KnowThyNeighbor.org

An Offensive Email

Looks like this person thinks collecting signatures for the anti-gay marriage petition is just a bunch of fun!

Here's the text of an email that was forwarded to KnowThyNeighbor.org that shows just how shameless some people can be:

----- Original Message ------
From: Madeleine
Subject: Gillette Stadium this Sunday! -- Traditional Marriage Team Members
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 15:18:22 -0400

***PLEASE DISTRIBUTE***

With only a few weeks remaining, we need to have some very strong plays to enable us to collect an additional 60,000 signatures – bringing us to the needed 120,000 signature mark.

The great news is that we have an upcoming event this Sunday that will enable us to score more yardage in this signature campaign drive.

With over 70,000 fans converging on the stadium, we are sure to score some signature collecting touchdowns, but we are going to need some more ball carriers, or should we say, clipboard carriers at Gillette Stadium – starting at 4:30pm (or anytime thereafter if you have a schedule conflict.)

We’ve coming out of a huddle with a very solid game plan has been coordinated – petitions, clipboards, locations... are ready to go. Included are New England Patriots caps – we just need a few more players (signature gatherers.)

You will not be working alone – there will be other fans working along side you.

Come join Sunday’s signature gathering team.

For further information and a huddle update, please contact Madeleine at: madeleine@mprendergast.com

978-371-1011

Cell 781-698-9222

----- end original message-----

Madeleine, this petition is not a game. Your actions contribute directly to an effort that would alter the State Constitution to eliminate people's rights and classify certain families as inferior. Have the decency to take your actions with the seriousness they are due!

Tom Lang & Aaron Toleos, Directors
Contact: (978) 335-0477, info@knowthyneighbor.org

Petition backers embarrassed; Lash out at hearing.

Evidently, no matter how deceitful and unscrupulous these out-of-state, buck-a-signature petition circulators are in perpetrating fraud, any unsuspecting Massachusetts citizen that falls for their tricks "has the IQ of an eggplant."

That's what Chip Faulkner of Citizens for Limited Taxation said, anyway, as he sat on a panel with Kris Mineau of the The Massachusetts Family Institute at the Joint Committee on Election Laws hearing on Tuesday.

This he exclaimed while only a few eggplants away stood an 18 year old Northeastern freshman who had just finished describing how her first experience as a registered voter had been to be bait-and-switched into signing the anti-gay marriage petition. She was on a panel with eight other bait-and-switch victims.

Rep. Philip Travis, one of the 30 original signers and the only legislator to speak as a witness, stated that he ALWAYS reads everything before HE signs a document.  When asked by the committee what he had to say to the Northeastern freshman, he responded, "Once bitten, twice shy, so I guess she has been bitten."

Kris Mineau, spokesman for the petition sponsors, claimed that the fraud allegations were nothing more than the result of a conspiracy by "ho-mo-sexual activists" and admitted that his organization has made no effort to check into the allegations of fraud by monitoring what is going on in the field. You see, according to Kris, his organization just doesn't have the resources -- despite being backed by the $130 million dollar Focus on the Family organization and $20 million dollar Alliance Defense Fund.

When asked by Senator Augustus how much Arno Political Consultants, the California signature collection company hired by petition sponsors, was being paid, Mineau refused to give a dollar amount. Pressed by Senator Augustus that his refusal was inconsistent with earlier statements that the initiative system belongs to the people, Mineau still refused to answer directly, saying only that the firm had been contracted "at fair-market value."  Mineau also claimed to have no idea of the ratio of volunteer to paid signature collectors.

Arno Political Consultants owner, Michael Arno, also testified claiming no culpability for the widespread fraud reports. He also tried to discredit the characters of former petition worker Angela McElroy and fraud specialist Jeannie Berg who had been flown in from Oregon to give expert testimony. 

McElroy gave a detailed account of how easy it is to commit petition fraud in Massachusetts and even gave a live demonstration of the bait-and-switch process that had been taught to her by her employers and that she used personally to steal signatures from several hundred voters. 

Jeannie Berg's testimony confirmed what had been said by McElroy, and then some, as she provided a litany of shortcomings in our State's initiative petition system.

The witnesses and victims who took time out of their busy lives to go to the State House and explain how they had been deceived into signing the anti-gay marriage petition felt they had an obligation to report on how their rights had been violated.  KnowThyNeighbor.org thanks each one of them for standing up and speaking out -- our Democracy depends on people like you.

However, Kris Mineau and his allies used this very important forum to once again divert attention from the real issue: the widespread fraud allegations and their current and prior knowledge of the underhanded techniques used by Arno Political Consultants and its subcontractors. Instead, they chose to attack KnowThyNeighbor.org, the Gay Lobby, MassEquality, the Joint Committee on Elections and even the good people who presented testimony of how their signatures had been stolen from them.

KnowThyNeighbor.org applauds Senator Augustus and Representative Petruccelli, Joint Chairs of the Elections Committee, for addressing this very serious issue and we look forward to initiative petition reform measures to be proposed in the immediate future.

Tom Lang & Aaron Toleos, Directors
Contact: (978) 335-0477, info@knowthyneighbor.org

Fraud Hearing Tuesday; You're Invited

Have you been a victim of the petition fraud being reported across Massachusetts? Report to the State House on Tuesday, October 18th for an opportunity to voice your concerns to the Joint Legislative Committee on Election Laws.

To speak: Show up at 1:00pm to get your name on the list.

To attend: The hearing starts at 2:30pm and is open to the public.

KnowThyNeighbor.org will be giving testimony regarding the 50-60 fraud reports that were sent to us and providing our own insights into the shortcomings of the initiative petition process.

Angela McElroy, the former paid signature gatherer who contacted KnowThyNeighbor.org will also be testifying. Ms. McElroy will give an insider's view of "industry-standard" fraud tactics including the bait-and-switch scam used by the two out-of-state signature gathering companies she worked for.

Please join us! The Commonwealth NEEDS YOU to stand witness and to hold this Committee, your Legislators, Attorney General Tom Reilly, and Secretary William Galvin accountable to correct this serious situation.

Petition worker tells all; Rampant fraud exposed

When KnowThyNeighbor.org began collecting petition fraud reports through its website, the last person we expected to be contacted by was an actual petition worker. But that's exactly what happened.

Angela McElroy, 21, revealed to KnowThyNeighbor.org the details of bait-and-switch tactics that are allegedly standard practice for the thirty or more petitioners she worked with and even describes an instance where she witnessed another worker forging names and addresses directly from the wine-in-stores petition to the petition to end gay marriage in order to increase his earnings.

McElroy's former employer, YPM LLC, a signature gathering company run by Mark Jacoby, has partnered in Massachusetts with JSM, Inc., run by Jennifer Breslin. Both companies have been investigated for fraud in other states and appear to be working as subcontractors for Arno Political Consultants.

McElroy reports threats of violence from her former employers and KnowThyNeighbor.org has listened to phone messages that confirm her claims.

KnowThyNeighbor.org has flown Ms. McElroy to Massachusetts from her home in Florida where she had returned and is helping to coordinate a meeting at the Secretary of State's office today.  McElroy plans on testifying at the Joint Legislative Committee on Election Laws hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Read more about McElroy's story in today's Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Tom Lang & Aaron Toleos, Directors
Contact: (978) 335-0477, info@knowthyneighbor.org

Hearing called on petition fraud; KTN will testify

THANK YOU to all who have reported their personal stories of petition fraud to KnowThyNeighbor.org. As a direct result of your actions, we have been able to provide the Attorney General's office with over fifty cases of alleged fraud and State legislators have taken notice.

State Senator Ed Augustus (Dem-Worcester), Co-Chair of the Joint Committee of Election Laws, announced yesterday that an oversight hearing will take place investigating your reports and those originating from other sources.  The hearing is tentatively scheduled for October 18 at the State House.

KnowThyNeighbor.org has been invited to testify and Directors Tom Lang and Aaron Toleos will be present to share insight into these allegations.

Would you like to testify too?  Opportunities will likely be available for the general public to participate in the hearing so please consider attending if you have something to say. We will make more information regarding this hearing available as details are confirmed.

KnowThyNeighbor is honored to have been asked to participate in this oversight hearing and will make every effort to represent the best interests of all the people of the Commonwealth.

Continue to notify us of any fraud you come across at reportfraud@knowthyneighbor.org.

Tom Lang & Aaron Toleos, Directors

Read the Globe Article

Grocer's Acknowledge Wrongdoing; Toss Out Signatures

Thanks to your diligence and the work of KnowThyNeighbor.org, grocers and retailers have been alerted to reports of petition circulator fraud taking place at stores across the State.

As a result, the Massachusetts Food Association has acknowledged wrongdoing and will be tossing out hundreds of signatures gathered by workers hired to pass the wine petition since they believe that petition was used illegaly to dupe citizens into signing a second document, the anti-gay marriage petition.  The President of the Massachusetts Food Association, Chris Flynn, stated in a Worcester Telegram and Gazette story yesterday that "We don't condone these bait-and-switch tactics.  What happened was illegal."

Unfortunately, KnowThyNeighbor.org has received no indication that anti-gay marriage petition sponsors will be joining the Massachusetts Food Association in discarding the tainted signatures gathered by these workers on their behalf.

Individual grocery store chains have also reacted positively after being made aware of fraud reports. Starting the day after our September 25 encounter with "buck-a-signature" petition circulators, Wild Oats has not allowed petition gatherers on their premises.  Now Stop & Shop, Shaws, and Star Market have joined. We must continue to monitor activity at these stores and make sure anti-gay marriage petition circulators are not allowed to return. Be sure to scrutinize petition circulators at Target store locations especially as they have been the source of many complaints.

Report any suspicious activity directly to store managers and to the contacts listed below:

Corportate Contacts
TARGET, Guest Relations, (800) 440-0680
Shaws/Star Market, Judy Chong, (508) 313-3318
Stop and Shop, Rob keene, (617) 770-6023
Massachusetts Food Association, Chris Flynn, (617) 542-3086
Massachusetts Retailers Association, John Hurst, (617) 523-1900

Civil Investigator, Attorney General's Office
Nicholas Paras
nicholas.paras@ago.state.ma.us
(617) 727-2200 x 2883

KnowThyNeighbor.org Fraud Alert
Send email to reportfraud@knowthyneighbor.org.

Tom Lang, Director

Attorney General Asks KnowThyNeighbor.org to Assist With Fraud; Assigns Civil Investigator

Manchester-by-the-Sea, October 3, 2005 - Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Peter Sacks contacted KnowThyNeighbor.org today for assistance with fraud reporting related to signature collection for the initiative petition to end same-sex marriage.

All allegations of fraud must now be directed to a newly appointed Civil Investigator, Nicholas Paras. Mr. Paras will be scrutinizing the reports of bait-and-switch and other improprieties that have been streaming in to the AG's office through KnowThyNeighbor.org and other sources.

Peter Sacks has instructed KnowThyNeighbor.org to make the investigator's information available on its website as soon as possible and to provide the following information to all Massachusetts voters who believe that they have signed this petition in error (either due to fraud or mistake):

1. Immediately contact your Local Town/City Clerk or Registrar. You will have to appear in person with the proper identification. This must be the clerk for the town in which you are a registered voter.
2. Request that your name be removed from the petition. Document your request and ask if the actual petition that you signed has yet been presented to the Town Clerk. The timing of this request MUST be as near the time of signing as possible as the Town/City Clerk needs to stop the signed copy before it is verified and entered on the log. Attorney Sacks explained that the Town/City Clerks should understand this responsibility.
3. Document everything, including the reason why you believe that your name should be removed, whether or not your City/Town Clerk was able to delete your name, and if your City/Town Clerk was helpful or not responsive.  Copy this information for yourself and send documentation to:
   
   Nicholas Paras, Civil Investigator
   Attorney General's Office
   McCormack Building
   One Ashburton Place
   Boston, MA 02108
   (617) 727-2200 x2883
   nicholas.paras@ago.state.ma.us

Please all take note of this and continue to report any and all cases of fraud.  KnowThyNeighbor.org remains committed to assisting the public in its understanding of the initiative petition process.  KnowThyNeighbor.org applauds the Attorney General for assigning a Civil Investigator in respect to these very serious reports which are surfacing across our Commonwealth.  We will continue to assist his office as directed.

Tom Lang, Director

KnowThyNeighbor.org Present at Catholic Churches State-wide

Boston

Watch the NECN video
Read the Boston Globe article

Cathedral of the Holy Cross - As we lined the length of the sidewalk and echoes of Archbishop Sean O'malley's homily leaked from the doorway, the media and at least twenty Boston police officers stood between us and the church entrance making for a dramatic setting.

The drama held as services let out and parishioners exiting to the street reacted, some with surprise, but most by averting their eyes and trying to pretend we weren't there.  This is, of course, indicative of the problem and all the more reason why we need to keep putting a human face on this issue by reinforcing, on a neighbor-to-neighbor level, that individuals, families, and children are being put in harm's way by this petition. 

We had a good crowd.  Thanks to everyone that stood up with us for equality. You did the right thing.

Cape Cod
Read the Cape Cod Times article
Corpus Christi Church, East Sandwich - Organizers Danny Abaid and Tom Donohue did wonders on the Cape reporting that parishioners and passers by gave thumbs-up, beeps, and waves and that this was the norm with minimal negativity.

North Shore
Sacred Heart Church, Manchester - One Catholic church-goer (see photo, center) took it upon herself to write on the back of one of our signs "I Am Catholic -- I Did Not Sign" and stood with us. We also had a recent State Representative candidate and his family stand in support. One parishioner said to us, "You should be happy, not many are signing." Let's wait, hope and see, come December.

Worcester
St. Paul's Cathedral - We thank our friends who came out in Worcester and stood strong. They reported a good presence and we applaud them.

Aaron Toleos & Tom Lang, Directors