Limbaugh's Lying Voters Under Investigation

"Operation Chaos," Rush Limbaugh's campaign urging Republicans to vote for Hillary Clinton in Democratic primaries, has been very effective. It doubled Republican turnout in Ohio and Texas, boosting Clinton and prolonging the Democratic race. But in Ohio, it was also almost certainly illegal.

Ohio law requires that citizens genuinely support a political party in order to vote in its primary. To change parties for a primary, a citizen must pledge, under the penalty of election falsification, that she is affiliated with the party and "supports" its principles. Lying on the pledge is a felony, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. The law also stipulates that poll workers have a "duty" to challenge voters who are "not a member of the political party whose ballot the person desires to vote."

In Cuyahoga, Ohio's largest county, 16,000 Republicans switched parties for the primary last month. Several did so in bad faith, without truly changing parties, according to newspaper interviews and Internet postings. The Cuyahoga Board of Elections recently voted to investigate the matter; a report is expected on March 31. Despite the massive crossover voting, however, prosecutions are considered unlikely. A spokesperson for Ohio's Attorney General told Alternet that it is "very hard to prosecute" crossover voting cases, since the crime depends on proving a voter's motive on Election Day.

Limbaugh's motives, however, have been perfectly clear from the start. "I'm asking people to cross over, and if they can stomach it and I know it's a difficult thing to do, vote for Clinton," Limbaugh said before the Ohio primary. The goal, he explained, was to ensure Barack Obama was "bloodied up politically" and to extend the Democratic primary "soap opera."

Since the Ohio investigation began, Limbaugh has revved up his special brand of self-promotional damage control. He ran several segments defending "Operation Chaos" with the disingenuous argument that politicians also ask for crossover voters. Of course, intent makes all the difference: Reagan Democrats actually supported Reagan. Limbaugh's campaign is under legal scrutiny because he asked people to crossover in bad faith -- to tamper with elections. But for $19.95, Limbaugh is still hawking shirts and caps emblazoned with "Operation Chaos," so listeners can join the program's "street team." Wear one of those shirts to the polls, though, and you just might provide enough evidence of the motive needed for prosecution. The shirts list "mission objectives" like "enjoy liberals tearing each other apart," "prolong" the Democratic primary, "drain the DNC of campaign cash," and "win in November."

Finally, Limbaugh is lashing out at anyone who notes that he urged thousands of listeners, whether maliciously or ignorantly, to break Ohio law. He recently complained that NBC's Norah O'Donnell and the New Republic's Michael Crowley dared to discuss the issue. Then he was outraged that Fox's Julie Banderas said election law violations must be "taken seriously" and "Republican shock jocks" were possibly "anti-American" for urging people to break the law. And Limbaugh didn't like my recent criticism, either. When asked about crossover voting during an appearance on C-SPAN last week, I said that people should vote on principle -- not to undermine primary races. I also explained that "Operation Chaos" effectively urged people to break Ohio law, if they voted in bad faith, citing a Wired article. Apparently this observation upset Limbaugh, who recently played the clip while calling out "Stuff it, pal, stuff it!" Now it doesn't take much courage to talk back to a recording, and Limbaugh loves playing up partisan fights for his audience. But this is not only about politics. Limbaugh abused his listeners' trust and encouraged potentially illegal conduct. And after a Republican Justice Department spent years hyping voter fraud charges, now some of the most blatant election law violations are being stoked, repeatedly and unrepentantly, by one of the most prominent figures in Republican politics.

Ari Melber writes for The Nation, where this post first appeared.

Comments

[frustratedinohio]

I know of three people in ohio who are republicans who voted for Hillary. They told me years ago that they would vote for her if she ever ran. I know Obama suppoters just can't believe that, yes,OMG, some people really do want Hillary to win and they even voted for her. What with Obama's landslide victory in every state and all.

[Kim445588]

That's funny, because I don't know one repug who doesn't flat out detest her, her husband, and everything that they represent. Interesting.

I can see if people recently switched because of what's going on in the world right now. However, your post asserts that these people as republicans, have been waiting YEARS for the opportunity to throw their entire ideology to the wind to vote for Hillary. Sounds absurd.

[jhNY]

Fascinating. One guy's anecdotal evidence is challeged by another, citing their own anecdotal evidence as proof, which is why the first guy's anecdotal evidence 'sounds absurd' to the second purveyor of anecdotes. Well, I happen to know a guy who thinks both of you are off on a tangent of unproveable irrelevencies.

[laocoon]

Actually I thought Kim did more than a counter anecdote. Kim pointed out the fact that the scenario was unlikely and it is.

[LBM]

According to the CNN exit polls of Texas, Obama won the Republican cross over votes 53% to Hillary's 46%. He split the independent vote with her 49% to 48%. She easily won the democratic vote 53% to 46%. In Ohio, the exit polls show that Obama and Hillary evenly split the Republican votes 49% to 49%, and Obama won the independents 50% to 48%, again Hillary is the favorite among real democrats winning 56% to 42%.

The idea that Limbaugh is successfully making Republicans vote for Hillary to make her win is ridiculous. It is obviously only a way for Limbaugh to give himself credit for the fact that Bush has alienated his own party and they are now turning to democrats. If only democrats were allowed to vote, Hillary would've already won the nomination.

Pennsylvania is a closed primary which means that Republicans and Independents aren't allowed to vote unless they have changed their party affiliation to democrat. Obama has a campaign to register as many as possible, doing exactly the same as what Limbaugh is doing. He even has ads out to do this. On the Pennsylvania Primary voter's guide it says "Closed primaries are a unique example of a political party’s interest in keeping active participation in the party going strong." So is the strength of the democratic party, Obama's main goal here?

[SkipHarv]

LBM the flawed logic of your argument is this. Sen. Obama's numbers among Republican cross-over votes has remained at roughly the same level throughout the primary elections. However Hillary's votes almost DOUBLED in TX and OH after Rush and Dr. Laura started telling Republicans to cross-over and vote for her since Sen. McCain had already won the Republican Nomination. As far as the PA primary true it is a closed primary but ANYONE can register as a Democrat in the Primary.

[BOfever]

Useless argument, bottom line is anyone can vote for anyone for any reason. People can switch parties all the time if they want to. If Bush could run for a 3rd term you'd see people switch parties, you can't make laws against it.

[LeftRight]

First, many states HAVE made it against the law. Whichever way you register is the way that you have to vote.

Second, yes, people switch their votes all the time, and I think that it's a great thing most of the time (except for the raygun democrats!) :)

[BitterRoot]

"If Bush could run for a 3rd term you'd see people switch parties ..."

You'd better believe it. It would be the first time in history that no one showed up for the Republican primaries!

[celmak]

Also add that all one has to do to fight a court case of voter fraud in Ohio is to present the case that the law about requiring "that citizens genuinely support a political party in order to vote in its primary" is in itself unconstitutional; we don't live in Communist Russia were they had to take a Loyalty Oath.

[thromulese]

The Obamamaniacs complain, and theorize about the republiCONs crossing over to vote for Hillary, but brag about those that cross party lines to vote for him. There is such hypocrisy coming from the Obama camp. They complain about Hillary's attacks then turn right around and attack Hillary.

True dems are voting for Hillary. It’s only when the primaries are open to republiCONs that Obama can win. That dispels the theory that republiCONs want Hillary. If they wanted her so much, then why are they voting for Obama? Maybe they know he’d be much easier to beat than the well-seasoned and experienced Hillary.

[altohone]

Voting for a Dem is fine.
Voting against a Dem is what is happening.

Hillary won due to votes against the party's choice.

True Dems voted against Bush's war.

[laocoon]

You just dont get it.

[Advocate123]

This is an unenforceable law. Get over it.

[Sylmason]

THr poor Ohio voter are parrots and stupid-like. Rush should be jailed.

[TekTami78]

I have only one thing to say to Rush Limbaugh - enjoy hell, you bastard, along with all your cronies:) But I deeply enjoyed this article!

[jazzman]

How could a Republican voting for Hillary be voting against their principles?

[SkimaskBob]

go get him Ari!

[trevor01]

I'm happy some Republicans voted for Hillary. May they get into the habit.

[TekTami78]

LOL you're insane if you think for a moment that most of the republicans that voted for her in the primary will do so in the general...

[LBM]

LOL you're just as insane if you think for a moment that most of the republicans who voted for Obama in the primary will do so in the general...­it's all a vast right wing conspiracy. It's not paranoia when they really are all out to get you.

[kate123]

I'm here in Wisconsin, a state that had a Tommy Thompson (R) as a governor for years and at the same time it had two Democratic senators, Kohl and Feingold. The great majority of voters in Wisconsin sit right in the middle, able to go one way or the other, depending on the race.
I know a number of Republicans (more than 10!) who have had it with Bush and are backing Obama. These people hated the Clintons back in the day and would never, ever vote for Hillary, but they want things to change, are disgusted with Bush, and CAN vote for Obama. I think this is the crossover that Obama got in my state, Repubs who are just finished with Bush. This is far different from Rush's dittoheads.

[QLorraine]

don't get so excited trevoro1..­...the only reason the republicans voted for HRC is because they know nothing will energize the republicans more than their intense hatred of Hillary. There is at least 50% of the electorate who would never ever vote for her in the general, and with the way she has run her campaign she has been adding democrats to the ranks of Clinton haters.

[PrdAmerican]

I'm sure Hillary thinks so too...she doesn't care how she comes by the nomination, be it by crook or liar, it's good enough for her.

[freccia]

Absolutely. She's not particular about how she wins. This kind of electoral dillydallying bugs the hell out of me in any event. It's especially irksome when a destructive buffoon like Rush Limbaugh is promoting it. Today's SJ Merc had a column by former high-powered political consultant Clint Reilly that warned these Limbaugh minions against "tactical voting".

I'm an Obama supporter, but the case studies he presented detailing unintended political consequences were good ones: http://www.clintreilly.com/?p=158

[wm1066]

Well the ditto heads are easily confused so one can only hope.

[Kim445588]

It would be good if they couldn't vote republican in the November. You should forfeit your vote if you have so little respect for our democracy.

[xenofile]

Hey, stop trying to disenfranchise people. That's a Republican tactic.