March 09, 2005
Truth Held Hostage: Day 11

On February 21 one of the drooling-fool blogs broke the story of the Big Binder and its precinct reconciliation reports:

this binder and the poll books are sitting down there at KC Elections for anybody to inspect. And so I asked Egan if anybody – Rossi’s attorneys, the BIAW, know-it-all right-wing bloggers – had actually asked to see this binder, and she answered yes… a single Seattle reporter.
In fact, County Councilman David Irons has been asking to see the documents since January 24 and has only been stonewalled. I made a public records request for all requests to see the reconciliation documents (public records requests are themselves public records, available upon request. Be careful what you ask for). The only documents the county produced were a request from Keith Ervin of the Seattle Times, and the county's response. I can't say whether or not he is the same reporter alluded to in the quote at top. Ervin's request is dated Feb. 28. Here is King County's response to Ervin:
We will notify you ... as soon as a copy of the polling place reconciliation binder and any summary of this binder can be made available for your review. At this time, the Elections Section estimates that it may take up to 30 days to be responsive
A non-binding estimate of "up to 30 days" to see a binder that is "sitting down there at KC Elections for anybody to inspect"?

If I were the Seattle Times, I would be outraged.

King County also estimates that additional documents responsive to my request for other binder requests will be available by March 31, 2005. Hint: search Bill Huennekens' inbox for e-mails from any of the County Councilmembers and/or their staff.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 09, 2005 10:59 AM | Email This
Comments
1. Goldy has developed amnesia regarding the BIG BINDER. Goldy previously raised the BIG BINDER as the document to refute all Stefan's concerns. Goldy challenged all of us to go view this public document that is AVAILABLE for any of us to see.
Goldy is the new horsesass, isn't he.

Remember, the precindt pollbook reconciliations were required to be done on ELECTION DAY (November 2). Then the election officials (Logan and Huennekens) were required to identify ALL discrepancies, note them, investigate them, try to identify them AND REPORT THEM TO THE CANVASSING BOARD BEFORE CERTIFICATION.
They certified 3 different counts.
How in the world could something that was REQUIRED to be done 2-1/2 MONTHS ago still not be available to the public????
This is outrageous.
Obviously they are ALTERING Pollbooks, this BIG BINDER of precindt reconciliations or both.
There is no more "preparing" them. That was to be done 2-1/2 months ago.
Stefan--
With all the controversy, KingCo should have made an audio tape of it's Canvassing Board meetings. They did it in my little County so there would be clear documentation of EXACTLY what decisions were made.
Have you heard the KingCo tapes of Canvassing BOard meetings yet?????

If Logan did not tape those Canvassing Board meetings, that is even more outrageous. Then we have to rely on written minutes. Satterburg was supposedly there too. Get the tapes & minutes ASAP. I wonder if Logan accurately represented all the precindt pollbook reconciliation discrepancies?????????
I really have a problem with unelected Election Official Logan reporting to Canvassing Board member Logan and his trusty sidekick, Larry Phillips.

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on March 9, 2005 12:58 PM
2. Is the data from the binder so damning that they want to avoid releasing it as long as possible? It must be a case of 'if they are willing to take the kind of heat and embarrassment they are taking now about the binder, the results of exposing the TRUTH must be even worse'.

Maybe the evidence is so bad that KC fears the judge in the Rossi case will issue an injunction to keep Gregoire from signing any of the legislation being shoved through the legislature? (We can only hope...)

Posted by: KC in Oly on March 9, 2005 01:29 PM
3. It's ,"horse's ass", not, "horsesass". That's gonna bring your grade down to a C- , mister. And don't accuse me of being cynical. I'm being sardonic.

Posted by: headless lucy on March 9, 2005 01:33 PM
4. Lucy put your head back where it's been all this time, up your backside.

Posted by: Adriel on March 9, 2005 01:53 PM
5. Lucy put your head back where it's been all this time, up your backside.

Posted by: Adriel on March 9, 2005 01:53 PM
6. Adriel: Could you say that again?

Adriel: Could you say that again?

Posted by: headless lucy on March 9, 2005 02:26 PM
7. Just wanted to stress the point, and also force the thought that you never bring anything of relevance/worth to the table.

Posted by: Adriel on March 9, 2005 02:39 PM
8. Adriel--
Ronald Reagan had "headless lucy" in mind when he said,
"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."

Headless lucy defends the public education system while posting from a government computer using government internet access in a government office in a government building with on government payroll. OUTSTANDING!!!

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on March 9, 2005 03:28 PM
9. Headless lucy defends the public education system while posting from a government computer

It's not just any government computer.

"headless lucy" posts from the Seattle Public School District!

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on March 9, 2005 03:30 PM
10. Stefan,
Let me ask you this. Has the GOP requested to see the reconciliation docs (binder) yet. Your comments suggest, no. This is very puzzling.

Posted by: chew2 on March 9, 2005 03:41 PM
11. "Chew: Has the GOP requested to see the reconciliation docs (binder) yet. Your comments suggest, no.

Chew has a florid imagination.

My comments suggest nothing of the kind. I'm not in the loop on the GOP's information requests and I do not know what they have and have not asked for.

I do know that King County has not disclosed all of the requests that it has received for the information.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on March 9, 2005 03:45 PM
12. chew2 & Stefan - It would be interesting if Berendt's party has made a public request to see the reconciliation docs (binder) also. It would be puzzling if they have made a request, because they - already have access to it!!

Posted by: Mike J on March 9, 2005 04:01 PM
13. That makes the 3rd person known using a government computer, time, property, posting on blogs all day. DPK-city of bellevue, Headless-seattle school dist and torridjoe-city of portland.
Nice use of our tax dollars guys. We will remember this when you try to raise taxes and ask us to vote on your levy. what a waste.

Posted by: chardonnay on March 9, 2005 04:14 PM
14. Stefan,

You say: "Chew has a florid imagination.

My comments suggest nothing of the kind. I'm not in the loop on the GOP's information requests and I do not know what they have and have not asked for."

Why don't you call them up and ask them. I assume you are on good enough terms to do that. They may already have obtained them in their discovery requests and might provide you a copy. As I said I find it puzzling they haven't dones this already.

The article you quoted suggested only one other request had been made, and not by the GOP. That's why I made my "florid" suggestion.

But of course, other requests have probably been made since that article. You jogged my memory, and I seem to recall that some guy in the comments section claimed he went down their to request those docs also, and was told there were 30 to 40 others waiting for the information also. But the legal discovery process is separate from this FOIA process.

Posted by: chew2 on March 9, 2005 04:43 PM
15. This site is focused solely on voter intimidation. Any reasonable person would conceed that it's totally unreasonable to ask someone for their ID or whether or not they are a citizen when they try to vote. Even if over a thousand felons and a few more noncitizens and some really dead people voted (out of OVER three million voters), what's the big deal? They all voted Republican anyway. Hmmm, what's next - purge the voter rolls and have everyone re-register?? Puhleeese! That took nearly 30 days in Iraq and cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, money that we cannot afford to spend when the state is running a nearly $2B deficit. That would do nothing but intimidate the core Democratic constiuency from voting. As far as I know, there is no crime in having your mail forwarded to another state or foreign country or registering to vote at the King County elections office. The reality is that Christine Gregoire won this election fair square, as far as anybody knows at this point in time. There's no need for you to see any big binder anytime soon.

Posted by: zapporo on March 9, 2005 08:09 PM
16. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Zapporo, thats hilarious. I didn't realize you were into satire.

Posted by: Mark Beyer on March 10, 2005 07:43 AM
17. I think Sapporro is on to something.

I know that as a voter I quake continuously at this website. As a reasonable person I too insist on voting often, cashing checks, and driving willy-nilly without having to show any ID. I also agree that when I am *really* dead, I should have the same right to vote as anyone else. Its a big deal to me. Further, when dead I will remember to vote Republican and like Sapporro I will refuse to show my ID.

Sapporro, imagine. If we spend hundreds to have everyone re-register they will not spend it on other things you probably don't like either.

I must admit that you make the whole issue crystal clear. If the State requires people to be alive, identify themselves, and abide by the law it would intimidate most democrats.

Sapporro, as far as you know maybe we should send ballots to many far off places. It would be an ecumenical coup for diversity and egalitarianism that could save $2B (minus postage).

Like you say, as far as you know maybe Christine Gregoire won or lost the big binder fair square so she should not be intimidated or show ID and neither should we.

For that matter so far as you know, you are Christine Gregoire. Are you Christine Gregoire?

Posted by: Amusedbyou on March 10, 2005 10:11 AM
18. I think Sapporro is on to something.

I know that as a voter I quake continuously at this website. As a reasonable person I too insist on voting often, cashing checks, and driving willy-nilly without having to show any ID. I also agree that when I am *really* dead, I should have the same right to vote as anyone else. Its a big deal to me. Further, when dead I will remember to vote Republican and like Sapporro I will refuse to show my ID.

Sapporro, imagine. If we spend hundreds to have everyone re-register they will not spend it on other things you probably don't like either.

I must admit that you make the whole issue crystal clear. If the State requires people to be alive, identify themselves, and abide by the law it would intimidate most democrats.

Sapporro, as far as you know maybe we should send ballots to many far off places. It would be an ecumenical coup for diversity and egalitarianism that could save $2B (minus postage).

Like you say, as far as you know maybe Christine Gregoire won or lost the big binder fair square so she should not be intimidated or show ID and neither should we.

For that matter so far as you know, you are Christine Gregoire. Are you Christine Gregoire?

Posted by: Amusedbyou on March 10, 2005 10:14 AM
19. You know, this is so clear and indefensible if you are open minded. If it is true, and I am still open minded that this is just a ploy, that their is actually dead people and felons that had voted in the election, then this was a manipulated election!

I have noticed that there is practically NO NEWS organizations reporting on this story! Hmm, are they in bed with the Democratic party! Sorry, that was a stupid question because it is obvious tha they are. When the election twice showed Rossi as the winner, those news organizations were all over this thing saying that the election is not over!!!!

I HATE Lawyers and Politicians, which are basically the same, but believe that this election has been so severely compromised that is has to been run through the legal system to show the problem! I hope the Dems can live with the fact that the MAJORITY won the election.

I don't fault the Dems for there position because they have there beliefs, I fault the ELECTION OFFICIALS for screwing up this election! They should be FIRED for their TERRIBLE work!

Posted by: VotersPrivilege on March 14, 2005 12:19 AM
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