An independent political publication called the Michigan Messenger is totally kicking ass all over the GOP place, breaking the story of how the GOP is trying to prevent citizens who are facing foreclosure from voting.
First, they reported the story:
The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County, Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP’s effort to challenge some voters on Election Day.
“We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses,” party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week.
Then, once the GOP realized that was a stupid thing to say and requested that the article be taken down, the Michigan Messenger refused to retract it and explained why:
The Michigan Republican Party is demanding, via press release, a retraction of the Michigan Messenger story “Lose your house, lose your vote.”
In the article, Macomb County Republican Party chairman James Carabelli was quoted as saying, “We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses.”
Carabelli contends the quotes as reported by Eartha Jane Melzer were “fabricated.” State Republican chairman Saul Anuzis charges the story is a “complete fabrication.”
The story will not be retracted because Carabelli’s and Anuzis’ claims are without merit. The quotes were accurately reported. Melzer, the Michigan Messenger and the Center for Independent Media stand behind this story 100 percent.
And now the Obama peeps are suing the GOP over this issue!
The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Michigan over the Michigan GOP’s plan to use foreclosure lists to challenge voters at the polls, as first reported by the Michigan Messenger.
Bauer called the GOP plan to use foreclosure lists “a new and especially repellent version of caging.” Caging is a technique of challenging voters where they take lists of addresses, mail to them with a “do not forward” marking and if for whatever reason those mailings are returned, they use this as a basis for claiming that the voter no longer lives at the address at which they are registered.
Bauer noted that using foreclosure lists to challenge a voter’s address is “false and illegal” for several reasons. First, because getting a foreclosure notice is not evidence that the person’s address has changed. In Michigan, homeowners have the opportunity to redeem the foreclosure even after a sheriff’s sale has occurred, which means they can stay in the home for many months after a foreclosure notice has been sent. Second, because under Michigan law a person can vote at their old precinct if they lost their home within 60 days of the election.
To this I say: BRAVO, Michigan Messenger!! In a world obsessed with lipstick and pigs and nonsense, this story of the independent press defending our basic right to vote is inspiring.
Especially since, thanks to the efforts of the Michigan Messenger, Team Obama got wind of the story and was able to take action way in advance of the election. Brilliant work!