Reuters reported yesterday that attorney, Paul Lehto has filed suite in Washington state against Electronic Voting Machine company, Sequoia Voting Systems Inc.
Paul Lehto, an Everett, Washington, lawyer has filed suit against Sequoia Voting Systems Inc., a privately held company based in Oakland, California, and Snohomish County, where his practice is located, arguing Sequoia’s contract should be voided.
The lawsuit, filed last week in King County Superior Court, pits the right of a company to guard proprietary information against the public’s need to know how elections are tabulated, Lehto said.
”These are entities that are providing the most central governmental function that we have, the counting of the vote,” Lehto said Tuesday. ”If they are not only controlling that process but purporting to own it, then that is a serious problem.”
You go, Paul!
And for Sequoia’s part:
”Electronic voting (machines) performed extremely well. … They provided certainty in ballot results in places where they haven’t had it in the past,” Charles said.
Yes, we’d hate to violate the “trade secret” for counting the votes in the world’s most important democracy. And paid for by your tax dollars to boot! Shame on these companies.
Which reminds us, if you haven’t already, now is a great time to Send an Email to the Voting Machine Companies letting them know you’ve had enough! The Velvet Revolution webletter is ready to go, you just need to sign it and send! It’ll take you 30 seconds!
(DISCLOSURE: Paul Lehto is also a legal advisor for VelvetRevolution.us, a Voting Rights and Election Reform organization co-founded by BRAD BLOG’s Brad Friedman.)
awesome! i figured there were plenty of grounds to terminate e-vote company machines’ contracts with various states based on what i’ve read here.
also… proprietary code? trade secret? security compromise? please. it’s simple addition: if vote = bush, bush = bush +1; if vote = kerry, kery = kery +1; i didn’t realize that adding 1 to a couple of running totals was now considered a trade secret w/ possibility of security compromise. what a load of bull.
(Sorry to go "off topic". I’m posting this in the comments of all of today’s topics)
TO: KestrelBrighteyes, Teresa, Peg C, Peggy, Winter Patriot, Supersoling, Chemo-Electric Trashman, Shadowtwinchaos, Bejammin075, Da Wookie, Czaragorn, Savantster, Kira, Republicans are Fascists, BUSHW@CKER, Miss Persistent, Cole and any other Brad Blog regulars (or non-regulars) I might have missed (AND SOME ARE NOT NAMED BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY CORRESPONDED WITH THEM):
I have sketched out a BRAD BLOG FUNDRAISER BLOGATHON concept and have already shared it with several Brad Bloggers by e-mail. All have expressed enthusiasm about what I presented to them and several have given additional excellent suggestions. I am trying to incorporate these suggestions (and some other ideas based on some of your comments on various threads) into the overall concept to try to create a Blogathon that will go beyond just fundraising for Brad and try to do something positive for Progressive blogsites, in general. TERESA commented in a recent thread: "… more and more people will be coming to the blogs. That’s where it’s happening now. Money will be coming as well. I think it is important for us to absolutely keep up this wonderful intelligent dialogue, without too much complaining, and people will be tuning in more and more. They will want to be a part of this growing movement. We are in the vanguard. I take our responsibilty seriously." These are my sentiments, exactly. This is where the Revolution has already begun and we need to do everything we can to further it and to support the vanguards of the vanguards, like Brad and the Brad Blog. I don’t have e-mail addresses for most of those I mentioned above. I would like to share what I (with the help of others) have come up with and add your ideas to the mix before presenting the final proposal to Brad, hopefully in the next week. To do that, I need as many of you as possible to link to my e-mail address (click on Steve at the top of this comment) and e-mail me so that I can e-mail the proposal to you and you can comment or add to it if you wish. I promise not to share your e-mail address with anyone, including on this blog (unless you have already posted/linked it on the blog). It would not be practical to try to flesh this concept out on an open comment blog and their are a few things that I’d like to leave as a possible surprise to Brad if this idea takes wings. I have no other agenda or marketing ambitions. I am a pediatrician and have plenty of other things to do to keep me busy, but, like many of you, I feel called to action by what is happening in this country and by what I have learned from this and other blogs. I would like to try and do my part. I look forward to hearing from you and getting your input.
Thanks, Steve
This is great. Now who’ll step up and sue the State of Ohio Elections Commission?
excellent news! Rock on, Paul!!
Yeah, mabe that soothing light at the end of your tunnel is just a freight train coming your way…
lets see who tries to stick their finger in this dam………a flood of truth is what we need…………not another homeland security lock down.
Sequoia Voting Systems & the Octopus:
East Bay Business Times
May 29, 2002
British firm buys controlling interest in Sequoia Voting Systems
Brief synopsis: Oakland’s Sequoia Voting Systems sold controlling interest to De La Rue (a developer of identity applications for governments) of England.
See also the UK-Wire write-up of same date for more info, i.e. “De La Rue also sees potential for international expansion of the business through leveraging De La Rue’s strong relationships with the world’s governments.”
#####
AME Info – Middle East Business Resource
De La Rue named as co-sponsor of Iraq Procurement 2004
De La Rue, the commercial security printer and papermaker, has announced its sponsorship of Iraq Procurement 2004, an event organised by Windrush Communications, official media partners for the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, scheduled to take place in London early next year.
Iraq: Tuesday, December 09 – 2003 at 15:04
…The world’s biggest non-government printer of banknotes, De La Rue is involved in the production of over 150 national currencies and a wide range of security documents such as travellers cheques and vouchers. The company is pioneering new technologies worldwide in government identity solutions for national identification, drivers’ licence, passport issuing schemes and election systems. Employing over 6,500 people across 31 countries, it is also a leading provider of cash handling equipment and software solutions to banks and retailers worldwide, helping them to reduce the cost of handling cash. The company recently secured a contract for the printing of Iraqi banknotes.
De La Rue will have a number of delegates present at Iraq Procurement 2004, which has been organised to provide a forum for businesses and organisations looking for opportunities to gain contracts and sub-contracts for the rebuilding of Iraq.
‘We are delighted to welcome De La Rue onboard. Iraq Procurement 2004 will offer delegates a unique opportunity to share ideas and develop strategies for equal market share,’ said John Glassey, project director. ‘Participating in Iraq Procurement 2004 will provide essential insight into contract and sub-contract opportunities and possibilities for partnership.’
***MORE***
The Asian Banker .pdf — DE LA RUE PARTICPATES IN “FUTURE OF BANKING IN CHINA” CONFERENCE
####
Interesting read – Mar. 2003 article at Sequoia Vote .com
And this – Sequoia Voting Systems
SEQUOIA VOTING SYSTEMS AND SMARTMATIC COMBINE TO FORM GLOBAL LEADER IN ELECTRONIC VOTING SOLUTIONS
####
SmartMatic was just a tiny company in Boca Raton, FL founded by 2 Venezuelans. See this article: Hispanic Trends
…Based in Caracas and Boca Raton, Florida, Smartmatic’s Venezuelan founders, Antonio Mugica and Alfredo Anzola, saw opportunity in the wake of the 2000 election fiasco in Florida—and quickly developed an electronic voting system to take advantage of renewed worries about manual voting’s susceptibility to fraud. But while Mugica developed a sales strategy for the U.S. and Latin America, it would be his homeland that would deliver the fledgling company’s first plum contract—and a contentious blow to its integrity and credibility.
The Smartmatic-led SBC consortium, which won the Venezuelan government’s $91 million contract, included software developer Bizta, partly owned by Mugica and Anzola, and Cantv, the country’s privatized telephone company. The opposition attacked the government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE)’s choice from the start, complaining of Smartmatic’s inexperience—their new system had never been used in an election.
***more***
Brad: Obviously, Paul has been busy with the Sequoia suit, and Godspeed his work.
I sent him an attachment with whatever financial data I’d been able to obtain on the nine companies (including Sequoia) from corporateaffliations.com. It wasn’t much, unfortunately.
If we’re going to go the Dun & Bradstreet route, I’ll need a go-ahead from you or from him.
wow, Kira!
Kira #7 It seems like globalization has hit the voting machines.
Just one more reason the software should be public property and managed via open source methodologies.
The lawsuit is a good thing. The tide must be turned away from secret code and secret counting.
Even the mass murder Stalin knew that much about democracy, in a sinister sort of way. Kinda like Karl the Rove.
Yeah right Sequoia. We’ll just take your word for it that everything worked. (NOT!!!)
Way to go guys -let’s kick their arses.
Sheesh, how can the people of the US be so blind as to not see how this is all going. The links between all these companies, big business and so forth. We rig your vote so your guy wins and you give us all kinds of contracts in the country you are taking over. I can’t believe people can be so blind or ignorant of what is going on. How can they not be furious that we are not being allowed our rights!!! That we are being run by a bunch of corporations who spoon feed us bunk about freedom and patriotism while they siphon off our rights, our money and our power. Okay rant over. Let’s keep this ball going!!!!!!!!!
These corps also use our soldiers, who are fighting and dying as cheap labor, easy to replace. Reminds me of I Robot. Time to "DEACTIVATE"?
I’ve been really busy lately, but here’s what I intend to do in the coming days:
write actual letters (which I’ve been told are taken more seriously than emails) to my senators & congresspeople expressing my outrage over the no-votes for proposed funding for vets, over the passage of the bankruptcy bill, over the unconscionable rhetoric of lawmakers that is directed against the judiciary, over the looting of our treasury BY our government & the subsequent cuts to domestic programs that people desperately need, over the growing lawlessness of this administration & the weakening of checks-&-balances & ethics oversight to address such lawlessness & over the complete lack of any consequences for such behavior.
I will also thank those I know of who have spoken out on these or other issues, such as Debbie Wasserman-Schultz who held a press conference (during the Schiavo hypocrisy-fest) calling attention to the law dubya had signed as governor of Texas which recently resulted in the death of an infant whose life-support was pulled against the wishes of the family because they couldn’t pay.
I’ll also call their offices with a briefer version of the above.
Do you think it’s at all effective to say "If you do NOT speak out on these things loudly & often I WILL NOT vote for you because a silent Democrat is as bad as a vocal Republican" or some such? I am searching for SOME threat I can make in my powerlessness that might actually be HEARD!
Any suggestions, friends??
Ah, that last was probably way off-topic. Sorry. But it’s all so related!
Joan #14
Luck in your quest!
If you find it maybe we can harness it as
"powerlessness Power"? I can use a couple of gallons of that.
Jesus, every time I settle on a list & think "I’ll write to them about THIS & THAT, I hear about something ELSE…ok here’s my problem, one of them, anyway:
it’s apparent to me that some of you here are way better than I am at keeping alot of this INSANITY straight in your heads! I heard on Randi tonight about neo-cons addressing some gathering & quoting Stalin…STALIN?!…saying "No man, no problem"…leaving out the first part of that quote which is "Death is the answer to any problem"! These are the culture-of-life people talking.
And wanting to impeach judges for not wanting the death penalty for juveniles…and on & on…JESUS JUMPING JEHOVAH!
Alright, am I over-reacting here? Have we always had these hideous loonies in our midst & I’m just now noticing?
Another problem for me, or maybe it’s the same one, who the hell knows, is I don’t know what to focus on.
Ok, I have to clam down. Jesus.
Joan,
I get overwhelmed also. So damn many issues with these ignorant criminals!
That is why I stay at BB, it helps me focus. Without this reform on elections, nothing else matters.
I gain comfort knowing others are as outraged as I am. There are alot more of us than you realize, that feel the way you do.
And no, your not over-reacting. This is scary stuff.
Joan, I do know where you are coming from. It is all over-whelming and angering and frustrating. What I would recommend is pick one issue – just one – that is important to you. Then take your stand on that issue. Write from your heart and from the facts. And yes, there are "threats" you can make. Tell them not only will they lose your vote, but that you plan on being very vocal about it. That you plan on publishing your letter online and in the newspaper. That you plan on telling everyone you know and everyone who will listen. Maybe point out to them that they are in their position because the people put them there and come next election – they may not be sitting there any more. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Perhaps someone else here would have some other suggestions. Did you know also, in some areas there are radio stations that allow people to put free radio spots up for community awareness. That is also another thought. I know how it is to feel powerless. To feel like one person standing alone against a large enemy. But you are not alone. Try maybe gathering up some signatures. Just go door to door if you can. Or advertise in your paper. It’s tough, but we can do it. Especially with people like Brad on our side. And all the great people here. Peace and good luck.
Don’t get your hopes up too much over this lawsuit. If the company is forced to make their source code public, they will release a sanitized version that does not have the finagling parts in the code. Determining exactly what code was in a particular machine at a given point in time will likely prove impossible. Such attempts are often futile even when software is purportedly under rigorous configuration control. It’s just too easy for field personnel to install software changes unobserved.
One might not capture the offending code, even if the machines were impounded immediately after the election, because the machine could be programmed to delete and replace the offending code upon closing of the polls.