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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > November > 01 > Entry
Boehner demands prosecutors on election observer teams; blasts “Obama partisans”
U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, has charged that “Obama partisans” may have played a “pivotal role” in the Republican-led Justice Department decision not to assign federal prosecutors to federal election observer teams.
In a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey on Friday, Oct. 31, Boehner (pictured) urged Mukasey to reverse the decision “amid reports of voter fraud across the country.”
The letter is under review, said Jamie Hais, a Justice Department spokeswoman.
The Justice Department so far has declined to act on Boehner’s request that Mukasey intervene more forcefully in a dispute in Ohio over voter registrations with information that doesn’t match information on drivers’ licenses and Social Security data.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, said this week it is her understanding no legal action will be taken on the mismatch issue before the Tuesday, Nov. 4 election.
Hais, the Justice Department spokeswoman, said in an e-mail:
“The Department is pleased with Secretary Brunner’s directive issued Oct. 24, that ensures counties will check for deceased and duplicate names on voter rolls, but will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action if deemed appropriate.”
The request on the federal prosecutors from the top Republican in the U.S. House to the Republican attorney general might seem politically unusual. Boehner, however, blamed the dispute on “Obama partisans,” a reference to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
“[T]he real motive behind the Department’s decision is undeniably suspect given that Obama partisans in key positions at the Department of Justice may well have played a pivotal role in making it,” Boehner said in the letter.
He cited news reports that Justice Department employees have given about $250,000 to Sen. Obama’s campaign, including personal contributions from several senior officials in the Voting Rights Section of the DOJ.
Here’s the letter:
October 31, 2008
The Honorable Michael B. Mukasey Attorney General United States Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530
Dear Mr. Attorney General:
I have just been advised of your department’s decision to reverse its longstanding policy of assigning criminal prosecutors to serve on all federal election observer teams. I am deeply concerned about this decision, particularly in the wake of a steady stream of reports highlighting voter registration fraud and potential fraudulent voting activities that have dominated the news in recent weeks.
I am particularly dismayed to learn that several DOJ officials with important responsibilities for overseeing enforcement of the nation’s voting rights laws - from access to the polls to protecting against voter fraud - are significant financial contributors to the Obama presidential campaign. According to published reports, approximately $250,000 has already been contributed by DOJ employees to the Obama campaign, including personal contributions from several senior officials in the Voting Rights Section of the DOJ. This news does nothing to inspire confidence by the American people in the DOJ’s ability to assure fair elections and the equal application of the nation’s voting laws.
Frankly, the real motive behind the Department’s decision is undeniably suspect given that Obama partisans in key positions at the Department of Justice may well have played a pivotal role in making it.
On behalf of my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives - who share my commitment to ensuring the fairness and integrity of the 2008 election - I strongly urge you to reverse the DOJ decision announced in September and immediately announce your intention to dispatch experienced criminal prosecutors as members of federal election observer teams nationwide.
The Department of Justice must use all means at its disposal to assure that every eligible citizen has access to the polls — and to thwart attempts by persons or organizations seeking to fraudulently obtain, cast or count ballots in the 2008 election.
With November 4th just days away, it is imperative to move quickly and publicly to safeguard the integrity of this election. Accordingly, I ask that you notify me by close of business today whether you will restore the Department’s longstanding policy of including federal prosecutors on each of its election observer teams.
Thank you for your attention to this critically important matter.
Sincerely,
John A. Boehner Republican Leader
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment |
Comments
By Jayne
November 2, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this
Paid partisan bloggers on DDN? Interesting.By Jayne
November 2, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
Paid partisan bloggers on DDN? Interesting.By Jim
November 2, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this
Obama partisans in Bush’s DOJ? Really? I think John’s been smokin something more than cigarettes.By Jim
November 1, 2008 11:14 PM | Link to this
What a jerk. (and that’s being nice) If you ever need a definition of a Republican hack, just look up Boehner.By Ann
November 1, 2008 9:36 PM | Link to this
Sour grapes!!! Boehner is trying to use Government to do the job the Republican Party didn’t do. Boehner is jealous of the community organizing capabilities of the Obama campaign. There is no way for precinct observers to know whether they are helping Republicans or Democrats vote. The job of the precinct observers is to help ensure that everyone is given a fair opportunity to vote. PERIOD.By Jason Mock
November 1, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
Ok. This is getting rich. Boehner, the House Republican leader, is criticizing the Republican-led Justice Department and claiming that “Obama partisans” are infiltrating the department? Really? Are you kidding me? The Bush Justice Department? Of course, he’s right :) I can see the black helicopters descending from the heavens right now, right behind the UFO’s with the little green men who are carrying Jimmy Hoffa’s coffin en route to pick up Elvis as they cross the Bermuda Triangle to find the final resting place of the Saskwatch and the Loch Ness Monster. Oh, and by the way, the 2004 election was stolen too:) This guy CAN’T be for real. If Boehner had any credibility before, well, it’s going, going … GONE. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.By Dave
November 1, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
One of the difficulties faced by anyone who becomes majority or minority whip or leader, is that they have to represent their party rather than their constituents. Of course, with Boeher, would any of his constituents notice the difference?By ohdave.net
November 1, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Boehner is a shill. If he worked as hard for his constituents who were thrown out of work by AK Steel instead of missing a vote on extending unemployment benefits Ohio would be better off. It’s comical that he thinks Democrats had any influence over Mukasey and Bush’s DOJ, who have politicized the US Attorneys to try to influence elections. This line of attack doesn’t even make sense, and Boehner’s only goal is to cast doubt on a Nov. 4 election that will place Democrats solidly in power. Again, maybe if Boehner and his fellow Republicans worked for their constituents instead of playing political games they wouldn’t be so far behind in the polls.By ghhh
November 1, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
Is Boehner going to cry again when he doesn’t get his way?