Three Arkansas Democrats and a police officer pleaded guilty to absentee voter fraud on Wednesday as Democrats across the country insist Voter ID laws are not necessary.
State Representative Hudson Hallum (pictured above), his father Kent, West Memphis City Councilman Phillip Wayne Carter, and West Memphis Police Officer Sam Malone pleaded guilty to bribing voters for their absentee ballots for a local election in 2011.
“The most fundamental rights we enjoy as American citizens include the ability to vote and, if we so choose, to run for elected office,” Jane Duke, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas said in a statement. “In a nation in which every person’s vote matters, protecting the integrity of the electoral process from those who seek to win office by cheating the system is critical.
“Voter fraud schemes such as that carried out in the 2011 District 54 race have the devastating effect of eroding public confidence in elected officials and disenfranchising voters.”
The four men filled out absentee ballots for voters and bribed others with money and food.
Hallum wrote an e-mail to Arkansas legislators to apologize for his actions.
“This afternoon I am going to plead guilty to federal charges stemming from an investigation into my special election,” Hallum wrote. “I took some bad advice that led to some bad decisions on my part.”
Voter Fraud should land you in prison 20-life. I do not care what party you are for, 20-life. No deals,no considerations,no early outs, 20-life.
“Three Arkansas Democrats and a police officer pleaded guilty to absentee voter fraud on Wednesday as Democrats across the country insist Voter ID laws are not necessary.”
This story would seem to provide more evidence for the Democrats, since voter ID laws wouldn’t do anything to prevent people from bribing people for their absentee ballots. This case does nothing to further the cause of voter ID laws.
Since laws don’t deter people from committing crimes maybe we should just get rid of all laws, eh Chris? I mean lets get serious about the Democrat position!
Democrats encourage voter fraud by their indifference not to mention their willing participation on a large scale (unions, acorn).
Democrats have resisted every effort to ensure our elections are more open and honest.
This is a strange bunch of people…radical…crazy extreme!
Is this what they mean by hope and change…we hope we can change the outcome of the election by cheating.
At least assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Duke said voter laws are important:
http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story/Ark-lawmaker-pleads-guilty-to-election-charge/qjc8PtXwfkC8frDCgwLNrg.cspx
Critical!
I signed some papers recently…they took my picture and my thumb print! No I wasn’t being arrested but the party that encourages voter fraud has created conditions that make it necessary!
Chris, are you opposed to ID’s to vote?
You are aware I am sure that ID was required to attend the convention.
My husband was asked for his ID three times in a new Drs. office, until they got to know him.
You need ID everywhere, why not voting?
Did you know at one time we had to vote in the Primary, if we did not could not vote in November. At one time voting was important enough to make time to do it.
Tina: “Since laws don’t deter people from committing crimes maybe we should just get rid of all laws, eh Chris? I mean lets get serious about the Democrat position!”
You’re not being serious at all. Voter fraud is already a crime, as it should be. My point was that the particular instance cited by Jack in this article could not have been prevented by voter ID laws, because it involved absentee ballots, not in-person voting. To use this instance to argue for voter ID laws makes zero sense. You need to come up with instances of fraud that voter ID laws could actually help stop.
Harriet: “Chris, are you opposed to ID’s to vote?”
I wasn’t at first, but after weighing the pros and cons, I think the costs far outweigh the benefits. Voter fraud accounts for less than half a percentage point of the vote. Tens of thousands of eligible voters don’t have ID and won’t get one before the election. Those least likely to have a valid form of ID are senior citizens, young people, minorities, and the poor. It seems to me that voter ID laws will do more to swing the vote than actual voter fraud!
Chris: “You need to come up with instances of fraud that voter ID laws could actually help stop.”
You need to pay better attention to the things people in your party do and begin to come up with some solutions instead of attacking Republicans for making efforts to curb all cheating so that all votes count! As I wrote:
We can add stealing ballots and throwing them away…stuffing ballot boxes…and the all time favorite fraudulantly signing up to vote with a phony address and name.
“Tens of thousands of eligible voters don’t have ID…”
Sounds like a tiny percentage of the voting public…thought a small percentage wasn’t worth bothering about!
“…and won’t get one before the election.”
That shouldn’t stop passage of bills for future elections.
Besides accomodations for your considerations have been included in legislation. The bill in Texas even included provisions to bus people in hardship situations or go to them (convalescent patients) rather than expecting them to go get one. Students usually have student ID and drivers license and as Charles Payne of FOX business said recently, the poor don’t have any trouble applying for food stamps and medicare why wouldn’t they also be able to get an ID? (Charles is a very successful business man and TV commentator who grew up in the projects, single mom). I love him…he expresses himself with such energy and resolve and he deeply cares about lifting the poor out of poverty! You don’t get there by treating them as helpless victims. He’s on Varney and Company at 6:20 AM (Direct TV 359)
The Democrat argument is bogus…we all know why.