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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida Official Behind Gov.Rick Scott's Voter Purge Linked to $1 Billion Anti-Obama Campaign Effort
from Lee Fang, Republic Report at truthout: http://truth-out.org/news/item/9573-florida-official-behind-gov-rick-scotts-voter-purge-linked-to-$1-billion-campaign-effort-against-obama
Monday, 04 June 2012
Florida Governor Rick ScottGov. Rick Scott speaking at CPAC FL in Orlando, Florida. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice asked officials in Florida to suspend the controversial voter purge conducted by Gov. Rick Scott's (R) administration, citing possible violations of voting rights law. Florida officials had been purging a list of suspected non-citizen voters, estimated at one point to include at least 180,000 people, despite evidence that the list is riddled with errors. Thousands of targeted voters are in fact American citizens. As ThinkProgress and the Miami Herald have reported, a great deal of the individuals also happen to be Hispanics and Democratic-leaning voters, suggesting the effort is deeply partisan.
The plan for the purge, according to a story from the Associated Press, was initiated last year by then-Secretary of State Kurt Browning after a meeting with the governor. Browning said he was motivated by a "Spidey sense tingling" to undergo a massive project to develop the list now being used to send letters to registered Florida voters informing them that they have been flagged as non-citizens. Although both Gov. Scott and Browning have downplayed accusations that the purge is political, a donation from a secret money group may fuel growing suspicions that the effort is partisan.
Just before Browning was selected in 2011 by Scott as Secretary of State, Browning led a group called "Protect Your Vote Inc," which was set up to oppose fair redistricting. One of the biggest checks to Browning's organization came from the Center to Protect Patients' Rights, which gave $100,000 in 2010. At the time of the donation, the source of the money was shrouded in secrecy. View a screen shot of the disclosure:
But as Republic Report exclusively reported last month, the Center to Protect Patients' Rights is part of a universe of front groups financed by David and Charles Koch, the petrochemical billionaires, as well as several other billionaires, as part of an election-influencing effort. New reports this week about the brothers' strategy indicate that they will now use this constellation of front groups to finance $400 million of a $1 billion campaign in outside money to defeat President Obama and congressional Democrats. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mitt Romney's Super PAC, and several nonprofits controlled by Karl Rove, will furnish the other $600 million.
read more: http://truth-out.org/news/item/9573-florida-official-behind-gov-rick-scotts-voter-purge-linked-to-$1-billion-campaign-effort-against-obama
Baitball Blogger
(46,682 posts)pscot
(21,024 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,682 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)can't there be a "deep-throat" insider that participated in meetings (with tapes and e-mails) where the "purge" rationale, and subsequent methodology, was discussed?
And since I'm dreaming, why couldn't one of those e-mails discuss "the need for a red Florida along with several other states (where similar purges/suppression efforts are in effect) in order to accomplish gop initiatives?"
One more thing ... I would love for those meetings to have been held in the ALEC headquarters, with both koch brothers, the RNC chairman, and the heads of all gop SuperPacs, in attendance.
elleng
(130,724 posts)they just know it and DO IT, its in their DNA!
Baitball Blogger
(46,682 posts)If the authorities really wanted to get this shit stopped all they would have to do is join a Country club in a red county. People who participate in these dirty messes also like the fast life. They drink, they boast, they're amused by their power and the powerlessness of others to touch them.
elleng
(130,724 posts)bigtree
(85,974 posts). . .or we can make the links and highlight them at every opportunity so that those folks out of the loop are savvy.
Lot's of folks out there unswayed and ultimately uninformed by seasoned political junkies' shorthand.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)elleng
(130,724 posts)bigtree
(85,974 posts)we're only human
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)I wonder why he resigned shortly before its implementation?
ornotna
(10,795 posts)and would not pass them on to the local supervisors of election. He was worried there would be a sh*t storm over this.
His successor Ken Detzner was the one who sent the purge lists down to the local level.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Kurt_Browning
tallahasseedem
(6,716 posts)No shocker here!
flamingdem
(39,308 posts)rocktivity
(44,572 posts)rocktivity
Zorra
(27,670 posts)the main fascists that are blatantly dedicated to destroying our democracy.
Giving them more than enough rope.
I'm wondering if we will be getting an awesome wonderful surprise courtesy the DOJ in October.
(:
Dr Fate
(32,189 posts)Pelosi and Reid are going to open up a big can of whoop-ass too- but not yet- they have to wait for just the right moment.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)I know corrupt politics is part of your folklore, but sadly, you have nothing on Florida. First world economy, Banana Republic politics.