It’s what they do, dep't: pawlenty doing “the dino” on al franken

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is now insinuating publicly that there was fraud in the Al Franken/Norm Coleman Senate race in 2008.

(photo Sen. Al Franken)

This after the longest count and recount in history, a case that was thoroughly litigated by the best lawyers in the land.

Pawlenty’s claiming there were 1000 felons voting illegally in the election (this based on a claim from a GOP-funded blogger) and says he suspects that any illegally voting felons might have favored Franken, but added: "I don't know that."

But if true, he said, "it may have flipped the election."That's pretty thin and he’s saying on Fox News despite that Sen. Franken’s lead lawyer told the state Supreme Court that he was confident there was “no evidence of persistent fraud in the election.”

Michael O'Brien, writing on The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, suggested this explanation for Pawlenty's comments:

The aspersions toward Franken’s victory could be politically motivated for Pawlenty, a possible Republican candidate for president who will need to appeal to conservatives actively participating in the GOP’s primaries. Franken is a figure who’s generally reviled by many of those primary voters.

Marc Elias, who headed Franken’s legal team for the recount, told O’Brien that both Coleman and Franken’s attorneys brought forth all evidence in a process that was fully litigated before Franken was declared victor.

This is what Republicans do. In Washington State, we know, because they did it here in 2004 with a similarly close race between real estate speculator Dino Rossi and Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Republicans always put up a PR voter fraud smokescreen; a polyglot, but fervent legal defense, and push it as far as it will go (while keeping the rightful (but Democratic) winner out of the office as long as possible).

(photo: Dino Rossi)

When they finally lose, they cast the victor as illegitimate... being able to de-legitimize the winner is a profitable consolation prize. They use it  to shake down the ditto-head base.

This isn’t only about Pawlenty’s 2012 presidential bid, brace yourself for more “I wuz robbed,” as the slippery  Dino Rossi is raising money again and he’s already being introduced to the GOP donor class as the “guy who won the 2004 governor’s race.”It’s what they do.

Comments

[sparky]

They matched the names of felons to a list of people who voted. That's it. They didn't look at the individual ballots to see WHO they voted for. I'm sure our conservative friends will insist that only a felon would vote for Al, but there is a 50-50 chance they voted for Norm. Minnesota obviously needs to tighten up the process ( in WA felons can vote after completing their sentence) so that people who should not be voting, cant. But it isn't then a given that it had an effect on the outcome of the election.

You're right, Michael. It's what they do.

[joanie]

This is more tonic water. These innuendoes and lies will keep on coming because the GOP knows it feeds their emotional sheep. There's no mystery here. These corrupt egotistical power-hungry corporatists don't have to try to even appear reasonable any more.

It may have flipped the election? Then again, it may not have. We'll never know. Both sides had the same opportunity to dig up every vote they could find. Same as in WA. That's the end of the story.

Except for the sheep do not want to hear the truth. It isn't convenient and doesn't fit their fantasy.

The GOP gives their insipid followers tonic water and the stupid people swallow it because they want to believe it.

That's where we're at, as Ed would say.

[Andrew]

Franken and Gregoire weren't the ones handling the ballots so I don't see what bearing any voter fraud would have on either of them. Any anger directed towards them is misplaced anger. You should be upset with the voting systems we have to put up with.

[KS]

It's time for ACORN (in cahoots with SEIU) to be brought to justice for registering these illegal voters. Once they are registered, it becomes difficult to weed out the votes by partisan committees, which for all practical purposes is a charade.

In this case, the illegal votes from the prisoners, allegedly elected the prickly Franken. If this is a nation of laws, it's time for the politicians to get off of their lazy a$$ses and prosecute this leftwingnut organization and get ur done.

[The Anti-Dori]

Acorn turned in fraudulent voters themselves. Don't you read anything outside Fox, KS? Your uninformed vendetta against Acorn is getting old.

How many ineligible people sign Eyman's petitions? Get over it. That's politics. And Acorn has not been prosecuted for the same reason nobody would prosecute Eyman. Getting petitions signed and voters registered is not a crime. Checking the names and letting them vote is a crime. That hasn't happened intentionally. At least that anyone can prove.

What planet do you live on?

[Andrew]

When conservatives come up with a valid attack against liberals, like the antics of Chris Dodd, I go, ooh, that does burn. But Acorn? You've got nothing.

It's like this: you can't give me an item you stole and them call me a thief. Likewise, you can't say Obama is a fraud just because some of his supporters may have been involved in fraud.

[KS]

"Acorn turned in fraudulent voters themselves. Don't you read anything outside Fox, KS? Your uninformed vendetta against Acorn is getting old. "

Posted by: The Anti-Dori | July 15, 2010 at 02:44 PM

No, stupid ! They registered the the fraudulent voters. Your reading comprehension sucks as does your ethics. Your pathetic rhetoric is stale and getting putrid with age.

Twisted logic is your speciality, Andy.

[tigsnort]

Haha. Damn KS, I thought you at least had a moderate grasp of the facts. You're more out there than I thought.

[joanie]

It's the tonic water, KS. You drink it by the gallon but never check the ingredients.

[KS]

ha ha ha snort, et al. Where are your facts - source please ? It smells like empty rhetoric. You are coming across like the NAACP - calling anyone who disagrees with them a racist. I'd be happy to show you some facts.

You go on keeping your head where the sun don't shine.

[joanie]

You have facts? Then show us. I'm in.

[guest]

Tigsnort sez;
Damn KS, I thought you at least had a moderate grasp of the facts.

KS replys;
ha ha ha snort, et al. Where are your facts - source please ?

Will someone plz provide KS with the facts?

[joanie]

Still looking for those facts, KS?

Great picture right now on Huffpo WARREN vs. GEITHNER

Don't know the background story but the picture is precious. BTW, Reid on the news today said that the reform bill was the toughest ever passed. Guess he forgot about Glass-Steagall and the credit card limits of old.

[tigsnort]

KS: here's how it works. ACORN hires workers to register voters. A few workers turn out to be bad seeds, falsifying some registration forms in order to meet quotas, signing up people that don't exist (registration fraud). ACORN fires these people when they discover what's going on.
(Just FYI - ACORN also "red flags" forms they think *might* be questionable before submitting them, so they can be double checked)

ACORN has never been charged with voter fraud. And whenever one of their temp employees was caught falsifying registration forms, ACORN in fact turned the individuals in and cooperated fully with prosecutors.

Those are the facts I was talking about.

[sparky]

They also called the police after James O'Keefe and his pretend prostitute left from that attempt to ensnare the worker into being an accessory to prostitution. The police report was part of what made the judge decide in favor of ACORN. Unfortunately, this was AFTER Jimmy heavily edited the videotape and sent it to Fixed News, which ultimately forced ACORN to shut down.

[Ryder]

Quite frankly my dear, I don't give a hoot!

[Coiler]

These corporate activists like Breitbart and their proteges should be spending time in the clink.

[KS]

KKKoiler - LMAO - you are full of dog squeeze. They are simply doing the work of the negligent media who can't be bothered to investigate potential crime against their brethren Democrats. Back at ya - the reporters for the NY Times, WaPo and the Huff Post should have their reporter status revoked.

[Coiler]

"They are simply doing the work of the negligent media"

Cronkite never dressed up as a pimp.

Huntley didn't wiretap senators phones.

You are insane

[KS]

Tigsnort, you have your facts only 1/2 right and the rest is fabrication. ACORN only started firing these people after legal pressure was applied to them - after the election in Nov. 2008.

Here are the real facts that some already know about but won't admit because of foolish pride. OK, have it your way - but you can do better than lie about it to cover up - ya think ?

[sparky]

he's not old enough to know who Huntley was.

[joanie]

ACORN is a collection of “community organizations” purportedly promoting various social issues relevant to low-income families, and large-scale voter registration drives have been a significant aspect of that outreach since the 1980s.

Given the population that ACORN targets, there will be abuses on both sides. While Breitbart did link many sources - one of which didn't even open - the sites were pretty insignificant.

I will grant that there were many incidents but I didn't see that there was an overall indictment. I know the Missouri cases were a signal to ACORN to clean things up to the best of their ability which they did,.

And the FBI thing was actually pretty ridiculous. Umm, 2008 was a hotly contested election and I don't suppose the Republican Party and incumbant administration would have had any reason to try to mitigate ACORN's attempts to register minorities and poor people. I'm sure that would never occur to them.

Anyway, it is all moot. ACORN is defunct. Thanks to so much innuendo, exaggeration and plain old bad press. In the end, a judge acquitted them of charges but the right still prosecutes them day after day after day.

[tigsnort]

Kinda looks like it's going to be that way with Al Gore too, Joanie. Seems the "semen stain" on that massuese's pants isn't semen after all. And there are other reasons to doubt her story:

Clicky

Oh well, mission accomplished anyway.

[sparky]

Im sure the Enquirer will print the correction on the front page in large type.....uh huh.

[KS]

Cronkite never dressed up as a pimp.

Huntley didn't wiretap senators phones.

Posted by: Coiler | July 15, 2010 at 10:13 PM

Senators are not being forthcoming today, in case you used an ounce of critical thinking. If dressing up like a pimp is what it takes to get to the truth that the shills in the corrupt main news media fail to investigate, then more power to them !

Why would they have even thought about that ? Cronkite and Huntley were mainstream media, fool. Both had more integrity than the shills out there today, that misinformed, insane angry white guys like you take as gospel.

[KS]

ACORN is defunct in name only, since earlier this year. They have changed their name mainly for appearance as they were being investigated. They continue more under cover, using different names and have become more decentralized than before and will be less effective. They still received money (approx. $1 billion) from the Federal Government as late as early this year. That was just before they disbanded (in name only).

Who is to say that they won't continue registering illegal voters - if they believe they can get away with it ? They are still a wing of the Democratic party.

[Coiler]

"They continue more under cover, using different names and have become more decentralized than before"...

How do you know this? Are you an ace detective now?

[joanie]

Yes. And what's your source for receiving a billion dollars?

I realize you hate democracy. Poor people and minorities should not be allowed to vote. That's clear.

I'd like an answer to my question before you start ranting again please.

I notice you believe bloggers like Breitbart but don't really check things out for yourself. Just because they have hot links doesn't mean those links are respected or substantial. Did you know that I've never posted a single fact as trustworthy until I've check the source for myself? Randi is wrong sometimes. Thom Hartmann is wrong sometimes. As much as I respect them, I do my own thinking. I don't think you do, KS.

[sparky]

KS is carrying a heavy load..Putz and Duffman are not here to bump bellies over RW talking points. Four people have explained what ACORN was doing and how they turned in the frauds, but he prefers to stick to the meme that ACORNs purpose was to sign up as many illegal voters are possible. Repeatedly trying to bring out the truth is a waste of time.

[KS]

I meant millions instead of a billion dollars of taxpayer funding alotted to ACORN - my mistake. The article I have referenced explains what happened to their funding in Congress last year.

Here's supporting evidence;
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=alHxUmFKCLC8

but he prefers to stick to the meme that ACORNs purpose was to sign up as many illegal voters are possible. Repeatedly trying to bring out the truth is a waste of time.

Posted by: sparky | July 16, 2010 at 10:19 AM

That is the one that matters the most - tampering with elections - it speaks to the lack of integrity of that organization (from the CEO on down). One of ACORN's roles, besides assisting in procuring home loans for low income folks (which contributed to causing financial calamity with all of a loans that were unable to be repaid/leading to foreclosures, etc.). Another role ACORN assumed was registration of low income voters, and I stand by the rest of what I said. Bringing out part of the truth is a waste of time. That's why I strive to bring out the whole truth.

I believe Breitbart when I see that they have checked out their sources and in this case, I believe they have. I know that the Huff Post and Media Matters try to discredit them and call them evil and vice versa whenever possible and admittedly its a pissing match, but my findings are that the facts typically favor that pain the ass to the leftist progressives; Mr. Breitbart. I agree with Voltaire - "I may not agree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it". I realize that this saying has become passe, because the current regime's attitude seems to be that free speech is an obnoxious thing when it is used against you and the less of that, the less divided this country will be (in their eyes) and that's just one reason why this POTUS is dangerous.

Joanie - Would you mind pointing out where Breitbart has falaciously reported something and when it was proven otherwise not issued a correction and do the same for Media Matters, the Huff Post or the Daily KOS ?

[sparky]

KS...a whole court case was built around it. Im sure you can find a hundred right wingers who will dispute it. The judge said there was nothing there and ruled as such. Why do you guys keep beating this dead horse? What do you get out of it?

[KS]

And maybe if you look a little harder, you will find some independents and even Democrats that dispute it. I don't think its over yet, but as I wrote earlier, ACORN has been diminished because they have abused their taxpayer funding, which is a victory for justice - whether you think so or not.

Just reminding you partisan leftists of their past transgressions.

[joanie for KS]

KS, that was $53 million since 1994. And it is a coalition of community groups. You think they are all corrupt?

Now, I've read Bloomberg. You read this one: Video: Release of unedited ACORN tapes reveals glaring distortions by Big Government and Fox News

In fact a recent report from the California Attorney General, along with the unedited tapes, prove that this narrative is suspect at best and a flat-out lie at worst. O' Keefe was in fact not dressed as a pimp when talking with ACORN employees but instead presented himself as a college student. This seems to substantiate ACORN's claims that they were actually trying to assist a young prostitute and her friend get out of the prostitution business rather than help further her career. In addition Big Government and Fox News left out key details in their editing process, like the fact that one ACORN employee was helping Giles to obtain housing and not to engage in prostitution. Finally, most significantly, both conservative organizations never mentioned how one ACORN official actually called the police after Giles and O' Keefe told him about their plan to smuggle in under-age illegals.

There's more, KS. Do you want to know the rest of the story?

I don't think you know what happened, do you? That's why Tigsnort said what he did. You are not aware that the tape was proved to be a fake, were you?

Go to the site and read for yourself. There's no opinion there. It tells what actually happened. Then, come back and tell me how honest Breitbart is. At some point, KS, you have to honor truth. And "truth" is not bias nor opinion.

[joanie]

Did you guys read at HUFFPO how the Chamber of Commerce is going to run an ad aligning Sestak with Pelosi?

Why does the right hate women and minorities? Martha Stewart went to jail and Wall Street megalomaniacal men are enjoying bonuses and increased stock wealth for bringing our economy down. Pelosi gets maligned at every occasion - much more than Reid - and she's really the smarter and more powerful one. Even Reid passed the buck to Obama.

Something special about being white and male in this country, isn't there?

[KS]

"KS, that was $53 million since 1994. And it is a coalition of community groups. You think they are all corrupt?"

Damn right - Many of them are corrupt. Have you verified your blurb from the Political buzz Examiner - a left wing website on Snopes yet ? Until you do, I'll consider your bias as another distortion. You are merely defending the indefensible - you think they are totally innocent ? Un-frickenbelievable ! Your tactics of trying to gloss over their transgressions are full of holes like swiss cheese. Until you are willing to look at both sides, you will not espouse the real truth. You and tigsnort can post all of the leftwing tripe trying to defend ACORN, but it does not disprove their premise of guilt that has been demonstrated - incidentally - there will be an appeal from the ruling by the leftwing activist judge -stay tuned. So, you are siding with Bertha Lewis, that corrupt hag who should be in an orange jump suit, was the CEO of ACORN.

You might as well say that you are hoping for more voter fraud initiated by the morphed ACORN so the Democratics can win any way possible - your ethics are in the sewer - right, Joanie . Once again, your bloviating does not pass the smell test.

[KS]

"Why does the right hate women and minorities? "

Another baseless lie - there are 32 black GOP candidates running for Congress this year. How many black candidates does the pro-slavery party have running for Congress this time ?

"Something special about being white and male in this country, isn't there?"

Posted by: joanie | July 17, 2010 at 11:06 AM

That smacks of sexism and racism also. The NAACP would like to talk to you and enlist your services, because they have become a pack of racist shakedown artists. Sometimes you post half-way intelligently, but this time, your bigotry and idiocy knows no bounds.

[Tommy008]

friday Monson was back on his " let's shoot the bastarda in the back as they're running away with our stuff" mania.......in the news was an old eighty year plus fool who had run in front of a fleeing pickup truck driven by illegals, who had kyped his old flatbed trailer from in front of his house. THE COOT FIRED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD INJURING THE DRIVER SLIGHTLY... mnow he's facing attempted murder charges........ Monson has stolen Weissbach's old "life energy" mantra, declaring that our 'stuff ' isn't just stuff, it represents weeks months or years of work that we'll never get back out of our lives. He uses this to justify and rationalize his position in favor of violated citizens imposing a death sentence on fleeing burglars.....would Peewee really have the guts to shoot a fleeing burglar himself?... i suspect not.....

[Tommy008]

Dori still hasn't gotten over the summer decades and decades ago where he slaved away at a printing shop for minimum wage and earned enough to buy a nice sound system fo rhis ride..... someone ripped it out of his car shortly after he installed it....he was whining about it friday as if it had just happened to him earlier in the week.... dude ,you really need to become a bigger person, but i'm afraid it's really to late now.... far too late...