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Durbin calls for federal probe

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Illinois

* Sen. Dick Durbin has sent a letter to the US Attorney General asking her to look into vote-by-mail problems in Rock Island County…

Dear Attorney General Lynch:

I write to urge the Department of Justice to look into reports of a troubling incident involving unprocessed absentee ballot requests in Illinois.

Last week, more than 1,500 absentee ballot requests were discovered in a Rock Island post office box. News reports indicate that a third party group solicited these ballot requests from voters, but delayed submission of the requests to the Rock Island County Clerk’s office for processing. The ballot requests accumulated for several days, and they were found at the post office after voters contacted the County Clerk, asking when they would receive their absentee ballots. Officials have indicated that similar incidents may have also occurred in other Illinois counties.

Thankfully, following the discovery, the absentee ballot requests in Rock Island were forwarded on to the County Clerk, who has indicated that all of the applicants will be mailed absentee ballots. Local law enforcement and the Illinois Attorney General are reportedly now investigating the incident to determine if it involved a criminal effort to suppress the vote.

Voting is, as the Supreme Court has said, a right “preservative of all rights.” Efforts to suppress this fundamental right should be promptly investigated, remedied, and, if appropriate, prosecuted. In light of the troubling nature of this incident, I urge the Department to examine this case, provide assistance to local and state law enforcement officials as they investigate the case, and, if warranted, pursue a Federal investigation of the incident.

There’s a ton of paranoia out there that the group was sitting on Democratic applications. But the local county clerk told me yesterday that the apps also came from Republicans, and some top Republicans told me yesterday they were not pleased at all with the way that process was handled by the Illinois Opportunity Project because some of their voters were in that undelivered stack, too.

* This is also more than just a stretch…

The Illinois Opportunity Project on Wednesday said Rock Island County Democrats and the Illinois Attorney General’s office are suppressing voter turnout and harassing people involved in its vote-by-mail program.

“This is a clear case of powerful politicians, including and especially Attorney General Lisa Madigan, using their offices to harass their political opponents,” said Pat Hughes, co-founder of the conservative group. “In doing so, they are denying numerous Illinoisans one of their most basic civil liberties: the right to vote.”

On Friday, Rock Island County Clerk Karen Kinney said she thought the Chicago-based nonprofit group cofounded by radio host Dan Proft might be part of a voter suppression scheme. Her comments came after more than 1,500 Rock Island County absentee ballot applications were found in a Rock Island post office box rented by the organization. […]

“How am I suppressing anything?” [Kinney] asked. “I want to be able to administer a fair process here for the voters. I don’t care what party you’re with.

“Here’s my fear,” she said. “I want my applications. What if someone shows up on Monday and dumps a bunch of applications on me that I can’t process?”

The clerk is right. She’s just trying to get the ballot applications into her office on time. Hughes is upset because the clerk, the attorney general and others have been on his case to process his group’s applications. But, that’s what they do, particularly when the apps aren’t being delivered on a regular basis.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:36 am

Comments

Why are 3rd parties allowed to solicit for absentee ballot applications in the first place? There are ways to get in touch with the county office and get one. Seems to me that allowing 3rd parties to get involved is asking for trouble. Whats next- being allowed to cast your ballot at your partys’ local campaign office?

Comment by Thoughts Matter Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:43 am
==Dear Attorney General Lynch:===

That’ll cause some problems at this point alone.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:46 am
If it was just a case of forgetfulness, with no devious intent, why can’t Hughes say so? Sometimes an admission of a screw-up can allay suspicions about a conspiracy.

Comment by anon Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:49 am
How is Hughes being harassed? Whose vote is being suppressed by making him process the applications he took?

Makes no sense. Goes to credibility and motivation.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:50 am
== But the local county clerk told me yesterday that the apps also came from Republicans ==

That begins to answer the key question. Let’s see who those 1,500 folks were who filled out the applications. If they are mostly voters who pull GOP primary ballots, then we know we’re dealing with an incompetent GOTV operation by Proft. If most of the 1,500 applications came from Dem precincts in the Quad Cities, then it’s likely a voter suppression effort.

Given the work product we’ve seen from Proft this cycle, I’m betting on incompetence.

Comment by Roman Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:51 am
As Officer Barbery would say, ” Nothing to see here.”

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:54 am
According Kinney as reported by WVIK ne a few days ago, the man who brought the applications to Kinney’s office brought in opened applications. So, I would like to see an answer by IOP to this question/request by the AG’s office:

Proprietary information about procedures and processing of the mail. In particular, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office asked: does IOP open the mail and does it deliver originals of mailed materials to the clerk’s office?

My question: Is this standard operating procedure by the Dems as well? Or, is it prohibited by any organization?

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:56 am
===“Here’s my fear,” she said. “I want my applications. What if someone shows up on Monday and dumps a bunch of applications on me that I can’t process?”===

File this under the…

“You have one job!”

… mocking.

To the Post,

The passiveness of “Proft” or his Crew allows the laziness to be excused(?)

The shady appearance is rehabilitated by explaining that “we just didn’t get to the box”

Brutal situation. Brutal.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:57 am
A majority of Americans believe that the 2016 election is rigged. Senators from both political parties claim this. Presidential candidates claim this. Released emails revealed this. Now Durbin is confirming this as well.

Government has lost legitimacy and the election process, FBI, IRS, law enforcement, Federal Justice Department, media journalists, and the Pope himself has suffered a collapse as well.

Politics Uber Alles begets chaos.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:57 am
===Why are 3rd parties allowed to solicit for absentee ballot applications===

Why shouldn’t a third party be able to help people vote?

===Given the work product we’ve seen from Proft this cycle, I’m betting on incompetence.===

For the last two weeks I’ve been getting mail for the wrong legislative district and the correct legislative district. It’s kinda funny to the point where I’m starting to wonder if they’re conducting an experiment.

Seriously, though — that’s why there should be an investigation to find out what’s up.

Comment by Anon Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:58 am
In the State in which the party of Madigan has done more to suppress the will of the electorate- Durbin’s concern is laughable.

Comment by Sue Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 9:59 am
===Government has lost legitimacy and the election process, FBI, IRS, law enforcement===

What’d the IRS do this election cycle?

If the IRS has lost legitimacy, it’s because their staffing levels have been allowed to drop to a ridiculously low level that prevents them from being able to actually carry out the law.

Comment by Anon Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:00 am
===According Kinney as reported by WVIK ne a few days ago, the man who brought the applications to Kinney’s office brought in opened applications===

The county clerk speculated that they tossed the envelopes because of the postal date stamp.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:01 am
=Why are 3rd parties allowed to solicit for absentee ballot applications in the first place?=

Exactly. My mom (96) told me she got a form in the mail and she was going to fill it out and vote by mail. She was supposed to mail it to some downstate P.O. Box. I told her to throw in the garbage and we requested one online instead. Received her ballot within a week.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:02 am
I’d chalk it up to Proft and Hughes’ incompetence more than anything.

Comment by Michael Westen Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:04 am
Glad to see Sue found to bring Madigan into it.

Madigan and the incompetent Proft PAC’s he controls?

Victimhood noted.

Comment by illini97 Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:07 am
Rich- “The county clerk speculated that they tossed the envelopes because of the postal date stamp.”

If true, Pat better start “spinnin’” even faster.

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:07 am
And I called Orr’s office, but they didn’t seemed concerned.

Comment by TibnyDancer(FKASue) Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:10 am
===She was supposed to mail it to some downstate P.O. Box.===

Maybe we should change the law to allow for third parties to direct the absentee ballot request back to individual election authorities?

Or — to require them to.

Either way, it doesn’t sound like you’re worried about 3rd parties.

What if the AARP wants to help make sure their members can vote?

Comment by Anon Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:13 am
Roman at 9:51 is correct. We need to see the primary voting history of the 1500 people in question. If it’s 75% or more Hard D’s, for example, then it’s a voter suppression scheme.

Comment by Fusion Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:15 am
3rd parties should not be allowed to solicit for absentee applications period. This only opens the door for voter suppression.

Comment by Mal Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:24 am
This is what happens when there is a powerful belief that voters are ignorant, gullible rubes. Partisan politics rips communities into groups and stereotypes them into sub-human cartoons.

The more we tear one another down over candidates, the more each side believes that conspiracies and electoral rigging is the only reason the other side wins a majority of the votes.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:29 am
Of course 3rd parties should be allowed to GOTV. However, shunting mailed applications through a 3rd-party mailing address should be prohibited. There is no legitimate purpose for this. At best it introduces needless delay; at worst it opens the door to malicious delay and tampering. All applications should be mailed directly to the County Clerk or other suitable public authority. Any organization that directs mailed applications to a private address should be subject to criminal penalties.

Comment by X-prof Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:31 am
Another flawless Dan Proft production. It amazes me that people still give him money to work in politics.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:37 am
Why wouldn’t the third party mail solicitations include an envelope addressed directly to the clerk? Do they all do it that way? I know we got some, but we didn’t use them so I didn’t look at the envelope.

Comment by burbanite Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:41 am
The IRS admitted to targeting political groups in order to shut them down. The President acknowledged it happened and promised justice and change. Nothing happened. No reforms. No heads rolled. An acknowledged scandal exposing the IRS as a political tool was swept under the rug.

It’s been in the news.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:48 am
===This only opens the door for voter suppression.===

Nah, where there are votes the door is open for voter suppression. Allowing for 3rd parties to solicit absentee ballot requests from voters allows advocacy groups, citizen engagement groups, state and local parties, and the campaigns themselves to help make it easier for their voters to vote.

If anything is a factor in voter suppression, it’s usually a government entity itself involved, hence, you know, most of U.S. history were votes were suppressed by law.

Removing 3rd parties from the picture would likely reduce voter participation.

Comment by Anon Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:53 am
===It’s been in the news.===

Breitbart News.

Are you off your meds again VM?

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:56 am
===The IRS admitted to targeting political groups in order to shut them down.===

That didn’t occur this election cycle, and your take away from it should be that the IRS isn’t allowed to investigate whether or not a charity is engaged in restricted political activity — which is what they were trying to investigate.

They weren’t trying to shut down political organizations, they were trying to deny certain tax benefits to organizations that are political in nature rather than charities. The paperwork and the distinction are unnecessary to operate as a non-profit political group.

Comment by Anon Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 10:57 am
It was acknowledged as a real issue by the IRS and the President.

The thread is about how voters are overly skeptical about this election. The IRS scandal happened. It is a part of this mess.

Claiming I get this information from Breitbart only proves my point!

Check with the White House.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 11:08 am
“Are you off your med school again VM?”

Uncool. Unfunny. Unintelligent.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 11:11 am
The Southern had this from Hughes in a recent update:

The Illinois Opportunity Project’s applications went out to voters Oct. 11 and 12, he said, and they were temporarily held up at the post office once returned because the group had to pay for prepaid postage.

When the group was notified Oct. 21, a representative went in the next day and paid the outstanding balance, he said, adding that it took a few days for the check to clear so that the mail could be released.

http://tinyurl.com/zwkysbd

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 11:33 am
You hyperbole is bordering on the hysterical. An investigation of the IRS found nothing worth pursuing charges over.

It is people like you who repeat these falsehoods and distortions that perpetuate the notion that the system is rigged. The IRS scandal is part of this mess, but not for the reasons you claim. It is a symptom of the disease people like you are spreading.

You’re smart enough to know better. That you still choose to spout this garbage makes me question your intentions, and sometimes, your mental health.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 11:35 am
== Why wouldn’t the third party mail solicitations include an envelope addressed directly to the clerk? Do they all do it that way? ==

Seems to vary by group. I know we got t the had flyers that had this or that address, and at least one set that had the County Clerk’s Office address.

We ended up using the ones addressed to the County Clerk’s Office. I got mine in about 3 days and Mrs got hers in 6 or 7 days.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 11:37 am
Is Senator Durbin being hysterical?
President Obama?

I agree with them.
Last time I checked they weren’t basing their actions on extremist publications either.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 12:14 pm
===A majority of Americans believe that the 2016 election is rigged. Senators from both political parties claim this. Presidential candidates claim this. Released emails revealed this. Now Durbin is confirming this as well.===

First, a majority does not believe this, unless you are hiding the polling to support it. Second, Durbin called for the US Attorney to look into the Rock Island County situation. And you use that fact and this thread to launch into this intellectual nugget of brilliance:

“Government has lost legitimacy and the election process, FBI, IRS, law enforcement, Federal Justice Department, media journalists, and the Pope himself has suffered a collapse as well.”

You are unhinged sir. Own it.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 12:25 pm
In the Quad Cities, the county clerk is just trying to do her job. When she discovered 1500 applications were sitting in a post office, they started an inquiry to find out what was happening - as they should, as any good public official would. The conservative group got very defensive right out of the gate and hurled allegations back onto the democrats to try to win a PR battle.

Comment by Downstate Democrat Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:18 pm
==- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 11:11 am:

“Are you off your med school again VM?”

Uncool. Unfunny. Unintelligent.===

All 3 describe 47 perfectly. If you can’t convince; connive. That’s 47.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:25 pm
Coming from a huckster like you A guy, that’s high praise. I’m flattered.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:33 pm
It’s not my blog, 47. But if it was, I really would sit you down for 10 days and give you probation there after. Your remarks are beyond the pale and personal. Hateful in fact. And you’re just the kind of guy who would be flattered that you’ve lowered the standard of a conversation. Guys like you need to hire pall bearers.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:03 pm
Right back at you pal.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:05 pm
Ran longer than the Kankakee kerfuffle. But not by much.

Comment by walker Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:52 pm
XXXXVII,

Where else would you leave it?

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 4:35 pm