Court Ruling: Count Al Franken's Votes

The Minnesota U.S. Senate race between Democratis challenger Al Franken and Republican incumbent Norm Coleman is close, and getting closer.

Coleman finished ahead by around 700 votes on election night, and he has been trying since then to lock in a win -- with bombastic calls on Franken to concede, attempts to discredit local election officials and legal actions designed to prevent a full count.

But Coleman has failed, so far, to halt the democratic processes in a state that prides itself on holding clean, efficient elections. And with the slow tabulating of absentee ballots, as well as the correction of errors in initial counts, Franken has been closing the gap.

By Friday afternoon, Coleman's total was 1,211,542 and Franken's was 1,211,304.

That's a 238-vote difference -- less than half the number of votes that were in play at the close of the Bush-v-Gore fight for Florida in 2000.

Coleman made a desperate attempt Saturday to block the counting of absentee ballots from heavily Democratic Hennepin County.

But a judge in neighboring Ramsey County, where the matter was heard, denied the request by Coleman's lawyers, citing a lack of jurisdiction. At issue were just 32 ballots, but as the margin narrows, they could turn out to be critical. And it looks as if they will be counted.

While Coleman's campaign has turned hysterical, with grumbling from the top aides that "unexplained and improbable shifts in vote counts," state election officials have said that the Republicans griping is unfounded and inappropriate.

For his part, Franken counseled patience while expressing confidence in the vote-counting processes of his homestate. Here's the entertainer-turned-candidate's latest statement:

{This] race is too close to call, with a margin of just about 1100 votes out of 2.9 million cast. That's four one-hundredths of one percent of the vote. And we expect that when those final nine precincts are counted this morning, that 1100-vote margin will shrink into the hundreds.

Under Minnesota state law, we will now enter into an automatic statewide canvass and recount. It will be the first one since 1962, when I was 11 years old. I remember that year very clearly for two reasons. The recount between Elmer L. Anderson and Karl Rolvaag. And the Gophers were in the Rose Bowl that year.

And we have twice as many ballots to count this time.

Let me be clear: Our goal is to ensure that every vote is properly counted.

The process, dictated by our laws, will be orderly, fair, and will take place within a matter of days. We won't know for a little while who won this race, but at the end of the day, we will know that the voice of the electorate was clearly heard.

There is reason to believe that the recount could change the vote tallies significantly.

Our office and the Obama campaign have received reports of irregularities at various precincts around the state. For instance, some polling places in Minneapolis ran out of registration materials. Our team has been working on those issues for several hours already, and they will continue to do so this morning as the recount process begins.

Let me be clear: This race is too close to call, and we do not yet know who won. We are lucky enough to live in a state with built-in protections to ensure that in close elections like these, the will of the people is accurately reflected in the outcome.

This has been a long campaign, and it's going to be a little longer before we have a winner. Senator Coleman, Senator Barkley, and I have done a lot of talking. Minnesotans have waited a long time to have THEIR say. And thanks to our state's laws, we will eventually understand precisely what they have said.

Comments (57)

1. Hmm...I guess this rules out the question of whether the recount is required by law now huh Darin?

   Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 8:25pm

2. Dear god I hope Al wins. what about Michelle Bachman the queen from the dark ages?

   Posted by lachatte at 11/08/2008 @ 9:02pm

3. Dear god I hope Al wins. what about Michelle Bachman the queen from the dark ages?

   Posted by lachatte at 11/08/2008 @ 9:02pm

   She won. Narrowly, but she'll be back. And with any luck will keep her fat mouth shut.

   Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 9:49pm

4. Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 9:49pm

   funny, just saw her on MSNBC today for something

   Posted by leftofcenter at 11/08/2008 @ 10:11pm

5. Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 9:49pm

   She did more than that...

   NOW...she's trying to kiss Obama's ass!

   As for Franken, we'll see. Still dicey.

   Posted by Mask at 11/08/2008 @ 10:19pm

6. Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 8:25pm

   Um, perhaps you haven't heard of a little thing known as "liberal activist judges"?

   Stupid urban-eliteist-libruls, and your wanting to actually count votes!

   Most of these things can be settled with a rough estimate or head count, don'cha know?

   Posted by TexasFlood at 11/08/2008 @ 10:31pm

7. Most of these things can be settled with a rough estimate or head count, don'cha know?

   Posted by TexasFlood at 11/08/2008 @ 10:31pm

   I think Minnesota should sue Palin for copyright infringment. You know, stealing their accent and all. In fact, as I recall, most Alaskans were shocked to hear her talk like that. And I used to live in Idaho and they sure don't talk like that there!

   Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 10:46pm

8. Quick call Sandra Day O'Conner! Love how neocons oppose, uh, THE VOTE.

   Posted by winyahn at 11/08/2008 @ 10:52pm

9. As for Franken, we'll see. Still dicey.

   Posted by Mask at 11/08/2008 @ 10:19pm

   I honestly wish this was the same situation as Georgia and would inspire a top-two runoff. Such as it is, whoever will be declared the winner will more than likely have an air of illegitimacy surrounding him. If Franken does pull it off it won't matter as much as he will be solidly in the majority. If Coleman wins in a squeaker though it's gonna be really rough on him.

   Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 10:58pm

10. Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 10:46pm

    But that was just a part of her heartwarming charm, gee golly!

    I myself often start speaking with random accents that have nothing to do with where I was raised, or where I live. Just the other day I was getting a candybar from 7-11 and immediately broke into a fine cockney accent!

    An' a pack a camels, eh guvnah?

    Posted by TexasFlood at 11/08/2008 @ 11:02pm

11. An' a pack a camels, eh guvnah?

    Posted by TexasFlood at 11/08/2008 @ 11:02pm

    One of my bosses is British and I'm originally from South Carolina, so hearing the two of us have a conversation can be rather, umm, entertaining. I personally think the whole accent thing is gonna bite her in the butt in some fashion. Well, that and the atrocious way she represented the state as the VP candidate. I guess it goes to show why you should never vote against someone eh?

    Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 11:05pm

12. It is truly a shame that this pitiable moron should have been the first female candidate for VP or prez, something that should have happened LONG ago.

    She is an affront to women's rights EVERYWHERE.

    My vote, now that you mention it, was nothing more than a vote against the GOP ticket. I am totally unenthusiastic about an Obama presidency.

    Posted by TexasFlood at 11/08/2008 @ 11:08pm

13. *It is truly a shame that this pitiable moron should have been the first female candidate for VP or prez, something that should have happened LONG ago.*

    FWIW, she wasn't. Geraldine Ferraro was the VP candidate long before Miss Wasilla was out of college.

    Posted by yutsano at 11/08/2008 @ 11:14pm

14. Tsk, look at lil ole revisionist me!

    Posted by TexasFlood at 11/08/2008 @ 11:17pm

15. Come on Al!

    Prime time television sucks. The election is over.

    We have no money to spend.

    We need cheap entertainment.

    We need a 60 seat majority.

    Send in the ACLU!

    Posted by bleedingheart at 11/08/2008 @ 11:38pm

16. Send in the ACLU! Posted by bleedingheart at 11/08/2008 @ 11:38pm

    if there is any justice left in this country, we will not have to hear the words, Senator Franken.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/09/2008 @ 12:08am

    Hey, bleed, great idea on the ACLU - hopefully they'll get their people involved in this should t appear that there are attempts to suppress the counting of all the votes. One of the many reasons that I'm a card-carrying member.

    Larry, it's very much possible that, with President Obama, we may finally see a return to justice in this country. I sure have missed it during the Dark Ages of the past 8 years. And if there is true justice, you'll hear the terms "former Senators Coleman and Chambliss". Hope is a fine thing indeed!

    Posted by jmusolino at 11/09/2008 @ 12:55am

17. come on lv.... A Harvard grad an "idiot"..?? not hardly... And besides do you still contend Bush is NOT an Idiot ..?? come on... Really..?? Where is the common sense...? The U.S. Senate would be served well to have someone who speaks his mind. But if you want the usual double speak, i guess Coleman and his "republican" ideas and such would do you just fine... Your party had the ball and dropped it (and then ran it over with a truck, and then lit it on fire)... Time for a change Lv...

    Posted by Vvf1969 at 11/09/2008 @ 01:34am

18. Really? When did we disband our justice system? I must have missed the day that was all over the evening news. Dark Ages? Maybe for leftists who don't like coming out into the light.-LUVSlimitedLIBERT

    Jose Padilla was held for years without charges.

    AG Ashcroft violated US law by speaking about ongoing cases and basically convicting people of "dirty bombing" before any charges were filed. He did this multiple times.

    "Free speech" zones were created inside the confines of the USA, separate from any rights you may have under Amendment 1.

    Chimpy McFlightsuit illegally wiretapped thousands of American citizens phone calls, then had a sycophantic dem/repub congress give retroactive immunity.

    Gonzalez violated rules regarding the hiring of political cronies to the DoJ.

    A Canadian citizen was kidnapped, sent to Syria and tortured, under the auspices of the Doj.

    thousands of people were taken from their homes under a bounty program. Hundreds of these were transferred to a Cuban gulag. Over 250 of those were held for years without charges, then released as they were found to be no threat.

    Larry, you are deliberately obtuse and blind to the harm these actions have done to your country. Just look at the HUGE sigh of relief that the world let out on Tuesday night.

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/09/2008 @ 09:05am

19. One of the many reasons I refused to vote Republican they hate everything this country stands for. If they could get away with it they would do away with the vote entirely. Appointing themselves to all public offices. As long as there are votes uncounted the election should not be called and it stop! That kind of nonsense brought us 8 terrible years of Dubya and merry band of highwaymen!

    Posted by ganddw42 at 11/09/2008 @ 09:23am

20. if there is any justice left in this country, we will not have to hear the words, Senator Franken.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/09/2008 @ 12:08am | ignore this person | warn this person

    if the result of this process shows that franken actually got more votes...

    then "senator franken" will be the epitome of justice.

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/09/2008 @ 10:03am

21. I saw no dark ages during the last eight years.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/09/2008 @ 01:02am | ignore this person | warn this person

    yeah...as a conservative christian you were not being called a treasonous trator for not supporting the iraq war. you haved adored the federal government taking my buddhist tax money and giving it to christian proselytizing groups who pose as charities. except for its utter failure i'm sure you have LOVED the last dystopic 8 years...

    "Coleman is a moderate Republican and would not be missed except for the alternative of an idiot like Franken-yes idiot. I listened to him on Air America and he is an idiot."

    franken is an "idiot" because...he is funny, his humor is directed at you and your heroes, and most importantly, his humor is based on TRUTH!!! generally a good sense of humor is a sign of INTELLIGENCE. its the idiot who does not get it, or the bitter hypocrite who is offended by it...

    "Chambliss has been a fairly decent Senator and it would be a shame to seem him gone."

    chambliss won his seat by defaming and slurring a REAL war hero, by calling into question the bravery and patriotism of a triple amputee war hero. the "shame" was in seeing him come...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/09/2008 @ 10:16am

22. Dark ages?

    MALCOM NANCE,"master Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) instructor." at Small Wars Journal:

    "To defeat Bin Laden many in this administration have openly embraced the methods of by Hitler, Pinochet, Pol Pot, Galtieri and Saddam Hussein.

    ...Once convicted in a fair, public tribunal, they (terror convicts) would have the rest of their lives...to come to terms with their God and their acts.

    This is not enough for our President. He apparently secretly ordered the core American values of fairness and justice to be thrown away in the name of security from terrorists. He somehow determined that the honor the military, the CIA and the nation itself was an acceptable trade for the superficial knowledge of the machinations of approximately 2,000 terrorists, most of whom are being decimated in Iraq or martyring themselves in Afghanistan. It is a short sighted and politically motivated trade that is simply disgraceful. There is no honor here.

    It is outrageous that American officials, including the Attorney General and a legion of minions of lower rank have not only embraced this torture but have actually justified it, redefined it to a misdemeanor, brought it down to the level of a college prank and then bragged about it...

    Torture advocates hide behind the argument that an open discussion about specific American interrogation techniques will aid the enemy. Yet, convicted Al Qaeda members and innocent captives who were released to their host nations have already debriefed the world through hundreds of interviews, movies and documentaries on exactly what methods they were subjected to and how they endured. In essence, our own missteps have created a cadre of highly experienced lecturers for Al Qaeda's own virtual SERE school for terrorists"

    Posted by PhilMcCrevice at 11/09/2008 @ 10:52am

23. "I saw no dark ages during the last eight years."

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/09/2008 @ 01:02am

    LVLIBERTY would not cognize Dark Ages as such even if he was submerged deep within their maggot-laden bosom since that is precisely the environment where a miserable creature such as himself can thrive.

    I invite you all to look at NANCE's livid, insiderly informed blog entry at:

    http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2007/10/waterboarding-is-torture-perio/

    NANCE's expertise is such that he has also testified on the topic before congress and there is also Youtube footage of it. A man like NANCE is a real man and a real warrior dedeicated to sacrifice for America's interests, in contrast to an Arm-Chair Ensign/Bed-Pan Belligerant like LVLIBERTY.

    Which brings us to the question: Although he is avowedly succession-friendly, LVLIBERTY has claimed that he was in Vietnam in order to prevent a Muslim from being president (which of course was a big topic in 1966 when he LOVIE claims to have mobilized).

    One must ask: Does this extend to a Christian man who is son of Muslim? With an Arabic middle name?

    LVLIBERTY and others of his sorry ilk will need to make the decision: Are they mentally lodged in a pro-America zone, as Saint Sarah called it? Will they love America's democratic decision making process --- or leave it for something else mor to their peculiar (theocratic) tastes?

    Posted by PhilMcCrevice at 11/09/2008 @ 11:03am

24. Finally, it must be noted with regard to LOVIE's charactization of Al FRANKEN as an "idiot" that there is no correspondence between LOVIE's judgments and any reference point in an externally verifiable reality. LOVIE epitomises the most virulent form of an unswerving ideologue, a mind so colonized by dogma that no light or air enters it. Simply stated, LOVIE could not make a fair-minded judgement if his fate in The Rapture (ask him about that, by the way) depended upon it.

    There is a long lineage of doozies that precede LOVIE turning his nose up at FRANKEN. LOVIE has ...

    * ... Lionized America-hating drunkard Joe McCarthy a "great American".

    *... Witnessed for Sarah Palin in characterizing the Patron Saint of Reaganite Bimboism as immense VP material.

    *...Hailed Newt Gingrich as a robust "family man" regardless of how many women he left with divorce papers in a hospital bed so he could chase the skirts of much younger pages.

    *...Trumpeted George W. Loser as a "leader". That is, in fact, his word: Leader. Not Andover Cheerleader. Leader.

    *...Then there was his "Angry God!" judgment that the US should have nuked 10,000,000 or so Chinese civilians after WWII since LOVIE is, after all, the self-nominated gold standard for being "pro-life".

    A slogan that LOVIE could mouth-breath about is therefore at hand:

    Save the Stem Cell people! Kill & Trorture Real Humans, To The Max!

    Posted by PhilMcCrevice at 11/09/2008 @ 11:18am

25. Norm Coleman's history and conduct in this election indicates a man who is morally corrupt, of little intelligence, and indifferent to the will of the People -- in other words, the very model of a Republican. We shouldn't be surprised that he should try the same stunts as Bush in 2000, or Stevens, McCain, Palin, Goode and nearly every other Republican today.

    Posted by hsansom at 11/09/2008 @ 1:31pm

26. dear mr lvliberty,

    it is quite tiresome to see you consistently support a mass murdering war criminal as though you were stating a preference for wheat over sour dough. the crimes of the neocons are so well documented that to suggest otherwise is stupid and malicious. there is obviously a lot more to say on this topic but it really isnt worth the time for it improves the world not a bit. i just had to say something for my own peace of mind.

    Posted by montemerrick at 11/09/2008 @ 3:02pm

27. Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/09/2008 @ 10:16am

    Actually, we need to ENCOURAGE the kind of thinking that LL represents in the GOP.

    By saying Coleman is just the "lesser of two evils", it further continues the present move by the Hard Right to "purify" the GOP, ousting moderates and liberal Republicans...

    thus assuring a minority party status for the Repubs for years to come.

    Posted by Mask at 11/09/2008 @ 4:18pm

28. Nice line -- Phil

    "a mind so colonized by dogma that no light or air enters it"

    Yes, they're in hell on earth - hell between their ears, the first lie of which is that this hell is "out there" in liberal-boogeyman-land. Good luck with that haters!

    Mask -- the LCD issue, least common denominator... I think you make a good point, and that this may play out as you hope. If LV's beloved Clear Channel/Hate Radio and Faux, with co-corp-mouthpiecestars like OReilly and Hannity were not replaced by more moderate versions of the same when Bush was in charge and imploding, then it seems unlikely these corporations will back off now.

    So long as we still have the internet, guys like Maher, Stewart, I think the redmeat/redneck vote will not return to the Rove/Cheney dark ages, but will hover nationally at 43-49%.

    Posted by winyahn at 11/09/2008 @ 4:44pm

29. Only Franken's votes? or only the votes manufactured by Fanken's supporters over the next month?

    Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:45pm

    Nice unproven allegation there Darin. Care to put your foot in your mouth even further? The court ruling said that a heavily Democratic county's votes needed to be counted correctly. But nice of you to assume that automatically means Franken must be cheating.

    Posted by yutsano at 11/09/2008 @ 6:45pm

30. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:44pm

    who is this "dirty bomber"? Ashcroft lied, you bought it.

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/09/2008 @ 7:24pm

31. joe, the dirty plumber.....

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/09/2008 @ 7:39pm

32. joe, the dirty plumber.....

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/09/2008 @ 7:39pm

    Does that make Tito the naughty builder?

    Posted by yutsano at 11/09/2008 @ 7:47pm

33. It is better for 100 dirty bombers to go free than one innocent man be detained. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:44pm

    This is known as a Type II statistical error and has been long recognized in statistics to be the most grievous of errors, to be avoided at all costs. This is the statistical philosophy that governs the testing of pharmaceuticals, weapons systems, etc...in order to guarantee their safety.

    If you were that innocent man, Darin, you would understand.

    Posted by Balrog at 11/09/2008 @ 8:06pm

34. Posted by Mask at 11/09/2008 @ 4:18pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    i've always liked the way you think.

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/09/2008 @ 9:03pm

35. It is better for 100 dirty bombers to go free than one innocent man be detained. After all, a dirty bomber can only kill thousands, or maybe tens of thousands, but what is that compared to the freedom of one indivudal who associates with racidal islamists?

    Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:44pm

    We'll remember that, if you're ever detained, Darin.

    After all, what's "the freedom of one indivudal who associates with racidal" leftists, on The Nation blog?

    Posted by Malcontent at 11/09/2008 @ 9:18pm

36. It is better for 100 dirty bombers to go free than one innocent man be detained. After all, a dirty bomber can only kill thousands, or maybe tens of thousands, but what is that compared to the freedom of one indivudal who associates with racidal islamists?

    Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:44pm

    Was Eric Rudolph a clean bomber?

    Posted by Sorelish at 11/09/2008 @ 9:38pm

37. It is better for 100 dirty bombers to go free than one innocent man be detained.

    Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:44pm

    Seems we can't even have this argument without habeas corpus.

    Did you actually buy Rush's GITMO tee?

    Posted by winyahn at 11/09/2008 @ 11:06pm

38. I saw no dark ages during the last eight years.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/09/2008 @ 01:02am |

    What about the last eight weeks?

    Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 11/10/2008 @ 01:34am

39. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/09/2008 @ 01:02am

    We didn't disband our justice system, Larry. Bush and his syncophants (people like you) did. The shredding of the Constitution and the contempt for the rule of law, the politicization of DOJ, violation of treaties and conventions, illegal war of aggression, torture, all in violation of the law, of justice, of basic human decency and morality. If you don't see that as Dark Ages stuff, Larry, you have some very serious character flaws, as well as some equally serious problems with the concept of objective reality.

    Like you, Larry, I've listened to Al Franken, and your description of him as an idiot is, frankly, idiotic. As for Chambliss, his character assassination of a hero who left 3 limbs in Nam reveals that chickenhawk as the utter low life dirt bag that he is. Decent? What the hell kind of hallucinogens are you doing to even entertain the idea that Saxby Chambliss has so much as a shred of decency? Hell of a Christian you are, Rev.

    Posted by jmusolino at 11/10/2008 @ 02:17am

40. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/09/2008 @ 5:44pm

    Darin, you just made the case for a

    "secret police".

    You DO realize that, don't you????

    Posted by Mask at 11/10/2008 @ 07:08am

41. Here you go Larry, open your eyes...

    Minneapolis, 2008;

    [Mike Whelan had invited independent observers from the group LegalWatch to stay in his duplex, as Lindsay Beyerstein reported for firedoglake.com.

    At about 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, police surrounded his house with automatic weapons drawn. "One of my roommates said, ‘I want to see a warrant,' and she was immediately detained," Whelan told Beyerstein. He said the officers were wearing black uniforms and driving nondescript vans.

    "You figure this would be going on in South Africa, or Russia, not in Saint Paul," he said.

    Here is an account from another house that was raided.

    Police also swarmed a bus carrying members of the group Earth Justice.

    The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force actively recruited area residents to infiltrate local protest groups.

    One of the groups affected by the raids was Food Not Bombs, and you can't find a more nonviolent bunch than that.

    Bruce Nestor of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild saw some of the police actions.

    "I was personally present and saw officers with riot gear and assault rifles, pump action shotguns," he told Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.

    "The neighbor of one of the houses had a gun pointed in her face when she walked out on her back porch to see what was going on. There were children in all of these houses, and children were held at gunpoint."

    Later, of course, the police arrested two producers from Democracy Now and then arrested Goodman, who was trying to ask police about what happened to her employees.

    Her producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, are charged with "suspicion of felony riot."]

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 07:28am

42. [Max Obuszewski is a seasoned, nonviolent peace activist in Maryland. But to the Maryland State Police, he is suspected of committing the "primary crime" of "terrorism--anti-war protestors" and the "secondary crime" of "terrorism--anti-govern."

    That is how the Maryland State Police designated him in internal documents that the ACLU of Maryland obtained through a lawsuit and released on July 17. The documents also show that the Maryland State Police entered his name into a database dealing with "high intensity drug activity." These documents reveal an elaborate undercover operation against peace groups and anti-capital-punishment groups.

    "Agents collectively spent at least 288 hours on their surveillance over the 14-month period" in 2005 and 2006, the ACLU of Maryland says. Agents "monitored private organizing meetings, public forums, and events held in several churches, as well as anti-death penalty rallies outside the state's SuperMax facility and in Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis."

    Groups discussed in the documents include the ACLU, the American Friends Service Committee, Amnesty International, the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, the International Socialist Organization, the NAACP, and United Catholic Charities. (The mention of the ACLU pertained to an upcoming meeting where the group was to "discuss the Patriot Act and how it is applied to the general population in relation to civil rights and liberties.")

    The operation by the Maryland State Police included infiltrating undercover troopers into the small organizing sessions that the activists held. Sometimes only four people attended those meetings--along with the snoop. In their reports, the undercover officers repeatedly stressed that no crimes were in the making. "No intelligence has been gathered at this point

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 07:33am

43. ..."No intelligence has been gathered at this point that there are any illegal or disruptive actions planned," says one document dated March 16, 2005.

    "No one advocated any kind of violence or civil disobedience," says another dated April 7, 2005.

    "No problems were observed," says one on June 10, 2005.

    Nevertheless, the agents kept recommending that "this case remain open and updated as events warrant."

    The Maryland State Police denies any wrongdoing.

    Here is the statement it released on July 17 in its entirety:

    "In response to allegations of inappropriate surveillance by members of the Maryland State Police, Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, is stating the Department does not inappropriately curtail the expression or demonstration of the civil liberties of protestors or organizations acting lawfully. In a post 9/11 world, one of the main responsibilities of the Maryland State Police is to protect the citizens of Maryland from threats both foreign and domestic. No illegal actions by State Police have ever been taken against any citizens or groups who have exercised their right to free speech and assembly in a lawful manner. Only when information regarding criminal activity is alleged will police continue to investigate leads to ensure the public safety. "

    Rocah calls that statement "a bald-faced lie," adding, "Where is the allegation of criminal activity?" In fact, to the contrary, the surveillance logs are replete with the undercover officers' own statements about how polite the demonstrators are.

    The logs contain nothing except references to perfectly lawful speech, fully protected by the First Amendment."

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 07:35am

44. The Pengaton's partial file on the spying is available at DODAntiWarProtestDatabaseTracker.pdf.

    It lists 43 events in a six-month period alone, dating from November 11, 2004, to May 7, 2005. Pentagon political spying took place in the following states and the District of Columbia: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

    One took place in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 26, 2005, according to the Madison Capital Times.

    It was sponsored by the Student Labor Action Coalition and the Stop the War, the Capital Times reported. "Participants in the rally numbered only about 20," the paper said, and it was designed to protest recruitment in Madison. "A planned Air Force recruiting drive was abandoned as a result."

    The Pentagon's database "listed the type of threat posed by the event as ‘anti-DOD vandalism' and marked the source as ‘not credible.' The case, however, was left on a status of ‘open/unresolved,' " the Capital Times reported.

    The Pentagon snooped on another counter-recruitment protest, this one in Santa Cruz on April 5. It labeled the protest a credible "threat."

    "Over 300 students marched into a campus job fair, occupying the building and holding a teach-in until all military recruiters left," according Santa Cruz Indymedia. It quoted third-year student Jen Low saying: "The notion of the Pentagon spying on peaceful protesters is a major threat to the freedoms that they claim to protect."

    The Pentagon also surveilled Code Pink and the Raging Grannies in Northern California, starting a file on a November 10, 2004, protest at the Sacramento Military Entrance Processing Station ("Disposit

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 07:37am

45. "On February 9, two U.S. Army counterintelligence special agents went to the law school to request a roster of attendees in an attempt to identify the suspicious individual and his two associates," the press release states.

    One of the agents was Jason Treesh, Special Agent, Army Intelligence.

    "He was looking for me," says Aziz, who has Treesh's card, which he left in her box at the law school. "He knew I was the main organizer. He basically went from office to office asking where I was."

    Friends contacted her, she says, telling her: "Someone is looking for you, and you should be careful."

    ...Douglas Laycock, associate dean of research at the University of Texas Law School, agrees that the Army did not have jurisdiction to come on campus. "We think they overreacted," he adds. "It cannot be that everybody who attends an academic conference becomes a suspect."

    The Army itself said it overstepped its bounds. "The special agents and their detachment commander exceeded their authority by requesting information about individuals who were not within the Army's counterintelligence investigative jurisdiction," says the statement of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. "To prevent this from happening again, INSCOM has provided refresher training on the limits of Army counterintelligence investigative jurisdiction to all counterintelligence personnel performing duties in the United States."

    But not everyone is reassured.

    Will Harrell, the executive director of ACLU of Texas, doesn't buy the whole story. He believes that the Army lawyers who attended the conference did so with the full knowledge of their superiors. "It was a direct attempt to stifle dissent on that campus. It worked! Students are still traumatized over there. Others are terrified about what this m

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 07:39am

46. First they came for the jews.... but Larry is not a jew

    Then they came for the unionists...but Larry is not a unionist

    Then they came for Larry... and the ACLU bailed him out. Damn commies!

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 07:43am

47. No comment on the use of military personnel to spy on Christian groups?

    No comment on law enforcement continuing to spy on non-violent groups even after they have detirmined that no crimes were being committed?

    No comment about your interpretation of the past 7 1/2 years being free of "dark ages" govewrnment abuse?

    Nothing?

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 10:09am

48. cripes, bad English, Crab!

    Apologies.

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 10:10am

49. Posted by winyahn at 11/09/2008 @ 4:44pm

    Indeed. If Saint Sarah and the fundies suddenly initiated a top-of-the-lungs screaming campaign to bang wildly on the evils of the leftist theory of gravity, you-know-who would join in full-throated submission to The Received Dogma. (See: the fundy perspective on evolution and climate change).

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 10:

    No need for apology, CRABBY. Those are towering and mighty posts that you brought us, animated by the rigors of The Reality Based Community and its values.

    Posted by PhilMcCrevice at 11/10/2008 @ 10:53am

50. Posted by yutsano at 11/09/2008 @ 6:45pm

    Funny how he is quick to say that Al Franken is cheating automatically. But if you mention Bush 2000 all of a sudden it's completely ridiculous to assert that Bush cheated.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 11/10/2008 @ 11:25am

51. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 11/10/2008 @ 11:25am

    Remember to zap SJCHERMAK on that.

    Franken wins on a court decision, SJ can't complain because BY HIS OWN STANDARDS, Al will have won "fair and square".

    Posted by Mask at 11/10/2008 @ 12:41pm

52. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/10/2008 @ 09:52am

    Are any of those reported decisions?

    I'm curious to verify this.

    Posted by Hman23 at 11/10/2008 @ 12:42pm

53. Posted by Hman23 at 11/10/2008 @ 12:42pm

    Shouldn't be a privacy matter, LVLIB has on numerous occasions given us his real name (Larry Robinson) and his hometown (Modesto, CA).

    Posted by Mask at 11/10/2008 @ 12:52pm

54. Nothing?

    Posted by crabwalk at 11/10/2008 @ 10:09am

    He's got nothing. That is all his views will allow him.

    As a hard core fundie, he has trained himself to accept, unthinkingly, illogic and unfairness as love and acceptance.

    Posted by Malcontent at 11/10/2008 @ 2:41pm

55. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/10/2008 @ 3:49pm

    Occasionally I gain a modicum of respect for you. Then you dash it all away.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 11/10/2008 @ 5:22pm

56. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 11/10/2008 @ 3:49pm

    Citation for the buckets of feces?

    Law which prohibits travel and condones harassment/detention/vehicle confiscation for alleged feces?

    How many Gitmo detainees were found by American troops on the "battlefield" (ignoring, for the moment, that the "battlefield" was their neighborhood)?

    How many were sold to America for a bounty by Afghan and Pakistani forces?

    Amazing that a seemingly intelligent, allegedly patriotic person would condone such anti-constitutional atrocities, in his name. You are lost.

    After that, America was a pretty fuckin' sweet place to live what with all the fundies and fascists gone.

    This hippy says,"Fuck you, fascist troll."

    Posted by Malcontent at 11/10/2008 @ 5:46pm

57. "Darin was too young to drive, so he did nothing."

    "Darin thought they should have been shot on sight and didn't do anything "

    "Darin thought they had it comming."

    Wotta guy.

    I await your lying post about how I don't seem to get sarcasm. Your pseudo-freudian slips say it all. You just can't contain yourself sometimes.

    Eric

    Posted by Malcontent at 11/10/2008 @ 5:52pm