(US) 3/06 - Third Cuyahoga County Ele...

Author Message   Kathleen Wynne Moderator Username: Admin_ii Post Number: 214 Registered: 08-2005 Best of Black Box?  Votes: 1 (A keeper?) Posted on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 8:22 am:        I wanted to raise awareness on this board about a third election employee in Cuyahoga County, Ohio being indicted regarding their alleged involvement in the pre-count of ballots before the recount of the 2004 General Election in that County. That person is Jacqui Maiden. The reason I'm posting this is because I not only witnessed what happened in Cuyahoga County before, during and after the recount (I lived in Cleveland at that time), but I also got to know Jacqui Maiden during my foray into the election reform movement while living in Cleveland and she was the primary person I dealt with at the Board of Elections. It is my opinion that she would not do anything that wasn't sanctioned by the Director of the Cuyahoga BOE, Michael Vu. I videotaped the Certification of the Recount meeting of the Cuyahoga BOE and both Micahel and Jacqui, when asked, admitted that the ballots had indeed been counted before the day of the recount and Michael Vu added, "they did so in order to facilitate it for the observers." That hardly sounds like a person who had no idea that this was being done by his subordinates (the 3 indicted so far in this investigation) Jacqui Maiden, Rosie Grier (both African-American women) and Kathleen Dreamer, without his knowledge. I sent the videotape of this meeting (along with two other tapes which contains events that certainly calls into question Michael Vu's involvement, whether directly or indirectly) to Kevin Baxter and should be investigated further. Baxter is the prosecuting attorney hand-picked by the Cuyahoga County Attorney Bill Mason (also a personal friend of Baxter's) to avoid a "conflict of interest". In any event, after sending the tapes to Baxter, I fully expected Michael Vu to be included in the next indictments, if there were to be any, but he wasn't. Why is he being passed over and Maiden is the only higher level official being indicted? Further information is coming out of Cuyahoga County by those, who, like me, have been following this investigation very closely and they are questioning Baxter's lackadasical investigation. Sources have told me that he hasn't subpoened all election employees, who may have further information as to what went on and who was involved leading up to the pre-count of the ballots. Before Maiden's indictment, the other 2 women while still on the payroll, have been suspended from work. It is my understanding that Maiden is still on the payroll as well. They all have plead the Fifth, when questioned by Baxter. My concern is whether they are being asked to remain silent and not tell what they know in hopes of avoiding any arrests, particularly of the higher ups on the Board, such as Michael Vu and Deputy Director Gwen Dillingham? Have other employees in the Election Division been passed over from answering questions because Baxter wants to drag this investigation out and take the "wait and see" approach in hopes that this investigation will be forgotten by the citizen of Cuyahoga and no one be held accountable -- particularly, Michael Vu? This is all speculation, but something certainly doesn't smell right in this investigation and the citizens of Cuyahoga County should put pressure on Baxter to do his job and conduct a thorough and fair investigation. Otherwise, this will turn out to be nothing more than a "dog and pony show" to appease the people who complained about the total breakdown of procedures and violation of Ohio Election Code by Cuyahoga County election officials. Everything must be done to ensure that no one gets a free pass and that the truth about all who were responsible must come out and they should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Case Closed. Kathleen * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TRIPLE PROTECTION FOR ELECTION 2006 - STARTING NOW: (1) Use Freedom of Information, public records requests ("All American Paper Chase") (2) Try Dumpster Diving for Democracy (3) Candid America Project - Don't leave home without your camcorder HOW TO DO IT: http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/6/6.html   Catherine Ansbro Frequent Voting Rights Forum Participant Username: Catherine_a Post Number: 1849 Registered: 12-2004 Best of Black Box? N/A Votes: 0 (A keeper?) Posted on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 8:44 am:        Thanks for the inside scoop. The comments do seem to imply that Vu was aware of how things were done, and that he supported and possibly ordered this approach.

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