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From thedailychronic.net
Ohio Marijuana Legalization Campaign Under Investigation for Possible Election Fraud
By TJ Baker | The Daily Chronic
July 30, 2015 11:49 AM
Ohio Secretary of State Names Special Investigator for ResponsibleOhio Petitions, Subpoenas Records
COLUMBUS, OH An organization attempting to place a controversial constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana in Ohio is being investigated by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted for possible election fraud.
On Wednesday, Husted announced he had named attorney David Bowers, a former Allen County prosecutor, to serve as a special investigator to look into discrepancies in petitions submitted from ResponsibleOhio, the organization working to place the proposed Marijuana Legalization Amendment before voters in November.
As with every possible case of election fraud, it is my responsibility to investigate and hold accountable anyone who may have cheapened the voice of all Ohioans by cheating the system, said Husted. I have long stated that voter fraud is rare, but it happens; and when it does, we will call out the guilty parties and hold them accountable.
Husted says there are significant disparities between the number of petitions and signatures ResponsibleOhio claims to have collected and the number the group actually submitted to the Secretary of States Office.
There are also discrepancies between the hard-copy petitions and what should have been identical electronic copies of those petitions, Husted added. If discrepancies are found and determined that they are the result of fraud, the discrepancies could lead to criminal charges up to a fifth degree felony.
Fraud and sloppiness have more in common than being the devastating cause of undermining voter confidence, they are illegal and will not be tolerated by my office, said Husted on Wednesday.
Husted added that he will subpoena ResponsibleOhio Exeuctive Director Ian James and any relevant records in the possession of ResponsibleOhio and The Strategy Network a company hired by the organization to collect signatures to aid in the investigation. Last month, Husted issued a warning to ResponsibleOhio when it was discovered by county boards of elections that The Strategy Network was submitting an alarming number of fraudulent voter registration forms.
Meanwhile, ResponsibleOhio has accused state election officials of losing over 40,000 signatures and wrongfully invalidating others, and has threatened legal action in Ohio Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, Larry James, ResponsibleOhios legal counsel, released a counter statement in response to Husteds claims.
No good deed goes unpunished, James says. We found discrepancies between the number of part petitions we turned in and the number the County Boards of Elections reported that we turned in. We brought these very discrepancies to Secretary Husted, and now hes trying to punish us for pointing them out publicly. In doing so, we were merely exercising our first amendment right to raise legitimate challenges and concerns.
In their bid to place the controversial measure on the November 2015 ballot, ResponsibleOhio submitted nearly 700,000 signatures, needing only 305,591 to be certified as valid to place the amendment before voters.
The organization fell short when unusually high invalidation rates resulted in only 276,082 being certified as valid by election officials. Election officials cited apparent fraudulent registration attempts, non-existent addresses, illegible signatures, duplicate applications from the same address and underage registrants as reasons for signatures being deemed invalid.
Organizers were given 10 days to make up the difference by collecting approximately 30,000 additional valid signatures, a deadline that expires at midnight tonight.
The proposed Marijuana Legalization Amendment by ResponsibleOhio, which would legalize marijuana for medical and personal use by adults 21 years of age and older, has been met with criticism from state officials and many marijuana legalization supporters.
The proposal would limit wholesale grow facilities to 10 specific sites owned and operated by the financial backers of the campaign, essentially creating an oligopoly a market dominated by a small number of sellers.
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2015/45624/ohio-marijuana-legalization-campaign-under-investigation-for-possible-election-fraud/
Ohio Marijuana Legalization Campaign Under Investigation for Possible Election Fraud
By TJ Baker | The Daily Chronic
July 30, 2015 11:49 AM
Ohio Secretary of State Names Special Investigator for ResponsibleOhio Petitions, Subpoenas Records
COLUMBUS, OH An organization attempting to place a controversial constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana in Ohio is being investigated by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted for possible election fraud.
On Wednesday, Husted announced he had named attorney David Bowers, a former Allen County prosecutor, to serve as a special investigator to look into discrepancies in petitions submitted from ResponsibleOhio, the organization working to place the proposed Marijuana Legalization Amendment before voters in November.
As with every possible case of election fraud, it is my responsibility to investigate and hold accountable anyone who may have cheapened the voice of all Ohioans by cheating the system, said Husted. I have long stated that voter fraud is rare, but it happens; and when it does, we will call out the guilty parties and hold them accountable.
Husted says there are significant disparities between the number of petitions and signatures ResponsibleOhio claims to have collected and the number the group actually submitted to the Secretary of States Office.
There are also discrepancies between the hard-copy petitions and what should have been identical electronic copies of those petitions, Husted added. If discrepancies are found and determined that they are the result of fraud, the discrepancies could lead to criminal charges up to a fifth degree felony.
Fraud and sloppiness have more in common than being the devastating cause of undermining voter confidence, they are illegal and will not be tolerated by my office, said Husted on Wednesday.
Husted added that he will subpoena ResponsibleOhio Exeuctive Director Ian James and any relevant records in the possession of ResponsibleOhio and The Strategy Network a company hired by the organization to collect signatures to aid in the investigation. Last month, Husted issued a warning to ResponsibleOhio when it was discovered by county boards of elections that The Strategy Network was submitting an alarming number of fraudulent voter registration forms.
Meanwhile, ResponsibleOhio has accused state election officials of losing over 40,000 signatures and wrongfully invalidating others, and has threatened legal action in Ohio Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, Larry James, ResponsibleOhios legal counsel, released a counter statement in response to Husteds claims.
No good deed goes unpunished, James says. We found discrepancies between the number of part petitions we turned in and the number the County Boards of Elections reported that we turned in. We brought these very discrepancies to Secretary Husted, and now hes trying to punish us for pointing them out publicly. In doing so, we were merely exercising our first amendment right to raise legitimate challenges and concerns.
In their bid to place the controversial measure on the November 2015 ballot, ResponsibleOhio submitted nearly 700,000 signatures, needing only 305,591 to be certified as valid to place the amendment before voters.
The organization fell short when unusually high invalidation rates resulted in only 276,082 being certified as valid by election officials. Election officials cited apparent fraudulent registration attempts, non-existent addresses, illegible signatures, duplicate applications from the same address and underage registrants as reasons for signatures being deemed invalid.
Organizers were given 10 days to make up the difference by collecting approximately 30,000 additional valid signatures, a deadline that expires at midnight tonight.
The proposed Marijuana Legalization Amendment by ResponsibleOhio, which would legalize marijuana for medical and personal use by adults 21 years of age and older, has been met with criticism from state officials and many marijuana legalization supporters.
The proposal would limit wholesale grow facilities to 10 specific sites owned and operated by the financial backers of the campaign, essentially creating an oligopoly a market dominated by a small number of sellers.
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2015/45624/ohio-marijuana-legalization-campaign-under-investigation-for-possible-election-fraud/
