Man charged after tossing voter registration forms in Virginia

A 31-year-old man working for the Virginia Republican party was charged Friday with 13 counts of destruction of voter registration applications, disclosure of voter registration information, and obstruction of justice, a Virginia sheriff's office told The New York Times.

The man, Colin Small, was caught throwing out voter registration forms, Richmond, Va., the Rockingham County sheriff's office confirmed to CBS News.

According to CBS affiliate WTVR local man reportedly spotted Small throwing a bag into a Harrisonburg, Va., dumpster reserved for private use by the company at which he works, and investigated because he was annoyed that the man had improperly used the dumpster. He looked in the bag to discover eight filled-out registration forms.

The forms were discovered on October 15, the deadline for voter registration in Virginia. Local officials said the forms would be counted and that the incident did not appear to be widespread.

In a statement, the Sheriff's office said there was "no indication that this activity was widespread in our jurisdiction; it appears to be very limited in nature" but that "there is the possibility that additional charges may be filed in the future if it is deemed appropriate."

It was unclear whether the voters whose registrations were thrown out were Democrats or Republicans, because Virginia does not register by party.

Brian Moran, the chairman of the Democratic party of Virginia, called on Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and state authorities to investigate whether the recent incident could be tied to a larger effort of voter suppression.

"This individual was an employee of the first firm the Republican Party of Virginia hired to do voter registration before they fired that firm amidst allegations of fraud in other states. Virginians deserve answers as to how this person was still working for Republican campaigns here and whether his behavior was directed by his superiors or party officials," he said. "In order to assure Virginians that this was not part of a larger Republican effort, Attorney General Cuccinelli and state authorities must conduct a thorough investigation into how Virginia Republicans conduct their voter registration and turnout efforts on behalf of George Allen, Mitt Romney and Republicans across the state.

In a statement, Republican Party of Virginia chair Pat Mullins called Small's actions "a direct contradiction of both his training and explicit instructions given to him."

"We were alarmed by allegations recently made regarding an individual in Harrisonburg," he said. "The Republican Party of Virginia will not tolerate any action by any person that could threaten the integrity of our electoral process."

Mullins said Small was immediately fired and that the party was "grateful to the local sheriff's office and Registrar for acting so quickly to protect our democratic process and will fully cooperate with any requests made by them."

[marlene clement]

I think this is the under handled doings of the Republicans, which they will never admit too. I hope the Attorney General does a fair investigation and if there is some criminal activity going on to fix the election, or to keep people from the polls, then I hope all involved goes to jail.

I feel bad for the guy who is the escape goat for that company who is blaming him for there wrong doing.

[IVoteMyConscience]

"My priority is jobs," Romney said. His record on jobs is on video:

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZMndjLIQUFw"

"I believe in the American spirit," President Obama said. "A President must care about 100% of their people."

Obama said that on film:

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fNUQQBE8iE"

In America, "47% of the people believe they are victims," Romney said. "That 47% believe they are ENTITLED [emphasis Romney's] to health care, food & housing. These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. It's not my job to worry about those people. I'll never convince them to take responsibility for their lives."

Hmmm.

The steelworkers in the video above pay income tax. They take responsibility for their lives. I'm guessing that you reading this pay income taxes and take responsibility for your lives. My husband and I pay 35% income tax. We sure as heck take responsibility for our lives!

Meanwhile, Romney's defense of his unreleased tax returns is that last year he paid 14.1% income tax. (And there's evidence that he paid extra so American wouldn't know how low his tax bracket actually is--that's trying to buy votes.)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all are endowed with CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."--the US Constitution

Did Romney really dismiss in contempt all of us Americans who pay taxes more than twice as high as his, as well as the basic tenant of our US Constitution, when he thought he was speaking secretly behind closed doors?

The record is on video:

"http://www.motherjones.com/transition/inter.php?dest=http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/secret-video-romney-private-fundraiser"

So who told the truth in this 2nd 2012 Presidential debate? Who lied?

The record is on video:

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXpKq4UYtXw&feature=related"

Who stood firm on his platform for election? Who switched his positions?

The record is on video:

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jebDlVAcpGo"

Who told the truth in the 1st 2012 Presidential debate? Who lied?

The record is on video:

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TWHLgMCDuOs"

Romney's handlers claim debates are no place for "fact-checking" and that Romney will not be limited by "fact-checkers."

A Presidential candidate who doesn't want to be fact-checked?

What could that possibly mean. . .other than lying?

Apparently, Romney's handlers claim it means they disagree with "facts" because they like "empirical data." However, "empirical data" ARE "facts." A "fact," according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is "a thing known or proved to be true," and "data" is "a collection of facts." Yes, data are facts. "Empirical" simply means anything at all "verifiable by observation or experience."

Empirical DATA = [observed or experienced] FACTS = THE TRUTH

This is a particularly meaningless red herring designed to fool Republican voters into believing there's a difference between two identical terms and confuse them about why the facts, when checked, don't match what Romney says.

This is also why President Obama doesn't object to being fact-checked.

It's a good thing American voters aren't as easy to lie to as Romney thinks.

Americans deserve the truth from our Presidential candidates.

Fact-checker's list on the 2nd 2012 Presidential debate, with citations, compiled by Milt Shook:

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2012/10/second-debate-romney-lies-debunked.html

Fact-checker's list on the 1st 2012 Presidential debate, with citations, compiled by Milt Shook:

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2012/10/a-small-sampling-of-romney-lies-at-last-nights-debate.html

For moderate voters, Obama and Romney compared, with citations, by Milt Shook:

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2012/10/if-youre-a-moderate-voter-thinking-of-voting-gop-read-this-first-please.html

Obama's record as President, with citations, compiled by Milt Shook:

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/what-has-obama-done-since-january-20-2009.html

Whom among the American people Obama has really represented during the past 4 years? Revealed in detail by Milt Shook:

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2011/08/more-politics-101-obama-is-smarter-than-us.html

By mid-October, 2012, the Obama campaign had broken all previous records for number of individual donations with 10,000,000 donations from Americans of all walks of life. That's ten million Americans not only voting for Obama, but investing their hard-earned money in a future lead by him. (And we all know exactly how hard-earned that money is these days.)

Please--read, follow up citations to their sources, educate yourself.

Don't be bought by simple-minded television ads paid for by billionaires who hope to gain financially by your loss.

Make an informed decision about what's best for you and for America.

And VOTE.

[mcomptonwwv]

So, a Republican gets caught tossing registration forms in Va, after the firm he works for already got caught in a massive case of registration fraud / destruction in FLA, but the REAL story is "Democrats do it all the time"? That is simply not true.

On the other hand, when you put this in the context of Republican efforts at voter suppression nationwide it's clear that this is not a 'bad apple', but one participant in a larger effort.

Republicans coast to coast have been attempting to disenfranchise millions of voters with ridiculous and unconstitutional poll taxes. Supposedly, they are attempting to defeat the non-existent non-problem of Democratic in-person voter fraud. Republicans assert that millions of Democrats intend to flood local precincts with fake names in order to game the election. Never mind the fact that they've never been able to find a shred of evidence to support the claim, anywhere, despite multiple investigations at tax payer expense. Never mind that the only people that have been caught doing this en masse are Republicans. To combat this non-problem, Republicans are trying to pass legislation requiring photo ID's. Try getting one if you work 80 hours a week, depend on public transportation, and have to get unpaid time off to visit multiple government agencies to get the required documents. Try doing all that if you're 89 years old and can't afford a car. It's possible of course, but it's very difficult for many people - and that's the point. The purpose - obviously - is to disenfranchise poor and lower income voters who are statistically more likely to vote Democratic. Before Pennsylvania's new "voter ID" law was slapped down by a judge, PA Republican Mike Turzai actually bragged about his party's suppression efforts, saying, "Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania? Done.". After the law was slapped down, Pennsylvania Republicans kept erroneous billboards, commercials, and websites warning that ID WOULD be required in place. Billboards in Spanish are also still warning people that ID will be required, and that there will be a "10, 000 dollar fine" for failure to produce an ID. In Arizona, official state mailings informed citizens of the date of the election - but the Spanish Language instructions falsely gave "Nov 8th" as the election's date.

Promoting disinformation and inaccurate information is a form of voter suppression and intimidation. It's not an 'accident', and it always - 100% of the time - favors Republicans and their demographics.

Combine that with the Republican firm 'Strategic Allied Consulting' getting caught messing with registration forms over and over again. Paid millions by the Republican Party, the firm was caught doing the same thing in the LAST election; but now the national Republican Party acts 'surprised' that they've been caught again this time. After the story broke in Florida the firm was fired again, but... Here they are in Virginia doing the same thing.

Additionally, Republican Governors - and ONLY Republican Governors, have taken to issuing voter "purge" lists in the months immediately before major elections. They "purge" hundreds of thousands of qualified voters for reasons as silly as the citizen putting "St." on one address listing, and "Street" on another. Hit a search engine and look into it... It's happening all over the place, and it's only Republicans doing it.

These aren't random actions by both parties. This is a clear strategy on the part of the Republican Party. Over and over again and in many different ways they repeatedly attempt to deny their fellow Americans the vote.

People can say 'Both sides are the same' no matter what the issue - but that doesn't' make it true. Please - and I mean that sincerely, please - look into it for yourselves. This is a well established trend, and it's 100% Republican.

It isn't "partisan" to call out the party responsible for this kind of deeply un-American tactic. It's the civic duty of every American regardless of their political affiliation. I would much rather see them stop than continue talking about the subject at all; but if this kind of thing keeps happening - and all evidence suggests that it will - then we ALL have to remain vigilant.

This isn't "politics as usual"; this is unprecedented in the modern age. This is dangerous, wildly irresponsible, and deeply shameful.

As Americans, every vote lost harms us all. Voting isn't just important to our country - it IS our country.

[azfalcon55]

WOW!! Are you ever messed up in your statements!
Most of what you vilify the Republicans for - was done by the democrats.

"White supremacist paramilitary organizations allied with the Southern Conservatives of the Democratic Party practiced intimidation, violence and assassinations to repress and prevent blacks exercising their civil and voting rights in elections. For decades, white Southern Democrats exercised Congressional representation derived from a full count of the population, but they disfranchised several million black and white citizens. Southern white Democrats comprised a powerful voting block in Congress until the mid-20th century and their representatives, re-elected repeatedly by one-party states, became senior members, controlling numerous chairmanships of important committees in both houses. Their power allowed them to defeat federal legislation against lynching, among other issues.[4] Because of one-party control, many Southern Democrats achieved seniority in Congress and occupied chairmanships of significant Congressional committees, thus increasing their power over legislation, rules, budgets and important patronage projects."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disfranchisement_era

ONE County in Arizona - a BI-PARTISAN office (that means BOTH democrats and Republicans) LAST JUNE - made a printing error on voter registration cards - that was corrected.
"In June, the county's elections office started distributing Spanish-language voter registration cards that listed the wrong date for the 2012 general election."

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/10/18/arizona-county-lists-wrong-election-date-on-spanish-language-voter-documents/#ixz2A3BQEs4A

ONE state - Florida - is purging identified non-citizens from their voter registration rolls. IDENTIFIED NON-CITIZENS. They should never have been on the rolls in the first place - and they have voted at least once already.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/06/13/1549265/fla-gov-rick-scott-defends-noncitizen-voter-purges

[KPeters_from_UK]

YOUNGLIZ replies: Stay in the UK if you're so concerned about who wins. Chances are you aren't even allowed to vote in this election, unless you registered as a Democrat. Democrats are good at making sure illegals get to vote as well as dead people.
--------------------------


Hey fascist *********. Since when is it been American to tell another American where they are allowed to live or how to think? Since when did the fascists take over? ...Forget it. No need to answer that.

Obviously you are new to this site. But I'll go ahead ......I'm an American and choose to continue to live in the UK for the sake of my eldest son who was born with a pre-existing condition that his birth country refused to cover unlike his adopted country which has saved his life. Two months ago he had a stroke at 18 years old and the NHS SAVED HIM.

I AM AMERICAN paying my fair share of American taxes and no doubt, at a higher freakin rate than you. And if the IRS continuous to demand taxes from me then you are damn sure I am going to vote every time and VOICE MY OPINIONS!!!


SO again when did the far right fascists take over and started to demand only the GOP have Freedom of Speech. When did they pass the laws that labelled Americans as true patriots (I pay more % in taxes than Romney) and when did the Tea Party started to require Americans to live in the States?

[Wareagle85]

You make all that money and couldn't afford insurance? So you go to the UK to sponge off the Brits? You're a fake and liar.And It's gonna be taxes that pay for Obamacare, so why are you ******** about paying taxes? You guys think Taxes fix everything. FAIL!!! You did.Shame about your boy, but it's called life get used to it. I paid for my cancer treatments, why should I pay for yours as well? Or the UK for that matter. You're a liberal welfare junkie wanting somebody else to pay for your misfortune.

[KPeters_from_UK]

YOUNGLIZ replies: Yes. He did their bidding. He threw away EIGHT voter registration cards. EVIL!! PURE EVIL!!! Those EVIL Republicans. The bosses were going to reward him favorably after throwing away EIGHT voter registration forms. He almost single-handedly won the election for Romney. His devious plan was foiled by an observant man watching vigilantly over his companies private dumpster.
---------------------------


I don't give a crap if it was two or three. Maybe he threw out 55 or 550 before he got caught. It doesn't freakin matter IT IS ILLEGAL AND DISHONEST AND A SLAP IN THE FACE OF AMERICA'S PRINCIPLES. Jeeze, you don't get it. Besides sweetheart, 8 is a lot more than what the GOP has accused PA and other states of voter fraud.

[Wareagle85]

He should be punished. But one man and eight registrations sure ain't ACORN sized scandal. He looks lazy probably didn't want to walk back to the office for eight. Each citizen should register himself with the Board of Elections. KEYWORD: citizen.

[Necroscope84]

People, the real problem is that the government and media have been waging a huge ware of desensitization on the American people and they've succeeded. Look at the comments. "So what, it was only 8 card thrown away" or "what's the big deal someone throws away a couple of cards while we have 4 American's dead" blah blah blah.

Wake up, it is a Problem. When we start classifying any act of betrayel, terror, evil, lying, etc into different shades of grey we have a problem. Is it better to kill 1 baby or a 100? Neither, both are bad. Is it better to steal a pack of cigarettes or rob a house? It's only one person who got hurt, could've been worse.

You know, I've been noticing it for a long time now. I recently went to a page on youtube about a young girl who committed suicide. She was bullied into posing topless when she was 13 and the person published her pictures. She made another mistake at the age of 15 and dated a guy who was dating someone else. The harrassment she received at school led her down a road of depression, drugs, alcohol, self mutilation (cutting herself) etc. She made a video which was a cry for help. At the age of 16, just this last month I believe she committed suicide and so I went to the page to tell the family how sorry I was for their loss and you know what I saw?

"Hahaha, how funny, stupid B@#ch got what she deserved"
"OMG, we have real problems and they're going to report about one girl who killed herself"
"First she let someone take a picture of her topless then she has the nerve to date someone elses man, What'd she expect, B#$% gonna get her @#$ jumped"
"I'd never a take a picute of myself topless, stupidity deserves death"
"I don't condone stupid"

And so much more. Actually I really cleaned up the language for all of you. I was and am very saddened. Is this is how people truly think and believe? I mean, my God, she was freaking 13! Who hasn't let peer pressure get to them at some point? Nobody, even if it's just simple things. And who hasn't made mistakes? Nobody, the young including the old mess up all of the time.

The media has desensitized us to where we no longer have any compassion until it's us or our family that's affected. I see it in the debates, I see it in peoples responses and I see it in people's eyes. We created this problem in America. Not Obama. US! by trying to live beyond our means. The Boomers are the first generation to leave their kids worse off than the ones before. You can't live on credit you can't afford. Of course the banks, wallstreet and greedy politicians helped it along but we allowed it by closing our eyes to right and wrong. Good and Evil. And in the end we have only ourselves to blame.

There's a reason we're the most Obease nation in the world. Maybe the rudest too, I don't know for sure on that one though. We're also ranked last with healthcare.

I'm through until election day. I'm voting Obama but I don't think Mitt romney is a bad person. There, I'll say it. which is alot more than I've heard any of his supporters admit. We have to start being decent somewhere. I don't mind going first.

[slappyou]

I agree that we are desensitized. You yourself made a subconcious example of that by saying "blah blah" with reference to the comments pointing out the death of Americans in Libya. If the throwing out of voter registrations is an important issue then so much more is the death of Americans who documented their concern to the government and did not get a quick enough preventive response. This is not due to Republicans, when "blah blah" is the response to someone who thinks death of Americans is a problem.

[Digital_Jedi]

@SLAPPYOU - Come on, dude. Even I can see the "blah blah" wasn't in reference to Libya. It was in reference to people conflating issues.

[Necroscope84]

It doesn't matter if it was 8 or 8 Billion. It's like saying he only killed one baby instead of 10. There shouldn't even be 1. Period. End of discussion. If someone even does 1 thing like this then they cannot be trusted.

If someone robbed your house and the police told you well they only robbed you once so get over it, you'd throw a freaking fit. Wrong is Wrong! And I don't care which side is doing it. But it just so happens that Republicans are always the one's crying about tougher laws for voter fraud when theyr'e the one's always committing voter fraud.

Look, here's the truth about Voter ID laws and voter fraud.
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175604/tomgram%3A_jeremiah_goulka%2C_playing_the_id_card/

[DanBackslide1]

Looks like we found that voter fraud the republicans have been squaking about for a while.

[slong70]

President should have closer investigation. Because there will be lots of frauding going on. Their goal is to win no matter what it takes. That's what it seems like to me. And lots of people will be lie about the frauding, Will down play the situation if though they didn't know nothing about it.

[LarryMoniz]

This is starting to sound like a Republican conspiracy to conduct massive voter registration fraud, assuming that the Democrat quoted is correct when he said: ""This individual was an employee of the first firm the Republican Party of Virginia hired to do voter registration before they fired that firm amidst allegations of fraud in other states. Virginians deserve answers as to how this person was still working for Republican campaigns here and whether his behavior was directed by his superiors or party officials..."

[slong70]

This isn't the norm. The campaign must know that no one will admit. They will only deny, This is so unfair. Who acts this way. I bet it was many more thrown away. With a cold heart they make a joke about it. There shouldn't be not one registration thrown away. What if it was pertaining to Mr. Romney. All day long the blog of comments would over flow. They are treating this bogusly. The way Mr. Romney treat President Obama. If it is meant for them to win, so let it be. Don't cheat.

[jflynn5110]

There was voter fraud by both parties, Democratic and Republican. http://yaledailynews.com/crosscampus/2012/10/30/moran-12-under-investigation-for-voter-fraud-plan/ The whole thing is disgusting. CBS news would shut down their website rather then admit their bias.