December 6, 2016

I'm curious about something. If there is a 0.3% spread in Michigan, why not an automatic recount?

Current MI Vote Total as of November 28 (Donald Trump leads by 10,704 votes)
Donald J. Trump (R) 2,279,543 (47.6%)

Hillary Clinton (D) 2,268,839 (47.3%)

December 6, 2016

Fiona Apple releases a new hit tune for Christmas: 'Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire'

Fiona Apple releases a new hit tune for Christmas: 'Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire'

"Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire" Full Lyrics

Trump's nuts roasting on an open fire As he keeps nipping at his foes. You'll cry creepy uncle
Every time he arrives
For he keeps clawing at your clothes

-snip-

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/6/1607979/-Fiona-Apple-releases-a-new-hit-tune-for-Christmas-Trump-s-Nuts-Roasting-on-an-Open-Fire

December 6, 2016

Not sure if this has already been posted. "WE CAN STOP TRUMP" (change.org)

WE CAN STOP TRUMP

Yesterday, for the first time, a Republican Elector publicly declared he will not be voting for Trump!

Christopher Suprun, a firefighter who was one of the first responders at the Pentagon on 9-11, wrote an op-ed in the NY TIMES declaring his intent.

Our thanks to Mr. Suprun for his courage and patriotism!

This is a dramatic breakthrough. Our country will never think of the Electoral College in the same way, and you helped make it possible!

Now, it’s time to redouble our efforts. Our strategy is working and it will work even better now that there is a breach in the wall.

If you use Twitter, we need you to start tweeting today!

-snip-

https://electoralcollegepetition.com/stop-trump-now/#gs._NPDUyI

December 5, 2016

For PA folks in particular - Palmer Report on obstructionism on the recount

New post on Palmer Report


Corrupt Pennsylvania officials caught illegally turning away recount affidavits
by Bill Palmer
Even as Wisconsin and Michigan continue with statewide recounts of the 2016 presidential election voting totals, third party candidate Jill Stein's effort to get a similar recount underway in Pennsylvania has been met with one state level roadblock after another. Even as she files in federal court to force the state to agree to a recount, reports continue to come in from residents across Pennsylvania who say local officials have been trying to deny their legal right to file recount affidavits.

Yesterday we reported on wildly the fluctuating prices officials in Northampton County were charging. One recount affidavit filer would be charged a mere twenty-five cents, and then without explanation the next person in line would be charged $150. And now another Pennsylvania resident, Shelley Renee of Butler County, has shared an even more troubling story with Palmer Report about how she was turned away entirely:

I had called in the morning to make sure that they hadnt finished their final computations and they said they hadn't, so I knew I had a 5 day window to get the affidavits in. Went there with my son, to the election board in the courthouse. Two women told me the solicitor told them not to accept them. I asked for a superviser who they said was in the commissioner's office but they would get her. I waited ten minutes and asked again why they werent accepting them when I had called a few hours earlier and the computations weren't done. I had the statute paperwork with in addition to the affidavits and notarized signatures. Again they said no.

I asked for a timestamp and they refused and called for the superviser again. She finally came in and was immediately uncooperative and nasty. We went through the whole thing again and she told me to get a lawyer because the court can settle it. We argued and I left. When I got home someone from Jill Stein's group suggested that I go back up and go to commissioner's office. I was rung in from the doorbell and a woman took my affidavits and a few minutes later a man came out who I thought was the commissioner.

He was rude as well and told me his board of elections superviser was right in telling me they werent accepting them and wanted to know who told me to come to his office. I explained. He then said it can go through the courts or I could try the prothonotary's office – they dont handle election matters,but i went anyway. When I got down there she was on the phone with the man I had just talked to. She said they dont handle election matters but that she would take my affidavits for a fee of $171 for each one and $50 additonally for each signature I had.

I have since learned that they called in the supervisor at the board of elections who was to be on vacation all week to hurry and get the final count in before we all came with the affidavits. And it was actually that very solicitor who directed me to the prothonotary's office when I was in the commissioner's office. So they called this woman in from vacation and had many meetings between the two of them on how to handle (lie) to people that came there with them. As I said I also learned the next day that there were many many people that called and were told no so they didnt come in, but there was another woman and myself that had many affidavits and they turned us both away. Mine was in Butler County. My son still tells people the story of how mean they were and what a goose chase it was and ended with nothing.

The above story, shared with Palmer Report by Pennsylvania resident Shelley Renee, documents blatantly illegal attempts on the part of local officials to deny citizens their legal rights — and therefore demonstrates corruption by definition. If you're a Pennsylvania resident and you've experienced any troubles filing recount affidavits, or you've been met with improper resistance from state or local officials while pursuing recount efforts, please contact us.

December 5, 2016

FYI - MONDAY in less than an hour (from a FB feed)

FYI - from a FB feed)

MONDAY in under one hour:
Today at 6:00 pm EST there will be a conference call to discuss trying to get a million people in 20 different cities to come together for a afternoon of letting the electoral college know that we expect them to save the nation on December 19th.
If you wish to call in the number is 515-604-9356 the pass code is 645457
This is the chance to make our voices heard regarding the electoral college. Heat and light equals attention.
Save in your agenda and Please share .

December 5, 2016

via Daily Kos: A Plausible Action Item via Lawrence Lessig - call your AG in Clinton states

-snip-

OK, I have been pushing for petitions, etc, but here is an action item which really can make a difference if we push hard to get the AGs in states Clinton won to get on board.

Lawrence Lessig, from Harvard Law, has a really great post up about how one can argue that the “majority rules” approach most states use to choose electors is in fact unconstitutional and violates the equal protection clause of the constitution. He points out that part of the Bush v Gore case in fact sets important precedent for this, and he puts forward a first draft outline of the argument written by a friend of his. The point is that state Attornies General in states Clinton won would have to file to the supreme court for an immediate injunction against the electoral college until this is remedied. Lessig’s friends provides a helpful spreadsheet showing scenarios that could pass the equal protection clause. They essentially mimic the popular vote.

Lessig points out that he is not bringing up the small state vs. big state impact that is baked into the constitution. That would require a full on change to the constitution.

-snip-


http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/5/1607581/-A-Plausible-Action-Item-via-Lawrence-Lessig-call-your-AG-in-Clinton-states

December 5, 2016

I know that some of you aren't keen on Palmer Report updates, but here goes another update for MI

I've been getting them regularly sent to my email. So -- read them at your own discretion.


New post on Palmer Report

With Michigan hand recount underway, Jill Stein focuses on “blank” ballots in Detroit
by Bill Palmer
Just twelve hours after a midnight ruling from a federal judge who announced that a statewide recount in Michigan must immediately proceed, the recounting of the votes in th state is officially underway. This is the second 2016 recount which has been successfully trigged by third party candidate Jill Stein. She appeared in front of Trump Tower today, subverting the media's seeming desire to only want to cover his antics instead of the crucial recount effort, and she revealed a number of key details about the Michigan recount while standing on his doorstep.

The first major revelation from Jill Stein today was her confirmation that the votes will be recounted by hand statewide, per the judge's order. Last night's reports hadn't specified whether it would be done by hand or by machine. This process is far more likely to uncover machine errors and irregularly filled out ballots, as well as to expose any potential cheating or rigging within the state. Stein also made clear that her focus is on the unusually large number of "blank" or "undervote" ballots in the state, particularly in the Detroit area.

We reported last week that according to official tallies as many as 87,810 voters in Michigan had ballots which cast a vote for some downticket race but not for president. This number was far higher than in past elections, and stood out as being particularly odd when one considers that 2016 was the rare year in which Michigan had neither a Governor not a Senate race on the ballot – begging the question of why so many people would show up and vote, but leave the presidential ballot blank.

Stein is now focused on these "undervote" ballots as well, which she pointed out during today's press conference (source link: Stein's official Facebook page), came largely from areas like Detroit and Wayne County, which are heavily African-American. It raises the question of whether faulty machines in low income precincts may have simply failed to record the presidential votes on those ballots, or if those votes may have been intentionally scuttled. The now-underway hand recount should expose any such instances. Wayne County went heavily for Hillary Clinton, but not at the level expected, suggesting, some of Clinton's votes may have indeed been scuttled.

December 5, 2016

It's on: Federal judge orders Michigan recount to start immediately

New post on Palmer Report


It’s on: federal judge orders Michigan recount to start immediately
by Bill Palmer
After a rare Sunday hearing in federal court to determine whether the Michigan recount should begin immediately or face a waiting period, the judge in question took the entire rest of the day – literally – to make up his mind. But after midnight local time, the federal judge announced that the statewide Michigan recount in the presidential election must immediately begin in the morning.

This comes after the state of Michigan had argued in court that the recount shouldn't begin until Wednesday. It appeared to be an attempt at stalling so that Michigan's Repuican Attorney General would have time to sue to get the recount killed before it began. But the judge apparently saw through that ruse, with local newspaper Detroit Free Press now confirming that the recount must begin on Monday.

Stein argued in part that the severe under vote in the presidential election, which Palmer Report reported a week ago, was evidence that the vote counting machines may have missed presidential votes while recording downticket votes on the same ballot. The lack of a Governor or Senate race in Michigan in 2016 made the unusually high 87,000 undervotes stand out as suspicious. In any case we're about to find out, as the recount is now just hours away from kicking off.

December 5, 2016

New Post on Palmer Report...Wisconsin (another update on Waukesha County)

New post on Palmer Report


Wisconsin recount: Waukesha County officials caught illegally hiding ballots from observers
by Bill Palmer
Four days into the Wisconsin statewide recount, one county in particular has emerged as the epicenter of controversy and corruption. Donald Trump won Waukesha County by a total of 66,320 votes, a margin three times as large as he won Wisconsin by overall. The county is refusing to do a hand recount, instead relying on the same machines which produced the original totals. Earlier today we reported that one recount observer had outright accused Waukesha officials of double-counting Trump's votes. And now Jill Stein is expanding on the Waukesha scandal.

Jill Stein, the third party candidate who initiated the recount effort in Wisconsin and two other states, sent out the following message to her recount observers. Palmer Report has obtained a verified copy of the email in question. In it, Stein formally accuses Waukesha County officials of violating the law by purposely hiding ballots from the observers:

While most counties are conducting their recounts in clear and transparent fashion, we have gotten reports of observers not being allowed near the recount tables or not being allowed to view the ballots. For instance, in Waukesha County, officials are entering the ballots in to the machine face down. Remember, we have a legal right to see the ballots.

Wisconsin law reads in part: Each party to a recount must be given an opportunity to object and provide offers of evidence on: the procedures followed, any ballot cast at the election, any other issues presented to the board of canvassers during the recount.

Notably, Waukesha County is just one of twelve Wisconsin counties, out of seventy-two counties overall, which are refusing to a hand recount. The increasing level of fraud and illegal activity on the part of Waukesha recount observers may give Stein sufficient cause to convince the judge in question to order the county to do a hand recount.

December 5, 2016

New post on Palmer Report...Pennsylvania and price gouging

New post on Palmer Report


Pennsylvania officials caught price-gouging voters who try to fill out recount affidavits
by Bill Palmer
Even as citizens across the state of Pennsylvania continue to work on the statewide recount effort initiated by third party candidate Jill Stein, state officials have been attempting to stop her at every turn. After being hit with exorbitant cash demands, Stein shifted her legal case from state court to federal court on Saturday. However, based on a first hand report we're now receiving, some local officials in Pennsylvania have been harassing and price-gouging those who have shown up to fill out affidavits in support of the recount.

Beverly DeSignor, a resident of Bushkill, Pennsylvania, shared the following first hand experience with Palmer Report. We've independently confirmed that she is in fact a Pennsylvania resident, and that she is who she says she is. Her experience should be eye opening for those following the recount effort with interest:

I filed for a recount of my precinct, Bushkill Township Center, Northampton County on 11/28/16 providing a signed, notarized affidavit along with two other filers from my precinct. We walked in and were greeted by the election technician who took our affidavit, provided each of us with time/date stamped copies (charged us 25 cents a piece- total $0.75). We asked if there were others who had filed and were told they had received several phone calls and that one other group had filed in the morning. During that time, we questioned if we had to pay a fee and were told no. We asked when and where the recount would be held and we were told wednesday, 11/30/16 at the election board offices there on wolf street, Easton across from the courthouse. We mentioned to the staff more would be coming to file and asked how long they would be open. They stated they would be open until 4:30 pm.

We knew people in the next group who subsequently arrived fifteen minutes after we left. They were treated differently. After time/date stamping their affidavits, they were detained and marched over to the courthouse. They were told they had to file with the court and were expected to pay around $150/person - a total of $450 - in order to file for recount. According to the person in the group, there were others who come to file in the interim - about 9 in total by this point - all told the same. Additionally, people arrived after 4:15. It before 430 and were told they were now too late to file. So protocol changed as more people came in. I have received no further information for the Election Board.

DeSignor tells us that she's already heard from the legal staff from Jill Stein campaign regarding the incident. The sudden change in protocol on the part of county officials, from one group of citizens to the next, appears to represent an escalating attempt on the part of the officials to make it harder for the public to carry out their right to a recount. Prices don't simply change from 25 cents to $150 per person within a span of minutes. If any Pennsylvania residents have encountered similar experiences, in Northampton County or elsewhere, please contact us.