Voter fraud indictments in NY state

[Disco Pickle]

http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2011/01/28/news/doc4d42d697ed8ae903084000.txt

TROY – After being brought into a Rensselaer County courtroom in handcuffs, Councilman Michael LoPorto and Democratic Elections Commissioner Edward McDonough pleaded not guilty Friday morning to a combined 116 felony counts alleging they falsified dozens of absentee votes.

The men were released on their own recognizance after being arraigned on an indictment that charges McDonough, 47, with 74 total counts of second-degree forgery and second-degree possession of a forged instrument and LoPorto, 58, with 42 counts consisting of the same two charges.

The men, who had been the targets of a grand jury investigation that began in early December, turned themselves in at the Brunswick State Police barracks before they were brought before Acting Supreme Court Justice George J. Pulver Jr., of Greene County, to answer to the charges.

As they entered the courtroom with four state troopers by their sides, LoPorto managed a smile and McDonough, appearing tired, gave no expression.

The charges against them surround some 50 voters who were allegedly deprived of their vote in the Sept. 15, 2009 Working Families Party primary election in Troy. Many were residents of the city's housing projects.

At a press conference later Friday, special prosecutor Trey Smith said many of the alleged victims are the county's "less fortunate." Many do not speak English well and one is deaf and can communicate only in sign language, he said.

"Those who believed that the victims would never complain about the misappropriation of their voting rights were wrong," Smith said. "The victims spoke, and now the grand jury has spoken with their indictment."

At least 16 of those voters testified before the grand jury, which was terminated Friday by Pulver. Smith would not say whether future proceedings would target other suspects in the case, which saw DNA samples taken from seven other city Democrats besides LoPorto and McDonough.

McDonough, whose father went to federal prison in 1994 on charges of abusing his position as county Democratic Party chairman, slipped out of the courthouse unnoticed after the arraignment with his attorney, Brian Premo. LoPorto simply shrugged when asked if he had any comment.

"He's not guilty," said LoPorto's attorney, Michael Feit. "This ends the first part of this case, which is having it tried in the media. Now we get a chance to defend these charges in a forum where we can be heard, where the evidence can be presented and where the rules of law have to be followed."

Smith said he is prepared for trial. The case now adjourns 45 days to allow the defendants to file motions with the judge.

have wonder how much of this shit goes on and never gets discovered.

[Requia ☣]

It's not like it matters if it gets discovered, nobody ever seems to talk about it much when it does happen.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Makes you wonder how strong third parties actually are.

I get weird looks when people see the "J" next to my name, but they've never let me not vote, though I've heard of accusations of it here in MA before. Joint effort between us and the Libertarians if I recall (one of the few things we agree on as far as I know.)

[Bruno]

What does the "J" mean?

[LMNO]

It's a substitute for the letter "I".

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts, which is affiliated with Green Party USA, which is given the designation G.

How we got J is beyond me.

[Jenne]

There's a documentary on the Diebold voting machines.  Lessee if I can find it...

*searches*

Hacking Democracy

And imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808532/

I fucking love documentaries.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

It's a substitute for the letter "I".

This place has more in-jokes per square meter than even the Pentagon.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

It's a substitute for the letter "I".

This place has more in-jokes per square meter than even the Pentagon.

Is that one of the reasons for Jason being spelled Iason? Or was that what started it?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

It's a substitute for the letter "I".

This place has more in-jokes per square meter than even the Pentagon.

Is that one of the reasons for Jason being spelled Iason? Or was that what started it?

No, Jason spells his name that way to avoid Interpol search engines.

That was the Kainne guy from Toronto, I believe.  The chain-dancing dude.

[Triple Zero]

have wonder how much of this shit goes on and never gets discovered.

Why?

I thought after having seen Obama smile his horrifying grin for a year or two, you ought to have learned a thing or two about the futility of making a big deal over which corrupt criminal gets to have a go at trying to perform his stage-magic under the scrutiny of the international media and which one gets to slink back into the shades?