kerry-D 202-224-8525 /        Kennedy-D 202-224-2417 MI: Stabenow-D 202-228-0325 / Levin-D 202-224-1388 MN: Dayton-D 202-228-2186 MT: Baucus-D 202-228-3790 NV: Reid-D 202-224-7327 ND: Dorgan-D 202-224-1193 / Conrad-D 202-224-7776 NJ: Corzine-D 202-228-2197 /      Lautenberg-D 202-228-4054 NM: Bingaman-D 202-224-2852 NY: Clinton-D 202-228-0282 /      Schumer-D 202-228-1218 OH: Voinovich-R 202-228-1382 /      DeWine-R 202-224-6519 OR: Wyden-D 202-228-2717 RI: Chafee-R 202-228-2853 / Reed-D 202-224-4680 SD: Johnson-D 202-228-5765 VT: Jeffords-I 202-228-0776 / Leahy-D 202-224-3476 WASH: Cantwell-D 202-228-0514 /        Murray-D 202-224-0238 WVA: Rockefeller-D 202-224-7665 /       Byrd-D 202-228-0002 WI: Feingold-D 202-224-2725 / Kohl-D 202-224-9787

Dear Senator , With your help,January 6, 2005 may be a day that shines in American history when the fundamental right of citizens to choose their President will be upheld! PLEASE PROTECT OUR RIGHT BY CHALLENGING THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE AND DEMANDING INSTEAD A FULL JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING AND INVESTIGATION INTO THE BLATENT VOTE FRAUD IN OHIO AND ACROSS AMERICA. I and millions of people across America (40 million per Zogby 12/28/04) believe that the election was illegal. Thousands of people in Ohio have testified publically and submitted affidavits documenting the massive illegalities including: 1) systemic, widespread voting machine irregularities including machines preset to vote for Bush. 2) highly improper intervention by federal authorities - closing down Warren County tabulating during the count. 3) impossible vote totals: Franklin County Precinct 1B gave Bush 4,258 votes to Kerry’s 260 while records show only 638 voters cast ballots in that precinct. Many, many similar instances throughout Ohio. 4) openly partisan election officials - illegally disallowed access to poll log books during recount. 5) untrustworthy vendors of election machinery, including illegal tampering with machines days prior to the recount. 6) unreliable and inadequate numbers of voting machines only in poor and working class areas (non-Republican) causing 2-8 hour lines resulting in disenfranshisement when people couldn’t wait. Hustling people into the wrong precinct line where they had to cast provisional ballots, which were not counted because they ended up voting in the wrong precinct. And the list goes on and on…..

The question for you and our elected officials - Is this version of “democracy“ a fitting tribute to the sacrifice being made by our troops fighting in Iraq, or the families mourning the 1,300 loved ones , or the 20,000 wounded, or the 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed in this illegal war? Is this acceptable in the eyes of the free world who depend on America as a beacon of freedom and democracy? It is evident that this regime. should no longer be tolerated. It’s policies are an abomination, destructive, secretive, and illegal. America deserves better, the world is crying out for more responsible leadership. DEMOCRACY BEGINS AT HOME!

I urge you to support the courageous members of the House of Representatives who will bring the challenge to the joint session on January 6, 2005. THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING! Your Signature!

Hello to all,     
Just a note to let you know the Obama contact was made successfully at his going away party on Dec 30th. With him at that party was Jesse Jackson Sr. and Jr., Danny Davis, Bobby Rush and Emil Jones. Rep. John Conyers and the Black Caucus have already lobbied Obama, you can be assured of that, so consider him 1 of the 15 or so Senators who are strongly considering this challenge, he needs your encouragement. He is being sworn in on Jan 3rd so he will be an active member of the Senate on the 6th.
When you call the Senators suggest to them that there is safety and strength in numbers, that this challenge would work best if all the Democratic Senators were on board. Also state that this issue has gone beyond Kerry and now involves the integrity of our Democracy! We can not allow another stolen election and still hope for fair elections in the future! State that you must draw your line in the sand here, that corruption unchecked just grows stronger! As you can see we are recommending you also contact a few of the Republicans; McCain, Lugar, Snowe, Chafee and Voinovich + DeWine from Ohio, they need to be thinking about this challenge too.
Moveon has asked that we all send a note about the DNC chairperson ASAP, these are overlapping issues and I used this issue in my note to get accross the point that there is a schism so wide between the DNC and the Democratic populace that it might be irrepairable unless the Dems come through for us, www.moveonpac.org/dncchair/ .     
One last request, please call Rep. John Conyers and thank him for his tremendous efforts and dedication to the right of every American to cast their vote and get it counted correctly!
If anyone makes a last minute decision to go to Washington for the rally on the 6th, www.patrioticoutrage.com  and can't find a ride at www.51capitalmarch.com , please contact Ted Greenfield if in Chicago at 1-847-824-1002 or Andrew Chusid in the Chicago suburbs at 1-309-838-0880, they may be able to help.
I am leaving for Washington soon so this will be my last e-mail to you all, I wish everyone God's speed and blessings, let's go change the course of history!
Dr. Lora Chamberlain
[email protected]
Progressive Democrats of Illinois
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New Action From PDA and Jesse Jackson

http://capwizcom/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_gateway/

 

From the desk of Reverend Jesse Jackson
December 27, 2004

Dear Progressive Democrat,

I want to express my thanks for everything Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) has done to keep the investigations into tampering and fraud in the 2004 election alive and in the public eye. The work of PDA's grassroots activists helped bring media attention to the election fraud hearings held in Ohio, rallied the House Minority Judiciary Committee to confront the issue of voter fraud, and has forced members of Congress to take the election fraud issue seriously.

I ask you to join in the next wave of election-related actions. We must let the politicians know that we're here, we're watching, and we demand every vote be counted and that every vote count. This is not about whether Bush stole another election, it's about fundamental civil and democratic rights. We must work to change the current system, or we'll continue to have disreputable politicians denying the vote to African Americans, Latinos, youth, and others for years to come.
Please visit the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition website for more information about the upcoming Rallies for Democracy. You may contact George Korn at 740-953-1130 for logistical information.

Additionally, I urge you to go to the PDA website and follow their latest Action Alert which targets a second round of Senators, including John Kerry. In less than 72 hours PDA members were responsible for over 23,000 emails being sent to six U.S. Senators urging at least one of them to join progressive House members in challenging the election results on January 6, 2005. Many of you took the first action. Now we need to contact this second group of Senators as well. Please send this message on to your friends and email lists and ask them to send the action alert also.

Next month we will pause to remember the sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King. I ask that you remember him not only in spirit, but in deed. His words ring as true today as ever, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Commit to taking action in the streets as a tribute to his memory. Two historic rallies will be held at the beginning of January. Start the New Year off right and get involved.

Rainbow/PUSH, PDA, UFPJ, the Greens, and other progressive activists are sponsoring a Pro-Democracy Rally in Columbus, Ohio on January 3rd, 2005.

If you can't be there, ask your friends in the area to attend. Encourage them to add their voices to the chorus.

On the 3rd, we will ask our politicians to stand up for democracy. On the 6th we will be there to support them as they do. A massive Pro-Democracy Rally will be held in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2005, with complementary rallies throughout the country. Take a day off for democracy and join with us as we demand an end to separate and unequal elections, to a system that lends itself to manipulation and fraud. Votes are the building blocks of our democracy, and we must not take them for granted.

We seek to do a glorious thing, and we will be triumphant if we stand together.

Keep Hope Alive
Rev. Jesse Jackson

The NEW action with new targeted Senators (Including Kerry) is at http://www.pdamerica.org the direct one click link is: http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?aler..

Call to Action: HELP US STOP CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTION ON JANUARY 6

Dear Friends and Concerned Citizens:

We can still have an impact on the course of this election.

We are a group of citizens concerned about the 2004 Presidential election. There were 57,000 complaints of voting violations delivered to the House Judiciary Democrats (http://tinyurl.com/4ykbt). When hundreds of thousands of voters are affected by machine problems and acts of voter suppression, it calls our American Democracy into question.

On January 6th, Congress meets to certify the Presidential election. If even one House member and one Senator object to the electoral votes of any state, this objection will be recorded: the vote will not be automatically approved. This has happened only once before -- in 1877. Its occurrence once again would draw historic attention to our shattered democracy and lead to an outcome that none of us can know.

In 2000 no Senator would join the Representatives from the Congressional Black Caucus to challenge the electoral vote. Therefore in 2004, we are asking you to contact as many as you can of the key Senators, listed below, as well as your own Senators, if you think you can reach them on this issue. Tell them not to certify the election on January 6, 2005.

Sign our petition to the Senators:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/senatorsnocertify

Contact these Senators at 1-800-839-5276 or 1-877-762-8762 connecting all offices.

Barbara Boxer CA-D
Robert Byrd WV-D
Mark Dayton MN-D
Thomas Harkin IA-D
Jim Jeffords VT-I
Edward Kennedy MA-D
Patrick Leahy VT-D
Carl Levin MI-D
Joseph Lieberman CT-D
Barbara Mikulski MD-D
Barack Obama IL-D
Olympia Snow ME-R
Charles Schumer NY-D

If you live in the same state as any of the Senators on our list, email us at [email protected] to share information about activist efforts in your area or to get involved in organizing. If you want to start something yourself, we have experienced organizers who can give you guidance. We want to know any information you gather on the potential of a specific Senator to object to certification of the vote.

See our site for a more detailed summary of violations, citations and other information about the 2004 election and what you can do.

Please get involved. Pass this on to others.

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ELECTION FRAUD 2004

There were 57,000 complaints of voting violations delivered to the House Judiciary Committee. Machine problems and acts of voter suppression affected hundreds of thousands of voters.

Machine problems include electronic touch screen machines in Florida that began counting votes backwards and others that reported the wrong candidate as people voted. Touch screen machines are inherently dangerous because most leave no paper trail, because they are relatively easy to tamper with -- and above all because they hide the voting process from the voter and prevent traditional citizen oversight.

Hanging chads were once again a problem, this time in Ohio. Just as in Florida in 2000, the greatest ballot spoilage -- ballots cast but not countable -- occurred in predominately African American precincts.

Some voters were turned away illegally. Others were given provisional ballots that were later discarded. Inexcusable waits of up to ten hours caused an unknown but easily guessed number of voters to give up without voting. Many were sent to the wrong polling place. Many experienced intimidation. Tens of thousands were purged from voting lists. Absentee ballots did not arrive or went uncounted. African American, low-income and younger voters were disproportionately disenfranchised.

Significant discrepancies between the exit polls and the official results occurred -- but only in swing states. Exit polling, which has been reliable for decades, was suddenly inaccurate. Jonathan Simon points out that the disparity between the exit polls and the official tallies almost always favored George Bush -- statistically improbable.

These are the kinds of problems that led the Ukrainian people to take to the streets and the international community to stand up and cry foul. The Voting Rights Act makes voter suppression illegal. The 14th amendment of our Constitution says that if voters are disenfranchised, the vote of the Electoral College should be adjusted proportionately.

Currently the votes are being recounted in Ohio and The Supreme Court of Ohio has before it a lawsuit claiming election tampering on the part of the Bush campaign.

We must be able to trust that our electoral processes are fair and just. This is a non-partisan issue. Join us in opposing the certification of this election.

We're targeting Senators because on January 6th, Congress will meet to certify the election. If even one House member and one Senator object to the electoral votes of any state, that objection will be recorded and the vote will not be automatically certified.

After the 2000 election Representatives from the Congressional Black Caucus were willing not to certify, but they couldn't find one Senator to support them. Don't let that happen again.

Our list of Senators consists of those we think are most likely to respond to our request. Contact them, as well as those of your own state. Tell them not to certify this election and that this election cannot stand unquestioned. If you have any first hand stories, the Senators need to know.

Coalition Against Election Fraud
web: http://www.caef.us
email: [email protected]