Reply #137: BBV.org Board issues "Statement of Support" for Bev Harris [View All]

I'm a newbie and as such, can't post a message yet. Anyhow, here is the link and the actual statement.

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/

Update: TUESDAY, DEC. 14, 2004: NOTICE


Statement of Support for Bev Harris

The Board of Directors of Black Box Voting hereby gives a statement of unequivocal support for Black Box Voting Executive Director Bev Harris, her work and tireless dedication to accountable voting in the United States.

We are saddened by the backlash of a particular web forum, media complacency towards facts and ignoring the critical story about public record access denial in 13 Florida counties and elsewhere. Theresa LePore was served papers at a public meeting -- not a retirement party. LePore, of butterfly ballet fame, already has quite a record in lawsuits brought by citizens and one by Congressman Wexler for verifiable voting.

Ms. Harris has documented the miscommunication leading up to MSNBC's Keith Olbermann's editorial comments about her alleged refusal to appear on his show, stemming from producer's inability to contact Ms. Harris, not a refusal by her.

We would like to extend Mr. Olbermann the opportunity to get the facts and real story. We hope that as a journalist, he would give equal opportunity and time to Ms. Harris to set the record straight and report the critical story- the way information is not adding up in this election.

Ms. Harris and Black Box Voting are nonpartisan participants investigating problems in our election process and remedies necessary to insure honest voting. Proper auditing procedures must happen throughout with auditing of voter verified paper ballots and internal auditing of voting systems to create totally transparent elections.

When auditing processes are broken or non-existent, the opportunity for mistakes or fraud exist.

Black Box Voting's goal is to investigate and document the existing reality of elections in America and use such documentation for legislative and/or judicial reform.

It appears that some well meaning people have identified our efforts as among the most likely to overturn the results of the last election. But our goal is accountable elections, regardless of outcome.

Some would like us to release information as we obtain it. Releasing all investigative results prematurely could compromise further investigations and at least one legal action in progress.

Investigations may reveal problems irrespective of party -- not always a popular revelation. It is crucial to realize that our election system, in spite of the apparent partisan funding behind most voting systems, didn't devolve simply because of partisan involvement. It will not be fixed by partisan involvement.

Good people of all political persuasions want elections that people in the United States can trust and have confidence in. Until we have the ability to verify that process at every step in the most transparent way possible, doubt will linger.

Many people are working hard to achieve transparent elections. Ms. Harris managed to break information of that work to the general populace. We can only assume that the revelation of the state of our elections to the general public was not welcome and that Ms. Harris's investigations are getting close to some uncomfortable truths, given the viciousness of the attacks on her recently.

We, the people, have a right to oversight of our elections. When we get that oversight, it will be because of people who dared show current reality. Bev Harris is one of the people America will owe a debt of gratitude.

The six-member Board of Directors of Black Box Voting has unanimously voted to terminate the employment of Associate Director Andy Stephenson, for:
- Repeatedly lying to various members of the board of directors
- Misrepresenting results of investigations
- Mishandling telephone communications and withholding information
- Temper tantrums and hanging up on members of the organization
- Outburst at the Florida Supervisor of Elections meeting, offending public officials
- Failing to assist, show up, or even call while Kathleen Wynne and Bev Harris repeatedly reached him to request assistance when they were accosted by Volusia County police