GOP says it unmasks ballot group as front for Dems

Now if we can only get the Sun to unmask the various Education front groups in District 203, we'd finally be getting somewhere.

I think this is, at best, a case of the Naperville Sun trying to create a story where none exists. At worst, it is attacking the messenger because you don't like the message.

Moderator Jim: The facts - as clearly reported in the story - speak for themselves.

The county board of elections does need to be squeaky clean about following and enforcing its and the state's policies and procedures regarding elections. Seems from the Sun article that it has not been, and worse, does not care to discuss it. Rather than attack the make-up of the group, can we determine if indeed the seal was broken on a ballot box, or if the boxes were sealed appropriately?

"The facts - as clearly reported in the story - speak for themselves."

It's a fact that the group really isn't non-partisan, but it's also appears to be true that the Election Commission has not been dotting its i's and crossing its t's.

As far as the clarity of the article:
"While the election code does say that judges shall write their signatures on bound packages of ballots, such is not required by the commission."

Is it or is it not a violation of the election code to not require judges to sign the ballot packages? If its not a violation, then what does the first part of the sentence mean? If it is a violation, then why doesn't the commission require it, and doesn't this lend merit to IBIP's accusations?

You yourself admit that Bush stole the 2000 election from Gore. There are many, many documented "irregularities" in the 2004 Bush/Kerry election (especially in Ohio). If the Republicans have captured the White House twice through vote fraud and voter intimidation, what incentive do they have to stop? Maybe BIP started as a nonpartisan group, but there are no Republicans interested in free and fair elections? So by default it is full of Democrats?

Your story shows highlights that ballot security in DuPage is clearly lacking, but instead chooses to shoot the messenger. The GOP is making an ad hominem attack because ballot security is obviously sloppy. And the Sun amplifies the ad hominem attack?

Unsigned, open boxes? Sealed with Post-its? The Sun's own story highlights multiple violations of the state code by the election commission.

Many of the elections were very, very close - and while I am not a big Doug Krause fan, If I were him I would find this very upsetting. Even I find it upsetting. Krause was defeated by a sitting County Board member by a handful of votes? Votes counted by cronies of sitting Board members? I'm not saying that I think anything illegal happened, but if the folks counting and certifying the votes were non-partisan it would be a lot more comforting.

Josef Stalin was famous for saying it only mattered who counted the votes - In DuPage all of the votes are unfortunately counted by Republicans. History teaches that one party rule breeds corruption. It also teaches that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Please research the claims of protesters and the veracity of those claims instead of just questioning their motives.

If I wanted to read a paper that just parroted whatever the Republican party says - I would get the Tribune. I would like to hold the Sun to a higher standard.

Note from host:

You yourself said our story reported the irregularities in DuPage. How, then, were we not fair? Bottom line, the Democratic attorney general in a state controlled by Democrats gave the DuPage Election Commission a tiny tap on the wrist. If the problems here were major, wouldn't Madigan be all over them?

Newspapers and all media are getting out of hand writing stories of "allegations" and headlines as if they are true! We, the public, are getting quite wary of this method of devisiveness. It makes for unrest, untruth, irresponsibility and does not promote democracy for the American citizen.
Let us REALLY clean up elections and procedures so that a "free" fair honest election process can finally occur in America....honestly, THAT is what the people want and this party politics deceit is enough already! We GET it.
DuPage County or anywhere! Calling the kettle black is ridiculous in that county......because the demographics changes, the ruling party everywhere is getting anxious and beginning to attack with lies. Too bad for our country.

"Master-spinster" George Soros and his merry secular-progressives strike again. Why do we need left-wing radical groups like this lurking in the shadows under a cloak of mystery and money? They want you to believe there's a conspiracy behind every election, every school board decision; every politician's word is encrypted with some hidden meaning. They read too many romantic spy novels.

On the other hand...why can't election officials just read the book and follow SOP's so these organizations have nothing to do besides collect "hanging chads" and look through their binoculars at their neighbor's houses at night?

My compliments to The Sun for at least identifying where the money trail came from on the "Illinois Ballot Integrity Project". These are the same people that prefer "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" and the same folks who say teachers and professors know better how to raise our children then us (parents). That repeat child-predators and rapists should be rehabilitated not punished, homosexual marriages are cool and the children of illegal alien immigrants are US citizens because they were born here during harvest season.....gotta keep an eye on these people, they've infiltrated most media.

Our article struck a nerve. Here's a scathing critique from Brad Friedman, a partisan blogger, actor and freelance writer for Hustler magazine, among other publications:

Ms. Winfield,

What an embarrassing article you've written for the Naperville Sun.

("Ballot group may have partisan ties", http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/821358,6_1_NA02_BALLOT_S1.article)
Had the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project (IBIP) alleged -- without evidence -- that the DuPage County Election Commission was running a drug ring would you have written a story headlined "Election Commission may be narcotics traffickers"?

The most amusing/embarrassing "evidence" you present in your irresponsible attack story concerning the patriots of IBIP who do their work as volunteers in order to improve transparency in democracy, and who receive no salary from anyone (much less a political party, which would certainly have given them your alleged "partisan ties" had that been the case) is this graf:

the Web sites for both the Democratic Party of DuPage County and Operation Turn DuPage Blue post links to the IBIP site.

What?! The local Democratic Party and their supporters are in favor of democracy and those who fight for it?! And they're linking up to IBIP?! You've certainly nailed that story! What, the New York Times didn't need any help in their own swiftboating articles against John McCain?!

Good thing none of the Republican-leaning websites you're aware of linked to IBIP! If they do, or at least if the GOP operatives you work with bother to tell you about it, you'll have to write another story about IBIP's "ties" to the Republican party!

On the other hand, you could certainly have written an article about the tie -- known, not alleged -- between the DuPage Election Commissions and the Republican party, and the salary they've paid to Republican operative Dan Curry to run interference and propaganda for them.

That's actual public record stuff with actual hard evidence though, so it may not have been your cup of tea. You might have found Mr. Curry also had unique access to the central tabulating area during the recent IL Primary election, while unpaid, members of the public -- whose election the commission is supposed to be running -- did not.

Did you bother to ask Mr. Curry about any of those things while you were busy getting tips from him?

Saddest of all, buried at the bottom of your story, you confirm actual violations of the law by the DuPage County Election Commission, but chose not to focus on them, even though they are actual stories worth covering for your readers.

Among other allegations, the report accuses the commission of prematurely destroying poll tapes and failing to obtain a disposal certificate according to the Local Records Act. While Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said the commission should have received a certificate before destroying any records, her office did not cite any criminal charges.

So the state AG confirmed that, even though no criminal charges have yet been filed, that the Commission violated the law? And that comes at the end of your story?? Before you go on to add:

While the election code does say that judges shall write their signatures on bound packages of ballots, such is not required by the commission.

So the DuPage County Election Commission doesn't require folks to follow the state election code either?

Two confirmed violations of the Rule of Law by the DuPage County Election Commission -- confirmed by you in your own story -- versus absolutely no violation of anything by IBIP and yet they are the focus of your story?

Noticing anything amiss here, Ms. Winfield?

Please keep up the bad work. It's only your democracy at stake.

Brad
Los Angeles, CA

Note from host:

You yourself said our story reported the irregularities in DuPage. How, then, were we not fair?

It is not fair because the a response from the GOP should never have been given credence. It is an ad homimen attack and as such wholly without merit. Reporting the GOP talking points falsely reduces the credibility of BIP - without refuting any of BIP's claims. This is the very definition of "spin".

If BIP's claims are false, then the Election Commission should produce facts to show the claims are false. If BIP's claims are true - then folks should be held accountable. The GOP ad hominem attacks only muddy the waters. Why is the GOP speaking for the Election Commission? What are they protecting?

As for the Democratic Attorney General, Illinois has a long standing history of bi-partisan power sharing at the top - I think it would be a mistake to assume that innocence can be inferred by this not being prosecuted by the Attorney General. This is unfortunate but true.

Response from host:

No one's disputing BIP's claims. We reported them. The question is, are infractions such as sealing ballot boxes with Post-It notes minor oversights, or major criminal acts indicative of a GOP conspiracy to steal elections, as BIP would have us believe?

are infractions such as sealing ballot boxes with Post-It notes minor oversights, or major criminal acts indicative of a GOP conspiracy to steal elections, as BIP would have us believe?

If they were only "minor oversights", why would the State Republican Party be concerened and be releasing "spin" in attempts to undermine BIP's credibility? If they were only "minor oversights", couldn't the Election Commission defend itself using just the facts?

Occam's razor suggests the State Party gets involved only when the State Party has something to protect. And if the State Republican Party has something to protect in the DuPage Election Commission - something stinks.

Response from host:

If they were more than minor oversights, the Democratic attorney general or our heroic nonpartisan U.S. attorney out of Chicago would see fit to prosecute.

"You yourself said our story reported the irregularities in DuPage. How, then, were we not fair?"

I think Brad Friedman answered this question about as well as it can be answered. It's not the facts, so much as the way you reported them.

Moderator Jim: The facts speak for themselves.

"The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." Finley Peter Dunne

Somewhere in repeating the DuPage GOP talking points, this has gotten lost. Ted, first you promoted an anonymous smear website attacking the school board and referendum, then you are providing this megaphone for the DuPage GOP and now insulting Mr. Fitzgerald. I do not think that the Sun should show such partisan bias in a public forum.

Ted, are you angling for a job at Fox "News"?

Response from Ted:

No, thanks, SSD, I'm happy where I'm at. You read way too much into my response to your attack on us. I admire Patrick Fitzgerald and don't see how you could possibly spin my comment as an insult. Clearly the masterful spin doctors at IBIT have inspired you to try some spin of your own. Your liberal use of the word "promoted" in regards to D203 is a classic kill the messenger tactic that treats "promote" and "report" as interchangeable verbs. (Of course, Democrats like Dianne McGuire are transparancy personified and would never stoop to using anonymous , misleading tactics in an election like the 2007 school board race in D203). Finally, expressing opinions has been a part of newspapers for as long as the press has existed, and my personal views in no way cloud The Sun's objective reporting on any issue or topic. The reporter pitched the story idea to the editors, not the other way around. And this blog is all about expressing opinions, even misguided ones like your's.

"Moderator Jim: The facts speak for themselves."

So does the reporting of the facts.

In response to the article published in March 2, 2008 online edition of the Naperville Sun and other STNG papers, we find that despite various communication with your reporter, you failed to get your facts straight, and by and large, missed the real story.

The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project is not now, nor has it ever been affiliated in any way with the National Ballot Integrity Project. We have never received any money from nor contributed any money to that organization. To the best of our knowledge, no member of IBIP is a member of NBIP. You might have wanted to fact-check this with NBIP, after all, one of its directors is only a local phone call away in Naperville. IBIP is not a chapter, affiliate, coalition partner nor any other sub-group of NBIP.

Further, the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project has never received any funds whatsoever, directly or indirectly, from George Soros, Barbara Streisand, the Open Society Project, Public Campaign, the Streisand Foundation, or any other similar and/or affiliated organization. This connection is, in short, a complete fabrication - something your reporter could have and should have fact-checked before you making it the focus of your article.

Your reporting that Bob Babcock is the treasurer of IBIP is factually incorrect. He is not now, nor has he ever been an officer or director of IBIP.

The implied criticism of IBIP members addressing DuPage Against the War Now (DAWN) is especially humorous, considering that the IBIPer's appearance follows that of DuPage County Election Commission executive director, Robert T. Saar, who appeared before the group less than two months ago. Now what are we to make of that connection?

Here's the real story: In 2005, IBIP discovered that the DuPage County Election Commission claimed that certain election records had been destroyed and it could not supply them in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. Research of the statutes and Commission financial records indicated that if the Commission was destroying public records without approval from the Local Record Commission, it was apparently violating Illinois law. These are facts and matters of public record.

The Commission responded by hiring the firm of Bond, Dickson & Associates, at taxpayer expense - apparently in an effort to buttress their position - and continued to destroy records without applying for or receiving the proper permits and certificates. The latter is a matter of fact, taken from the Commission's own records.

IBIP continued to insist that the Commission was subject to the Act, based on an earlier opinion from the Illinois Attorney General, coincidentally involving another DuPage public agency. IBIP believed that the (Republican) Illinois Attorney General had already resolved the issue in 1999 on the applicability of the State Local Records Act concerning the DuPage County Public Safety Communications Office in opinion 99-021. This opinion is a matter of public record, and was easily available to the Commission's counsel.

On December 26, 2007, the Illinois Attorney General agreed with IBIP's position and issued an opinion that stated in pertinent part:

"The DuPage County Election Commission must obtain the approval of the Local Records Commission before disposing of any public records in its possession. Although the [Illinois] Election Code and the Federal laws addressing the preservation of election records establish minimum retention periods for some election records, it is my opinion that these laws do not supersede or conflict with the procedural requirements of the Local Records Act."

In summary, IBIP alleged that the DuPage County Election Commission was violating Illinois State Law by not following the provisions of the Illinois Local Records Act. So far, an agency of the Secretary of State's Office and the Illinois State Attorney General agree!

Your reporter went on to write, "While the election code does say that judges shall write their signatures on bound packages of ballots, such is not required by the commission." Or put another way, the Commission doesn't require judges to sign the ballot boxes as mandated by the Illinois State Election Code.

Here we have, in your reporter's own words, two violations of Illinois law by the DuPage County Election Commission, and the focus of your story is unsubstantiated charges by GOP operatives?

This is a case study on GOP echo-chamber success. The DuPage County Election Commission hired Dan Curry for $3,000 a month (more than IBIP's annual budget) to do damage control, and he's delivered. It's unfortunate that the Naperville Sun and STNG bought the spin - your readers deserve better.

Sincerely,

Bob Wilson
Chairman
Illinois Ballot Integrity Project

Response from Ted Slowik, host:

The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project's own Web site identifies Bob Babcock as a member:

http://www.ballot-integrity.net/docs/DuPage_Release_6-29-2006_v3.pdf.

And the Democratic organization in DuPage County identifies Bob Babcock as treasurer of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project:

http://www.turndupageblue.com/who.php

You seem to bristle at the GOP's claim that IBIT's operations in DuPage to date have been partisan, when there is evidence to support the GOP's charge.
That was the point of the report.

We reported the national organization's ties to Soros and Streisand; we never said the state group accepted donations directly from them. However, the home page for the National Ballot Integrity Project, www.ballotintegrity.org, says that Dr. Larry J. Quick, is co-founder of the National Ballot Integrity Project and co-founder of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project. Yet even though the national and state groups share the same name, the exact same mission and the same founder, you insist there is absolutely no tie whatsoever between the two organizations.

We've reported several stories over the years about IBIT's complaints about the DuPage Election Commission. While you cite the attorney general's opinion as validation of IBIT's concerns, another could just as easily say the attorney general found inconsequential errors were made and told the commission to correct its mistakes, hence the AG's indication that the DuPage Election Commission faced no punitive consequences for its actions. In other words, no harm, no foul. And we accurately reported that the election commission disputes IBIT's claim about judges being required to sign ballot boxes.

Thanks for the suggestion about checking out GOP operative Dan Curry being on the commission's payroll as a consultant. We intend to pursue that angle.

Thanks for posting my letter, and, in the bargain, continuing to further your reputation as lousy reporters.

You describe me as "a partisan blogger". What "party" would I would be blogging for exactly?

Or do you simply enjoy making up facts about me, as you apparently did when it came to the IBIP folks as well.

You guys are really a piece of work.

Since IBIP is fighting for YOUR democracy, as well as theirs, as unpaid volunteers, and would certainly welcome Republicans who wish to participate in the fight for transparency in elections (I work with and support such Republicans, independents, Greens, Liberterians, Democrats, etc. every day myself), I'll say to THEM what you people should have said from the get-go: "Thank you."

And I'm quite sure the folks at IBIP would say in return, had you had the decency to thank them, "your welcome," no matter what political party you are or aren't a part of.

Now please try to salvage some modicum of responsibility and retract the incorrect, irresponsible, evidence-free characterization you've made concerning me. Thank you.

Response from Ted Slowik, host:

Brad,

Your indignant tone about being described as partisan is a little surprising, and no apology is forthcoming. Google "brad friedman" and "democrat" and the first entry that pops up is an article with your byline for Democratic Underground, and the tagline at the end says you're a "proud Liberal Hollywood Elitist." Another bio says you've been a contributor from 2004-present to Democratic Underground, which is in the business of "providing political satire and commentary for Democrats."

I could go on, but suffice to say there is ample documentation to support our description of you as partisan.

Cheers for exposing ballot irregularities, I really do thank you for that, and if the DuPage Election Commission ever does anything that rises to the level of some of the other scandals you've exposed I hope you're all over them.

"And we accurately reported that the election commission disputes IBIT's claim about judges being required to sign ballot boxes."

Actually, you didn't even report that the election commission disputes the claim. Here's what you said:

"While the election code does say that judges shall write their signatures on bound packages of ballots, such is not required by the commission."

While it might be inferred from this statement that the commission disputes the claim, all it says is that they essentially don't enforce any such rule. And since you state in the same sentence that the election code DOES contain such a rule, why not follow up on the election commission's reasoning for not enforcing it?

Mentioning the GOP in the headline as the Election Commission's defender is the first red flag. If the election commission is non-partisan as we expect it to be, why would it need the defense of the "GOP"? What's more, if the GOP takes exception to ANY organization that advocates honest elections, doesn't this in itself sound an alarm? Even if IBIP were a "partisan" organization as the article claims but does not prove, they would not deserve the same scrutiny as our government agencies. Unlike our election commission, IBIP is not on the public payroll, a critical difference the article doesn't address. The details of AG Lisa Madigan's investigation into the commission's "prematurely destroying polls tapes and failing to obtain a disposal certificate according to the Local Records Act" would have been a news article of substance. Instead, this is nothing more than a personal attack on the recent nominees of the Naperville League of Women Voters' Democracy in Action Award. What irony! I propose a news article, headlined to mimic Ms. Winfield's style: "Billing itself as a 'Newspaper,' Suburban Tabloid Attacks Local Volunteers to Squelch Warranted Criticism of Election Commission - Operating as 'News Agency,' It's Proven Its Partisan Position." Yes, someone has an agenda here as you state, but it isn't IBIP.

Response from host:

And you would be the Barb Dahl who is the Democrat running for County Board District 2? Is there anyone without strong partisan ties who would like to comment on the article?

The Sun did report extensively on the Ballot Integrity Project's complaints about the DuPage Election Commission, and the attorney general's response, in "news articles of substance" as you say.

I never denied being the Democratic Candidate for County Board in District 2. Why would you be asking only for comments from those without strong partisan ties, when you quoted the GOP and its "operatives" repeatedly in your story?
The fact that Lisa Madigan has officially stated that the commission should have received a certificate before destroying any records is a clear-cut cause for concern for DuPage voters, even if her office did not yet cite any criminal charges. It's an outrage for that to be dismissed by the writer while she attacks the volunteers who donate their time to work for honest elections to benefit voters of EVERY party. If honest elections is a "partisan" issue, something's rotten in Denmark - or DuPage.

Response from host:

You didn't deny, but you didn't disclose, either. Nice placement of the word "yet," as if to hint that criminal charges might be forthcoming, when it's clear from the AG's opinion the office has no intention of pursuing the matter criminally--ever.

Again, no one is disputing the mistakes made by the DuPage Election Commission, mistakes that we've reported. The red flag here is the attempts to characterize the mistakes as motivated by criminal intent, when there is no indication from any authority that the election commission's errors are anything more than common negligence.

Please give me a link to the "news articles of substance" you wrote on the election commission - I must have missed them.

Response from host:

Gladly--on Tuesday when I'm back in the office and have access to our internal electronic archive.

In the meantime, here's one of our articles I found posted on the Democratic Underground's Web site:

Watchdog group highlights flaws in DuPage elections

March 28, 2007
By Paige Winfield Staff Writer
Naperville Sun

Lax security and illegal destruction of public records by the DuPage Election Commission leave the results of last November's election in serious doubt, contend members of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project.

Leaders of the organization - which acts as a whistle-blower for election commissions across the state - claim the commission has violated the Local Record Act by failing to obtain permission from the secretary of state to destroy election materials.

Project members also point to five alleged security breaches they say compromised the integrity of election results in DuPage, while not directly violating state or federal law.

The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project is alleging that the DuPage Election Commission allowed the following security breaches during the November 2006 election:

• Dozens of memory cards containing election results were not returned securely to commission headquarters on Election Night. One observer estimates as many as 80 memory cards were left at polling places. Eventually, two-thirds of these cards were returned that night, but roughly 25 stayed out all night long, leaving the data compromised.

• Touch screen machines left out all night at polling locations throughout the county.

• The commission failed to conduct criminal background checks on the technicians who had access to memory cards, machine components and the tabulation room.

• The commission did not conduct a hand-counted audit of early votes cast on the touch screen machines.

• Five palm pilots containing private voter information were reported missing by an election judge after judges' training in October 2006. It is unknown if the devices were found or if the information contained on them was altered.

*snip*

The commission allowed "serious breaches in the chain of custody" during the election, Jean Kaczmarek, co-chair of the project's DuPage chapter, told the County Board on Tuesday.
"Unless changes in the process take place, there will continue to be little or no confidence in the election results," Kaczmarek said.

Continued from host:

Here's another one, Barb. This one mentions Bob Babcock, who we identified as both a member of IBIP and Operation Turn DuPage Blue, and who Bob Wilson insists is not a good example of IBIP's partisan ties:

Newspaper: SUN PUBLICATIONS
Date: 07/12/2006
Day of Week: Wednesday
Edition: THENAPSUN
Section: AROUND TOWN
Page: 12
Headline: Residents demand change in DuPage elections oversight
Byline: By Kathy Cichon
Credit: staff writer


WHEATON - Citing concerns about the lack of transparency in elections, a group of residents on Tuesday urged DuPage County Board members to have immediate oversight of the county Election Commission.

"Right now in DuPage County, the Election Commission is out of control and needs to be replaced," Downers Grove resident Bob Babcock said.

During a rare night meeting of the County Board, members of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project blasted the commission's use of the Diebold electronic touch-screen voting terminals as well as its process for destroying records.

For nearly a year the commission has drawn fire from residents who say the electronic voting technology is not secure.

"It is very important that we be able to trust the results of
our votes," Naperville resident Stephanie Downs Hughs said. "Many of us feel now that we cannot. There is no
double-check."

While election officials have repeatedly said the touch-screen machines are secure, opponents of the technology have cited several reports and studies, some from governmental agencies such as the Government Accountability Office, indicating there is a problem with the machines.

Naperville resident Melisa Urda, co-chair of the DuPage chapter of the Ballot Integrity Project, compared the situation to Ford choosing to do a cost-benefit analysis of its Pinto when it was discovered there were safety problems.

"No cost-benefit analysis can be made of our electoral
process," she said. "Either we have confidence in the
system or our ride with democracy comes to a screeching halt."

Members of the group also raised concerns about the Election Commission's failure to fill out a necessary form to destroy public records.

"The commission has never bothered to fill out the paperwork mandated by the Local Records Act for the destruction of public records. It's not a matter of filling out a line on the form incorrectly, it's a matter of not filling out the form at all," said Glen Ellyn resident Jean Kaczmarek, who co-chairs the Ballot Integrity Project chapter with Urda. "Destroying public records without compliance to the Local Records Act is a Class 4 felony."

After the meeting, County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, R-Naperville, said he didn't know that much about the incident.

"I presume the Election Commission is in compliance with the law," he said.

Schillerstrom said he is not sure he understands the group's complaints.

"Philosophically, what they said, I agree with," he
said. "We want to have the cleanest elections around."

Continue from host:

And here's another one, that includes the DCEC's response to the AG in the records-disposal dispute:

Newspaper: SUN PUBLICATIONS
Date: 01/17/2008
Day of Week: Thursday
Edition: THENAPSUN
Section: AROUND TOWN
Page: 8
Headline: Local officials say procedure was followed
Byline: By Paige Winfield
Credit: Staff writer
Caption: Madigan

Election documents in DuPage were improperly destroyed, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, but the county's Election Commission says it was not out of line.

Accusations by the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project prompted an investigation by Madigan and DuPage State's Attorney Joe Birkett as to whether the commission complied with local and federal law in disposing of documents from the 2004 general election.

The commission should have received permission from the state to destroy ballots after the election, Madigan said. But Pat Bond, the election commission's attorney, says it would have been impossible to do that and obey state law at the same time.

Code for state elections requires that ballots are destroyed 60 days after an election. But the Local Records Act says an application must be filed 60 days prior to document destruction.

That means it would be impossible for the election commission to comply with both codes because they would have to file for permission before the election even took place, Bond said.

"You'd have to ask for ballots that have not been voted
yet to be destroyed," Bond said. "That's silly."

Bond said the commission will seek clarification of the law, either through legislation or litigation.

Birkett agrees with Madigan that the election commission should have received permission from the state before destroying the 2004 ballots. He said he will stay out of the matter if the commission decides to seek further clarification on the law.

"As far as I'm concerned, I support the attorney general's opinion," he said. "If the election commission wants to go to Springfield, that's fine, but we would not play a role in that."

I say the red flag is the attempt to characterize those who seek election integrity as having criminal intent.

Response from host:

Huh? If by "those who seek election integrity" you mean IBIP, who the heck is accusing them of criminal intent? Certainly not us. All we did was say the GOP called them partisan.

Actually, I believe it was Gayl Ferraro, chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, who in 2004 described the election commission's mistakes at that time as "a blatant and coordinated effort by DuPage County Republican officials to turn the election in their favor."

"Is there anyone without strong partisan ties who would like to comment on the article?"

Aside from my employer and my church, I belong to no organization, political or otherwise. I don't know any of the people who have posted on this blog, nor do I know any memebers of IBIP or the DuPage County Election Commission. Is that non-partisan enough for you?

Response from host:

Excellent--and I've responded to the points you made earlier :)

To Moderator "The facts - as clearly reported in the story - speak for themselves" Jim
and Host "Our article struck a nerve. Here's a scathing critique" Ted:
Vote fraud stories are common every election season, so I think the SUN struck a nerve
this time due to the wording of the Sunday headline vs. the content of the article. My biggest problem was with the headline's mention of Soros/Streisand. First if the Soros/Streisand connection warrents mention in the headline, why isn't the so-called connection not written about until the second half of the article? There it states:
"The state Republican Party also criticized IBIP for its connection to the National Ballot Integrity Project, which uses promotional material produced by the Public Campaign. That organization receives funding from a number of left-wing groups, including George Soros' Open Society Project and the Streisand Foundation."
These statements don't seem to be "clearly factual", as blogger Naperville Culture Warrior seems to believe that this means IBIP got money from soros/leftwing groups, while I read it as the Public Campaign got funding, not National Ballot Integrity Project or IBIP. And now Bob Wilson questions the article. The leftwing funds->Public Campaign->National Ballot Integrity Project -> IBIP appears to weak to warrent being headline material.
The IBIP claims against the election commission is as much a story as GOP claiming it is partisian. Where was the front-page headlines about the IBIP criticisms before the SUN felt a need to undergo an "Exclusive Sun Investigation"?
The "Ballot Group May Have Partisian Ties" headline I see on the Web under Sunday's news seems more appropriate. But then the heading for the potluck is "GOP unmasks ballot group as front for Dems" is most misleading.

-first time writer, long time reader

Response from host:

Thanks for the comments. Your criticism of the front page is valid and well articulated.

Thanks for the suggestion about checking out GOP operative Dan Curry being on the commission's payroll as a consultant. We intend to pursue that angle.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

And when you do pursue that "angle" I would suggest the title, "Election Commission May have Partisan Ties" with the subtitle, "Election Commission spends $3,000 per month of taxpayer money for partisan consultant."

Believe me, you won't have to do much looking. All you have to do is go to Dan Curry's site where he proudly admits that one of his "clients" is the DuPage County Election Commission.... This is from one of his posts: One group has been hounding a client (DuPage County Election Commission).......http://www.reversespin.com/?p=708

He is clearly partisan. Just take two minutes looking at the posts on his site. I challenge you and your paper to expose the election commission as a partisan organization that has employed a political partisan for $3,000 per month of taxpayer money. I bet you won't do it.

Response from host:

You're on. If you don't see a print article on GOP operative Curry being on the election commission's payroll by month's end, I'll buy you a drink.

I myself witnessed the ballot box seal being applied at a polling place in the Feb 5th primary. It's not a "post-it note", it's about 6" x 8" in size and is meant to cover part of the top and side of the box as a tamper evident seal. There is ample space for the judges to sign and time stamp them. The glue is about the same as a post-it note. Anyone can open these boxes and do whatever they want with the ballots inside in the privacy of the DCEC counting room or a detour on the way to Wheaton and reseal the boxes without anyone being the wiser. The same kind of seal was used in New Hampshire primary from the videos I've seen. That would be New Hampshire where the Democratic Secretary of State ought to be called to account just like the DuPage Election Commission. How's that for a little bi-partisanship for you Ted?

The DCEC has made some laughable claims and has questionable practices that ought to be investigated by any self respecting news organization. For instance like the news release on their website titled "Tests Find Diebold Touch-Screen Voting 100 Percent Accurate". Anybody who has election judged or poll watched anywhere in DuPage knows that's just not true. On Feb 5th in one polling place alone I saw the DRE break down twice, the first time at about 8am when it said it was out of paper after 16 votes had been cast on it and second time during the evening rush at 5:30PM. The "expert" sent out from the DCEC to fix it among other things took the CPU/screen out of the machine and tried banging it on the frame. After his valiant attempts to fix it the screen said "there is no election currently loaded on this machine". He then recommended they take the whole machine back to the DCEC so they could try and resurrect the ballots cast on it.

The paper ballot scanner worked better. It broke down just before the poll closed. It ate one ballot but didn't register it on the counter. The judges rightly put the rest of the ballots in the compartment in the front of the machine. Did the DCEC count them? Those votes didn't wind up on the machine tape. It's anybody's guess if they did. The back compartment that holds the write in ballots the machine itself segregates held 9 ballots. Only 5 of those ballots had any actual write-ins on them. The rest appeared to be regularly inked ballots that the scanner misunderstood as having write-ins.

The point is these machines have been decertified in states from CA to FL. Major universities like Princeton, John Hopkins and Stanford have tested them and found them wanting. It takes 10 minutes to find demonstrations of the very machines we use in DuPage, that the DCEC lauds as perfect to be undetectable vote fraud enabling junk. Yet the STNG thinks the issue is the fact that the people who are trying to expose this are aligned with the party that somehow never wins here?

Response from host:

NOYB, thanks for the eyewitness account. Look, for years now we've been reporting on IBIP's complaints about the DuPage Election Commission. I recall we've criticized the election commission in editorials, saying their Freedom of Information Act fees were outrageous, is one that comes to mind off the top of my head. Until this article the IBIP must have been very pleased with the coverage it has received in The Sun. We have no agenda here.

I'm not here to defend the election commission, or the Republican Party. I'm strictly responding to constructive criticism about our report. If it turns out that the GOP suckered us into taking the bait for some propaganda it spewed, then we would make up for our error in judgment. And we'll continue to report whatever complaints IBIP uncovers about the DuPage Election Commission, without prejudice, as we've done all along.

Your liberal use of the word "promoted" in regards to D203 is a classic kill the messenger tactic that treats "promote" and "report" as interchangeable verbs.

I was not referring to anything printed in the Sun. I was referring to your blogpost where you reproduced an anonymous email from the author of an anonymous smear site - and thanked him for his contibutions to the "debate". I don't think anything on this blog is considered "reporting" - you say yourself this blog is about "expressing opinions". I have yet to see you "report" on any other anonymous emails you receive, so you clearly chose to "promote" that e-mailer's opinions (likely because you share them). As such, I stand by my wording. It does not "kill the messenger", it only shows that the messenger is not a neutral bystander.

And this blog is all about expressing opinions, even misguided ones like your's.

My opinion is that your (this blog, not the Sun) political reporting is extremely biased. My opinion is evidence based - and not misguided. In this case, the misguided opinions are all yours (as is the incorrect punctuation ;-) ) . To its' credit, the print version of the Sun does not seem to carry this bias.

Here is my evidence:
The headline as printed in the Sun - "Ballot group may have partisan ties; Election Commission critic has an agenda, GOP claims" is pretty much standard 2008 journalism - "reporting" what each side says without taking much of a stand on what is the truth. In contrast, this blog title - "GOP unmasks ballot group as front for Dems" is extremely biased. In the blog, these are not just "claims" made by political operatives - the GOP has "unmasked a front" - it is accepted as truth. In the print version, BIP "may have partisan ties" - in the blog they are a "front for Dems" and so their claims have no credibility.

I rest my case.

Response from Ted Slowik, host:

Good one, SSD. I would agree almost entirely with your assessment. Without a doubt this blog is a forum for expressing opinions, and I sincerely appreciate your opinion that in print The Sun is unbiased.

Newspapers have long been able to separate the objective stories reported in the news pages from the editorial stances and views expressed on the opinion pages. A front-page headline could read, "City achieves balanced budget," while in the same issue the Opinion page headline could read, "Taxpayers get raw deal."

In this thread, as with any other, I'll at times attempt to persuade, inform, even entertain. I'll definitely attempt to respond to any criticism directed at The Sun. Hopefully I'll keep an open mind and learn from that criticism.

I would rather discuss the issues we report on than our reporting of the issues. I expected more discussion about the GOP's claims that IBIP has partisan ties than our reporting that the GOP claims that IBIP has partisan ties. That tells me maybe we're deserving of the criticism, in this instance.

The issue isn't going away anytime soon. The DuPage Election Commission undoubtedly will continue to make mistakes, and IBIP will undoubtedly continue to watch it like a hawk. And we'll undoubtedly continue to cover the ongoing controversy.

You're on.

In a perfect world, election results would be handled with the same integrity as the "chain of evidence" in a criminal trial. However, the job of election official is usually handled by semi-retired or psuedo-activist types that get paid about $50 for the day's effort. Should all the i's be dotted and t's be crossed, sure...that would be great but to suggest there's a conspiracy or cover-up is ludicrous. AG looked at it, said try to do better, but no criminal intent...end of story.

How many people would step forward to help out on election day if we started hauling them into jail/court every time a "watchdog" group claiming not to be partisan cries foul?

Fact: Better supervision of voting SOP's is needed. Let's throw a little $$ at the problem and pay these folks better, train them better and do backround checks....take the $ out of petty cash from the millions raised in this year's campaigns.

Fact: The IBIP is not "by-partisan"... they have an agenda

Fact: The Sun uncovered the gravy train of the IBIP and , as you can read, they're not happy about it

These are the same people ........the children of illegal alien immigrants are US citizens because they were born here during harvest season.....

Posted by: Naperville Culture Warrior | March 3, 2008 10:22 AM

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

I would like to point out, because the moderator has failed do so, that it is the Constitution, not some group of people, that gives those children the right to be American Citizens.

I must say that I detect a bit of bias when the moderator fails to correct Naperville Culture Warrior on this very basic point.

When you go to the bank and make a deposit, do you expect a receipt? Do you expect a monthly or quarterly statement? Of course you do. You wouldn't accept some guy wearing a suit standing behind the counter assuring, "You don't need documentation. Trust us. Our bank has a spotless reputation."

So why would you expect anything less when depositing your vote? A vote is infinitely more precious than money. A vote is your family's home, health, well being, education, security, environment *and* money. A vote is whether or not that pothole in front of your home is going to get fixed. A vote is the water we drink and the air we breathe. A vote is war. A vote is peace. A vote is your very life.

Election reformists across the country are standing behind the counter telling the guy in a suit that his friendly smile just isn't good enough. We demand documentation. We demand transparency. We demand to see everyone who is handling our vote on the way to the vault. We demand to know if the vault is secure 24/7. We demand to see if our vote or voter registration is being tossed out the back door. We demand that those entrusted with our electoral process do not taint and diminish our vote with ties to fat cat cronies and self interests.

And we really couldn't care less if that guy in the suit is indignant, calls us names and hires thugs in an attempt to thwart our demands. We know we're right. We know our conviction for an open, fair, accurate and secure electoral process follows a moral, honorable and patriotic path to truth and light.

We call on DuPage citizens to join us behind that counter. As always, we welcome Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Independents, Libertarians, Progressives, Polka Dots, Whatevers. Stand up and be counted!

PLEASE print my name. Thank you.

The DuPage Libertarians have had a link from their Activities page to the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project website for more than a year. Libertarians support honest elections and those who help ensure them, no matter their political affiliations.

We also support DuPage Against the War Now, yet with our strong positions for economic freedom and personal responsibility, are not a left-wing organization. Like many Americans, we reject the false dichotomy of left vs. right in favor of personal choices.

Ballot integrity is an idea we can all support. Concerned citizens are free to join the organization and volunteer to help.

And what exactly is so wrong with George Soros and Barbara Striesand?

Why doesn't it surprise me that once again the Republicans have started a big lie but they stand behind it? It seems that the GOP is alive and well in DuPage County. I wonder if they have Karl Rove helping them out with their strategery? Oops, did I mistate that word...no, I couldn't have, since our very own president states it that way! IBIP critizes where there is room to criticize, and it hasn't been democrats in the last 10 years plotting and carrying out stolen elections. Even the conservative watch dog group Judicial Watch has been closely monitoring the elections, and administration of one of their very own, Bush, jr. Yes, they tend to lean conservative, but when there is wrong doing, they point it out no matter which party it is. This is to their credit. IBIP is no different. If IBIP witnessed democrats doing unscrupulous and even illegal activities, I know I could count on them to bring them out in the day light for all to see.

More pointless headlines...why doesn't you paper look into real news?

"Excellent--and I've responded to the points you made earlier"

Not entirely. I'd still like to know why you explain away the DCEC's failure to abide by the election code requirement that judge's write their signatures on the ballot packages.

And now that other bloggers have brought up the front page headline, I think it's interesting that you describe the political leanings of George Soros and Barbra Streisand as not just left, not just far left, but "far left Dem fringe." Are there are any prominent conservatives that you would describe in a headline as being on the "far right Republican fringe"?

Ted Slowik said:

"Google "brad friedman" and "democrat" and the first entry that pops up is an article with your byline for Democratic Underground"

Golly, you caught me!

Please send my apologies to Steve Smith, conservative Republican Texas Supreme Court Justice for supporting him in his election fight when he got screwed down there. And to Albert Howard (R) in New Hampshire and Mike Huckabee (R) in Washington.

While I didn't realize a clearly satirical line like "proud Liberal Hollywood Elitist" made me a partisan, I'm quite sure that since I was banned from Free Republican (another one of those Democratic partisan sites?) you'll likely not find my work there.

Please go look up the definition of partisan, because you haven't a clue, apparently.

While you're there, look up the definition of accuracy in reporting. Since it's been reported above that the Libertarians also link up to IBIP (as many of them do to me, in addition to Republicans, and Greens and independents), I'm sure you'll be issuing a correction and apology for your horrible swiftboating of IBIP disguised as news reporting?

Good god.

Response from host:

Gosh, Brad, there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between how others see you and how you see yourself. Here, you're described as liberal:

http://technorati.com/tag/brad+friedman

"Brad Friedman, a well-read liberal blogger, is losing respect in some quarters for relying on Chris Matthews‘ “reporting” on Hillary Clinton’s New Hampshire victory. His commenters and others are saying it weakens his argument to align with Matthews, an admitted Hillary hater."

National Public Radio describes you as liberal:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mark_F._(Thor)_Hearne

""NPR Covers the American Center for Voting Rights (ACVR) 'Voter Fraud' Scam. 'Liberal Blogger Brad Friedman' Interviewed in Report on Disappearance of GOP 'Vote Fraud' Fraudsters and Their White House Connections. Nobody from ACVR Agrees to Speak to Them on the Record, But the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Says Thor Hearne Has Some Complaints About The BRAD BLOG...," The Brad Blog, June 6, 2007.

And on and on and on.

That's super great that you champion voting rights for people of all parties, and I've thanked you for that, since earlier you seemed to indicate that it was every American's civic duty to thank you for what you do. But your voluminous writings and opinion pieces clearly show your party of choice. You being offended at being described as partisan is laughable, like the unexpected reaction one would have if Rush Limbaugh objected to being called conservative.

You seem lilke an egomaniac who found his calling in life after the GOP stole the election from Al Gore in 2000, so you abandoned acting and got into writing. Good for you. You've made a public figure out of yourself, obviously one of thin skin, who cannot distinguish the difference between factual reporting and commentary, such as that found here on this online community forum. As a public figure, you subject yourself to characterizations that are opinionated by nature. You're welcome to respond to the criticism all you like. Heck, I would, too, if my claim to fame was championing something nonpartisan like voting rights and somebody pointed out my obvious liberal bias.

I will lay out my "partisan ties" right up front: I am a recently elected Democratic Precint Committeeman - Milton 56. I am also a Navy vet (8 yrs) who fought in a war, and I am a Gold Star family member. My brothers, my father, both grandfathers, and all of my uncles were all veterans - several were highly decorated. I view the right to vote - and to have that vote counted - as a sacred right of American citizens that has been defended with blood and treasure since our Nation began. I think that toying with that sacred right is treason, whether it is Republicans or Democrats or anyone else who toys with that right is beside the point. The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project (IBIP) has been doing a necessary service to support our democracy, since it seems no official state or local agency has seen fit to do so. If you go to the IBIP website, you will see that they have reports of voting issues from the recent primary - most of those reports are from Chicago, Evanston, Skokie and other primarily Democratic strongholds, not just Dupage. IBIP has taken the Cook County election commission and Mr. Orr to task for their use of uncertified voting machinery that led to a fiasco in the 2006 elections. I do not think this is a partisan issue, and as the IBIP has often stated they would like to have, and would welcome, any interested Republicans to join them. The fact that the sealing tape to the ballot boxes can be removed and resealed without anyone noticing is a real concern: the memory cards from the machines are stored there - the memory cards hold the executable code that tells the tabulator how to count the votes, it has been demonstrated, many times by reputable authorities, that code can be inserted on to those cards that can change the votes, and the code is undetectable. I used to have a Top Secret security clearance working in ComSec (communications material security) and I know that in order to know whether classified materials have been compromised a "tape seal" (signed by at least 2 people) must show it has been broken - the seals used should be sticky enough and fragile enough to rip if anyone attemts to tamper with them. Because elections have become so close, and unfortunately bitter, it is important that the process be unimpeachable. Unfortunately, even here in Dupage County - which does have better security than most places I've been involved in - the procedures are not followed consistently. I have taken part in processing absentee and write-in ballots at the Dupage County complex in 3 elections, and I can tell you from first hand experience that there are plenty of opportunities for mischief if you were so inclined. I sincerely hope that the non-compliance of our election laws by the DCEC as well as Cook County is due to misunderstanding or ignorance, but the only way to know is to have groups like the IBIP around to be a watchdog. The coverage of these issues by our local press has highlighted some of these issues, but I believe the press puts too much trust in the DCEC and should do some digging for facts on their own. The resistance to disclosure by the DCEC, as well as their apparant cozyness to Republican operatives, fuels distrust of the DCEC. In order to allay any fears that the DCEC (as well as Cook or any other county in Illinois, and the US as a whole) is committing vote fraud and/or manipulation they need to be transparent, and to allow any legitimate organization to monitor and/or audit the vote in an open forum. Democracy is having the right to vote in private, and to have those votes counted in public. I do find it curious that the Dupage GOP is defending the DCEC - you should investigate why - in addition to Dan Curry how many other partisan operatives to they have official ties to, and what about contracts to companies run by relatives of commission members? Please continue to write about these issues - strive to be objective, it is THE most important issue that affects our Democracy.

For anyone interested in election integrity, I urge you to attend tonight's DAWN meeting at the Glen Ellyn Public Library from 7:30 to 9. My co-chair, Melisa Urda, and I are the guest speakers. DAWN is non-partisan. Everyone is welcome!

DAWN stands for DuPage Against War Now. In the Sunday article focused on IBIP, the Naperville Sun included the subtitle: Anti-War Stance. I happily volunteered that we would be addressing the group, by the way. In the SAME SENTENCE in the interview, I said that the invitation followed a presentation by (DuPage County Election Commission Executive Director) Saar several months earlier. *gasp* Unfortunately, that and many other key points landed on the editing room floor. Apparently they just didn't fit the theme of the article.

As far as global warming goes, did Lance Trover get the memo that John McCain, Republican candidate for president, speaks out on the urgency of taking action to reduce global warming?

Saar addressing an anti-war group...McCain fighting global warming... That jolt you felt was the Earth falling off its axis.

Anyway, the Naperville Sun article has been very good for IBIP. Our phones have been ringing off the hook. Thank you, Dan Curry and Lance Trover!

Jean Kaczmarek, co-chair
Illinois Ballot Integrity Project, DuPage Chapter

Frankly I'm shocked at the partisan slant of the Naperville Sun's article. How is their partisanship any different from that they claim is exhibited by the IBIP? I'm sorry to say I don't feel this reporting is trustworthy. Even if the IBIP chairpeople are Democrats, who cares? If their purpose is to assure ballot integrity, who can argue with that?

Sometimes I cannot recognize my own country!

IBIP is being accusing of favoring left wing organizations, and as an example of their "partisanship" they were said to have given presentations to both the DuPage Democrats and the DuPage Green Party, and not the DuPage Republicans.

For the record, IBIP presented at the DuPage Greens meeting because we invited them. One of our key issues is the integrity of elections and, because they are a group that is working on this issue, we were interested in hearing what they had to say.

If the Republican Party isn't inviting ballot watchdog organizations to speak at their meetings, shame on them. This whole flap does kind of beg the question, why does the Republican Party feel so threatened?

Patrick Kelly
DuPage County Green Party

I am concerned why the Sun wrote such an article and the sarcastic tone of its responses to the blog entires.

The DuPage County Election Commission destroys documents before it is legal to do so. It also charges $1 per page to respond with Freedom of Information Act requests. This is more than any other county in Illinois. Why is it deliberately making it expensive to request information? We, the taxpayers, have already paid dearly for their copy machines, paper and Commission salaries.

The Commission is responsible to the public of DuPage County. That should be a greater concern of the Sun than the GOP accusations of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project.

What are the ties between the DuPage County Election Commission and the DuPage GOP?

What are the ties between the DuPage County Election Commission and Diebold?

Rich Wernecke
West Chicago, IL

Moderator Jim; Thanks for the feedback - we'll be looking at all sides of this story. Stay tuned.

Rich Wernecke asked:

"What are the ties between the DuPage County Election Commission and the DuPage GOP?"

One of them is Dan Curry. He is both a GOP operative and on the DuPage County Election Commission payroll. It's public record stuff, and that the Naperville Sun took "tips" from Curry, yet didn't bother to investigate Curry's own dirty hands is to their eternal shame.

He was also in the tabulation area on Election Night, while non-partisan citizens, such as those from IBIP, were not allowed in to watch the counting.

Moderator Jim says they'll "be looking at all sides of this story".

I very much look forward to that report.

And a retraction and apology for their original one, since the comments on this blog have revealed that Dems, Libertarians and Greens have ALL worked with and/or linked to IBIP. And yet, the paper reported they are "partisans", in part, because Democratic websites linked to them, and they spoke to Dem and Green groups who invited them.

It's the worst kind of swiftboating/reporting I've seen from a theoretically-legitimate news outlet.

BTW, as I recall, the title for this blog article was originally:

"Ballot group unmasked as front for Dems"

...or some such, but has now been amended to:

"GOP says it unmasks ballot group as front for Dems"

...yet no correction note has been posted to explain the change. If I'm wrong, I apologize. If the headline has been changed without notice, I hope the paper will apologize, as well as issue a note concerning the reasons for the change.

Response from host:

Very perceptive, Brad. A little attribution was added for clarification, that's all. It used to read, "GOP unmasks ballot group as front for Dems."

Moderator Ted continued his record of being flat wrong by writing:

"Gosh, Brad, there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between how others see you and how you see yourself. Here, you're described as liberal"

Before you then go on to quote from a) a blog comment somewhere about me and b) an NPR description of me. Both of them describing me as "Liberal".

Setting aside whether I'm Liberal or not (and I'm not sure when standing up for the Constitution or the Rule of Law became known as a "Liberal" value), you described me as "Partisan" not as "Liberal".

I suppose, by your tortured attempts to avoid apologizing for being wrong, that Liberal Republicans like Sen. Richard Hagel would be partisan Democrats then?

Or that Progressive Republican Teddy Roosevelt would also be a partisan Dem?

Get a clue, Moderator Ted: You were wrong, period.

Your additional attempts to try and insult me (I assure you, my skin is anything but thin) instead of simply issuing a correction, are just further embarrassment for this so-called news outlet.

You haven't a clue who my "party of choice" is, or even who I've ever voted for. While it remains none of your business, I assure you I've never voted for Bill Clinton or John Kerry, which, by your ridiculous math would make me a Republican? Or a Conservative?

When you manage to distinguish the difference between factual reporting and assertions of out and out made up garbage, I'll be more than happy to "distinguish the difference between factual reporting and commentary such as that found here on this online community forum."

You had access to my initial letter, which you posted here, because it was sent privately to the EDITORS of this newspaper. Thus, I'll presume you are either one of them, and/or otherwise have the responsibility when writing here -- as I do at my own blog -- to make damn sure you know what you're talking about before you embarrass the company by putting it into writing on this space.

Response from Ted:

Brad,

When you, a nationally known analyst, wrote your initial letter to us there should have been no expectation of privacy. You did not indicate it was off the record or not for publication, which we would have honored. We evaluated its newsworthiness and determined it was relevant to the issue, so we posted it here. You writing us is news, and we treated it as such.

As for the distinction between partisan and liberal, we did not create the current socio-political environment whereby the label liberal has come to be associated with the Democratic Party and conservative has come to be associated with the Republican Party, to the point where the two terms are virtually interchangeable.

The tone of our responses merely reflected the tone of your initial attack on us.

From the outset, you seemed to ignore the real issue here. It started with the Republican Party of Illinois issuing a public statement claiming ties between the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project and the Democratic Party. We reported the GOP's claims, and went to great lengths to include IBIP's responses to those claims.

Our single report comes after a series of articles we've done about IBIP's complaints about the DuPage County Election Commission, some of which I posted on this thread in response to another comment. This single report needs to be viewed in context of all of our reporting about IBIP.

We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot, so I'll extend an olive branch and apologize if I have offended you. We seem to share the common goal of wanting to increase awareness about voting rights.

You appear to be singularly focused on this issue, is that fair? You present yourself as an expert in the field, it would appear. Voting rights is an important issue, and from your body of work I'll surmise that you think Americans should treat it as one of the most important domestic issues threatening our liberty and pursuit of happiness today.

The reality is, most Americans don't think about voting rights, would you agree? It's not even among their Top 10 concerns. Numerous polls show the issues people care most about in this election -- not necessarily in this order -- are the economy, the war in Iraq, health care and illegal immigration. I'll add to that taxes, education, abortion, transportation, aging infrastructure, Social Security, the mortgage crisis, terrorism and a host of other concerns. Voting rights is not even on most peoples' radar.

Most people around here who bother to vote encounter no problems with voting, and have a reasonable expectation that things are on the up-and-up. For years now, IBIP has depicted the election commission in Republican-controlled DuPage County as a criminal enterprise, yet a thorough investigation by the Democratic state attorney general here found that while the election commission made mistakes, committed errors and neglected to follow proper procedures, no criminal wrongdoing has occurred. Meanwhile, the election commission disputes the attorney general's opinion regarding the disposal of ballots, saying a code that requires 60-day prior notification creates an impossible situation. Who do we believe?

The upside of our report is that in DuPage County this week, we've done more to raise awareness about the voting rights issue than anyone else has managed to do for some time.

We'll continue to report about IBIP's complaints without prejudice, and with the shortcomings of the DuPage County Election Commission, starting with GOP hack Dan Curry being on the payroll for $3,000 a month as a consultant at taxpayer expense.

Brad, I'm sorry for calling you partisan. I won't even qualify my apology. I explained why I used the term.

Now, please, if you really care about the issue, won't you please use your expertise on the topic of voting rights and address the real issue here, starting with the GOP's initial release. What do you think motivated the Illinois Republican Party to issue the statement about IBIP?

If you accept my apology and choose to continue in our discussion, I'd invite you to share your expertise about Diebold voting equipment with our readers.

Hey, "Brad-elby the Scrivener"....you sure do like to hear yourself talk. Yours isn't a point of vie