Obama Files Suit Over GOP Foreclosure Vote Scheme

Michigan Messenger:

The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Michigan over the Michigan GOP's plan to use foreclosure lists to challenge voters at the polls, as first reported by the Michigan Messenger.

Bob Bauer, general counsel for the Obama campaign, and Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, announced the lawsuit in a conference call with reporters this afternoon. It was filed on behalf of the campaign, the party and three Michigan residents who have had their houses foreclosed upon in recent months.

Bauer called the GOP plan to use foreclosure lists "a new and especially repellent version of caging." Caging is a technique of challenging voters where they take lists of addresses, mail to them with a "do not forward" marking and if for whatever reason those mailings are returned, they use this as a basis for claiming that the voter no longer lives at the address at which they are registered.

Read the whole story: Michigan Messenger

Comments

[AgeofReason]

The only way the thugs can win is by dienfranchising voters. If Americans have a chance to speak on November 4, McCain will be back in the senate and Palin will be back under investigation in Alaska.

[StillAmused]

Republican philosophy: "We let 'em own a house for a while... now, they wanna VOTE, too?"

[cynicism101]

Oh, so now the D's want to listen to the voice of Michigan voters? Where were your concerns for Michigan during the primaries? In the last 6 months, the Ds have disenfranchised an entire state and now you're trying to misdirect as you feign concern for Michiganders.

Further, where does your legal team stand on the lawsuits in Wisconsin? Are you siding with the AG who is filing suit against the WI Gov Accountability Board who refuses to enforce state and federal law requiring validation of voter registrations? Or, do you support the perpetually partisan WI Governor's legal activity to fight against the AGs activity to make Wisconsin actually COMPLIANT with election law?

[djelimon]

I forgot the constitutional amendment that requires Michiganders have the right to disregard party rules during the primary without repurcussions.

Perhaps you can point it out?

[demandfortruth]

if american wanted to do something smart, it would be to reform the electoral process by not politicizing the election (i.e. not having democrats/republicans overseeing the process) and instead have an independent--someone who is paid to overlook and make sure everything runs smoothly. yes that will cost some money, but it insures fairness.

[wdw101]

who would you pick for this job and how

[one4obama]

I am sure all of you are aware that little children who feel that you are not paying enough attention to them will act up, just to get the attention.

wdw101 is doing the same thing - just begging for attention.

How about we all just ignore him/her. Don't keep feeding his/her gluttony for attention.

[wdw101]

what prompted that one......do tell

[SlithyTove]

What part of of the conservative focus on Original Intent of the Founding Fathers don't you understand?

Landed gentry and big corporations only, please. Losers, paupers...move along, now. The next Supreme Court will take care of this current misunderstanding about individual "rights".

[FirstShirt]

A vote for democrats is a vote for the disenfranchised!!

Democrats will be suing to support the old democratic party practice of having dead people vote. After all, they are vitally impaired and denial of their rights is something the democrats just can't tolerate. Admittedly their social skills aren't what they used to be, but that's also true of John McCain.

McCain/Palin 08

[one4obama]

Do you know how stoopid you sound? Really?

Sorry, but all you tr0lls and shi!!s need to find another site to dump your manure on. Don't you realize that people who post here that are for O will not be changed? And Indies that come here will make their decision on who to vote for on manure that you put out here.

What the undecideds want to know are issues, policies, truth. When you come here and present your non-facts (another word for lies), your innuendos and your ridiculous manure, the undecideds who come here are intelligent and they can see right through you.

Talk about being transparent!!!

[one4obama]

Oops!!

"And Indies that come here will make their decision on who to vote for on manure that you put out here."

Should have read -

And Indies that come here will make their decision on who to vote for on whether the manure you put out here is just that or has any legs to it.

[jadeba]

No, democrats are suing so people who have lost their homes don't also lose their vote. Why are so many repubs so heartless? I just don't get that. No sympathy, cannot empathize. It's all God, Jesus, God but they never live it - He's just another talking point.

[wdw101]

pay your bills.....you have no problem.......update address and .you have no problem

otherwise don't vote

[belief08]

FirstShirt;

This coming from a party of nothing but blatant and obvious thieves. You rob from the disadvantaged to give to the rich. When I saw that story on the HuffPost, I was absolutely furious that you ReThugs can be so blatant as to try and disenfranchise African Americans, when there were whites that were foreclosed on as well, but; they set out to disrupt and belittle the voting process for African Americans.

I forwarded that Mighigan story to the Obama website and I am glad to see that it is being investigated. Whether it was because of e-mail or someother alert, I'm just glad a few of you ReThugs will be put in their place. I hope they will be charged in some way, because this is clear intent on their part to disrupt this election.

[djelimon]

I had no idea dead people got forclosure notices

or are you changing the subject to some occurnece in the distant past?

How's about them whigs and know-nothings while we're at it?

[unscum]

THis is really big. It's probably the most important story on this website. Democrats should protect their base in states like Michigan otherwise it will be 2000 all over again and they will certainly loose.

[FirstShirt]

Right...registration is just a tool of the republicans. Who needs it? Bring them all in. Illegal aliens should have a right to vote for the party that will protect them. Drug addicts should be able to drag themselves in off the streets to vote for the person they are told to vote for. Forgot to register? No problem, we know you meant to.

[wdw101]

what? i really hope that was a joke.......

[bliss0027]

the american voting system is purposly designed to easily be corrupted

During our last national election (in Canada) I was living in another province (than my legal residency stated) as a student. I had moved around so much that i wasn't registered and didn't know where i was supposed to go.......I headed to the polling station closest to my current address at the time, 20 minutes before they closed. I was registered in that district within 10 minutes.....only needed a current proof of address (i.e. utility bill, lease) and two pieces of photo ID. That simple.

many comments on here suggest that it is the fault of the homeowners for being shut out, so I feel the need to point out that the right of every citizen to vote is fundamental.......no.....it is the COMPLETE foundation of democracy......the right to vote should be held over ALL OTHERS.....once that right is damaged, so too are all others.

I can hardly think of a valid reason that should disqualify a person from voting......the point of democracy is to GUARANTEE and PROTECT the right to vote......no matter what

[wdw101]

well isn't that just wonderful, good thing we don't live in a democracy........using that logic you could go to multiple places to vote if you had many utility bills......i pay the water for 7 buildings does that mean i could vote 7 times.....the buildings are in different voting districts

[bliss0027]

actually....that is why the american voting system in inherently flawed. In canada we have a National, uniform voting system......it's not province to province....everyone in the country votes the exact same way under the exact same system.

Obviously they check the system to see if your registered.....not registered.....you obviously didn't vote

and i believe it only works if you've filed your taxes.......and if i remember correctly i needed to also bring my lastest tax return. Not sure exactly how it works.....but i'm pretty sure they take simple precautions to prevent voter fraud

[stateMachine]

I agree, in a perfect world, only slum lords like you should vote. feudalism.

[UncommonSenz]

Way to ignore reality wdw (again)

They do check your name against the registration roles. You can't vote just because you have a bill. The bill is what they use to verify the name on the list (and cross it off). You can't vote multiple places with the same bill, just as you can't do that with an ID.

How bout keeping one toe in reality here...

[one4obama]

The only problem is, the people who will get caught in this situation have not a clue that this will happen. How many people go to the polling place armed with the necessary paperwork to prove that they reside at the residence they registered in?

The only way these people will know this situation is going on is if they routinely read the websites, but they have to go to websites that cover all these things. How many people do you think have no clue that HuffPo exists?

Yes, there should be a stop put to this practice, from either party.

Or, it should be that in order to vote, even if you ARE registered, you should be required to provide proof of your residency in order to cast your vote, that way every voter would come prepared to debunk any crooked poll worker or party from denying them their right to vote.

[Martee]

Kicking people when they're down! OH! THE DISHONOR!

[nellie]

Good links for this topic:

http://www.bradblog.com/
http://www.gregpalast.com/index.php
http://www.markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com/

[ccmd]

www.voteforchange.com

[Ron333wood]

That's rich...first you create the "Enron Loophole" that enable's these sub-prime lenders to take advantage of and manipulate the housing market and then you disenfranchise the victims. Screw me once...shame on you. Screw me twice...and you must be a Republican.

[wdw101]

victims? did they willingly sign the mortgage yes or no.....did they fail to update their address yes or no

[CtJean]

Were they informed that they had to change their address?

If living in a hotel or with family, is that a valid address?

If they are homeless are they not allowed to vote?

Remember Jim Crowe?

Are you that much of an a$$-hole?

Oh I forgot, you are a repug - nuff said

[Heavy]

Citizens still have a right to vote, even if they are forclosed on mo ron. Your party wants to ki ll the democratic process and will find any way to cheat it. Congrats. Keep cheerleading for criminals. Pathetic. You should do some reading about all the vi le things your party did in the last two elections. If you don't like democracy go live somewhere else.

[Okieborn]

As this election cycle goes on, I am gaining more and more respect for Sen. Obama !!
This gentleman has taken hits from the Republican base the neocons the conservative right wingers the media the swiftboaters Carl Rove Mccain and sister sarah
Sen Obama is going to be our next president of these Great United States in spite of CNN Fox Crap CBS ABC and the rest of the right wing media !!
Thank America for seeing through this mass of lies deceit and slime !!!

[one4obama]

"Screw me once...shame on you. Screw me twice...and you must be a Republican."

Oh gosh! That is even better than the screw up that Bush made of that phrase!

[rwe]

So the DNC is suing so that they can use the Obama Chicago style vote system ,vote and vote often , use the cemetaries,, get out the illegal alien vote and residency requirements hamper the ACORN organizing

[alvdh1]

The jerks you support couldn't win an election without rigging it. How dare you!

[Heavy]

Exit polls are always wrong in the favor of republicans. If you can't figure out why you need help.

[nellie]

The last case of voter fraud that was identified in this country was Anne Coulter. It's practically nonexistent.

[one4obama]

You are totally laughable. It is the Republican party that rigs the voting system. Remember 2000? And the 2004, well, either people were truly stupid to vote him back in, or that one was rigged as well. Hard to believe that there are that many stoopid people voting.

But, hey, you are one of those that falls in that group - explains an awful lot about your comments, doesn't it?

[NatteringNabobs]

The GOP...they have absolutely no problem kicking you when you're down.

I hope Dante has a special circle of hell for them.

[wdw101]

what is the problem with using foreclosure lists to validate voters.......shouldn't they have updated their registration to the new address.

[Summer313]

The problem is just because someone's home is in foreclosure does not mean they don't live there. They haven't updated voter registration w/ the new address because there is no new address.

[Heavy]

Why do you hate democracy? Everyone has a right to vote. You picked a bad thread little tro ll.

[nellie]

Using the address as an excuse to disenfranchise voters is pretty sleazy. It's been done with caging lists and special delivery letters that the resident may never receive.

We need to reform our voting rights legislation so that this kind of cheating is no longer possible. I'd even support voter registration id if it meant people could walk into their precinct and vote without being hassled.

[one4obama]

Yup - there is a special VIP room - they get better service than the average person.

That means, bigger fires, heavier ball and chains, deeper fire pits to stand in - you know, all the extra perks that comes with being special.

Of course, I won't be there to see all this.