Limbaugh safe from voter-fraud charges

[John Kerry VonErich]

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

Limbaugh safe from voter-fraud charges
Radio host encouraged fans to vote Democratic
Friday, March 28, 2008 2:59 AM
By Mark Niquette

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has been telling his audience for days now that he could be indicted for encouraging Ohio Republicans to take a Democratic ballot in the March 4 primary in what he calls "Operation Chaos."

Could that actually happen?

Not likely, Ohio officials say.

"We have no intention of prosecuting Rush Limbaugh because lying through your teeth and being stupid isn't a crime," said Leo Jennings, a spokesman for Democratic Attorney General Marc Dann.

When asked whether she has concerns about what Limbaugh did, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, replied, "I think it's very bad form, but I think most voters are intelligent enough to make their own decisions."

Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" in Ohio, Pennsylvania and other states holding presidential primaries is designed to help presumptive Republican nominee John McCain win the Nov. 4 election.

The idea is to encourage Republicans in those states to vote for Hillary Clinton as a way to prolong the Democratic fight for the nomination with Barack Obama, possibly making it more difficult for Democrats to unite in the fall.

Some critics have complained that Limbaugh is improperly encouraging voters to break the law.

In Ohio, party-switchers are supposed to sign a form attesting, under penalty of election falsification -- a felony -- that they support the principles of the party whose ballot they are obtaining.

But Jennings said it would be difficult to prosecute anyone because they also have constitutionally protected freedom of speech and it's hard to prove voter intent.

"You can't just make the assumption that someone is lying," Jennings said.



Read more: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/03/28/JAIL_RUSH.ART_ART_03-28-08_A8_HV9P3PM.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

[Demeter]

1. Bet Rush Would Like The Publicity to Save His Job

Hope he's history soon.

[NashVegas]

2. If They Arrested Rush

They'd have to arrest Barack Obama, too.

[babylonsister]

3. Why? nt

[librechik]

10. self delete --wrong spot!

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Let's see if this fat drug-riddled prick is laughing Nov. 5th

He's already lost.

His side is stuck with McCain as a nominee, and McCain isn't in the least what the rabid right was wishing for. Even if gramps wins the GE, the Limbaugh types are going to get sloppy seconds.

You've lost, fatso - but you're too stupid to realize it.

[Richardo]

5. "...lying through your teeth and being stupid isn't a crime,"

Leo Jennings is my new hero :rofl:

[Wickerman]

6. I have no choice but to make Leo Jennings' words my sig line for awhile

[lame54]

7. Rush is safe from any charges

[Dr.Phool]

9. Like most criminals.

He'll claim that he was high on drugs, and was really not responsible because he didn't know what he was doing.

Hey, it's believable, and he has a history.

[nxylas]

8. I'd love to see him prosecuted for the convention bullshit

It'd be awesome to see him forced to choose between admitting he was lying and doing jail time for election fraud.

[librechik]

11. "lying through your teeth and being stupid isn't a crime"

Damn! That's why we get nowhere with the impeachment thing, too, I suppose.

Unless a Democrat does it. Then it's a Capitol offense and we lose the transcripts.

[Jim Lane]

22. Isn't that a great line about Limbaugh?

Wikiquote is a project that collects quotations by and about notable people. I've added that one to the Wikiquote page for .

[librechik]

23. It's adorable

if only it weren't so effin sadbuttrue.

[L0oniX]

12. You can't just make the assumption that someone is telling the truth either.

[damntexdem]

13. We can make this assumption: if Limpballs is talking, he is lying.

But since "lying through your teeth and being stupid isn't a crime," Limpballs would be safe -- were that all he ever did. But he also takes drugs, so he may put himself at legal risk again. ;-)

[John Kerry VonErich]

16. Of course thats a "been there tried that" scenerio

nt

[bagrman]

14. Some one on Talk Radio suggested Civil suits by the hundreds be filed against him.

This would just over whelm the bastard and financially ruin him.

[John Kerry VonErich]

15. Wouldn't stick

Jennings made it perfectly clear that stupidity and lying isn't breaking the law.

[Thepricebreaker]

17. Limbuagh makes 30+ million a year.. your crazy.. many RW lawyers would work for him for free..

[onenote]

20. what would these civil lawsuits claim?

[bagrman]

24. I'm not sure just bringing up what was on the radio.

[iris5426]

18. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, replied, "I think it's very bad form

but I think most voters are intelligent enough to make their own decisions."

Not the idiots that listen to Rush...

:eyes:

[timtom]

19. Of course.

Silly of us to ask.

[Maeve]

21. A companion article--crossovers and legal status

"Ohio counties vary in challenging crossover voters"
There is a law against party-switching abuse, but experts say enforcement, clarity are lacking

Cuyahoga County elections officials challenged more than 20,000 voters in the March 4 Ohio primary who switched parties, requiring them to sign a form pledging support of their new party.

Franklin County challenged none.

A Dispatch review found wide discrepancies from county to county in how so-called crossover voters were treated at the polls on March 4.

Officials in some counties challenged crossover voters on Election Day, but not if they voted absentee.

Others, such as those in Butler County, challenged both. In Mahoning County, challenges were mandatory, but voters still got a ballot even if they refused to sign the form

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/03/28/CROSSOVERS.ART_ART_03-28-08_A1_HV9P3CM.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

[MADem]

25. The fault, Dear Brutus, is not in the asshole doing the exhorting, but the people doing the voting.

And how would those states "get" him?

He could tell everyone to jump off the roof, too. Or put all their money on Who's Yer Daddy in the fifth race.

It's an idiotic complaint, against an idiotic asshole. But ya know what it does? It gives him what he craves--PUBLICITY.

[lligrd]

26. Shouldn't He At Least Be Fired For Using The Public Air Waves

to encourage people to break the law?

[John Kerry VonErich]

27. nope

too big, and I ain't talking waist size either