At this point, a Vote for a Republican is an Endorsement of Election Fraud

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Last updated on February 9th, 2013 at 01:29 am

Republicans are at it again. This time, a man from Pennsylvania was arrested in Virginia after he dispensed with some voter registration forms.
According to Ryan J. Reilly of Talking Points Memo,
The investigation of 23-year-old Colin Small began when he was spotted throwing a folder of voter registration forms in a dumpster behind the shopping center where he works.

Prosecutors charged him with four counts of destruction of voter registration applications, eight counts of failing to disclose voter registration applications and one count of obstruction of justice.

According to several reports, Small worked for a company called Pinpoint. According to the New York Times, Small had previously worked for Strategic Allied Consulting. Pinpoint was a subcontractor to Strategic Allied Consulting.

Yes, the Strategic Allied Consulting that is owned by longtime Republican “strategist” Nathan Sproul. This is the same Strategic Allied Consulting that was embroiled in similar conduct in Florida and the Republican Party said they were firing because they don’t tolerate Election Fraud.

This is the same Nathan Sproul who was paid millions of dollars in previous elections to provide similar services.

Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins said that he was “alarmed by the allegations” and that Small was “fired immediately” when the allegations surfaced. “The Republican Party of Virginia will not tolerate any action by any person that could threaten the integrity of our electoral process,” Mullins said.

Right. Where have we heard that before?

The fact that Small was charged is some consolation. However, in the eyes of those who make the decision to engage in systematic election fraud, Small and others like him are just casualties in their war against the vote. Perhaps there will be some more Colin Smalls and more shell companies “fired” by State and National Officials of the Republican Party. Perhaps there will be more statements of zero tolerance for election fraud and assurances that this is an isolated incident.

I’m reminded of a previous time, with a previous president, albeit with a very different problem. When we first heard about Abu Graib, then President Bush “assured” us that the torture in that prison was an “isolated incident” committed by “a few bad apples.” Eventually, we learned about the Torture Memos, and the wide spread torture. To this day, they are still referring to that program as “enhanced interrogation techniques.”

Let’s get back to the republican crime du jour: election fraud. Maybe another of Sproul’s numerous shell companies may go down, only to be replaced by another one. Sproul will continue to profit from election fraud and Republicans will continue to protest that they really don’t tolerate election fraud.

The problem doesn’t end with Nathan Sproul. Republican officials at the state level are doing all they can to suppress the vote. Jon Husted, fought to the Supreme Court in an effort to restrict early voting in Ohio. When that didn’t work, he cut the hours during which Early Voting will be available. Rick Scott and his henchman in Florida utilized purge lists, as well repressive voter ID laws; restrictions on voter registration drives. Other states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania established repressive new Voter ID laws, though the courts struck them down.

In addition, the Tea Party’s True to Vote group is out there establishing its own purge lists, and promising to intimidate voters in Democratic strongholds across the country.

Then, of course, there are the voting machines in which the Romney family has both a political and financial stake. No appearance of a conflict of interest there right?
This will continue unless all those involved in the decision making process are held accountable. Actually, not only will it continue, it will get worse should Republicans be given the opportunity. At this point, I can only see a vote for a Republican candidate as a tacit endorsement of election fraud and voter suppression, in addition to the Republicans’ attacks on everything that doesn’t benefit the 1%.
There are so many reasons to throw these people out. Their involvement in election fraud is one of the more serious reasons. It isn’t the only reason. It isn’t even the only serious reason.

Image from Gawker