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ACORN Voter Registration Fraud Continues in Missouri

April 1, 2009

MRP Chairman: Robin Carnahan and Claire McCaskill ‘ignore the threat’

Jefferson City – This morning, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan released an analysis of the 2008 elections that ignores the threat posed by voter registration fraud in Missouri.  This comes despite an organized effort by groups such as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) to submit thousands of fraudulent voter registrations to county election boards across this state.  Carnahan’s report, which does not mention ACORN, also comes a week after a former organizer for ACORN pleaded guilty to federal charges for submitting fraudulent voter registrations in the St. Louis area—the latest in a long line of serious voter fraud allegations for the left-wing group.

“We commend the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office for its pursuit of those who seek to undermine the integrity of Missouri’s elections,” said David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party.  “For too long, Robin Carnahan—the chief elections official in the state—has ignored the threat that voter fraud poses to our system of government.  This report makes it clear that Carnahan has no intention of cleaning up our election process or seriously confronting organized fraud.”

Missouri Democrats have done nothing to protect the election system, creating ample opportunities for those who seek to stuff the ballot boxes.  Robin Carnahan, who is charged with overseeing Missouri’s elections, has repeatedly balked at common-sense reforms meant to safeguard the political process, and in 2006, she even ordered the St. Louis Board of Elections to approve more than 5,000 questionable registrations submitted by ACORN. (http://www.mogop.org/media/sos-stlletter.pdf)

ACORN has come under fire from federal law enforcement agencies for illegal practices in 11 states.  Over the past several years, more than a dozen ACORN workers have been charged with election fraud in Missouri alone, and thousands of questionable registrations have been submitted.

“Since Robin Carnahan became Secretary of State, the number of cases of voter registration fraud in Missouri has exploded,” said Cole. “Her job is to ensure fair elections, yet she has resisted every proposed reform that seeks to prevent voter fraud.  It is absolutely inexcusable.”

And McCaskill, who benefited from ACORN workers advocating on her behalf in 2006, downplayed the seriousness of the voter registration fraud allegations at a 2008 campaign rally, saying: “There has been no fraudulent voting…The people who claim this is a huge problem can never produce any instances where anyone voted fraudulently.  They have registered fraudulently. ” (KC Star Prime Buzz, October 8, 2008)

“Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and public officials have a responsibility to do everything in their power to safeguard the process,” said Cole.  “Although Democrats have benefited from ACORN’s actions and advocacy, it is time for them to put the public ahead of partisan interests and implement serious reforms to end systematic voter fraud in Missouri.”

For a detailed look at ACORN’s recent voter fraud in Missouri, please see the attached document: “Robin Carnahan turns blind eye to ACORN voter registration fraud”

FACT SHEET: Robin Carnahan turns blind eye to ACORN voter registration fraud

2006

• St Louis City election officials discover almost 1,500 fraudulent voter registration cards turned in by ACORN workers (AP, October 11, 2006)
• St Louis County election officials find hundreds of fraudulent address changes, most of which were submitted by ACORN (Post-Dispatch, October 25, 2006)
• Secretary of State Robin Carnahan orders St. Louis Elections Board to approve more than 5,000 of fraudulent voter registration cards submitted by ACORN. (http://www.mogop.org/media/sos-stlletter.pdf)
• FBI launches investigation into ACORN voter registration fraud (KC Star, October 24, 2006)
• ACORN workers caught on tape admitting they were urged to solicit votes for Claire McCaskill’s campaign for U.S. Senate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ6SrZODbHg)
• Four ACORN workers indicted for submitting as many as 1,000 fraudulent voter registration cards in the Kansas City area  Each later pleads guilty (KC Star, November 2, 2006)

2007

• Kansas City ACORN worker indicted for election fraud and identity theft (AP, January 6, 2007)

2008

• Eight employees of ACORN plead guilty to election fraud in federal court.  Their activities included submitting registration cards with forged signatures and false names. (Post-Dispatch, April, 2, 2008)
• Jackson County reports 100s of fraudulent registrations from ACORN (AP, October 9, 2008)
• FBI launches national investigation into ACORN voter registration fraud, seeks evidence from Kansas City elections board (KC Star, October 17, 2008)

2009

• ACORN worker pleads guilty to federal charges for submitting fraudulent voter registrations.  (AP, March 24, 2009)