Guest Blogged by DES...

The Progressive blogosphere has a long-running joke "theory" regarding a holy grail of sorts - the one story or the one piece of evidence that would tie together all the scandals rolling out of the Bush Administration on a near-hourly basis. A sort of Unified Field Theory, only of corruption, political style.

This week, the U.S. Attorney Purge Scandal has mushroomed like a toxic Turdblossom cloud over the Executive Branch, tying together the electoral and campaign machinations of the Bush White House with the increasingly obvious, and now documented, politicization of the Department of Justice. Not only were U.S. Attorneys fired for not pursuing bogus "voter fraud" cases while other U.S. Attorneys retained for misusing their substantial power in politically motivated prosecutions, but considerable taxpayer resources have been devoted (and misused) towards trumping up claims of "epidemic" voter fraud where none exists: even the supposedly non-partisan U.S. Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) is in on it, covering up their own reports whenever the results don't jibe with the Bush Admin Master Plan.

Democratic advocacy organization People For The American Way (PFAW) is still inexplicably mis-stating (or purposely obfuscating) the true nature of the difference between paper trails vs. paper ballots in the Holt bill, HR 811 and has now been found to be deceptively using Brad's name, and that of The BRAD BLOG to do it. We will, of course, remain vigilant in keeping the pressure on PFAW and their friends to do the right thing, and several articles this week call on you to write pfaw@pfaw.org to demand exactly that.

The unsinkable Secretary of State for California, Debra Bowen, presented a knock-out editorial last week spelling out the steps ahead for truly verifiable elections. And sitting right next to the Secretary of State's op/ed was BRAD BLOG's own guest blogger Emily Levy's op/ed, literally and figuratively on the same page!

As Arlen Parsa exposed last week, the Iraq surge is (unsurprisingly) unraveling like the U.S. Attorney Purge cover-up, and the next few weeks of House Oversight and Reform Committee hearings (will Condi Rice show? will Gonzales?) should be nothing if not, er, interesting.

And as Michael Richardson detailed, voter registration issues in Florida are once again drawing questions, even as AP reported thousands of destroyed voter registration forms found in Atlanta.

Catch up on the key headlines you may have missed last week at The BRAD BLOG, so you'll be upped for this coming week's istallment of Incompetence and Corruption on Parade. If lastweek's developments were any indication, hold onto your hats, folks, it's becoming an increasingly bumpier and bumpier ride...

Guest Blogged by DES...

Major movement this past week on the Election Integrity front --- Hackin' Harri Hursti traveled all the way from Finland to speak directly to a "Blue Ribbon" commission on hackable electronic voting machines in Riverside County, California. The testimony from Hacking Democracy's hacker of Diebold optical-scan and touch-screen systems, and his subsequent interview with Brad declaring touch-screen systems a no-go and op-scan systems the most secure and transparent, sent Election Integrity advocates and Holt Bill supporter alike scrambling for new cover...

Diebold Whistleblower Stephen Heller traveled all the way across the San Fernando Valley to tell you (and Brad) firsthand what it's like to be targeted for prosecution by a huge corporation with deep pockets, after you've caught them with their grubby, scheming hands in the election cookie jar...

And The BRAD BLOG steps out in front to exhort the nation's biggest Democratic advocacy groups to grasp the imperative of sending democracy-damaging DRE touch-screen voting machine systems to the toxic waste bin now, before HR811 locks them in permanently.

Read on for why we must demand a paper ballot that is actually tabulated for every vote cast in America. It's seems too common-sensical, I know --- but such is the Bizarro world we live in... Head over to PDA's petition if you haven't already, and add your voice to this fight for truly verifiable elections!

Oh, and don't miss the hilariously misguided (and increasingly incoherent) partisan stylings of Corporate Media Wingnuttery, this week's episodes courtesy of Hume (with a slimy nod to BRAD BLOG) and O'Reilly (with a slimy attack both a 29-year vet as well as Geraldo)...It's better than Saturday Night Live!

That and so much more of the under-reported stories developing hard last week, under the radar of the corporate mainstream media, that will affect you and yours for decades to come. Read on to catch up on what you may have missed --- there will be a test!...

Guest blogged by DES

Obstruction of Justice, whether in political appointments or in elections, was the recurring theme this week, again.

Thankfully, "Elections have consequences." Those words from Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) continued to reverberate throughout the halls and offices on The Hill this week, as Kyle Sampson, the former Chief of Staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, was tasked with the unenviable role of "Next Fall Guy" (Lying Liars Division) in the Oversight and Accountability portion of our new Congressional program.

We also welcomed BRAD BLOG's newest Guest Blogger, Arlen Parsa, this week, with his explosive article connecting electoral dots, past and future, in the political perversion of justice at the Department of Justice.

And speaking of perversion, our D.C. Correspondent Margie Burns caught WaPo in what seems to be another act of swift-boating by media-abetted anonymous White House slur.

"Elections have consequences"... Do all roads lead to Rove on the Turdblossom Express?

In the meantime, get the popcorn ready and set your televisions to C-Span this next week --- The Waxman cometh...

For a look back at all of the above and much more that you may have missed last week, read on...

Guest blogged by DES

It was anything but a quiet week at The BRAD BLOG last week... Revelations continued to hemorrhage out of the Department of Justice regarding the, er, inconsistencies in statements from DoJ officials, as contradicted by their own emails in the firing of eight (or more?) U.S. Attorneys, revealing the apparent transformation of Justice into a political blugeoning arm of the Bush Administration. Brad called out People for the American Way for their troubling advocacy in favor of disenfranchising DRE touch-screen voting systems. And a new breed of honest and responsible (and female) Secretaries of State proved that voters' faith was not misplaced last November, when they voted for these reformers to restore accountability to their state governments.

The Accountability and Oversight Juggernaut continues --- woe betide those who would get in the way of these strong, honest women! Not to mention Barbara Boxer!

MONDAY, MARCH 19th...

OHIO SOS DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION OF ALL CUYAHOGA COUNTY ELECTION BOARD MEMBERS
Robert Bennett, Ohio's GOP Chair and President of the Board of Elections in Ohio's Most Democratic County, Vows to Stay On
Growing Battle Underscores a Host of Other Myths, Disinfo Campaigns Concerning Buckeye State Election Administration...

A Challenge to Opponents of a Ban on Electronic Ballots
Seeking Just One Democracy-Serving Reason to Keep DREs Allowable Under the Holt Bill
Any takers?....
Guest Blogged by Ellen Theisen of VotersUnite.Org

U.S. Attorney Purge: DoJ Releases 3,000 Pages in Late-Night Document Dump
Conyers Statement: House Judiciary Prepared to Use Subpoena Power if Necessary...

Steve Rosenfeld Critical of Our Call for a DRE-Ban in Article Published Today at AlterNet
Says 'Voting Machine Purists Should Not Let The Perfect be the Enemy of the Good'
We Disagree With Both the Premise and the Conclusion...

TUESDAY, MARCH 20th...

SENATE JUDICIARY HEARINGS: Half a Trillion Spent in Iraq With No Controls, Leahy Introduces Oversight Bill
The Vermont Senator Says We Are Otherwise On Track to Send a Full Trillion with No Oversight Adequate to Control Waste, Fraud and Abuse...
Guest Blogged by BRAD BLOG D.C. correspondent Margie Burns

DoJ Emails: Cunningham Complained About Lam in Letter to DoJ Just Prior to His Guilty Plea
Corrupt Congressman Joined Concerted GOP Effort to Criticize Prosecutor Who Would Soon Put Him Behind Bars...

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21st...

Brad Friedman (BRAD BLOG) v. Ralph Neas (PFAW) on Amending the Holt Election Reform Bill to Ban DRE Touch-Screen Voting Systems
As Heard on 'Ring of Fire' with RFK Jr. & Mike Papantonio: I Support Banning DREs, Neas Opposes Such a Ban, and Speaks in Support of DREs
Papantonio: 'Brad, my bet is on you on this one' ---
Audio & Transcripts Now Posted

VIDEO - Boxer Spanks Inhofe, Reminds Him Who Is In Charge During Gore's Senate Testimony Today
'You're Not Making the Rules Anymore...Elections Have Consequences,' Says Boxer

NEW CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED INTO ELECTION IMPROPRIETIES IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH
Election Results of Early Voting Found Printed Prior to Election Day
NATIONWIDE EFFORT? - Identical Situation Recently Discovered in Pima County, AZ...

Diebold Fails Again: Nearly 50% of DRE Touch-Screen Systems Fail Accuracy Test in Montgomery County, OH!
56 of 125 Machines Tested, after Voter Complaints, Incorrectly Registered Votes!

Waxman Letter Challenges Bush Claim of 'Unprecedented' Access to White House Officials, Information
Lists Many Clinton AND Bush Administration Officials Who Have Been Allowed to Testify Under Oath Before Congress
Cites Previous White House Disclosure of Information, Communications...

THURSDAY, MARCH 22nd...

CA50: Appellate Court Dismisses Busby/Bilbray Election Contest as Now 'Moot'
Voters, State Law, Rendered Meaningless, Plaintiffs Likely to Appeal Decision to CA Supreme Court...

FRIDAY, MARCH 23rd...

OH SOS Brunner Slams Remaining Cuyahoga County, OH Election Board Members
They Were Warned To Resign or Come What May...And So It Shall Be...

CA SoS Debra Bowen Releases 'Top to Bottom Review' Criteria for E-Voting Machine Certification in California
It's a Bad Day in Cali for Diebold and ES&S and Sequoia and Hart Intercivic...But a Great Day for the Voters!

ES&S MELTDOWN '07: Trainwreck Begins Anew as Voting Machine Company Fails in Wisconsin
Clark and Taylor Counties Short-Changed as Nation's Top Voting Machine Vendor is Yet To Deliver Materials for Election Just 12 Days Away...

SATURDAY, MARCH 24th...

One of America's Worst Elections Administrators Gets a Promotion! Congratulations Mikel Haas!
San Diego County Chief Promotes Hard Rightwing Haas to Top Executive Position in County!

BREAKING FL-13: NEW UNDISCLOSED LETTER OF AGREEMENT FROM ES&S TO STATE UNEARTHED!
Terms of 'Independent' State Run Audit, Source Code Review Dictated by Voting Machine Company to Florida State Election Director Prior to Tests of Failed Touch-Screen Voting Systems from Contested Jennings/Buchanan Election!

Guest blogged by DES...

It's hard to believe that in this week alone, we've gone from a major blowup over the politically-motivated firing of eight U.S. Attorneys to the riveting testimony of outed, covert CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson, speaking publicly for the first time since her cover was blown in another politically-motivated disinformation campaign, in the newest installment of the CIA Leak scandal. It's been quite the scandalicious year so far, in what Brad had dubbed "The Year of Accountability." So far, it's right on target.

In the midst of all the drama on the Hill, blind and disabled voter advocates and groups called for the "immediate ban of DRE/touch-screen voting systems" in a major announcement that debunked the myths peddled by supporters of these hackable, crappy machines. And Justice was sort of served as two Ohio elections workers were finally convicted for rigging the recount in the 2004 Presidential Election --- although there is currently no scheduled "do-over" to find out the actual count. Justice and government accountability are still being denied to whistleblowers and voters in Florida. In case you missed these and other exciting stories during this roller-coaster ride of revelations, here's last week's review...

MONDAY, March 12th...

Rove Directly Implicated by New Mexico GOP in U.S. Attorney Firings
State Party Chair Admits Bush's Right-Hand Man Claimed 'He's Gone' After Demands to Fire David Iglesias
New York Times Calls for Gonzales's Head, but The BRAD BLOG Calls for Bush's...

Sunday Toon of the Moment...
CANCELLED, LIKE CANDORVILLE, BY THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

TUESDAY, March 13th...

LIBBY TRIAL: Rightwing Noise Machine Launches an Attack on the Verdict
Republican Commentators Misstate Chronology, Facts
Corporate Mainstream Media All Too Happy to Offer the Platform for Demonstrable Untruths...
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

Rice Ignored Congressional Info Requests on Bogus Iraq/Uranium Claims...

We'd say this new report further underscores our recommendation to keep an eye on Waxman's Congressional Oversight Committee and his investigation into the Iraq uranium/yellowcake scam by the White House...

FL-13: Company Warned of Touch-Screen Voting System Defect, But Sarasota Declined to Fix Machines or Caution Voters
FULL LETTER POSTED: ES&S Urged State, Local Officials to Take Corrective Measures Three Months Prior to Contested Jennings/Buchanan Race Last November
Election Integrity Advocate's Warning About Bug Also Ignored Both Before and After Election...

Ohio Election Workers Sentenced to 18 Months for Rigging 2004 Presidential Recount
Judge Says He Believes the Conspiracy Goes Higher...

WEDNESDAY, March 14th...

BLIND AND DISABLED VOTER ADVOCATES, GROUPS CALL FOR 'IMMEDIATE BAN' OF DRE VOTING SYSTEMS!
Two Different Statements from Civil Rights Leaders Call for Discontinuation of Unsecure, Unverifiable, Disenfranchising DRE/Touch-Screen Voting Technology
Both Destroy Myth of Need to Sacrifice Verifed Ballots for Accessibility...

Sibel Edmonds Asks For Your Help Again in Forcing Congress to Allow Her to Tell Her Story
'Gagged-Ordered' FBI Whistleblower Calls on BRAD BLOG Readers to 'Demand, Beg and Implore' Congressional Dems to Announce Public Hearings
'State Secrets Act' Still Used by DoJ to Prevent the Fired Translator from Testifying on 9/11, Corruption by Hastert, Perle, Feith...
Guest Blogged by Luke Ryland

THURSDAY, March 15th...

Ann Coulter...In Desperation...Plugs Her New Book
True Conservative, Guest Blogger Daniel Borchers, on Coulter's Fall from Grace, Her Continued Discrediting of the Conservative Movement, and His Experience With her Thugs at CPAC...
Guest blogged by Daniel Borchers of Citizens for Principled Conservatism

EXCLUSIVE: New Details on the Phony 'Voter Fraud' Angle in the U.S. Attorneys Purge Scandal...
An Insider's Report from a New Mexico Election Attorney on the Firing of David Iglesias and the Rove/DoJ/Republican Efforts to Create a 2004 'Voter Fraud' Scare in the State...
RELATED? - The GOP 'Voter Fraud' Front Group ACVR Goes Suddenly AWOL!

FRIDAY, March 16th...

VALERIE PLAME-WILSON UNDER OATH TO CONGRESS: 'I WAS COVERT, SERVED OVERSEAS IN LAST FIVE YEARS, WORKED UNDERCOVER OVERSEEING WMD PROLIFERATION ISSUES IN IRAQ'
Testifies She Had Nothing to do With Sending Husband to Niger, Blows Out Every Claim by Republicans, Novak, Toensing, etc. That She Wasn't Covert
LIVE-BLOGGING HOUSE OVERSIGHT HEARINGS...

CIA LEAK HEARING STUNNER: WHITE HOUSE SECURITY DIRECTOR ADMITS 'NO INVESTIGATION INTO LEAK' BY HIS OFFICE
Director James Knodell, Under Intense Questioning, Can't Explain Why There Was Never an Investigation by White House
Victoria Toensing, in Third Panel, Also Subjected to Intense Scrutiny on Previous 'Plame Wasn't Covert' Statements, Seems Shaken, Offers Much Conflicting Info, Explanations...

CIA LEAK HEARING: 20 Different Disclosures of Plame-Wilson's Covert Identity by White House, State Dept. Officials
Chart as Displayed During Today's Congressional Oversight Hearing During the Testimony of the Outed CIA Agent...

NY Times on the Phony 'Voter Fraud' Claims Behind U.S. Attorney Purge
More Evidence that the Bush Administration Used the Dept. of Justice for Little More Than a Blunt Political Instrument
Even as Democrats Continue to Rubber Stamp Wildly Inappropriate White House Appointments to Oversee the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission...

BREAKING: Waxman Demands White House Explanation for Lack of Investigation into CIA Leak Case
Letter to Josh Bolten Follows Earlier Congressional Testimony from WH Security Director That No Investigation Was Ever Conducted Into Disclosure of the Identity of Covert Operative Valerie Plame-Wilson...

SATURDAY, March 17th...

Happy Anniversary.
Four Years Of 'Mission Accomplished'...And Counting...

Guest blogged by DES

...And what a week it was: The story that would not be ignored, the story that would not die, became a very big deal as the I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby CIA Leak trail finally drew to a close. But it ain't over yet! The Oversight and Accountability portion of our program is just beginning. Be sure to stay tuned to Special Correspondent Margie Burns's in-depth analysis, exclusively for BRAD BLOG readers.

Plus there were oodles of opportunities to contemplate free speech and the First Amendment, courtesy of a judge in Kansas (what is the matter with Kansas, anyway?) and the ongoing fall-out from the "F-bomb" dropped by that sad clown of rightwing "comedy," Ann Coulter. Apparently impeachment is back on the table, and now a safe word for even a Republican to say out loud! That's free speech in action, folks! And.... oh, yeah --- a computer security scientist told the Senate some very not-nice things about those electronic touch-screen voting machines...do ya think they'll listen?

SUNDAY, March 3rd...

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Clint Curtis Documents Evidence of Widespread 2006 Florida Election Fraud
The Whistleblower Turned U.S. House Candidate Continues His for Fight for Election Integrity and His Federal Challenge to his 2006 Race with the Corrupt Tom Feeney
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** By Guest Blogger Jim Cirile

MONDAY, March 4th...

BRAD BLOG Runs Judge-Censored Stories on Kansas City's Board of Public Utilities
In Support of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America...
Including 'The Pitch' Version of the Story in full, along with the Kansas City Star's version

TUESDAY, March 5th...

Hypocritical GOP Bloggers' Ann Coulter Condemnation of Convenience
'Conservative' Bloggers Call on CPAC to Exclude Ann Coulter, But Give Themselves a Pass for Enabling Her For Years
The Sad, Discredited Republican Clown's Long Documented History of Vile Hate Speech and Rhetoric Conveniently Ignored by Newly Converted 'Conservatives' Only Now Declaring 'the Age of Ann Has Passed'

NSWBC: FBI Whistleblowers Confirm Illegal Wiretaps of Government Officials
Out this morning from the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition...

William Weaver, NSWBC Senior Advisor: "Preservation of the balance of powers between the branches of government increasingly relies on information provided by whistleblowers, especially in the face of aggressive and expanding executive power."

LIBBY TRIAL: While Awaiting the Jury Verdict, Some Questions
Were Cheney, Bush and Their Top Aides Briefed on the Reports Revealing the Niger/Uranium/Iraq Deal Was Bogus?
What the Records from the CIA Briefing Books Might Show...
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

CHENEY CHIEF OF STAFF 'SCOOTER' LIBBY FOUND GUILTY IN FOUR OF FIVE COUNTS!
Two Counts of Perjury, One Each of Obstruction of Justice, Giving False Statements to the FBI
DETAILS FROM THE COURTHOUSE FROM BRAD BLOG LIBBY TRIAL CORRESPONDENT MARGIE BURNS...

HAGEL: 'Before This is Over, You Might See Calls for his Impeachment'
The Republican Senator, Decorated Vietnam War Vet, Puts the I-Word 'Back on the Table' in Esquire Interview...

Democratic Judiciary Statement on Today's U.S. Attorney Firing Hearings
CONYERS: 'It is time to rein in this President and his Administration'
SÁNCHEZ: 'DoJ acted behind closed doors to intimidate appointees...Had no effective oversight during previous majority'

Court of Appeals Overturns Kansas City Judge, UN-Censors Story on Alleged Violations by Public Utility Board
The First Amendment Wins Again...

WEDNESDAY, March 7th...

Libby Trial Ends, Reveals Clear-Cut Patterns
An Eyewitness 'Selective Memory' Postmortem...
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

THURSDAY, March 8th...

NEW GAO REPORT: Yet Another Confirmation That 'Security and Reliability Concerns' of Election Integrity Experts are 'Legitimate' (To Say the Least)
And Another Reminder That 'Problems with Recent Elections Resulted in Loss and Miscount of Votes'
And Another Reminder that the both the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) and the Mainstream Media Alike Have Utterly Failed in their Missions...

TRANSPARENCY: House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Reports Out Four Good Bills
Chairman Henry Waxman Lets the Sunshine In
Bills the GOP Tried to Pass Against Clinton Now Resurrected With Bipartisan Support...
Guest Blogged by BRAD BLOG D.C. correspondent Margie Burns

Fitzgerald Invited, Plame Confirmed for Testimony at Congressional Hearings
Role of Cheney and Bush in CIA Leak Scandal to be Probed in Hearings...

FRIDAY, March 9th...

20 Voters File Complaint Alleging Touch-Screen Vote-Flipping in Montgomery County, OH
County's Election Director, Steve Harsman, Wholly Clueless...

AVI RUBIN: 'After Four Years of Study, I Now Believe that a DRE (touch-screen) with a VVPAT (paper-trail) is Not a Reasonable Voting System'
Johns Hopkins Professor, E-Voting Security Expert Goes on Record Against Electronic Ballots at Congressional Hearings on Election Integrity...

Guest blogged by DES

The twin buzzwords of "Oversight" and "Accountability" reared their sleepy little heads this week, as Democrats in Congress began the long, slow slog of uncovering just what has been going on during the Republican hegemony that has been U.S. Government over the last six years. Sad wingnut clown Ann Coulter spewed some more bile, eagerly lapped up by her wingnut fans at CPAC (scads of conservatives in attendance, but strangely, no military recruiters --- why is that?). The jury's still out on the Libby-CIA Leak Case trial, but BRAD BLOG's Special Correspondent Margie Burns from D.C. has uncovered some interesting connections while drilling down into court documents.

And oh, yeah --- that Election Reform juggernaut just keeps on a-coming, with revelations from a new study this week that's chock full of those pesky facts that make voting machine companies, elections officials, and Democratic supporters of the Holt Election Bill (like Common Cause and PFAW) feel all queasy... Enjoy!

SUNDAY, Feb. 25th...

LIBBY TRIAL: Bush Admin Targeted
Wilson's Wife Long Before Wilson's Article Published in NY Times
Trial Docs, Testimony Reveal Admin Reasons for Outting CIA WMD Analyst May Be More Than Simple Retaliation Over 'Yellowcake' Op-Ed...
What Were They REALLY After?
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

MONDAY, Feb. 26th...

REPORT: Undervote Rate Plummets 85% in New Mexico's Native American Precincts after Statewide Switch from Touch-Screen Voting to Paper Ballots
Comparison of Voting Data from 2004 to 2006 Shows Hispanic Undervote Plunged 69% as the 'Civil Rights' Case for DREs Continues to Fall Apart
ALSO: New Concerns Emerge About Racial Profiling vis a vis Touch-Screen Voting Systems...

"We were looking for any impact the change to paper ballots may have had on New Mexico’s historically high undervote rate. When we found the dramatic drop in Native American precincts, we were shocked," says New Mexico's Theron Horton. The Election Defense Alliance (EDA) activist added, "something was going on with the DREs in those precincts in 2004."

EXCLUSIVE: California SoS Finds No State Law to Prohibit Proposed Riverside County 'Hack Test' of Sequoia Touch-Screen Machines!
But Secretary Bowen Says Board of Supes Proposed 'Ground Rules' for Test 'Overly Narrow,' 'Would Prove Little and Give Voters False Sense of Security'
Supervisor Stone's Hope for SoS Participation in '1000 to 1' Bet with Election Integrity Advocates under Unilateral, Unrealistic Restrictions Flatly Rejected by State's New Election Chief...

TUESDAY, Feb. 27th...

Doing Comedy for Fox 'News'? 'It's Just a Job' Says the Not-Necessarily Right-Wing Actor Jonathan Mangum...

So now, with FNC even beginning to run dry on phony outrage, in the latest desperate Fox "News" Hail Mary attempt to fill 30 more minutes of their 24 hour broadcast day with anything but actual news, they've shamelessly set aside all pretense by choosing to fill those 30 minutes with attempts at satirical comedy. Sort of. Not even CNN or MSNBC has crossed that rubicon. Yet. But give 'em time.
...
Imagine my surprise then, when halfway through the thing, an old acting colleague of mine showed up in one of the mid-show sketches. The first question that popped to mind when I saw Jonathan was, "What the hell must he have been thinking?!"

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28th...

VIDEO: Florida Governor Crist Discusses Election Problems, Wolf Blitzer is a Brainless Dolt
Wolf Blitzer asks Florida's new Republican Governor Charlie Crist if there could be a replay in 2008 of the "2000 election fiasco?"

CIA LEAK CASE: Dear Mr. Cheney --- Know Anybody in Marseilles?
One Week After the Bush-Cheney Cabal Learned About a Port That Shipped Uranium...A US Agency Found Uranium There!
What Were the Odds?
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

THURSDAY, March 1st...

Brad, Common Cause Debate Rush Holt Election Reform Bill on 'Peter B. Collins Show'
Common Cause Election Issue Rep Relies on Same Old Discredited Talking Point Chestnuts to Avoid Calling for Ban of DRE/Touch-Screen Voting Machines
Link to Complete Text-Transcript, Audio...

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ISSUES SUBPOENAS IN U.S. ATTORNEY FIRING SCANDAL
First Subpoenas Issued by Dems Since Taking Control of Congress...

"The former U.S. Attorneys are alleging very serious charges against the Administration and we need to hear from them," Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) says in his statement. "We want to hear their stories and we want the Administration to address the charges head on so that we can get to the bottom of this."

FRIDAY, March 2nd...

Ann Coulter Suggests John Edwards a 'Faggot' at Country's Most Important 'Conservative' Political Conference
The Hate-Monger, Apparent Vote Fraud Felon Continues her Pathetic Downward Spiral Today in D.C. at CPAC...

'Daily Voting News', Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org

In a disturbing article from Chicago, IL, it is revealed that Cook County will pay Sequoia for their voting machines based on a sliding scale that will be controlled by how quickly machines transmit results to election headquarters and also by how quickly those votes can be tabulated. The county does not seem to care as much about accuracy or security as it does for speed.

SATURDAY, March 3rd...

EXCLUSIVE: JOHN EDWARDS SAYS 'YES' TO BAN ON TOUCH-SCREEN (DRE) VOTING MACHINES!
Presidential Candidate Becomes First to Join Growing Movement When Queried About Issue at Campaign Event in California
Edwards Becomes Second Politician in a Week to Announce Support for the Election Integrity Movement After Being Asked About it at Public Event

'Daily Voting News', Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org

Miller Co. Arkansas Election Administrator Robby Selph resigned from his job saying this about Election Systems and Software, “The reason I am leaving is the provider of the Ivotronics and related software lacks competency to make their equipment work timely and effectively. They ... make a difficult job impossible to do. They can’t spell, meet deadlines, send documents to the right address or code elections correctly. They leave races off the ballot for us to correct, they can’t program their software to work and you have to hand add the results. And they don’t return phone calls...

Guest Blogged by DES

After a brief hiatus, BRAD BLOG'S Last Week In Review returns for a short walk down memory lane, to remind you of the oodles of bloggy fun we've had this week in covering our great adventure in Democracy....

The courtroom has gone quiet for the moment as the jury finished its third day of deliberations to determine the fate of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Meanwhile, the hi-larious hi-jinx of the electronic voting machine companies and Florida's team of Elections Officials filled the void with more ludicrous entertainment!

And, of course we extend our deepest, heartfelt thanks to those who have so generously donated ... YOU help keep The BRAD BLOG going --- we wouldn't be here if it weren't for you (literally). Join in the fun of helping keep the lights on in Bradville! Please donate online via PayPal or credit card, use the blue form at right to sign up for a monthly subscription, or contribute via snail mail. As always, many thanks.

SUNDAY, Feb. 18th...

Complaint Filed With New CA SoS Against San Diego County's Registrar Mikel Haas
Guest Blogger Attorney Ken Simpkins Seeks Your Help in Bringing Accountability to One of America's Worst Elections Officials...

After being stonewalled by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office on requests for recounts, information regarding the right to vote on paper ballots, and the results of an audit of the November 2006 election, citizens are taking action.

MONDAY, Feb. 19th...

Please donate online via PayPal or credit card, or use the blue form at right to sign up for a monthly subscription, or contribute via snail mail.

Wilson Didn't Say Cheney Sent Him, Yet the GOP Operatives Keep the Legend Going
The Bush Administration, its Loyal Supporters and Now Even the Washington Post Help Spread the Demonstrably Misleading Canard
But Why?
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

TUESDAY, Feb. 20th...

The False Dichotomies Being Used by Democrats and Their Public-Advocacy Group Supporters to Prop Up the Failings of the Holt Election Reform Bill
Misrepresentation of the 'Opposition,' Fear of Failure, and a Bizarre, Unsubstantiated 'Civil Rights' Argument All Employed to Avoid Legitimate Debate on the Dangers of the Pending Legislation...

VIDEO - Chris Wallace's Wingnut Doofus Moment of the Moment
Fox 'News' Host Blows It Big Time in Trying to Support Bush's Flip-Flop on North Korea
Carl Levin Smiles Knowingly...

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21st...

EXCLUSIVE: REP. MAXINE WATERS ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO WITHDRAW CO-SPONSORSHIP OF HOLT ELECTION REFORM BILL!
Calls for a Return to Paper Ballots During Commemorative MLK, Jr., Keynote Address in Santa Cruz!
California Congresswoman is First of Bill's 192 Co-Sponsors to Pull Support Amid Heavy Criticism of Legislation by Election Integrity Advocates...

'Daily Voting News' Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org

An article in today’s Oakland Tribune relates, “In a blow-by-blow on his school Web page and in a separate filing for an electronic voting lawsuit in New Jersey superior court, computer science professor Andrew Appel [Princeton University] details how he was able to purchase five of the Oakland-based company's AVC Advantage machines off a Web site auctioning government surplus items, pry open the backs and access the computer chips that control the vote count.

THURSDAY, Feb. 22nd...

Sequoia Voting Systems Spokeshole Laugh Line of the Moment...

"Steven Bennet, a Sequoia representative, said Sequoia won't agree to public disclosure [of source code on voting machines] since it would "jeopardize the security to all of our customers in California and across the country."

Where the Libby Trial Came From
Administration coordinated a PR firing squad, put together ad hoc PR hit on the WilsonsThe collateral damage was to classified, objective WMD analysis at the CIA...
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG
*** by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

AUDIO - Brad on Air America's 'Politically Direct with David Bender'...
Thanks to David for the overly generous description as "The Paul Revere of the Election Integrity Movement"...
But I'll take whatever I can get! As he said, "One if by land, two if by sea, three if by Brad!"...

FRIDAY, Feb. 23rd...

SL TRIB: Cost for Utah Presidential Primary 'Balloons' from $850k to $3.4 MILLION(!) Due to New Electronic Voting Machines
Nice Going Guys!
(Guess You Shouldn't Have Enjoyed so Many Dinners With Those Diebold Salesmen...)

OFFICIAL FLORIDA AUDIT ON FL-13 RELEASED: Conflicting Conclusions Revealed Despite State Claim of 'No Evidence to Suggest Official Results in Error'
Election Integrity Advocates Contesting Race Call Report 'A Whitewash', Cite Partisan Makeup, Conflict of Interest, Flawed Test Methods of Audit Commission
Two State Reports Released Late Friday Afternoon Reveal Contested Results Imperiled by Extraordinarily Complex Touch-Screen Voting System...

Jennings Says Florida's Audit of Election 'Flawed, Incomplete'
Says State Report 'Provides Even More Compelling Reasons to Seek Investigation'...

SATURDAY, Feb. 24th...

'Daily Voting News' Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org:

Princeton’s Professor Ed Felten said this in regards to the Sarasota Co. Florida voting machine report, “Experience teaches that systems that are insecure tend to be unreliable as well — they tend to go wrong on their own even if nobody is attacking them.... Sporadic undervotes are the kind of behavior you would expect to see from a flaky voting technology. The study claims to have ruled out reliability problems as a cause of the undervotes, but their evidence on this point is weak, and I think the jury is still out on whether voting machine malfunctions could be a significant cause of the undervotes.”

Guest Blogged by DES

This week marked BRAD BLOG's third anniversary and looked initially as if it might be a slow State of the Union rehash week, but quickly moved into red-hot territory as the Libby Perjury Trial got underway, serving up a daily courtroom dish chock full of juicy bits (and not a damn thing this famously secretive White House can do about it). Dems in da House are turning up the heat as well, cooking up a stew of investigations to right the imbalance of power between our Constitutionally-designated co-equal branches of government. Though Diebold, again, managed to outdo them all in the "incompetence" category.

There were also a few notable developments in the fight to protect the integrity of our elections --- oh, nothing major, just a few Ohio elections officials finally CONVICTED of rigging the 2004 Presidential recount --- nothing to see here, folks! Just move along...Or, take a look at just a few of the most notable stories we ran last week...

SUNDAY, Jan. 21st....

A 'Plan' for 'Success' in Iraq....
...As Proposed by Fred Kagan, Bastardized by Bush and Spun by Kagan with an Assist from Bill Kristol...

Meanwhile, as Bush prepares to serve up another 21,500 American troops to Iraq, it's worth taking a look at who the hell came up with the "augmentation" plan in the first place, what it said before the Bush spin machine grabbed hold of it, and what the plan's author has had to say since Bush revealed it to the country on January 10, 2007.

MONDAY, Jan. 22nd...

Iraqi PM: Condi Rice Statement Helps Al-Qaeda

"Such statements give moral boosts to the terrorists."

Frank Luntz is a Liar
Shame on Huffington Post for Giving Him a Platform to Do So...
Treacherous Republican wordsmith/pollster/spinman Frank Luntz sinks to new depths in pretending to offer "advice" for the Democratic Party in a condescending little screed posted at Huff Po on Sunday.

TUESDAY, Jan. 23rd...

BREAKING CIA LEAK CASE: Prosecutor Says Libby 'Destroyed' Cheney Note, V.P. 'Far More Involved in Leak Case Than Previously Known'
Defense Attny: Libby Was Worried About Being 'Sacrificial Lamb for Karl Rove'

“They’re trying to set me up. They want me to be the sacrificial lamb,” Wells said, recalling the alleged conversation between Libby and Cheney. “I will not be sacrificed so Karl Rove can be protected.”

Statement from Pelosi Spokes on Webb's SOTU Response
'Logistics of Giving Democratic Response in the Chamber Tonight Make it Impossible at This Late Date'

While the logistics of having Senator Webb give the Democratic Response in the Chamber tonight make it impossible at this late date, he will be addressing the American people directly from the Capitol and he will speak with authority for all Democrats in committing to a New Direction here and abroad. His strong voice will be heard.

Ohio's Blackwell Authorized $80k in Farewell Bonuses to State Employees as He Left Office
Another Suprise: $250k in Legal Settlements for 2004 Election, Helping to Leave Office $1 Million Short as New SoS Takes Helm
BRAD BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Memo Listing Bonus Payments to 19 of the Outgoing Buckeye State SoS' Office Pals, Legal Action May Follow...

DIEBOLD VOTING MACHINE KEY COPIED FROM PHOTO AT COMPANY'S OWN ONLINE STORE!
Princeton University Computer Scientists Confirm 'Secret' Key For Every Diebold Voting Machine 'Revealed' on Company Website!
[UPDATED THRICE] Shutting the Barn Door After Horse Has Left: Diebold Removes Photo, PLUS: Receives Certification for U.S. Homeland Security Contracts...
NOW BAIT & SWITCH: Diebold Puts Digital Key Online Where Mechanical Key Was Previously!

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 24th...

Vet Group: Bush Failed to Mention American's 1.6 Million Vets During State of the Union for Second Year in a Row
Why Does George W. Bush Hate Our Troops?

'Daily Voting News' For January 24, 2007

According to an article in The Hill: “A new academic study of voting in Florida’s 13th district congressional race refutes the prevailing opinion of experts that the large undervote in the race in November was likely due to poor ballot design. The new study points to an error message that the experts say correlates with the undervotes, as well as to voting patterns that show unusually high undervote rates for Democratic voters. The study’s authors say more information, specifically the secret software used by the voting machines, is required to draw any real conclusions.”

TWO OHIO ELECTION OFFICIALS CONVICTED FOR RIGGING 2004 PRESIDENTIAL RECOUNT!
Will be Questioned by Special Prosecutor Before Sentencing to Learn if Higher Ups Involved
RELATED: Kerry Drops Out of 2008 Race. In Advance This Time.

These convictions occurred in Cuyahoga County, a Democratic stronghold of some 600,000 voters. Kerry "lost" the state of Ohio, according to the history books anyway, by just 118,000 out of some 5.5 million votes cast in the Buckeye State.

THURSDAY, Jan. 25th...

Scalia on His 2000 Decision to Award the Presidency to George W. Bush: 'Get Over It'
Dishonorable SCOTUS Justice to American Democracy: 'Go Fuck Yourself'
RELATED: Al Gore Must Run Again...

And the Hearings Begin...
Conyers and Feingold Announce Judiciary Hearings on Bush Admistration Policy in Both Senate and House...

In the House, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee --- the one which would lead the way concerning any Articles of Impeachment for a sitting U.S. President or Vice-President --- announced today that hearings would be held next Wednesday in the committee on "Presidential Signing Statements under the Bush Administration: A Threat to Checks and Balances and the Rule of Law?" (Complete media release, with details, scheduled witnesses, etc. at end of this article.)

In the Senate, Russ Feingold (D-WI) will chair Judiciary Committee hearings on "Congress's Power to End a War." In a media advisory just released, (posted in full below) Feingold refers to Congress's "power of the purse to redeploy our troops safely from Iraq so that we can refocus on the global terrorist networks that threaten our national security."

LIBBY TRIAL: 'Memory Defense' Denied in Court
But Rightwing Outlets Run With It and the Rest of the Media Follow...
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

FRIDAY, Jan. 26th...

Subpeonas May be Issued by NY State After 'Outrageous' Snub by U.S. Elections Assistance Commission
Election Board Ire as EAC Fails to Disclose 'Soiled Laundry' on Failure to Accredit Voting System Test Lab

"What is going on here? Both the EAC and the unaccredited testing lab are refusing to open the curtain that hides their soiled laundry." - Doug Kellner, NY State Board of Elections

Happy 3rd Anniversary to The BRAD BLOG!

And as we enter Year 4 here, I suspect we'll enjoy many more breathtaking plunges, climbs and g-force brownouts on the unpredictable roller coaster that is The BRAD BLOG....Thanks to all BRAD BLOG readers and supporters for three years of unimaginable "success"! Couldn't be prouder to know you're here. Onward!

SATURDAY, Jan. 27th...

LIBBY TRIAL: CIA Briefer for Cheney, Libby Kept Subject Headings for Shredded Briefing Topics
Courtroom Disclosure Indicates Daily CIA Headings Not Sent with Briefing Binders to Burn Bag
Tables of Contents Subjects May Show What White House Knew and When Concerning Nigerian Uranium Questions...
*** Special to The BRAD BLOG by Libby/CIA Leak Trial Correspondent Margie Burns

Feingold to File Senate Legislation Calling for Defunding of Iraq War
Fact-Sheet Released Covering General Details, Points to Republican Passed Legislation to Defund U.S. Troops in Bosnia Under Clinton in 1998...

The BRAD BLOG has now obtained details from Feingold's office concerning what his proposal to exercise Congressional control of the purse strings over military deployment in Iraq will and won't do. A fact sheet concerning his upcoming legislation and how the defunding and re-deployment of U.S. troops would be conducted is included.

Guest Blogged by DES

SUNDAY, Jan. 14th....

Rightwing Tool of the Week: Washington Times
The White House Organ Faced Stiff Competition, But Managed to Produce the Most Disingenuous, Inaccurate, U.S. Troop-Hating 'News Report' of the Week
Tony Snow to Present 'Award Statuette' in Appreciation During Secret Rose Garden Ceremony...

The White House and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday accused Democrats of suggesting that the secretary's childlessness, race and sex are to blame for mistakes in Iraq.

MONDAY, Jan. 15th...

MLK: 'A Time Comes When Silence is Betrayal'

"We are at the moment when our lives must be placed on the line if our nation is to survive its own folly. Every man of humane convictions must decide on the protest that best suits his convictions, but we must all protest...A time comes when silence is betrayal."

-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Riverside Church, New York City, April 4, 1967.

VIDEO - Finally! A Media Outlet CORRECTLY Covers Rice Admission That White House (Supposedly) Made No Casuality Estimates for Iraq Escalation Plan
LAURA BUSH FLASHBACK: 'Dr. Rice Not Interested in Presidency Because She's Single, No Parents Living, is Only Child'
PLUS: Nora Ephron's 'Condi Diaries'...

TUESDAY, Jan. 16th...

Election Assistance Cheerleader
The EAC and Its Outgoing Commissioner Paul DeGregorio's Campaign to Plant Misinformation in the American Media...

The Commissioner keeps telling the voters that we should have confidence in the election process. He constantly states that everything worked just fine except for isolated incidents. Meanwhile, he ignores the facts about failures that happened across the nation. He ignores data such as that which is reported in "E-Voting Failures in the 2006 Mid-Term Elections" written by VotersUnite, VoteTrustUSA, VoterAction and Pollworkers For Democracy.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17th...

'Total Bull' That Congress Can't Stop Bush Iraq Escalation Plan Says John Edwards Campaign
Take-No-Prisoners Email by New Presidential Campaign Chief Highly Critical of Bush, Congressional Democrats
Ad to be Placed in 'Roll Call', Supporters Asked to Sign Petition Demanding Congress Cut Off Funding for New War Plan

I am opposed to President Bush's plan to send additional troops to Iraq. Congress must act now to block funding of Bush's escalation of the war — and demand that the President provide a plan to leave Iraq.

Sign the Edwards petition calling on Congress to block funding for Bush's escalation plan here.

THURSDAY, Jan. 18th...

Jeff Stone: The Coward of Riverside County?
The California County Supervisor Continues to Hide Behind Unrealistic 'Conditions' on His Sequoia Voting Machine 'Hack Challenge'
COLUMNIST: 'A test that doesn't allow the hacker to work on the machines as handled prior to the election and after it is no real test at all.'

Unless Stone allows a legitimate security penetration test to be held on his systems, as would occur in the commercial world for any such mission-critical, secure system, he is signaling to his constituents, the state of California, and America that even he has no confidence in the security of the equipment supplied to his voters to exercise their precious democratic franchise.

..."If there's somebody that can demonstrate that they can hack into the machines we want to know about it," he said. "And, then we'll be throwing away a lot of machines."

FRIDAY, Jan. 19th...

VIDEOS - Colbert on O'Reilly, O'Reilly on Colbert
Colbert: 'If you're an act... then what am I?'

BOB NEY SENTENCED TO 30 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR BRIBERY SCANDAL
Ohio's Former U.S. Congressman, Author of Help America Vote Act, Loses Voting Privileges as Felon, Keeps $29,000 Annual Congressional Pension...

As a felon, Ney will no longer be able to vote in the state of Ohio, even as America will be stuck with his disastrous and cynical HAVA legislation for years. And despite House Democrats' plans to remove pensions for convicted members, apparently the action will not be retroactive. So Ney will get to retain his $29,000 annual pension from the House. Forever. Nice work if you can get it.

Congressional Dems - You're a Co-Equal Branch, the State of the Union Address is the Perfect Opportunity to Point That Out
Pelosi and Reid Should Allow Jim Webb to Address the Full Joint Session in His Democratic Response Next Week...

The Democratic party was placed into power last November to take back America. Webb is the perfect representation of that reclamation of power. The State of the Union address gives the Dems, via Webb's response, the perfect moment to make their intentions crystal clear to the nation. But they need to give Webb the same level playing field they've graciously granted to Bush.

SATURDAY, Jan. 20th...

AP: Defense Dept. Retracts Published Claims of Spy Radio Transmitters in Canadian Coins

Apparently these guys are having trouble separating the phony intelligence from the phony intelligence. Luckily, Judith Miller wasn't around to report it on the front page of the New York Times, else we might have had American troops marching into Saskatchewan by now.

United we stand.

Guest Blogged by Winter Patriot

Your cold and humble blogger presents an assortment of clips from the war in Lebanon --- and on the home front --- since last weekend.

(And NO, I don't expect you to remember this, because some of it happened before they arrested what's-his-name? ... you know ... the guy who claims he ... um ... well ... you know what I mean, don't you?)

Saturday, August 12, 2006

BBC: Bush links Hezbollah and 'plot'