Yesterday, I wrote a post about what I called "a big story developing in North Carolina." Progressive South, in a recommended diary at DailyKos, reported that African-American households were receiving deceptive phone calls about voting -- and that similar calls had taken place in several other states.
There's more today. I am really trying to get my head around this latest bombshell from Chris Kromm from Facing South in another recommended post at Daily Kos exposing who is behind the calls in North Carolina:
Who's behind the mysterious "robo-calls" that have spread misleading voter information and sown confusion and frustration among North Carolina residents over the last week?
Facing South has confirmed the source of the calls, and the mastermind is Women's Voices Women Vote, a D.C.-based nonprofit which aims to boost voting among "unmarried women voters."
What's more, Facing South has learned that the firestorm Women's Voices has ignited in North Carolina isn't the group's first brush with controversy. Women's Voices' questionable tactics have spawned thousands of voter complaints in at least 11 states and brought harsh condemnation from some election officials for their secrecy, misleading nature and likely violations of election law.
This is, to put it simply, stunning. I have to include a major segment of the post from Facing South to give context to this story:
In correspondence with North Carolina election officials, Women's Voices founder and President Page Gardner merely said that the disruptive timing was an "unfortunate coincidence" -- a strange alibi for a group with their level of resources and sophistication.
There are other questions about Women's Voices' outreach efforts. Although the group purports to be targeting "unmarried women," their calls and mailings don't fit the profile. Kevin Farmer in Durham, who first recorded the call, is a white male. Many of the recipients are African-American; Rev. Nelson Johnson, who is a married, male and African-American, reported that his house was called four times by the mysterious "Lamont Williams."
And as Farmer asks, "Why are they using a guy for the calls if the target audience is single women?"
Some have also questioned the ties between Women's Voices operatives and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton. Gardner, for example, contributed $2,500 to Clinton's HILLPAC on May 4, 2006, and in March 2005 she donated a total of $4,200 to Clinton, according to The Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org. She has not contributed to the Obama campaign, according to the database.
Women's Voices Executive Director Joe Goode worked for Bill Clinton's election campaign in 1992 as a pollster; the group's website says he was intimately involved in "development and implementation of all polling and focus groups done for the presidential primary and general election campaigns" for Clinton.
Women's Voices board member John Podesta, former Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton, donated $2,300 to Hillary Clinton on April 19, 2007, according to OpenSecrets.org. Podesta also donated $1,000 to Barack Obama in July 2004, but that was well before Obama announced his candidacy for president.
"The reports from other states are very disturbing, especially the pattern of mass confusion among targeted voters on the eve of a state's primary," Democracy North Carolina's Bob Hall tells Facing South. "These are highly skilled political operatives -- something doesn't add up. Maybe it's all well-intended and explainable. At this moment, our first priority is to stop the robo-calls and prevent the chaos and potential disenfranchisement caused by this group sending 276,000 packets of registration forms into North Carolina a few days before a heated primary election. We need their immediate cooperation."
While Hall says his group has "begged" the group to stop the mailings, Women's Voices has refused to do so -- even though the mail-in voter registration deadline for the primaries passed April 11.
State election officials say they are bracing for the deluge of confused phone calls and complaints that are sure to follow.
Wow. This isn't what anyone would have expected from Women's Voices Women Vote. It is an organization with a very specific mission of finding and engaging unmarried women in the electoral process. Something appears to have gone very wrong. I am quite sure this is not the last we hear of this.
At the start of his post, Kromm includes this note:
Please note: Women's Voices Women Vote appears to be a legitimate organization; people we respect support their work. However, we believe that the tactics revealed in our story, as well as the effect they are having on confusing and potentially disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of voters -- especially right before critical primaries -- are cause for deep concern and raise critical questions about ethical election practices. -- Chris
In matters like these, I defer to the people on the ground in the states who see and experience the real world impact of what DC groups do (Facing South thinks the calls are likely illegal). Why would a progressive group want to sow confusion and bear the responsibility of disenfranchising voters -- after they've been warned? Smart, savvy organizations know better than to distribute any information that will potentially confuse voters. This is very disturbing -- and it doesn't make sense.
This is a big story developing in North Carolina. African-American households are receiving deceptive phone calls about voting. Progressive South, in a recommended diary at DailyKos, has the details -- and it's been happening in several states:
As reported yesterday in the Raleigh News & Observer, African-American households are receiving anonymous robo-calls with misleading information about voting. Facing South has now learned that those calls are very similar to tactics recently used in Virginia and Ohio, suggesting they may be linked to a national voter deception strategy.
In one North Carolina call, the caller falsely states that voters must send in a "voter registration packet" before voting. The State Board of Elections released a transcript of the call (you can also listen to it at the Democracy North Carolina website):
"Hello, this is Lamont Williams. In the next few days, you will receive a voter registration packet in the mail. All you need to do is sign it, date it and return your application. Then you will be able to vote and make your voice heard. Please return the voter registration form when it arrives. Thank you."
Facing South has learned that voters in Virginia received calls with the same message before that state's Feb. 12 primaries -- although, the Virginia State Board of Elections curiously viewed it as an attemhttp://draft.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifpt at identity theft, not voter disenfranchisement. As WAMU 88.5 reported:
State police and elections officers in Virginia are warning residents about a possible identity theft scam. The state board of elections says at least a dozen people in central and southern Virginia have received automated phone calls this week telling them to expect a voter registration packet in the mail. The residents say they were instructed by the caller to fill out the packets and mail them in. State Board of Elections Secretary Nancy Rodrigues says the state did not make these calls and does not register voters in that manner.
I called the , and a spokeswoman told me they did not have transcripts of the calls and did not know whether or not they came from "Lamont Williams." She said they had referred the matter to state police.
Facing South has also learned that, last year, voters in Ohio received almost the exact same calls, using the same name of the supposed caller in North Carolina.
This appears to be a multi-state voter suppression effort. Too bad we don't have a Justice Department that cares about voting rights. But, the Attorney Generals from each state should be investigating and coordinating.
Who would have an interest in suppressing the African-American vote?
We've been doing a lot of blogging about LGBT issues at the national level, specifically ENDA and all the political schisms erupting here and elsewhere, but it's good to remind ourselves that the rubber often hits the road at the local level, where our advocacy organizations do a lot with not a lot of resources.
During our Pride last weekend here in NC (my post here), and the good folks at EqualityNC had a table up all day. People were enthusiastically signing the Safe Schools Petition -- 900 folks in support of it. We have an LGBT-inclusive School Violence Prevention Act making its way through the State Senate. Since there was a lot of buzz there about ENDA, as well as other issues, ENC took an informal poll on what most concerned LGBT Tar Heels:
Over half the respondents thought preventing the anti-gay marriage amendment was top priority. North Carolina remains the only Southern state to legislatively stop a constitutional amendment to reduce gay folks to second-class citizens who cannot marry.
A close second was preventing anti-gay bullying in our schools (something Equality NC is working hard to do next session with our Safe School legislation). Many people also expressed concern that the trans community isn't included often enough in pro-LGBT legislation -- a particularly relevant issue given the recent attempts to remove trans-inclusion from the federal Employment Nondiscrimination Act, efforts which ENC strongly opposes.
Employment nondiscrimination, both statewide and national (including repeal of the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy), was also cited.
Just a few weeks ago, I was in Birmingham speaking at Alabama's Day of Equality and Gala (put on by Equality Alabama), where hundreds of grassroots activists (LGB and T) came together to attend workshops and support the local advocacy organization.
On November 3, LGBT North Carolinians get their opportunity to come together, share stories and strategize how to advance our rights in our state with the 2007 Equality Conference & Gala. It will held at the Duke University School of Law, and will feature workshops that bring together movement leaders, grassroots advocates, and LGBT citizens from across the state for a day of networking, skills-building, and learning. In the evening there will be a gala held at the Nasher Museum of Art in Durham.
I serve on the conference committee, and was pleased as all get-out to confirm that Alabama Representative Patricia Todd is going to join us to speak about her journey to become the first openly gay elected official in that state; and Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) President Neil Guiliano will also bring his perspective to attendees. What's exciting is that we will have several member of the North Carolina General Assembly there. Remember, in this state, being an open advocate of LGBT rights can be no small feat in some circles, and we look forward to educating more elected officials about moving forward in support of equality. In fact, the first Equality North Carolina Award for Legislative Leadership will be given to Representative Rick Glazier for his strong work on the School Violence Prevention Act.
I'll moderate a panel that should be extremely lively, "Still Crossing Those Bridges: Facing Racial and Ethnic Barriers," featuring Mandy Carter, Co-Founder, Southerners on New Ground, Durham, Reverend Roger E. Hayes, Pastor, Church of the Holy Spirit Fellowship, Inc., Winston-Salem, Alba Onofrio, Executive Director, El Centro Hispano, Durham, and Allan Taziri, Member, Fayetteville Bayard Rustin Commemorative Alliance.
[A side note: until late last week, I thought discussing race was the major third rail topic that makes people uncomfortable with implicit bias; little did I know that discussing transgender issues would raise equally troubling questions about the inability of people to handle difficult and divisive subjects honestly and openly without wounding. You live and learn.]
See some of the other workshops, including one with the pastor who made news at the Dem YouTube debate with a question on marriage equality, over at my pad.
I have to give props to the NC GOP for playing hardball with hetero Privette; at least they are sending him the kind of message that the GOP on the Hill hasn't given to Diaper David Vitter, who also admitted diddling around with sex workers.
Coy C. Privette, the Cabarrus County (NC) commissioner, retired Baptist minister, and disgraced former head of The Christian Action League, recently pleaded guilty to six counts of aiding and abetting prostitution. Yes, Coy repeatedly broke his religious marital vows over and over for a little horizontal bop on the meter.
The 74-year-old retired pastor is now being urged to resign by his fellow commissioners, and he received a formal letter to that effect.
The state Republican Party chairman said she has sent Privette a priority-mail letter urging him to step down.
..."It was my opinion that he should step down immediately," state party Chairman Linda Daves said Thursday afternoon. "The letter said he's dishonored and disgraced."
...Daves said she talked with Privette on Sunday and told him he should resign immediately for the good of the party.
Here's an excerpt of the letter Privette received:
Despite your many years of service to the people of Cabarrus County and the Republican Party, your behavior has severed a public trust, and you have sacrificed the privilege to represent the people of North Carolina. Your confessed conduct is dishonorable to yourself, your family, the people you represent, and our Party."
I'm not sure I want Privette to resign. See, he and my BFF, Robin "Flipper" Hayes are tight. Coy's followers provide GOTV assistance to Hayes and other local Republicans and I don't want Privette to resign and rob me of the chance to link Robin Hayes to a man who is guilty of straying outside the bounds of morality and using a prostitute to satisfy his carnal desires. Now we know just what kind of "action" he was getting at The Christian Action League.
Speaking of Robin Hayes....he's been silent on the news that his friend and colleague, Coy Privette can't keep his peter in his pants. Does Robin Hayes think that if he stays quiet long enough nobody is going to point out that he and Coy go way back? I mean...they're pinky shake, spit on the ground, best friends fo'evahhhhh kind of pals. A friendship like that simply shouldn't be hidden away at a time like this. Coy needs his buddies. Come on Robin Hayes, show a proselytizing old pervert some love.
We've been doing a lot of blogging about LGBT issues at the national level, specifically ENDA and all the political schisms erupting here and elsewhere, but it's good to remind ourselves that the rubber often hits the road at the local level, where our advocacy organizations do a lot with not a lot of resources.
I serve on the conference committee, and was pleased as all get-out to confirm that Alabama Representative Patricia Todd is going to join us to speak about her journey to become the first openly gay elected official in that state; and Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) President Neil Guiliano will also bring his perspective to attendees. What's exciting is that we will have several member of the North Carolina General Assembly there. Remember, in this state, being an open advocate of LGBT rights can be no small feat in some circles, and we look forward to educating more elected officials about moving forward in support of equality. In fact, the first Equality North Carolina Award for Legislative Leadership will be given to Representative Rick Glazier for his strong work on the School Violence Prevention Act.
Coy C. Privette, the Cabarrus County (NC) commissioner, retired Baptist minister, and disgraced former head of The Christian Action League, recently 
