LATEST ON OHIO HEARINGS

From: "Raging Grannie (Wanda Ballentine)"
Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 12:48:11 -0500
Subject: Latest on Ohio hearings

Friends,

We in Columbus wanted to give you an update on the Ohio public hearings.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN THIS EMAIL:

1) The momentum is growing!
2) What you can do to help
3) The latest version of the Ohio Public Hearings Call for Support

1) The Momentum is growing!

We are pleased to announce that, because all of you have done such an
excellent job spreading the word, the hearings have already attracted the
attention of newspapers, journals, magazines, TV/radio stations, online
journals, etc., from around the country. The spokespeople for the hearings
have been taking interviews almost non-stop for the past week, and we have
confirmation that Pacifica Radio (http://www.pacifica.org), as well as WVKO
Columbus, will be broadcasting the hearings in their entirety. We have also
heard rumor that C-SPAN will be covering portions of the hearings -- stay
tuned for confirmation on this.

Also, remember to check <http://www.indyvoter.org> and
<http://www.freepress.org> for the most current updates/announcements on the
hearings.

2)  What you can do to help

There are several things that we can all do to help with the hearings:

1. Keep spreading the word. Spam your friends, family, neighbors,
acquaintances, etc. with the announcement.

2. Contact your politicians ASAP! Make sure every city, county, state, U.S.
politician/official knows about these hearings and about the deep,
systematic injustices that plague our electoral system. As of now, six
members of Congress have called for an investigation of the elections:
Representatives Conyers (D-MI), Holt (D-NJ), Nadler (D-NY), Scott (D-VA),
Watt (D-NC) and Wexler (D-FL), have demanded ìan investigation of the
efficacy of voting machines and new technologies used in the 2004 election,
how election officials responded to difficulties they encountered, and what
we can do in the future to improve our election systems and administration.
Contact your U.S. Congressional representatives and urge them to support
their call. Also, go to <http://www.moveon.org/investigatethevote/> to sign
the MoveOn.Org petition.

3. DONATE. The public hearings are completely citizen-run, and although our
expenses have been reduced dramatically through pro bono service from the
presiding attorneys, we are still faced with the costs of flying in experts
to give testimony, hiring stenographers to transcribe the event, getting the
standard supplies needed to run the hearings (i.e., copies, pens, nametags,
etc.), and making sure people from Ohio who come to testify are treated MUCH
better than they were when they went to the polls by offering snacks and
refreshments. So please, if you would be willing to donate, it would help
tremendously. Visit <http://www.indyvoter.org/ohio> to give online.

3) Here is the latest version of the "Call for Public Hearings"

Did we have free and fair elections in 2004? Here is your chance to tell us
about what happened to you on Election Day. They might have conceded - but
we haven't conceded our right to have our votes counted.

This is a nonpartisan statewide call to action for public hearings on Ohio
voting irregularities. Voters and poll workers from around the state are
invited to testify at one the following times:

Saturday, November 13, 2004, 1-4 PM
New Faith Baptist Church
955 Oak Street
Columbus, Ohio 43205

Monday, November 15, 6-9 PM,
Meeting Room A, Courthouse
373 S. High St.
Columbus, OH

We are calling for any individuals or organizations that have information
about election irregularities or voter suppression that occurred before,
during or after the elections to give their testimony.

We are calling for our public officials, community representatives and the
media to come and hear the testimony of the people.

We will document and/or videotape the testimonies for use in a report and a
formal complaint to the Franklin County Board of Elections.

This is a public space to respond to the systemic undermining of our
democratic process and assess how to respond to racial disenfranchisement
and suppression of democratic rights.

We are seeking support from US Congressional Representatives, Ohio State
Representatives, nonpartisan organizations, and community and national
leaders. Experts and investigative reporters are invited to present
testimony as well.

To get involved, sponsor this call, or testify on Saturday or Monday,
contact:

Columbus League of Pissed Off Voters
<ohiohearings@yahoo.com> Amy Kaplan and Jonathan Meier, 614/405-2160

Endorsed By:

The Ohio Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections (CASE-OH), Common Cause
Ohio, Ohio Election Reform Now, Columbus Institute for Contemporary
Journalism, WVKO Radio, League of Young Voters, Code Pink, Global Exchange,
People for the American Way Foundation, IPPN, Election Protection Coalition,
This Time We're Watching, Driving Votes, Truth Force Training Center,
International Labor Communications Association, No Stolen Elections
Coalition, Liberty Tree, Alliance for Democracy, Ohio Voterization Project,
Black Voices for Peace, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San
Francisco Bay Area, Global Women's Strike, Women of Color in the Global
Women's Strike, Payday, Citizens for a Fair Vote Count, Citizens for
Democracy and Ending Corporate Rule, Cobb/Lamarche Campaign

Here are examples of the types of voter suppression/disenfranchisement that
we are hoping to call attention to:

Countdown, Keith Olberman, MSNBC:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6442857/

NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/06/politics/campaign/06ohio.html

Machine error gives Bush 3,893 extra votes in Ohio, USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/evoting/2004-11-06-ohio-=20
evote-trouble_x.htm

Warren's vote tally walled off, Cincinnati Enquirer:
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/11/05/loc_warrenvote05.html

Kerry Won. Greg Palast, Tompaine.com:
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/kerry_won_.php

Was the Ohio Election Honest and Fair? Institute for Public Accuracy:
http://www.accuracy.org/press_releases/PR110304.htm

Worse Than 2000: Tuesday's Electoral Disaster, William Rivers Pitt,
Truthout:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/110804A.shtml

None Dare Call it Voter Suppression and Fraud, Bob Fitrakis, Free Press:
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/983

And so the sorting and discarding of Kerry votes begins, Bob Fitrakis, Free:
Press http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/985

............

That's all for now. Again, we in Ohio are sending our deepest love and
appreciation for everything you all have been doing to make these hearings a
success and to keep hope alive! Thank you!

In respect,
Amy and Jonathan.
614/405-2160
<ohiohearings@yahoo.com>

-----------

MORE ENDORSEMENT & CONTACT INFORMATION

http://www.indyvoter.org/

ENDORSERS:

* Ohio State Senator Teresa Fedor
* Ohio State Senator Ray Miller
* Carol Mosley Braun
* Cobb/LaMarche campaign
* League of Pissed Off Voters (www.indyvoter.org )
* freelance journalist Lynn Landes
* Dr. Robert Fitrakis, Ph.D, J.D.
* Bill Moss, community leader/former Columbus School Board Member
* Lawyers Committee For Civil Rights in San Francisco Bay Area
* Medea Benjamin - Code Pink & Global Exchange
* Ted Glick - IPPN
* Wisconsin Green Party
* Ohio Green Party
* Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, San Francisco
* Driving Votes (www.drivingvotes.org )
* Chris Vaeth - Truth Force Training Center
* International Labor Communications Association
* No Stolen Elections Coalition (www.nov3.us )
* Liberty Tree
* Black Voices for Peace
* Alliance for Democracy
* Global Women's Strike (www.globalwomenstrike.net)
* Women of Color in the Global Women's Strike
* Payday (www.refusingtokill.net )
* Citizens for Democracy and Ending Corporate Rule
* Sybil Edwards-McNabb Ohio State Caucus of the NAACP

............

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

To testify, show up.

If you are unable to attend but would like to submit written testimony,
contact:

Jeff Zelli: <ohiohearings@yahoo.com> with TESTIMONY in the subject line.

To volunteer, contact: Amy Kaplan - <amy@indyvoter.org> 614.405.2160.

To sponsor this call to action by promoting it to your networks and/or
donating, send an email to: <ohiohearings@yahoo.com> with SPONSOR in the
subject line or call Navina: 425.269.5194.

Media - contact Naina Khanna, <naina@indyvoter.org> 347.528.6023



NHNE News