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Filed under Politics (National) Non-Ohioans Vote In Ohio...?
Shelby Holliday reporting from OHIO (2008-10-17 15:11:25)
This morning, I received information that an Obama campaign worker Jacob I. Smith had registered to vote at a temporary address in Ohio.
We looked up Smith's public voter record and contacted the residents of the house at which "Jake" Smith was registered to vote.
Smith was being hosted by a man named Don and his wife during the election period; Don agreed to answer a few questions on camera, so we headed down to Howard, OH.
On the way down, Don called me back and said that he wanted us to get Smith's side of the story as well... he felt bad because Smith was “a good kid.” Don gave Smith my number and before I knew it, I had a new message...
Smith wanted to know why we were seeking him out and told me to please go to HIM, not Don. He said that he was at the Obama headquarters in Mt. Vernon and that we should stop by to speak to him.
A few minutes later Smith called again, wondering how we got his info and why we wanted to talk to him. I said we wanted to ask him a few questions about early voting in Ohio.. he sounded nervous, but he agreed to talk OFF the record.
I called Palestra graduate managing editor Tiffany Wilson to tell her the situation and when I hung up, I had ANOTHER message from Smith. He was frantic and said he couldn't answer any questions at all… “thanks but no thanks.”
Smith didn't want to lose his job with the campaign.
Tiffany and graduate reporter Gary Orr headed over to see if they could talk to Smith at the Obama HQ, and I headed to Don's house with graduate reporter Sean Merinar.
Don was really nice and just gave us the facts- he said that to his knowledge, Smith grew up in Florida and is a graduate of Hofstra University on Long Island, NY. He is a paid worker on the Obama campaign and is staying for the month of October. Don said they don't talk too much because Smith is always out working, but he seems like a nice guy.
When I asked Don if Smith planned on staying in Ohio, he said he didn't know.
...so I then asked if Smith was welcome to stay at his place in Ohio, and he joked, "yeah if he pays some rent."
Following our conversation with Don, Sean and I went to the Board of Elections and found that Jacob I. Smith registered and voted on October 1, 2008 at Don's address. (According to the info Don gave me, that is a day or 2 after Smith arrived in Ohio.)
We thought the info we had could be of interest to the prosecuting attorney for election law, but when we visited her office, she was unavailable for comment.
I was literally 2 steps out the door when I got a call from Tom Reynolds of the Obama campaign. Reynolds appeared angry and said, "I understand you visited one of our campaign workers..." I told him that Tiffany had visited Smith because SMITH INVITED US THERE and that I visited the host family. Frankly, Reynolds sounded paranoid and said "you have to go through the press office- we don't bother you at work, please don't bother us. Our workers have a job to do and we don't want them being disrupted."
He also said that if we needed something on the record, we should call him.
After talking one of our managers in the Palestra office, I called Reynolds back and told him I'd take him up on the offer since Smith couldn't comment. But then Reynolds backpedaled and never agreed to go on the record. He kept saying, "I don't know why you want me on the record because I don't even see a story here."
I REPEATEDLY TOLD HIM that we were inquiring about Smith's residency. Did he plan on staying in Ohio? We were told that he wasn't from here and that he was probably planning on leaving after the election (off camera on the phone).
Reynolds said "Well he got here before October 4 right? So he will be here 30 days right? And he registered before Oct 6 right? So he has complied with the law. There is no story."
I told him it appeared as if Smith had NOT complied with the law because he was most likely a temporary resident of Ohio. We have spoken to multiple attorneys and that the law actually states that a temporary presence in Ohio does NOT make one eligible to register and vote in the state. (Ohio Revised Code 3503.02 Residence Determination Rules). This information can be found online, and it was also given to us by the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron O'Brien just 2 days ago.
Reynolds laughed and said he was "well versed"... that I didn't need to refer him to the law. He repeatedly told me that he didn't see any story here.
Reynolds also felt it necessary to point out (numerous times) that the prosecuting attorney Ron O'Brien is a Republican and is not in Knox County -- as if that changed the state law.
We were back and forth for a LONG time, and he never agreed to go on the record. I felt like he was trying to intimidate me and talk me out of doing a story, but I could also sense that he was a little nervous about it all. He kept asking me who I had on camera and what kind of information I had.
I told Reynolds that we wanted to reach out and give them a chance to give their side of the story, but he kept saying "there is no story."
Well you know what? I think there is.
And if you're reading this Mr. Reynolds, I'd love to hear from you.
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Comments
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FLORIDA GATOR TROLLIN' BOB @ 2008-10-17 16:09:57 --
Ms. Holliday, Whatever You do, Stay on this story. We Need More People like You who are interested in the truth. I Look forward to reading more about this story and others by You......Thanx
omgiamgoingnuts @ 2008-10-17 16:13:35 --
Wonderful work you guys do!
Keep it up!
No to cheating!
kathy from AL @ 2008-10-17 18:25:53 --
WOW - I think you just linked all of this mess together. I have a sinking feeling this is a process not an isolated event.
Links AYERS-ACORN-VOTER FRAUD-OBAMA!!
I think I will cancel all newpaper subscriptions and this will be where I get my news. Can't wait to see this on FOX.
Now go prove the guy is also registered in another State.
cards @ 2008-10-17 18:55:14 --
This just gets crazier by the minute. Be careful out there.
pamomof4 @ 2008-10-17 19:37:57 --
Call someone in Orlando and see if he's registered to vote there, and if he's already voted there as well.
nuke @ 2008-10-17 21:00:31 --
thanks for the great work shelby. While the rest of the media spends more time vetting Joe the Plumber, than they did vetting the Democratic nominee, Palestra is showing them what journalism is about.
Well done
nuke @ 2008-10-17 21:12:11 --
thanks for the great work shelby. While the rest of the media spends more time vetting Joe the Plumber, than they did vetting the Democratic nominee, Palestra is showing them what journalism is about.
Well done
Captain America @ 2008-10-17 21:24:28 --
Surely your more knowledgeable than I am regarding the law, but doesn't this now become a federal case considering Smith has committed fraud across state lines?
BIG O @ 2008-10-17 21:44:43 --
I am beginning to believe that since McCain is losing, there seems to be a big effort to bring about chaos. Why can't we all just do the right thing??? Just go and cast YOUR VOTE and go home. May the BEST MAN win. It seems obvious that the GOP is behind all of this so-called voter fraud, when there is none. I wouldn't be surprised if they put in a plant to go out to do such a stupid thing just to give the Supreme Court another reason to decide this election as well. I can tell you now, that will not settle it this go around.........
BIG O @ 2008-10-17 21:49:17 --
You ladies on the story are very pretty and seem smart. Please don't become GOP zombies like those from Foxnews. Foxnews pundits are salivating, hoping for some real voter fraud to occur. Too bad that McCain can't just win the election on the up&Up, without help from outside forces.
sail1993 @ 2008-10-17 21:58:39 --
TO: BIG O
You say "too bad McCain can't just win the election on the up & up" Are you serious? All allegations of voter or voter registration fraud are because left-wing liberals are so afraid of losing they would commit a felony to ensure their candidate gets the votes. Seriously, who's really not on the up & up? And I'm sure the "pretty ladies" who "seem smart" can make their own decisions. Your logic however is very dubious. Please don't become a Democratic zombie like those on MSNBC :-)
Heidi @ 2008-10-17 22:25:56 --
This woman explained how the Dem's go from voter registration fraud to voter fraud.
Chilling.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_101408/content/01125113.guest.html
Bill_Betts @ 2008-10-18 00:44:28 --
I am a retired California cop. let me tell you why ACORN submits hordes of duplicate and obviously false names on voter registration forms. The obvious phony voter registrations keep the election boards tied up trying to locate the obvious ones. The new voters with actual verifiable addresses are over looked in this process. In the mean time these organizations have rented houses in various voting districts so dozens of out of state and fraudulent voters have a local address to use for the actual voter fraud. Usually these places are dumps unfit for human habitation so the rent is cheap. With millions of dollars backing them and the stakes of putting their man in the White House, how many of these mail drops can they afford? It's almost unlimited. Once they show up and vote at the polls that vote can no longer be traced.
Kaguya @ 2008-10-18 07:53:09 --
Is this just the tip of the iceberg? Keep up the good work. It's people like you who can bring us change. Change from the same old dirty politics.
justlisa @ 2008-10-18 11:45:33 --
Ms. Holliday,
FANTASTIC WORK!!!
I have a few questions for you...
Is there a list of the new, same-day Ohio voters? Is there a way to find out if this is a problem of epidemic proportions (i.e., are there other Obama-payrolled-campaign workers registering to vote in swing states...with temporary addresses?)??? A way to cross-check the names?
Is Jacob I. Smith, also, registered in NY and/or FL? If so, has he or does he intend to vote in those states, as well? I imagine that he would not have a difficulty with absentee ballots in either state...
justlisa @ 2008-10-18 11:45:32 --
Ms. Holliday,
FANTASTIC WORK!!!
I have a few questions for you...
Is there a list of the new, same-day Ohio voters? Is there a way to find out if this is a problem of epidemic proportions (i.e., are there other Obama-payrolled-campaign workers registering to vote in swing states...with temporary addresses?)??? A way to cross-check the names?
Is Jacob I. Smith, also, registered in NY and/or FL? If so, has he or does he intend to vote in those states, as well? I imagine that he would not have a difficulty with absentee ballots in either state...
SmoothTom @ 2008-10-19 18:08:58 --
I fail to see the issue here ... the guy came to Ohio for a job. He has a place to live. He's paying rent where he's living. Should he not be allowed to vote? And, if he retained his registration and voted absentee back where he NO LONGER lives, would some so-called journalists looking for a scoop dig up this fact and trumpet it as a scandal? Exactly what are you guys trying to do, besides drag some hard-working kid's name into the mud and perhaps encourage some crazies to take out their version of justice, Palin-style, on him? I've already seen this post copied at another forum, by one of the nuttier members of that forum. I wouldn't put it past that guy to get physical with this poor kid. How about a little responsibility?
Korry @ 2008-10-19 20:41:06 --
I don't believe you talked to any attorney. There is no requirement in Ohio law that requires any intent for long term residency. 30 day residency is the ONLY requirement. You're lying.
"How do I know whether I am qualified to register and to vote in Ohio?
You are qualified to register to vote in Ohio if you meet all the following requirements:
1) You are a citizen of the United States;
2) You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the general election. (If you will be 18 on or before November 4, you may vote in the primary election for candidates, but you cannot vote on issues until you are 18);
3) You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote;
4) You are not incarcerated (in prison or jail) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state, another state or the United States;
5) You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court; and
6) You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violations of the election laws.
You are eligible to vote in elections held in your voting precinct more than 30 consecutive days after you are duly registered to vote in this state."
--------------------------------------
But I think Mr. Smith should consult with an attorney and consider suing you for harrassment.
Shelby Holliday @ 2008-10-19 20:49:23 --
Kory-
Perhaps you missed our interviews with both Democratic and Republican attorneys...
http://www.palestra.net/news/politics/17369
I would also like to refer you to the Ohio Revised Code and its definition of 'residency.' Please see section C.
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3503.02
I never said that Mr. Smith did or did not break the law... that is not for me to decide.
I also have no intention of dragging anyones' name "through the mud," and I have no doubt that Mr. Smith is a good, hard-working kid. I would have loved to hear his side of the story, but the campaign on which he works made that nearly impossible.
Thanks for reading, I appreciate the feedback.
Korry @ 2008-10-19 21:02:22 --
You're pathetic. If he has no other permanent residence, and he's not voting in any other state, there is no reason for anyone to question his intentions.
The Republican agenda to scream "voter fraud" in order to mask and justify their intent to disenfranchise and supress as many voters as possible, is despicable.
Why would even use his actual name?
You're scum. Period.
@ 2008-10-20 20:55:07 --
Kudos to SmoothTom and Korry. Both of you provide very logical viewpoints.
Shelby - Your article does nothing but stir up unjustified speculation. This can hardly be called journalism. It's nothing more than a gossip column without any credible reference points. Smith complied with Ohio law (Yes, he cut it close, but he is still qualified) and is by no means abusing his rights as an American citizen.
As Reynolds put it, "There is no story."
Stop trying to pander the name of an innocent voter. Your attempts to solicit attention are unprofessional and lack social responsibility. Smith is entitled to private and protected rights (just like ANY other voter) and your reckless accusations are an obstruction of his liberties. This is in fact harassment and invasion of privacy.
Where exactly did you receive your "information" anyway?
Your actions are reprehensible.
@ 2008-10-20 22:08:27 --
Allow me to state another point.
As you yourself have indicated, Smith is originally a resident of FL.
And if I'm not mistaken, FL is as much of a swing state as OH. In fact, FL has 27 electoral votes compared to OH's 20. Therefore, Smith's vote is influential in EITHER state.
Now everyone can go back to ignoring the propaganda and get on with their lives.