I just came back from Wal Mart, to buy groceries at low prices--lower than Von's, Ralphs or Albertsons.
As I came out I noticed a young lady registering to vote. I asked the guy running the table who he worked for. His immediate answer was ACORN. I told the lady about the voter fraud of ACORN in Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico, etc. His response was:
a) they are all lies.
b) he does not work for ACORN--though he refused to say who he worked for (when confronted about the corruption of ACORN he changed his story)
c) showed me his drivers license (how do I know if it is real or not--remember a few years ago Congressman Gallegly and his aide went into Los Angeles and was able to buy one on the street)
d) he claimed that ACORN only worked in the MidWest--not true, recently they had been working in Oxnard
d) if I did not leave and stop telling the lady about ACORN he would call the police.
Lets see:
a) we all know that the FBI is investigating ACORN for voter fraud in numerous states.
b) if he was honorable he would tell who he is working for. Every other petition gatherer tells, why not him?
c) his announcement that he would call the police was typical of the type of intimidation used by ACORN
If he is with ACORN, as he originally claimed, the manager of the Simi Valley Wal Mart has a lot to explain--ACORN has a major project to harm the store.
Wal-Mart Alliance for Reform Now, or WARN, an Acorn affiliate that focuses on what it considers to be unfair labor practices and other issues at Wal-Mart, is still operating.
In short, voting is a precious right---a right that ACORN has diminished for all of us by its fraud and intimidation tactics. If you register to vote with someone you do not know, be careful.
See this video if you want to see people to ignorant to vote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxzmaXAg9E
Interesting. Steve was hanging out in front of a store and trying to harass and irritate people from exercising their right to LEGALLY register to vote. It does not matter who he was representing as long as he was allowing people to register LEGALLY. Which he was. The right wing just keeps getting dumber and dumber.
jw,
In case you haven't been following the news, ACORN is currently under investigation by the FBI for allegations of voter fraud relating to the current presidential election. Even the Obama campaign has called for and supported the investigation of this organization.
I'd be very curious to know if Wal-Mart actually authorized this group to register voters in front of its store in Simi Valley knowing the cloud that currently hangs over it regarding the allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, and intimidation of voters. I highly doubt that the gentleman manning the table out front even told the store management that he was from ACORN.
You best believe I will be following up with the Wal-Mart corporate office to find out if they know what's going on in front of their stores in Ventura County.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Steve, and for calling this guy on the carpet to come clean with the public on who was working for.
Mike Gibson: I am more familiar with current events then you are. ACORN is being investigated for Voter REGISTRATION fraud - NOT Voter fraud. There is ZERO proof an illegal VOTE was ever made by anyone ever registered by ACORN.
It should be against the law for people like Steve and Mike to interfere with ANY organizations lawful efforts to help eligible people from filling out voter registration forms. People like Mike who are going to hassle that stores management and prevent people from registering LAWFULLY should in a perfect world be thrown in jail. I am certainly going to being reviewing federal law on the matter.
ACORN paid people per name for voter registration. Some of those PAID workers were dishonest. ACORN in MOST cases separated out the stacks of registration forms with names like Mickey Mouse on them and told county clerks they were suspicious. The law REQUIRES ALL filled out registration forms to be submitted even if they appear fraudulant.
The bottom line is that actual fraudelent VOTING is not going to occur because people with names like Mickey Mouse are not going to show up and vote anyway.
You are absolutely right, people with names like Tony Romo or Mickey Mouse will not show up and vote.
No, they will fill out absentee ballots and vote. That is the problem. With out any verification of new registrants, and without verification of who filled out an absentee ballot.
Oh, yes, the FBI is investigating voter FRAUD by ACORN--taking its fraudulent folks to the polls in the primary. One guy has already admitted to this fraud, the story was on DRUDGE--the same guy who got paid, by ACORN, to register 72 times.
Verification IS performed. If a real person does not live at the address shown on their card. They don't get put on the eligible voter list.
Hi Steve,
You should read this article in the LA Times about true voter fraud. Not one where a few paid gathers fill out bogus forms to make a few extra dollars, rather one where paid gathers change peoples party affiliation without there permission. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fraud18-2008oct18,0,1216330.story
This is also under investigation.
Doesn't this guy, Mike Gibson, work for Wal-Mart as a consultant? It makes you wonder what his true motivations are.
I do not work for Wal Mart--in fact I stopped Wal Mart when they first wanted to come into Simi Valley.
But this is about voter registration fraud, not the price of milk. It is about ACORN possibly using Wal Mart. Remember, the guy claimed he worked for ACORN and when I challenged the integrity of the organization he changed his tune but refused to tell who he did work for.
Voter Fraud is wrong, regardless of who does it. It should be fully punished--especially those how pay for it or benefit from it. We do know that Obama has paid close to one million to ACORN for their "voter registration". Obviously he and his campaign needs to be investigated--what does he know, when did he know it, why did you allow his money to be spent with an organization that is well known for voter registration fraud--and he actually worked for this group--at one point REGISTERING voters in Chicago!
Why doesn't the Democrat party denounce ACORN? Why doesn't the Democrat leaders say they and none of their candidates will have anything to do with this organization?
There is ZERO proof ACORN as an organization has ever condoned illegal activity. Their paid registration workers are another story.
It was ACORN as an organization that actually identified for government authorities which voter cards it believed were suspicious.
"Condoned"?. ACORN has been found guilty in several states and is being investigated in several more, plus the FBI is now looking at this as a RICO act by ACORN.
Do you really believe it is a coincidence that ACORN contract workers are found violating the law so often?
Ok...
First, I don't think that Stephen was doing much to prevent voter registration. His comments, as he depicts them, may have been of questionable wisdom, given the circumstances, but I'd have to guess that no crimes were committed there.
JW...I think you are out of line there.
Now...as to ACORN. Ok, sure there have been some irregularities. There often are. Past history would indicate the Dems do it before elections, and Repubs after elections....hence GW over Gore.
It would seem the McCain campaign, flailing about for issues, sees to use this (lame as it may be) for some advantage, and of course sycophant that he is, Stephen hews to the party line. Wrap yourself in the flag again Stevarino.
The reality is that voter registration regrettably is subject to fraud. There are mechanisms in place to deal with this.
The issue regarding ACORN are really for the most part trivial, in most cases they informed election officials in advance that some registrations were suspect. The reality is that other that Supreme Court decisions, voter fraud of any mundane kind is pretty much infrequent.
I realize that this would ring hollow in the ears of Mr. Franks and many Repubs. That is part of the "game" of politics.
Wrong Tom. Steve was out in front of a store hassling a person lawfully trying to register to vote. He may have commited no crime, but it should be a crime to do what he did and what Mike Gibson proposes doing..
Steve: No it is not a coincidence ACORN contractors violate the law. They are PAID per voter signed up. If they don't sign up enough they are tempted to violate the law in order to make a living. And I can't think of anything that will tempt them more than to have people not sign up because some right wing ideologue is out front of the store telling people don't sign up "because it is ACORN" or because some guy like Mike Gibson gets them kicked out where they had set up.
Now megamaniac Frank even stopped Walmart when it first wanted to come to Simi Valley! What a joke. Barbra Williamson led the fight against Walmart and it was voted down on the ballot by the residents of Simi Valley. Frank is a master only in his warped, perverted, hate monger mind. In fact, Frank had nothing to do with Walmart not coming to Simi Valley, or coming to Simi Valley. No one in Simi Valley takes him seriously.
ACORN is not registering voters in Simi Valley. ACORN has never done any work in any part of Ventura County. There are no ACORN offices within any close proximity to Simi Valley. People need to find better things to do with their time than make up false stories about some random person who is registering voters. Stephen please check your sources before blogging your bogus ideas.
Why does John McCain denounce ACORN? He was the keynote speaker at a Miami Immigration rally in 2006. He has been a long time supporter of the organizations immigration work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U0BLDmL-aM
Other Republicans Charlie Crist,Rick Perry and Arnold Schwarzenegger have worked with, signed bills drafted by or supported by ACORN.
Actually the source for the ACORN at Wal Mart is the person doing the registration.
and he said in front of a witness.
Yet "MD" does not tell us who he is, so why should we believe him.
If you want folks to believe you, you need to give a real name--"MD" is making charges but won't stand up to his own words.
"franklies" is so sure of his/her "facts" that he/she hides behind a silly name.
All anyone has to do is check the Ventura Star for articles during that campaign, in 1997 I believe.
I chaired the committee. I was the chief spokesperson. We spent approximately $4600, which I received from two unions. Yes, Councilwoman Williamson worked closely with me on this ballot measure--but if you would ask her, she will tell you that I led the battle.
If the person who is lying about this was honest, he/she would give their real name instead of hiding and lying.
what does it matter when McCain is working hard to lose the election?? The fix is in....
It's dangerous to register to vote with a complete stranger. You need to give them your social security number and drivcers license number, and ACORN or not, anyone can get their hands on a box of voter reg forms. I would know, I've spent a lot of time registering people to vote myself. With all the voter fraud and voter registration fraud that has gone on with ACORN and others (the people who say that is a lie are obviously not watching the news because that has been proven many times over and even Obama admits it and has denounced them for it). I for one would like to thank Steve for investigating when something shady could have been going on. If the voter reg guy had nothing to hide then he would have no problem talking, and he wouldn't have needed to change his story.
The previous poster is absolutely correct. Always register with a recognized and reliable party.
By the way jw, I don't believe that voter rolls are verified other than at the time of registration by a form of recognized ID, like a Drivers License. At least not in Ventura County as of the publication of the 2005 Ventura Grand Jury report on voting practices at that time.
http://grandjury.countyofventura.org/reports/04-05/voting.pdf
They also found irregulatiries, but very little evidence of fraud.
Hi Steve,
I like what you said here, "If you want folks to believe you, you need to give a real name--"MD" is making charges but won't stand up to his own words." You don't seem to mind Mongo not using his real name.
Hey Mike,
Ask Wal-Mart if they allow Young Political Majors to do voter registration in front of their stores.
Just another reminder that dirty tricks and politics have long been bedfellows..here is an LA Times article recounting the activities of firm hired by the Repubs to register voters...seems they changed people from Dem to Repub or made them absentee without telling them.
Just goes to reinforce that their are irregularities, they need to be dealt with, and they are not restricted to one side or the other.
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-fraud18-2008oct18,0,5480645.story
Classic right wing voter fraud:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fraud20-2008oct20,0,3842357.story
Wow, Leshon, your constant whining and crying is getting old. He doesn't use his real name, wah, wah, wah....
Why don't you return to your own rarely visited blog where your liberal SLO buddies will actually welcome your childish comments?
The hypocrisy here is astounding. Here we are on a blog talking about a huge voter fraud bust on a democratic organization, and posters are talking about "typical right wing voter fraud." Really? Are you serious here? People need to get the scales off of their eyes. They turn a blind eye to their own party's misconduct and just point the fingers at everyone else all the time. People are sickening.
There is a huge difference in what has been done by ACORN and YPM. ACRON employees turned in false registrations for people who did not exist in order to make a couple of extra dollars. That is wrong no doubt. YPM as an organization intentionally changed peoples party affiliations without their knowledge, that is a much bigger crime. Yesterday Mark Anthony Jacoby was arrested for registering to vote twice at an address he no longer lives it. He had to be registered in California in order to register voters in the state. Please read http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/oct/20/arrest-in-vote-fraud-case/. Republican California Insurance Commissioner Steve Pozner hired the group to register voters in the state. Pozner wants to be Governor, what he should be is investigated for his relationship with YPM.
To By Leshon's Conscience
Hey, don't shot the messenger. I quoted your hero Steve Frank's own comment, "Yet "MD" does not tell us who he is, so why should we believe him. If you want folks to believe you, you need to give a real name--"MD" is making charges but won't stand up to his own words." I would think the same statement would apply to you and everyone else who posts comments here, am I right Steve?
And, when you put things in comments like "He doesn't use his real name, wah, wah, wah...." Who do you think is making "childish comments"?
Leshon,
I'm just reflecting your tone here, buddy. You sound like a big crybaby, so what would you expect?
Your comments on Young Political Majors seems to be an effort to deflect from the ACORN scandal. You seem to have conveniently forgotten that ACORN is under FBI investigation for voter registration fraud. This was something far more sinister than trying "to make a couple of extra dollars", as you put it. If it wasn't, the FBI wouldn't be involved, believe me.
If we're looking at degrees of deception, I would say the kid who they arrested in Ontario for changing a few party registrations and registering himself at his parent's place is far less damaging than the more widespread impact of what ACORN was doing (falsifying thousands of voter registrations).
But, unlike you, I will reserve judgment until all the facts are known.
Hardly accurate on your part.
To Leshon's conscience.
Your own post shows you have already made your judgment without any facts. The reason Jacoby registered at a false address was to get around the law that states anyone doing voter registration must be registered to vote in the state and have legal residence. Jacoby did it in 2006 and again in 2007 so this was not a one time incident. I said in my post the Obama campaign has for a special prosecutor to look into ACORN so no one is trying to deflect anything. YPM has been busted for the same tactics in Florida, Arizona and other states. There also was a case of this same kind of voter registration fraud in 2004. You just can't ever admit Republican wrong doing, not matter what the facts are.
Again, I'll reserve judgment until all the evidence is presented. You, however, seem convinced that ACORN committed nothing more than a technical violation of the law. Tell me I'm wrong.
By Leshon's Conscience,
As usual you are wrong. I clearly stated above, "the Obama campaign has asked for a special prosecutor to look into ACORN and I support that. I also think the same special prosecutor should look into the activities of Mark Jacoby and his company YPM, he is not just some kid as you assert he runs the company. You would know this if you were capable of reading anything besides Frank's blog or listen to a real news source not a propaganda tool like FOX.
Now for your statement, "If we're looking at degrees of deception, I would say the kid who they arrested in Ontario for changing a few party registrations and registering himself at his parent's place is far less damaging than the more widespread impact of what ACORN was doing (falsifying thousands of voter registrations)." Shows your moral compass is broken and you do not know right from wrong. The public should never put its trust in you by electing you to any office. And if I were your employer I would be concerned about having you in my business.
Again, if you had the ability to read and process information beyond that of a two year old you would know that the ACORN problems were the result of part time hired workers being paid per registration they turned in. As a result some to them turned in phony forms to make a little extra cash.
ACORN is not the grand conspiracy Republicans try to paint it as unlike YPM. This is why people who are paid to do registration should never be paid per form, if they are paid by the hour this kind of situation does not occur. YPM pays it's people by the form payed for by Republican Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, who wants to be Governor, and the California Republican party. Remember it is Mark Jacoby of YPM that has been arrested.
You have no morals, no regard for the truth, no regard for the law.
As my old protege, Ronald Reagan, once said - "There you go again." You're just trying to besmirch the Republican Party by pointing to the acts of a few misguided, unscrupulous kids who tried to cash in inappropriately and abused the trust of their employer. That's all you got, my man.
ACORN, which is currently being investigated by the FBI mind you, is in a heap bit more trouble than these college kids who were acting recklessly.
I love how you resort to name-calling and childish banter when someone has you nailed to the wall, Leshon. I won't stoop so low as to call you the mindless wannabe jerk that you really are though.
Why don't you go back to your own very limited perspective, very under-visited blog where someone might give you the strokes you so desperately crave?