It’s not funny when John McCain and Sarah Palin move their supporters to violence and threats of violence. Calling a U.S. Senator and Presidential candidate Un-American and sayng that he consorts with terrorists and groups who are destroying the fabric of our democracy is not funny. Inciting followers to break into and vandalize ACORN offices in Boston and Seattle (see today’s Tampa Tribune): http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/18/co-vandals-hit-2-offices-of-liberal-acorn/ and to email threats to ACORN organizers, to yell insults at Barack Obama and about him, including Muslim, Terrorist, Kill Him, etc….it has gone too far.
I’m not laughing now. Also very worrisome is the return of the Karl Rovian strategy of using the institutuions of the federal government for Republican electoral campaign purposes. That is such a crossing of the line. When two officials of the FBI told the Associated Press that they were investigating ACORN on voter fraud charges this close to an election, many of us realized that that is a violation of their policies at the Justice Department where they are not supposed ot use their tremendous power close to an election because of the danger of impacting the electoral process.
A special prosecutor is already investigating Karl Rove for ordering U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez to fire some of his U.S. Atrorneys during the Congressional election two years ago because they would not bring charges of voter fraud against ACORN. U.S. Attorney Iglesias in New Mexico refused to bring those chargees, based on unsubstantiated claims by the New Mexicy go Republican Party, and he was fired. Many others were fired for not taking orders from Republican Party operatives, and now there’s an investigation. Now, here they go again, using the Justice Department again to claim that there is an FBI investigation of ACORN.
ACORN hasn’t been approached about such an investigation, but Karl Rove and the Republican Party and John McCain and Sarah Palin should be. They are clearly seeking to intimidate and distract ACORN from moving their newly registered 1.3 million voters to the polls. They are seeking to create a climate that makes it easier to challenge new voters, prevent their votes from being counted and provide cover to their intimidation and suppression efforts against low income voters and people of color.
I’m no longer with ACORN, but I stand with ACORN in this emergency, and I stand against the use of the institutions of our government for partisan political purposes.
But hey, it’s Saturday morning in Tampa, Florida, and I’m heading out to canvass up some support for Barack Obama. If the right is going to try to steal this election, we need to make sure that it’s not close enough to steal. That takes everyone of us.
Tags: ACORN, crying fire, inciting supporters, intimidation, John McCain, Karl Rove, madeine-talbott-mccain, Madeline Talbott, madeline-talbott-acorn, madeline-talbott-obama, madelinetalbott, Sarah Palin
