Kirk On Secret Tape: We're Keeping Close Eye On Voting In Black Neighborhoods

[one_voice]

In a private phone conversation that was secretly recorded, Mark Kirk, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Illinois, told state Republican leaders last week about his plan to send "voter integrity" squads to four predominately African American neighborhoods of Chicago "where the other side might be tempted to jigger the numbers somewhat."

Kirk's campaign confirmed the candidate was secretly taped last week as he was talking about his anti-voter fraud effort.

"These are lawyers and other people that will be deployed in key, vulnerable precincts, for example, South and West sides of Chicago, Rockford, Metro East, where the other side might be tempted to jigger the numbers somewhat," he said in the audio posted on YouTube.

As TPMMuckraker has reported, accusations from conservatives that ineligible voters are fraudulently stealing elections for Democrats have continued to fly in the 2010 campaign cycle, despite the lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud. "Voter fraud" has been the rally cry for conservative groups seeking to make it more difficult to cast ballots and suppress minority voter turnout. In particular this election cycle, Tea Party groups have taken up the issue, and Democratic groups have called for assurances that poll watchers trained by such groups are clear on polling station rules.

~snip~

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/mark_kirk_sends_poll_watchers_to_vulnerable_largel.php?ref=fpa

[gateley]

1. Voter integrity squads

:scared:

These racists disgust me.

[formercia]

7. Noriega's Dignity Battalions:

--snip--


The Government of Panama adopted a practice of detaining and harassing the political opposition, seizing their property and forcing them to leave the country. This reprehensible government conduct prevented a major group from participating in election activities and thus gave the government coalition an advantage. Many journalists and members of the opposition were detained for long periods without being charged.<4>

Amid the outcry, Noriega unleashed his Dignity Battalions to suppress demonstrations.<5> In an image caught on video and played out in news sources around the world, they attacked Billy Ford's car. Ford's bodyguards were shot and killed. Billy Ford attempted to flee as one member of the Dignity Battalions pummeled him repeatedly with a metal pipe. This image, displayed on the front cover of the May 22, 1989 TIME magazine<6>, brought worldwide attention to Noriega's regime.

The other two presidential candidates were also severely beaten.<7>

--snip--

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignity_Battalions

[groovedaddy]

2. If they don't like how minorities are voting, can't they just re-calibrate the evms? ;-) n.t

[Jackpine Radical]

5. They keep up that "voter fraud" bullshit as a cover

for the real electoral fraud, which is what they're perpetrating.

[tavalon]

6. Of course they can, but they like to have a varied agenda of intimidation

and doubt because then the jiggered numbers might make some sense. Or not.

[pepperbear]

3. oh look, the "white panthers" strike again!

[Oceansaway]

4. K&R...n/t

[gatorboy]

8. "Jigger"?

Stay classy, Republicans.

[xchrom]

9. it's the old magic act -- wave something distracting -- like voter fraud --

while you actually commit voter fraud.

[Scurrilous]

10. K & R

:thumbsup:

[malaise]

11. They're planning to nationalize

Florida 2000.