tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/is_new_mexico_gop_lawyer_hirin.php
Zachary Roth - October 24, 2008, 9:20AM Minority voters in New Mexico report to TPMmuckraker that a private investigator working with Republican party lawyer Pat Rogers has appeared in person at the homes of their family members, intimidating and confusing them about their right to vote in the general election.
involved with a new effort to gin up concerns about the issue. Last week the state party falsely claimed that 28 people had voted fraudulently in a local Democratic primary race in June.
report on the allegations as "an attorney who advises the state GOP," told the news wire that the party planned to turn the suspect forms over to law enforcement authorities. The visits to minority voters by the PI appear to be connected to last week's effort.
announce that 28 people had voted fraudulently in a Democratic primary in June in Bernalillo county, which contains Albuquerque. The party released the names of ten of these people -- almost all of whom are Hispanic.
announced that it had contacted the county clerk's office, who had verified that all of the voters were in fact legitimate. The group now says it has independently contacted 8 of these 10 voters to separately verify their validity.
Guadalupe Bojorquez, who works in law enforcement in Albuquerque, told TPMmuckraker today that her mother, Dora Escobedo, was one of the ten voters whose names were released by the GOP. After this happened, said Bojorquez, her mother had been contacted by the voter registration group ACORN. Bojorquez, with ACORN's help, confirmed with the county clerk that her mother, who does not speak English, is indeed eligible to vote, and had been when she voted in June. Nonetheless, Bojorquez said that her mother yesterday received a visit from a man who asked for her personal information, including an ID, in reference to her eligibility to vote. Bojorquez told TPMmuckraker that according to her mother, at one point the man asked what she would do if immigration authorities contacted her. After Bojorquez's mother, frightened, refused to let him in the door, the man waited outside her house. Eventually, Bojorquez's brother arrived at the house, emboldening Bojorquez's mother to go outside, call Bojorquez, and put her on the phone with the man. Bojorquez said the man told her he wanted to make sure her mother knew that she shouldn't be voting, and continued to ask for her mother's personal information. When Bojorquez said that no information would be handed over unless the man revealed who he was employed by, he said he was a private investigator hired by Pat Rogers. He told Bojorquez his name was Al Romero, and left a number at which Bojorquez could contact him. Bojorquez added that in fact, her mother has already voted in the general election, by absentee ballot -- which she is eligible for because she has trouble walking -- so Romero's efforts on that front were in vain. Jenais Griego told TPMmuckraker that yesterday, as she arrived home with her kids, a man in a beige Chevy Silverado pulled up, removed a notebook from his pocket, and said he was looking for Emily Garcia. Garcia is Griego's grandmother -- Griego said Garcia, who works as a home care-giver, lists Griego's address for her mail -- and, like Escobedo, was one of the voters named by the GOP last week as having voted fraudulently in June. Griego said she allowed the man in, and when she asked him for identification, he pulled out a card that gave his name as Al Romero. She said the man had a redacted copy of Garcia's voter registration form, and asked whether Garcia intended to vote. He said if she intended to do so, she needed to make sure she was properly registered. As with Bojorquez and Escobedo, Griego said that Garcia had already confirmed after the GOP press conference that she was indeed a valid voter. An ACORN worker had come to her house to explain that the GOP had questioned her registration, and, along with Griego, they had contacted the county clerk to ensure that she could legitimately vote, and had done so in June. So when Romero asked Griego whether Garcia intended to vote, Griego replied that she did. At that point, said Griego, Romero became "angry" and "upset," and left abruptly. Rogers did not return several calls from TPMmuckraker seeking comment.
replied: "I have no interest in responding to ACORN's accusation." Reached by TPMmuckraker at the phone number he provided to Bojorquez, Romero said he didn't have time to talk about the matter.
Call the hotline # 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) for advice before you go to vote or for help if you are turned away at your election location. When you go to vote, take good ID, your cell phone, note paper & pencil.
user-pic Whoever has standing should immediately seek a restraining order against these bullies. And perhaps more: I'm certain there are laws, even outside election laws, which prohibit efforts to intimidate private citizens -- regardless whether one is working a political gambit -- Roberts -- or is another private citizen -- PI/THUG.
user-pic I don't like violence, but I think anybody who shows up at a home or a polling place in order to intimidate a voter needs to get his clock cleaned big time. There should be groups of "Guardian Angels" at polling places around the country to counter any right-wing vote intimidation attempts. If we're not willing to fight for our right to vote, then what's the point?
I would so love for one of these assholes to try to intimidate me from voting - or somebody else in front of me. I am currently carrying with me a copy of the US Constitution, a copy of the Kentucky constitution, and a copy of the Kentucky Revised Statutes on Voter Eligibility. I will read them in somebody's face, loudly and persistently for as long as it takes to make them shut up and go away.
user-pic What is the law in New Mexico about shooting someone who shows up at your home and threatens you? As I understand it (and I'm not a lawyer) it would be perfectly legal in Florida and Texas to simply shoot the guy. For once, I find myself favoring a largely Republican-backed law.
user-pic The reality is we would never be expecting something like this, and we wouldn't know how to react. Many of us would innocently show our ID since our instinct would be that we have nothing to hide, so we'd comply, and only after be angry about being bullied. It seems like during immigration debates I've heard of vigilantes demanding to see ID when they have no right to. Maybe we need to clarify the laws and make sure people understand who can demand ID and who can't.
user-pic Rogers, a state committeeman for the New Mexico Republican party, did not return several calls from TPMmuckraker seeking comment. But last week he said that the state had hired a private investigator in connection with vote fraud. It appears Rogers is constant not only at LYING but in actively committing FRAUD. Whoever has standing should sue his ass into the ground. And, respondiat superior, sue the NM Republican Party into the ground. When they lose a good chunk of THAT to civil rights violation suits, and personal injury torts, they will STOP engaging in these Mafia/Stalinist tactics. This is so infuriating that I'd call them with warning if I had their phone numbers, or website addresses, even though I'm on the other side of the country.
JAIL TIME I hope to hell the NM Democratic party jumps on this right away. They should be in court this morning and also filing a complaint with the US Attorney, state authorities, local authorities and anyone else they can get to move on this. If these pricks want pre-election publicity, give it to them.
user-pic Disbarment and forfeiture of any and all professional licenses goes a long way! Take away their means of support then sue for their existing assets. Then watch the GOP drop them like a hot potato never to be seen again.
user-pic I thought they could challenge you at the polls, not at your house, in person, away from public eyes and forum. In other elections, they needed suppressed and low turnouts. They needed all the errors and mistakes and bugs and funky machines to break THEIR way. This year, the Rs only have dirty tricks a...
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