Monday’s testimony to a U.S. House Committee by Mark F. (Thor) Hearne, the leader of the American Center for Voting Rights (ACVR) — who also happens to be the National Counsel for Bush/Cheney ’04, Inc. — has just been added to the website of the “non-partisan”, tax-exempt, one-week old “Voting Rights” group.
In his testimony, Hearne failed to mention to the U.S. House members, either his connection to Bush/Cheney or his long roots in the Republican party going back to the Reagan Administration. The testimony was given last Monday to the U.S. House Administration Committee at hearings held on the Ohio Election problems. The hearings to which Hearne was invited were held just 3 business days after the ACVR suddenly appeared for the first time on the Internet…or anywhere else that we’ve been able to find. More on that here.
In Hearne’s testimony, as seen via the page posted today on the ACVR’s website [UPDATE 2007: the testimony may now be found here in the Interenet archives, since ACVR has deleted their site], he describes himself as a “a longtime advocate of voter rights and an attorney experience in election law”. No mention of his long-term pedigree as a high-level GOP operative…
Committee On Administration
Columbus, Ohio — April 21, 2005 [ed note: Misdated on the website]
Chairman Ney, Members of the House Administration Committee, thank you for inviting me to testify today.
My name is Thor Hearne. I am a principle in the law firm of Lathrop & Gage and a longtime advocate of voter rights and an attorney experienced in election law. I was appointed a member of the Missouri HAVA advisory committee advising the Missouri Secretary of State on Missouri’s implementation of HAVA and suggesting appropriate amendments to Missouri election law.
Today I am here in my capacity as counsel to the American Center for Voting Rights. The ACVR is a non-partisan watchdog ? voting rights legal defense and education center committed to defending the rights of voters and working to increase public confidence in the fairness of the outcome of elections. I am joined in this endeavor by the almost a dozen Ohio lawyers from several of this states’ prestigious law firms that have submitted a report detailing concerns that have come to our attention in connection with the Ohio 2004 general election…
The rest of his testimony is available at the ACVR website. [UPDATE 2007: ACVR’s website has been removed from the Internet, browse their old site here via the Internet Archives.]
Here again is a photo of Hearne taken a few weeks ago at a Republican National Lawyers Association reception in Ohio:
We’ve learned more about both the mysterious outta-nowhere election experts at the ACVR and Mr. Hearne’s “non-partisan” activities which we hope to report later this evening as we’ve got to do a couple of radio interviews for the next several hours, beginning in just a few minutes.
So check back shortly, and for now…we’ll just say…DEVELOPING…
UPDATE: The ACVR National Headquarters! Uncovered! BRAD BLOG has the exclusive photographs!
For more information on the “non-partisan” tax-exempt ACVR scam and the snakeoil salesmen who invented it, Bush/Cheney ’04 National General Counsel Mark F. “Thor” Hearne and RNC Communications Director Jim Dyke, please see BRAD BLOG’s full Special Coverage of the “American Center for Voting Rights” at https://BradBlog.com/ACVR.
Guess these guys aren’t trial lawyers, because trial lawyers are bad.
Lawyers who fix elections are good, though
Someone should tell them their hearing isn’t necessary, because we aren’t listening, because we know it’s a cooked up charade. They’re just making themselves look like very bad people. But at least we know their names now and can add them to our list of who can’t be trusted. They should save their time and TAXPAYERS’ MONEY!
Oh my god, pull the feeding tube republisheeple!
If you haven’t read ConyersBlog recently give it a fresh look..? My Conyers has rolled out a new interactive blog and is communicating directly with commentors now.
ConyersBlog + BRAD BLOG + Velvet Revolution = The Trifecta!
Whatta bunch of bullshit! They must really believe that people are stupid! Course so far, they’re right!
Hi there, Cheryl!
Isn’t this a lovely, FREE country, though – when a pile of RepubliCON activists can get their heads together, give themselves a high-falutin’ name and acronym, call themselves "non-partisan," and get 501(c)3 tax-exempt status…and THEN get themselves invited to a Congressional hearing to "testify," in a "non-partisan" fashion, mind you, to how sincerely they believe something must be done about fraud in American elections.
Something really MUST be done about fraud in America’s legislative and licensing process. These fraudsters have no business anywhere near serious government business.
UUUUUGH!
I think you had good tactics, Brad. You tested the seriousness of their intent without overely antagonizing them and basically put them on the spot.
The real question here is: What if they say yes, and join?
It is the strategy they are employing which should be stated, because they do this on many levels: they come into the fray as equals on the same side (or board or department) and then steal the lead and quell the serious question or policy or decision that is at the core. With you, they could cut deeper and harder; they don’t have to win, only tie – that is, neutralize the certainty if not the preponderance of the evidence. This also allows the admistration through whoever is investigating, to select the lessor items and ignore the overall truth.
That’s what this is about; setting up to offer contrary opinion inside out.
So, beware as you go. Boy, you need a staff like a regular news bureau. Lotta retirees out here, don’t cha know. Find some good help. And check their damn credentials back to grade school for your own protection. lol
They’re really worried about Ohio.
Walkshills, that’s exactly what Rep. Bob Ney did at the Common Cause hearing on Nov. 7. He spoke about refining HAVA, and horse trading with the Democrats ("Neither side will get everything they want" was a phrase I loved), as if election fraud were a garden-variety issue like Medicaid or the environment.
No mention of FRAUD. No mention of voters being denied their CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. To these clowns even stolen elections have become just another photo op. All that’s missing from that photo is a sign behind them reading "ELECTION REFORM ACCOMPLISHED. FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH."
A look at WHOIS shows that this website was started on March 17th? And there’s no contact information on where to contact them? Pretty bogus stuff. Keep digging.
One more: Is this Jim Dyke?? Can anyone say "Jeff Gannon"? What do these people take the American public for??
http://www.washingtonpost.com/w...2004Dec27.html
I can’t stop: Lathrop-Gage LINK
Hail Goebbels & the ministry of propoganda!!! I mean, the Bush administration and it’s fake news, fake voters rights groups, fake columnists, screened crowds, and hacked computerized voting machines! All hail the fake administration who doesn’t represent the people of this country! How fragile was our democracy to begin with, if a handful of men could take it over like this???
…ever notice, these Republican operatives like Hearne, always look wierd? They have cross-eyes, they look uptight, like they have a bug up their ass, their faces look red like they have high blood pressure…..they give be the heebeejeebeezzzzz…
And their names! "Thor" Hearne? Tom "DeLay?"
Tim "LeHaye?" Tom Feeney? Trent Lott? Does anyone have a name that doesn’t begin with "T?"
Right out of central casting. I’ve looked at that photo several times, and all I can think of is a bad barber-shop quartet and a smiling manager who’s trying to convince people they can sing. Truly, I think some of these clowns wind up in politics because it’s the only place where someone who doesn’t know how to relax can prosper.
Rob #14
Perhaps they are clones of exiled aliens who have an alergic reaction to our atmosphere.. They are trying to convert it to something with a few more floro-carbons so they can breath easier .. and since we’re running out of oil, they need to make sure we get our hands on every last bit so we can burn it in our SUVs before some other country like China get’s it and wastes it on food for it’s population..
Savanster, from the photo I’m not sure "Thor" Hearne needs floro-carbons. If I were his doctor I’d recommend three glasses of prune juice a day, a diuretic, and a muscle relaxant.
Where does Karl Rove find these guys? Is there a place in Utah called "Nerd Central?"
That guy is, plainly and simply, way too creepy – the first thing that came to my mind was, "Poor Ray Lemme!" Forget the fluorcarbons – he needs an injection of humanity, IMO (just following the Frist precedent – if he can diagnose on the basis of a video, I can surely prescribe on the basis of a couple of stills). Let us not underestimate the vileness or slyness of our foe. I sure don’t want that face to be the last one I ever see on this sweet Earth…
It amazes me that Bush doesn’t seem to be surrounded by even one normal, healthy-looking, sensible-sounding human being. They’re all uptight, anal, and look as if they badly need a laxative. It would be funny except for the fact that they’re running the country.
What no one has picked up on is this. The Sec of State of Missouri has decided to go V.V.P.A.T. (course the paper will never see the light of day). Either buying, or getting machines free.
Guess who is on her
"Statewide Database/Provisional Voting/Voter Identification Subcommittee"
Thor Hearne!!
SoS Robin Carnahan is the daughter of ex. Gov. Mel Carnahan who died (like Paul Wellstone) in a plane crash as he was ahead in his Senate race.
Dead Man Carnahan still beat John Ashcroft for his Senate seat!
What no one has picked up on is this. The Sec of State of Missouri has decided to go V.V.P.A.T. (course the paper will never see the light of day). Either buying, or getting machines free.
Guess who is on her
"Statewide Database/Provisional Voting/Voter Identification Subcommittee"
Thor Hearne!!
SoS Robin Carnahan is the daughter of ex. Gov. Mel Carnahan who died (like Paul Wellstone) in a plane crash as he was ahead in his Senate race.
Dead Man Carnahan still beat John Ashcroft for his Senate seat!