The Rachel Maddow Show has been closely following voter-suppression efforts, most notably in Ohio, where Ohio's Republican Secretary of State, Jon Husted, has been threatening to fire Tom Ritchie Sr. and Dennis Lieberman, two Democratic members of the Montgomery County board of elections.
And what is it, exactly, that Ritchie and Lieberman did to earn Husted's wrath. The Democratic officials committed the crime of voting to expand voting hours in their county.
Today, Husted followed through on his threat.
The two Democratic members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections have been fired, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said in a letter released Tuesday afternoon. [...]
Husted said in his letter that board members are free to express their discontent with any directive or advisory issued, "but they cannot disobey them." [...]
The move by Husted, the state's chief elections official, was the latest in a series of flare ups over when Ohioans can cast an early ballot in person in the presidential battleground state. The issue essentially broke down along political party lines. Ohio is one of 32 states, plus the District of Columbia, that allow voters to cast an early ballot by mail or in person without having to give a reason.
The full text of Husted's letter is now available online here (pdf).
To put it mildly, the firings are tough to defend. Take a few minutes to review Rachel's segment on this from last week, posted above, which also included an interview with Ritchie and Lieberman.
Remember, voting in Montgomery County, Ohio, went very smoothly four years ago, with local officials running a relatively hassle free, trouble free election. Democrats and Republicans on the local board of elections expanded early voting opportunities, and turnout went up considerably.
The problem -- if you want to call it that -- is that President Obama won in Montgomery County and in Ohio statewide, leading Buckeye State Republicans to start changing the rules, making it harder for voters to participate in their own democracy.
But what makes Montgomery County special is the efforts of Ritchie and Lieberman.
When Ohio Republicans decided to create new voting restrictions, they saw it as imperative to narrow the early-voting window. After a series of controversies, Husted eventually ordered every Ohio county to adopt the same hours-of-operation for early voting in the weeks preceding the election.
But, and this is key, the directive only applied to weekdays, leading Ritchie and Lieberman in Montgomery County to push once again for the weekend voting opportunities that worked so well for the community four years ago.
And for that, they were fired. Husted doesn't just want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election, he's also comfortable firing those who want to make it easier for voters to participate in the election.
This just isn't right.
Leave a Comment:
That rat bastard should be put up against a wall and shot.
Either that or thanked for getting Ohio Democrats fired up to vote at all costs.
This is what is wrong with you Republicans. The man is simply trying to expand voting to everyone, but you want to make sure minorities can't vote. Now firing the hero is not good enough for you, you want to invoke violence against him.
I am not familiar with the line of management structure in Ohio government, but if the Governor is backing this firing, this is bad, bad news. It's racism at it's worst. Who can we start a petition to in the Federal government if we can't start one to the Governor -that is if he is not behind this. This is the worst case of preventing people to vote I have ever seen. There must be something in the state statutes to address "voter obstruction" issues. I am pulling my hair out pure hate.
GOTV, Dayton!
hdavis79, I think the reference was to Husted.
It is shame full when two people trying to do the right thing and crucified for it . To lose your job, there got to be some kind of legal battle
Is voter suppression defining the difference between Republicons and Democrats in our Democratic society?
Republican want the country to be a republic like Rome was a republic: ruled by the upper class, the army subsidized by the rich, only the affluent allowed in government. Democrats want democracy, where everyone has a voice and a vote. If anyone doubts this, they aren't working from reality.
Why in the hell does a posting advocating violence against a public official have upvotes? No. Violence is NOT okay. You all decry violence when it is encouraged by Republicans and yet completely ignore the blindingly obvious hypocrisy when it's someone advocating for violence against a Republican. Republicans do this because they are fear mongers and war mongers. What is your excuse, Democrats?
It is because of the extremist partisanship of our political conversation that we can no longer have an actual conversation. Throwing fire to the flames will only make you a victim of your own anger. The man should not be shot or harmed physically in any way. He should, however, be investigated for corruption or removed from public office for abusing his position of power. But not physically harmed. You become no better than the "pro-lifers" when you advocate killing children who've already been born. Keep that in mind.
Get off your effing high horse, pal. The political situation in the US is absolutely, categorically, unequivocally, at an "us or them" level. People are going to DIE, one way or another. The only questions are who and how many. You know what you can do with your Personal Virtue.
Unless your point here was that people are going to eventually going to die (which will happen to us all at some point) this is completely off the rails. What are you even talking about????
This country isn't on some inevitable edge of collapse galloping towards the end of the United States. That's hyperbolic and reactionary rhetoric that only feeds into the fear mongering and unrest-baiting of the Republican Party. Further more you're then allowing their rhetoric to control your thoughts and actions. Did you even consider this? The Republican Party relies on you being hyperbolic in this way. Look at the posts from people like Shooter and RobDon. Look at how they selectively edit out information with the express intention of misrepresenting and exaggerating the conservative "Democrats bully us Republicans all the time; they're the real meanies!" meme. If you really are looking at this as an us versus them situation (which I think is wildly more militant than necessary) then you are only servicing the argument on the right end of the isle. You've ended up feeding the very machine you've sought to destroy.
Think of this way: if you become a terrorist to kill a terrorist then your net effect is exactly zero because now you are the threat to the society you were trying to protect.
And it isn't just Ohio. There is actually a very ethical Republican in Florida who is fighting to extend early voting hours to accommodate all of the voters in his county, but is in trouble with the rest of the Republicans in Florida who want to suppress the vote. After over two centuries of trying to create rights so that everyone could vote the very un-American is trying to undo it all. Women's suffrage will be next.
They weren't fired for forcing workers to man the polls, they were fired for VOTING, for expressing their opinion about when the pools should be open. Husted only supports voting when he approves of the opinion expressed by the votes!!!!! Isn't that the definition of TOTALITARIANISM?
It is characteristic of lickspittle liberals that they are perversely proud of their refusal to learn the lessons of history and prefer to dwell in their cloud-cuckoo land of Personal Virtue. (NOT directed at Sofferclese or Tess)
I think there needs to be an edit here to change the meaning to fireing those who want to make it easier to vote: "Husted doesn't just want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election, he's also comfortable firing those who want to want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election."
This is an important story that I know Rachel will cover, but I hope all media outlets will put pressure on these people who are not excerising the will of those that elected them.
SalemProgressive iis correc! It should read, "..those who do not want..."
Yes - I saw that error too. Husted fired them for trying to make voting easier - not "harder". Also, this is an elected government making it harder/expensive/more time consuming for those who elected them to vote. People have died fighting to get to be able to vote. If you have Republican "friends", family who are in favor of this, I submit to you that the right to vote trumps friendship and family. I submit to you that the right to life (i.e. affordable health care) also trumps friendship, family. We should be peaceful and non-violent, but we must make ourselves and the truth be heard. Republicans won in 2010 with the same Medicare lie they're using now - and now they have the Welfare lie, the budget lies and a whole lot more and about a billion dollars to drill those lies home to the millions of low information voters out there. One way or another, we need for the truth to be heard or this will go on and on for a generation.
@hdavis...my reference is for Husted...he is the rat bastard that should be put against a wall and shot.
Chi-town Democrat: I agree, if we do not stop them in November with out votes than we will no longer have a Democracy but rather a Republican Regime, other countries Governed by Regimes, Cuba, N. Korea, China and Vietnam. These are countries are men and women of the military fought against and now thanks to Citizens United and Voter Suppression, we may have the same type of Government.
Please Vote in November.
Time to retire or be retired..
This is just another way of insuring that the GOP wins. I makes me sick to my stomach. I cannot believe that these so called swing states have so much power in this election. I pray the all the other states get out there and VOTE!
I can't believe nothing is being done about this? Isn't it unlawful? If not, seems like we're living in a communist country now. These new fascists that are the extreme far right, need a brain regeneration.
correct me if i am wrong, but on the news alittle while agfo, it was said and shown in print how this dummi came right out and said, " to make it more comfortable, or something to that affect for the urban black voters"...Wjhat in the hell is needed more than this one sentence, to have the office of Attorney General, Eric Holder bring charges...? What is the hold-up? These states pulling this are in violation of the U.S.Constitution ammendment...Really, i think it is time for them in Washington, who can do something to please do it.. We are being swallowed up alive by these S.O.B's. called republicans..
i AGREE WITH YOU TO A POINT. hOWEVER IT WILL BE UP TO THE COURTS TO EITHER UPHOLD OR STRIKE DOWN THESE LAWS. And we all know which party controls the courts. ( Sorry about all the Cap. letters. )
I think there's a typo in this sentence. Doesn't Husted want to fire people who want to make it *easier* to participate?
(And it's still so hard to believe that Republicans are so desperate to win that this is what they resort to. It's getting to the point where we are just handing the "election" over to the billionaires.)
Or "firing those show don't want to make it harder".
"he's also comfortable firing those who want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election." - I think you mean 'those who want to make it EASIER'...
It is creepy that the GOP is so scared of losing the election that they will inhibit people from voting by any means available. Some how it makes me think my reedoms are in danger.
So where is Holder in all of this suppression, keeping his powder dry why, exactly?
Ohio isn't subject to the Voting Rights Act, though God knows parts of it should have been. Where the jurk is rigidly insisting on uniformity in every county, you can't exactly claim he's violating the Equal Protection Clause.
Not every act of dishonest douchebaggery is illegal.
Except that his rule change didn't specify no voting on weekends. That was the only thing the two requested be added. Every other Election Board member in the state ought to protest their firings, Democrats and Republicans. Kasich should reign him in. Where's the new directive that disallows weekend voting hours?
Steve,
I believe ALL states have to follow the Voting Rights Act (as interpreted, apparently), but what I think you are referring to are the certain counties or states specifically mentioned in the Act, where there are larger restrictions in changing voting laws. I could be wrong, of course.
Rotmonian is correct that all states are subject to the Voting Rights Act, but Steve is also sort of correct, allowing for a degree of misstatement. What Steve ought to have said to have been completely accurate would to have said that Ohio is not subject to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires DOJ preclearance for changes to election laws in states or parts of states with a history of serious voting rights violations. But like all states, Ohio is subject to Section 2 which prohibits discriminatory election laws, such as every single voter ID law enacted in Republican-controlled states.
The difference between a state subject to Section 5 and one not is that in the case of the former the DOJ can stop a discriminatory election law in it's tracks. When only Section 2 applies, then the DOJ must go through the courts.
Thanks, Monk, for clearing that up. Who would have thought, when drafting that legislation in the 60s, coming right after the civil rights movement and fighting the Nazis, we'd need to go through this with a fine-toothed comb fifty years later?
Slight scanning problem here:
"And for that, they were fired. Husted doesn't just want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election, he's also comfortable firing those who want to want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election."
Shouldn't that be easier instead of harder where I've bolded text?
I was thinking the same thing myself.
Yes - I saw that error too. Husted fired them for trying to make voting easier - not "harder". Also, this is an elected government making it harder/expensive/more time consuming for those who elected them to vote. People have died fighting to get to be able to vote. If you have Republican "friends", family who are in favor of this, I submit to you that the right to vote trumps friendship and family. I submit to you that the right to life (i.e. affordable health care) also trumps friendship, family. We should be peaceful and non-violent, but we must make ourselves and the truth be heard. Republicans won in 2010 with the same Medicare lie they're using now - and now they have the Welfare lie, the budget lies and a whole lot more and about a billion dollars to drill those lies home to the millions of low information voters out there. One way or another, we need for the truth to be heard or this will go on and on for a generation.
Wow. I hope they sue the crap out of him and make tons of noise over it. What a dishonest, traitorous douche.
⌒♡ღ‿ღ♡❤♡ღ‿ღ♡
There's a typo/grammer-error/whatever at the end of this article.
Shouldn't that be easier?
state officials who are in charge of elections should be nonpartisan
see Katharine Harris
That's why the committee in each county in Ohio has 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats...or did until Husted showed his favoritism.
All this is because the Republicans say there is too much voter fraud. Well, apparently there isn't enough so they create some.
"And for that, they were fired. Husted doesn't just want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election, he's also comfortable firing those who want to want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election."
Shouldn't that be "comfortable firing those who want to want to make it" EASIER ??
Why is it so hard for people to see just how evil the 'new' GOP is? They are willing to do ANYTHING in order to win this election. That is more scary to me than absolutely anything else these horrible people are doing.
How Russian of him. It is too bad we have people in high office who hate our freedoms and voting?
I think this is appalling & sickens me to my stomach. I pray that all the states that are not swing states get out & vote. They need to vote for Democrats so that we can have our country back. President Obama has not failed. Congress has failed because they what a puppet to run the country & they con control him. Romney is like the big doll in the commercial for that moving company. I need my medicare & socical security. When Ryan went to the Villages in Fl w/his Mommy he asked the crowd how many were over55? DUH it is a 55+ community. The ones who were not 55 were the kids visiting their parents. I lived in Florida & visited the Villages. It is a wealthy community & everyone owns a golf cart & goes everywhere with them.
Is it time to contact the United Nations yet? This is blatant voter suppression, and since our democracy is being threatened from the inside, we might need help from outside our own borders.
Yes, needs editing (he's also comfortable firing those who
want to want to make it harderfor voters to participate in the election.") should be (want to make it easier)we just HAVE to vote anyway, despite all this suppression. They can make it harder, but they cant make it impossible.
I think that Democrats at Republican leaning locations should gum up the voting through civil disobedience if they are registered but denied a ballot. Sadly, not much can be done about voting hours other than show up and vote.
Typo alert: In the next-to-last paragraph, "...he's also comfortable firing those who want to make it harder for voters to participate in the election" should be "those who want to make it EASIER for voters to participate in the election."
How big of Husted to do this under the cover of the Republican National Convention when all news eyes would be on that. It also looks like Husted is a real bungler if he sent out a directive covering week days if he really meant weekends. But then he could have been laying a childish trap to fire these two Democrats. Either way he comes off looking incompetent, lazy and evil.
This is UNCONSCIONABLE. So what good attorneys are fed up enough with the ridiculousness and injustice that Republicans like Husted are orchestrating in Ohio...and Michigan...and Pennsylvania...and on, and on...that they will step up to the plate and litigate this nonsense? How is it that we are watching corporations and zillionaires steal the election before it even occurs by manipulating their elected Republican puppets to make voting harder for minorities? WHen did it become against the law to stand up for the rights of people you represent instead of parroting the rhetoric of the monied few?
Wake up, America. This is starting to feel like slowly turning the heat up under a pan of frogs. If we don't leap out soon...we're cooked. Enough is enough.
Rachel read your last sentence- I think you mean 'comfortable for firing those who want to make it easier' to participate...
Banana Republic -- not just a clothing store owned by the Gap!
We've been calling them "Banana Republicans" for years around here in CA