Common Ground Common Sense > Conyers to Object to Ohio Electors, Requests Senat

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 04:06 PM

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/123104W.shtml

QUOTE

Conyers to Object to Ohio Electors, Requests Senate Allies
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Report

Thursday 30 December 2004

Representative John Conyers, ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, will object to the counting of the Ohio Electors from the 2004 Presidential election when Congress convenes to ratify those votes on January 6th. In a letter dispatched to every Senator, which will be officially published by his office shortly, Conyers declares that he will be joined in this by several other members of the House. Rep. Conyers is taking this dramatic step because he believes the allegations and evidence of election tampering and fraud render the current slate of Ohio Electors illegitimate.

"As you know," writes Rep. Conyers in his letter, "on January 6, 2005, at 1:00 P.M, the electoral votes for the election of the president are to be opened and counted in a joint session of Congress. I and a number of House Members are planning to object to the counting of the Ohio votes, due to numerous unexplained irregularities in the Ohio presidential vote, many of which appear to violate both federal and state law."

The letter goes on to ask the Senators who receive this letter to join Conyers in objecting to the Ohio Electors. "I am hoping that you will consider joining us in this important effort," writes Conyers, "to debate and highlight the problems in Ohio which disenfranchised innumerable voters. I will shortly forward you a draft report itemizing and analyzing the many irregularities we have come across as part of our hearings and investigation into the Ohio presidential election."

There are expected to be high level meetings with high ranking Democratic officials next week to coordinate a concerted lobbying effort to convince Senators to challenge the vote. The Green Party and David Cobb, as has been true all along, will be centrally involved in this process, as will Rev. Jackson.

...more, including the rest of the letter and specific Senatorial targets...

XicanoPwr

Dec 30 2004, 04:14 PM

That was best news I got today.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 04:19 PM

Conyers and Jackson should get the Noble Peace Prize.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 04:20 PM

Here's the link with the rest of the letter:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/123104W.shtml

periwinkle

Dec 30 2004, 04:22 PM

Mr. Conyers has my undying respect and affection. I wish I could vote for him.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 04:22 PM

It says to blast these senators, so go to www.senate.gov,
click on Senators, and their email addresses are under their names.
We need to BLAST, Everyone:

QUOTE

The Senators who shall receive the greatest focus from Conyers in this matter are Biden, Bingaman, Boxer, Byrd, Clinton, Conrad, Corzine, Dodd, Dorgan, Durbin, Feingold, Harkin, Inyoue, Jeffords, Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mikulski, Nelson (FL), Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Rockefeller, Sarbanes, Stabenow, Wyden and Obama.

starrygalore

Dec 30 2004, 04:27 PM

I'm worried that no Senator will support their objections, just like with their objections to the 2000 race. Could Kerry be their sole senator to support them? Is Edwards still in this Senate or is it the new batch? Could he do it??

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 04:33 PM

If we all email them and get everyone we know to email
them, we might have a shot. It might be a long shot,
but it's the only thing we can do at this point. I've seen
them listen to emails before so I'm willing to try again.

EvelyninTexas

Dec 30 2004, 04:40 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 05:33 PM)

If we all email them and get everyone we know to email
them, we might have a shot. It might be a long shot,
but it's the only thing we can do at this point. I've seen
them listen to emails before so I'm willing to try again.

I keep hearing Barbara Boxer's name as a good chance for a senator to stand up. Evidently there are some congressmen willing, but they need a senator. There was a thread on here a couple of days ago that Maxine Waters from California was with the program.

Now, though, I read that Kerry is going to be out of the country for the first two weeks of January... taking a trip to the Middle East including Iraq. Anyone know more about that???? If I understand right, Edwards couldn't be the senator as he will have stepped down by then. Is that right?

I'm going to email right now.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 04:43 PM

Yeah, Evelyn, we can forget our Texas senators, can't we??
Ugh.

JILLinaz

Dec 30 2004, 04:45 PM

QUOTE(starrygalore @ Dec 30 2004, 03:27 PM)

I'm worried that no Senator will support their objections, just like with their objections to the 2000 race. Could Kerry be their sole senator to support them? Is Edwards still in this Senate or is it the new batch? Could he do it??

Kerry's going to be in Iraq

EvelyninTexas

Dec 30 2004, 04:58 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 05:43 PM)

Yeah, Evelyn, we can forget our Texas senators, can't we??
Ugh.

Yes, I have to email and plead with out of staters. I did email Chet Edwards, who isn't even my congressman anymore, thanks to doo-doo Delay.

Not that I think Chet will get into this one, as he barely kept his own seat. But, he's a good democrat and I hope he will pass the messages on to his cronies.

But, I'm to the point where I will contribute to some senator's next campaign if they will just help out!

readyinTX

Dec 30 2004, 05:02 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 04:43 PM)

Yeah, Evelyn, we can forget our Texas senators, can't we??
Ugh.

Oh please don't get me started...

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 05:03 PM

Yeah, I'll move to their state if they want me to!
I can't believe I emailed/filled out web form for every senator
on that list (except Obama, he wasn't on senate.gov, yet).
Some of them will reject out-of-state emails but it's worth the try.
Everyone on D.U. is emailing them.

EvelyninTexas

Dec 30 2004, 05:05 PM

QUOTE(readyinTX @ Dec 30 2004, 06:02 PM)

Oh please don't get me started...

It's okay, we almost need a Texas-recovery group.

I'm not sure the blue-staters can really empathize with how disenfranchised those of us who live in the Lone Star State are........sigh.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 05:05 PM

Seriously, we have to get Perry, Hutchinson and Cornyn O-U-T.

EvelyninTexas

Dec 30 2004, 05:07 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 06:05 PM)

Seriously, we have to get Perry, Hutchinson and Cornyn O-U-T.

I agree. Perry first!

JILLinaz

Dec 30 2004, 05:09 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 03:33 PM)

If we all email them and get everyone we know to email
them, we might have a shot. It might be a long shot,
but it's the only thing we can do at this point. I've seen
them listen to emails before so I'm willing to try again.

Has everyone signed this???? Goes to several senators with one click!

iz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6770366

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 05:09 PM

I heard that Hutchinson may run for governor. Just our luck.

readyinTX

Dec 30 2004, 05:09 PM

QUOTE(EvelyninTexas @ Dec 30 2004, 05:05 PM)

It's okay, we almost need a Texas-recovery group.

I'm not sure the blue-staters can really empathize with how disenfranchised those of us who live in the Lone Star State are........sigh.

Yes, but it's only making me more resolute. They can only push people so far, and while we're far from our limit, we're getting there...

JILLinaz

Dec 30 2004, 05:10 PM

QUOTE(JILLinaz @ Dec 30 2004, 04:09 PM)

Has everyone signed this???? Goes to several senators with one click!

iz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6770366

http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_...alertid=6770366

there, that's better!

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 05:12 PM

Ok, I used that form, too.

EvelyninTexas

Dec 30 2004, 05:21 PM

Me, too. Kind of a kick, my Texas senators, Cornyn and Hutchinson, make you choose a topic from a pre-fab list. There is nothing about voting on the list, so I chose the Patriot Act. It IS patriotic to vote, right??

beg1958

Dec 30 2004, 05:34 PM

Now thats what we need letters for Dummies. If only my writting skills were better!

DutyCalls

Dec 30 2004, 05:46 PM

Link U S Senate, Senators Home, Email addresses

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 03:22 PM)

It says to blast these senators, so go to www.senate.gov,
click on Senators, and their email addresses are under their names.
We need to BLAST, Everyone:

EvelyninTexas

Dec 30 2004, 05:48 PM

QUOTE(beg1958 @ Dec 30 2004, 06:34 PM)

Now thats what we need letters for Dummies. If only my writting skills were better!

You know most of them don't read them anyway. They have aides who mostly sort them into topics, pro and con, and count them. That's why the generic blasting letter is good enough.

DutyCalls

Dec 30 2004, 05:55 PM

The pre-formatted letter is good, but it only goes to limited # of Senators = Russell Feingold, Senator

Patrick Leahy, Senator

Tom Harkin, Senator

Patty Murray, Senator

Richard Durbin, Senator

John F Kerry, Senator

And refer back to the William Pitt article regardingly likely Senators to stand with Conyers =

The Senators who shall receive the greatest focus from Conyers in this matter are Biden, Bingaman, Boxer, Byrd, Clinton, Conrad, Corzine, Dodd, Dorgan, Durbin, Feingold, Harkin, Inyoue, Jeffords, Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mikulski, Nelson (FL), Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Rockefeller, Sarbanes, Stabenow, Wyden and Obama.

so "heads up" and we sure don't want to do less than we can on this call to action, it's one of the important things we can do in this long 6 week wait, so let's don't aim for just the few on the pre-formatted letter, borrow the letter and send not only to the small list but the wider list, shoot send to all the Senators!

QUOTE(EvelyninTexas @ Dec 30 2004, 04:48 PM)

You know most of them don't read them anyway. They have aides who mostly sort them into topics, pro and con, and count them. That's why the generic blasting letter is good enough.

beg1958

Dec 30 2004, 06:01 PM

QUOTE(DutyCalls @ Dec 30 2004, 06:55 PM)

The pre-formatted letter is good, but it only goes to limited # of Senators = Russell Feingold, Senator

Patrick Leahy, Senator

Tom Harkin, Senator

Patty Murray, Senator

Richard Durbin, Senator

John F Kerry, Senator

And refer back to the William Pitt article regardingly likely Senators to stand with Conyers =

The Senators who shall receive the greatest focus from Conyers in this matter are Biden, Bingaman, Boxer, Byrd, Clinton, Conrad, Corzine, Dodd, Dorgan, Durbin, Feingold, Harkin, Inyoue, Jeffords, Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mikulski, Nelson (FL), Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Rockefeller, Sarbanes, Stabenow, Wyden and Obama.

so "heads up" and we sure don't want to do less than we can on this call to action, it's one of the important things we can do in this long 6 week wait, so let's don't aim for just the few on the pre-formatted letter, borrow the letter and send not only to the small list but the wider list, shoot send to all the Senators!

Would it be possible when we have a call to action for someone to construct a letter for all of us to use here on the forum? Like I said my writting skills really suck! It seems to me that we could better track something if it originated here

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 06:02 PM

You don't need good writing skills. Even one sentence would
do it, I think. (Not an expert, though)

QUOTE

PLEASE join Conyers in objecting to the Ohio Electors
on January 6.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 06:03 PM

Is that too simple?

DutyCalls

Dec 30 2004, 06:09 PM

Here is the pre-formatted letter. Use the link to US Sentor, Senators Home, Email addresses listed at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_info...enators_cfm.cfm

and send the pre-formatted letter to every one of them. Be sure to sign, give full name and contact information to legitimitze the request. Name, address, phone and email...all of that to give it legitimacy.

On January 6th, I am asking you to stand with other Senators and Representatives of conscience and challenge the electoral vote count. The misallocation of voting machines (especially in Ohio), the abuse of provisional balloting in numerous states, and the refusal and/or inability to conduct the recount in an open and auditable manner in Ohio, in Florida, and in so many other key states, should be cause enough to determine the certified electors should not be seated.

Please join with the other Congress members to make a serious voting rights challenge the entire world will hear. Stand up and fight for the voting rights of African-Americans, Latinos, and the youth voters who appear to have been targeted for disruption and disenfranchisement in the 2004 election.

January 6th is the day when you can make a statement about your commitment to every American’s right to vote and have it be counted. Let’s show the world what we mean when we talk about true democracy.

QUOTE(beg1958 @ Dec 30 2004, 05:01 PM)

Would it be possible when we have a call to action for someone to construct a letter for all of us to use here on the forum? Like I said my writting skills really suck! It seems to me that we could better track something if it originated here

searchingforsanity

Dec 30 2004, 06:17 PM

You can't leave this place for a couple of hours without missing something. Conyers just put a big

on my face.

edowling

Dec 30 2004, 06:18 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 04:19 PM)

Conyers and Jackson should get the Noble Peace Prize.

THAT'S RIGHT!!! We should all send nice letters to the Nobel Committee in Sweden! In many cases a peace prize embarrasses a country to do some self-examination. We should think of other organizations which do the same kind of thing, and petition them too.

Dichotomy

Dec 30 2004, 06:36 PM

QUOTE(edowling @ Dec 30 2004, 07:18 PM)

THAT'S RIGHT!!! We should all send nice letters to the Nobel Committee in Sweden! In many cases a peace prize embarrasses a country to do some self-examination. We should think of other organizations which do the same kind of thing, and petition them too.

Nobel Peace Price Committee is in Oslo, Norway. The committees for the the rest of the prizes are in Stockholm, Sweden.

Kra/Lee

Dec 30 2004, 07:11 PM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 05:33 PM)

If we all email them and get everyone we know to email
them, we might have a shot. It might be a long shot,
but it's the only thing we can do at this point. I've seen
them listen to emails before so I'm willing to try again.

Way ahead of you! Done deal. Emailed and emailed. Go to Congress.org.

savemefrombush

Dec 30 2004, 07:13 PM

We thank our African American brothers for fighting for our rights!

Kra/Lee

Dec 30 2004, 07:49 PM

Heard on Keith Olbermann one Senator and one from House of Representatives was needed to contest this election. Anyone hear that?

brossignol

Dec 30 2004, 08:11 PM

QUOTE(Kra/Lee @ Dec 30 2004, 07:49 PM)

Heard on Keith Olbermann one Senator and one from House of Representatives was needed to contest this election. Anyone hear that?

Yeah. It is sort of in the Constitution (actually US Code derived from the Constitution).

edowling

Dec 30 2004, 09:28 PM

QUOTE(JILLinaz @ Dec 30 2004, 05:09 PM)

Has everyone signed this???? Goes to several senators with one click!

iz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6770366

I don't know what that website is about, but it has categories like "Christian singles" and "big breast," so it is the last place that I would paste my e-mail, name, and address in.

I don't know where you got this, but please, I hope the moderators remove it.

Buster0001

Dec 30 2004, 09:30 PM

What?? I didn't see anything like that?

edowling

Dec 30 2004, 10:53 PM

QUOTE(DutyCalls @ Dec 30 2004, 05:55 PM)

And refer back to the William Pitt article regardingly likely Senators to stand with Conyers =

The Senators who shall receive the greatest focus from Conyers in this matter are Biden, Bingaman, Boxer, Byrd, Clinton, Conrad, Corzine, Dodd, Dorgan, Durbin, Feingold, Harkin, Inyoue, Jeffords, Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mikulski, Nelson (FL), Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Rockefeller, Sarbanes, Stabenow, Wyden and Obama.

For those who want to e-mail individual letters (this is not complete, because I dropped one by mistake, and didn't have Obama's e-mail on the list):

senator@biden.senate.gov
senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov
boxer.senate.gov/contact
byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html
clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html
conrad.senate.gov/webform.html
corzine.senate.gov/contact.cfm
dodd.senate.gov/webmail/
senator@dorgan.senate.gov
durbin.senate.gov/sitepages/contact.htm
russell_feingold@feingold.senate.gov
harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm
inouye.senate.gov/webform.html
kennedy.senate.gov/contact.html
kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/contact/email.html
lautenberg.senate.gov/webform.html
senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue
mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html
murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email
bennelson.senate.gov/email.html
reed.senate.gov/form-opinion.htm
senator@rockefeller.senate.gov
sarbanes.senate.gov/pages/email.html
stabenow.senate.gov/email.htm
wyden.senate.gov/contact.html
jeffords.senate.gov/contact-form.html

DutyCalls

Dec 31 2004, 01:19 AM

Sharing..when husband got home from work tonight, I asked him to sit down and compose letter to be sent to Senators. He did and we got it sent out tonight to 50 Senators, and 50 ltte for mainstream press.

Letter:

December 30, 2004

Dear [recipient name was inserted here],

Dear Senator - ,

The work of Representative Conyers and all those who have explored and
investigated the State of Ohio's management of the Presidential election
makes a powerful statement. Among members of both houses of Congress one
may find legitimate concern for elections as such a vital key to the
existence, value and efficacy of democratic process.

Without legitimacy in our elections, we are left in something worse than a
"third world" state in that we will have lost something formerly possessed
that is lacking in most third world states - confidence that government of
the people and by the people is an attainable goal.

Without legitimacy in our elections we create a future election-time
circumstance when apathy and indifference become almost insurmountable
problems. Insurmountable apathy, indifference and distrust of the value of
voting bring to us the loss of the most powerful aspect of checking
dominance and potential abuse of executive, legislative or judicial power.
This is the precise basis of what liberty in this country looks like.

Liberty in this country must look like and prove to be in fact the means
by which a populace can - by peaceful means - change not just the leaders
but the direction of movement for a nation.

I live in Washington State where an unbelievably close election was
ultimately resolved through a recount process that included investigation.
This was done for the most part in the absence of serious allegations of
vote tampering, interference in the technology of election process as well
as deliberate harassment and discouragement of voters. As a result,
although flaws in the election process were revealed, we have a
governor-elect.

Those who have explored and investigated the electoral processes in Ohio
however have uncovered incidents of vote tampering, interference in voting
technology and harassment of voters. These took several forms including
deliberate decisions that resulted in unreasonable waiting in line and
unreasonable inconveniences - overt actions meant to discourage voting.

Residual doubts and lack of confidence in the 2000 Presidential Election
in Florida now pale before what has been engendered in Ohio. If not
challenged, Ohio 2004 will be recorded in history as a moment in time when
the American nation betrayed itself and refused any attempt at setting
aright our national integrity and confidence in our own system.

Need it be said that any Democratic Senator who does not formally sign an
electoral challenge of the Ohio vote on January 6 is doing more than
refusing to keep faith with their party? Every one of you who do not sign
will bear a future shame and loss of credibility for much more than your
party or your own future personal candidacy.

Either you stand for democracy in its simplest expressive form or you
cowardly bow to demagogues who presume to dictate the definition of
American patriotism to the rest of us. We voted you into your positions as
extensions of our will with an expectation that you will do for us in the
halls of power what we cannot do ourselves. In my opinion, there is no
intellectual, patriotic or sophisticated rationale for refusing to sign
the Ohio challenge on January 6th that will justify why you ran for office
in the first place.

The attempted electoral challenge in 2000 that was defeated under the
gavel of Mr. Gore himself fully demonstrated - in a shameful public manner
- what it looks like when those chosen turn their backs on those who did
the choosing.

Are you willing to take upon yourselves the same mantle?

Would you expect future support from people for whom you have demonstrated
a failed-patriotism at a time when it was most needed?

Sincerely,

QUOTE(edowling @ Dec 30 2004, 09:53 PM)

For those who want to e-mail individual letters (this is not complete, because I dropped one by mistake, and didn't have Obama's e-mail on the list):

senator@biden.senate.gov
senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov
boxer.senate.gov/contact
byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html
clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html
conrad.senate.gov/webform.html
corzine.senate.gov/contact.cfm
dodd.senate.gov/webmail/
senator@dorgan.senate.gov
durbin.senate.gov/sitepages/contact.htm
russell_feingold@feingold.senate.gov
harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm
inouye.senate.gov/webform.html
kennedy.senate.gov/contact.html
kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/contact/email.html
lautenberg.senate.gov/webform.html
senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue
mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html
murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email
bennelson.senate.gov/email.html
reed.senate.gov/form-opinion.htm
senator@rockefeller.senate.gov
sarbanes.senate.gov/pages/email.html
stabenow.senate.gov/email.htm
wyden.senate.gov/contact.html
jeffords.senate.gov/contact-form.html

trainwreck

Dec 31 2004, 01:32 AM

well spoken and very powerful.

if the Dems do not stand up now, they risk being further marginalized.
It will be interesting to see who hears the call.

Kra/Lee

Dec 31 2004, 09:19 AM

QUOTE(Buster0001 @ Dec 30 2004, 10:30 PM)

What?? I didn't see anything like that?

Good. It says in the article that Conyers will be joined by some House of Representatives. So maybe the one Senator and house members take care of it.
This is so important to our country's honesty in the voting process. I just hope that history and re-voteing will occur.

EvelyninTexas

Dec 31 2004, 09:34 AM

Do we have a senator yet?? I keep hearing about congressmen, but we had those the last time. Without a senator, nothing will happen.

EvelyninTexas

Dec 31 2004, 09:46 AM

QUOTE(readyinTX @ Dec 30 2004, 06:09 PM)

Yes, but it's only making me more resolute. They can only push people so far, and while we're far from our limit, we're getting there...

I'm about at my limit! Have you heard of ANY good Democratic candidate for governor here in Texas? I haven't

starrygalore

Dec 31 2004, 10:25 AM

QUOTE(EvelyninTexas @ Dec 31 2004, 11:34 AM)

Do we have a senator yet?? I keep hearing about congressmen, but we had those the last time. Without a senator, nothing will happen.

As of right now, there is no Senator (as usual). Someone better step up and sign on to this, but I'm afraid they won't (just like last time) because they don't want to look like "sore losers". Pathetic.

Plus, I have two Republican Senators, so I'm not looking for any support from them.