Must Watch TV!

Here's the Fox Undercover petition fraud segment for those that missed it when it originally aired.

Former paid petition worker Angela McElroy reveals the bait-and-switch tactics she was taught by her employers and demonstrates just how easy it is to steal signatures (she averages one bait-and-switch every two minutes in the video) and states petition workers can make as much as $1,200 on a good day!

Also watch for...

• Attorney General Tom Reilly casually explaining that he is powerless to do anything about the fraud and stating that perhaps we should pass some laws against it (hmmm, yeah that sounds like a good idea).
• Evelyn Reilly of the Massachusetts Family Institute (petition sponsors) claiming that her organization was totally unaware the company they hired to oversee signature collection, Arno Political Consultants, had a national reputation for using fraudulent tactics (they might want to do a basic Google search the next time they hand someone what must have been hundreds of thousands of dollars).
• Senator Augustus discussing his petition anti-fraud bill.

Take-aways from this video: (1) The initiative petition system in Massachusetts is a disgrace; (2) The petition sponsors hired a sleazy, out-of-state company to do their dirty work while grandstanding to the media that they were running a grassroots, citizen-driven campaign; and (3), Tens of thousands of fraudulent signatures may have been collected.

Aaron Toleos, Director

Comments

[Cherie Johnson]

Thanks for posting this video. I missed it when it aired.

[Tyler Dawbin]

From what I've heard about this woman that they interviewed, her motives are questionable.

[Joe S]

THANK YOU THANK YOU AARON!

I am so glad that you both posted the video for all to see and also highlighted the fact that these were PAID STAFF not "Volunteers" which Kristian Mineu CONTINUES TO LIE ABOUT WHENEVER ANYONE INTERVIEWS HIM.

Kristian makes it seem like this is all a "grass roots" effort to ban gay marriage. He fails to mention any of the the following FACTS in his interviews...

1. That the petition collectors are paid
STAFF

2. That they have committed FRAUD in order
that they be PAID MORE.

3. That he actually had a VERY DIFFICULT
TIME getting anyone to carry petitions
for him or the sleazy Massachusetts
Family Institute (which is a puppet for
the right wingnut Christian "Fundies")
as a "volunteer".

4. That when confronted with this FRAUD
he refused to negate not even ONE of the
signatures gathered illegally as the
supermarket alcohol petition sponsors
did.

5. Who allied himself with the Roman
Catholic Church in order to abuse the
IRS 501 3C non-profit laws to commit
tax fraud when the church allowed
petitions to be signed during and after
masses.

KRISTIAN - why do you continue to hide behind your omissions and lies? Is it because that you know the people of Massachusetts do not see you as "mainstream" or support your biggoted cause?

I challenge anyone out their that supports Kristian to seriously question why you would want to associate yourself with such a unsavory character?

Does Kristian really represent YOUR value system?

[Joe S]

To Tyler:

"From what I've heard about this woman that they interviewed, her motives are questionable."

Why? Because she does decided to come clean and blow the whistle of fraud?

I think, quite frankly, that YOUR motives are questionable.

[Stanley Pryhoda]

EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY
EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY
EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY
EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY, EGGPLANT DAY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2005

IT IS PEARL HARBOR DAY.....AND IT IS THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND DISCOVERY FOR MANY.

[Joe S]

WHEN WILL THE NAMES BE POSTED HERE?

[Tyler Dawbin]

Joe, long time no hear!

How have you been, my friend?

It's OK for you to question my motives, it doesn't make them wrong. This woman was not well represented among those getting signatures, and she was more-or-less put up to it by Fox 25 News. If I were to tell you, "Go and do this thing and I'll film it, you'll be on the news", would you do it?

[Jean]

Tyler, I personally watched 2 of these paid signature gatherers do their deceptions for 3 hours at the Everett Target. We conversed that whole 3 hours, and it was clear from what I saw and what they said that 1) they'll do anything, legal or illegal, do maximaze their daily cashout, 2) they were only 2 people in a large crew imported from california, 3) they had both deceived people in other states, but really love doing it in MA because the laws here (or lack thereof) made it so easy, 4) they had no sense of ethics, despite one of them declaring himself a 'Christian'.

[Ghengis Cohen]

How does the signature verification process work?

They have more than 200,000 signatures. If you can show that almost 2/3 of them are fraudluent, then no vote takes place. But if they really needed that much fraud in order to get the signatures, you'd not need to worry about the election, right? :D

[Joe S]

I don't think there will be an election.

The SJC will throw out the entire drive as unconstitutional as soon as the certification process is done...and we all know why...anyone who missed my posts on the matter need only consult Massachusetts constitutional law for the answer!

This entire process has been a sham...and I will be glad when it is over...there is NO reason now or EVER for the people of any state or any nation to decide the civil rights of others....PERIOD...

[Ghengis Cohen]

entire drive as unconstitutional as soon as the certification process is done...and we all know why...

I don't. anyone who missed my posts on the matter need only consult Massachusetts constitutional law for the answer.

Joe, would you please link me to your posts? I'm very interested, and "Massachusetts constitutional law" doesn't give me much to go on.

[Tom Lang]

All,

I think that this video shows one thing more than anything here. That the average voter will sign anything that is shoved in his or her face. As Aaron says in the post, there was NOT a groundswell of concerned Massachusetts citizens who ran to petition signature gatherers to sign in order to stop same sex marriages. But in fact there was a signature gathering machine hired to collect the bulk of the signatures.

I am still dying to find out what the Mass Family Institute contracted with Arno. When asked twice directly in the Senate Hearing, Kris Mineau refused to answer that question. Also, from what was told to me by the Fox News producer, Evelyn Reilly was also asked that question for the interview but again refused to answer.

Hopefully when the names are published and conversation is opened we may get to the bottom of the alleged fraud as well as the number of uninformed signers.

Tom Lang

[Tim]

Don't we remember that SSM came about when the legislator closed session ILLEGALLY way back in 2001 when we had 180,000 signatures and they decided the will of the people was worthless??? This should never have happened - but alas - welcome to Massachusetts politics. The one thing we Massachusetts Christians can be proud of is that our State is the "fall guy" for overwhelming rejection of SSM in 11 other states the 2004 election and a few more this past November.

So, let's remember that fraud and illegal practices have plagued this state from the Berkshire conservation committee to the Big Dig!

[Tim]

Ghengis, good to read you again . . .

[Tom Lang]

Tim,

This "Massachusetts Christian" is very thankful that our Commonwealth will hopefully be the state which leads this Nation in Equality, Fairness and Decency.
A state that recognizes that ALL families, children and most of all individuals are owed the same protections, rights AND respect. And yes, that includes gays and lesbians or "homosexuals" if you rather.

Tom Lang

[Tim]

Tom,

I respect you, I don't want to harm you, I wish you a very merry Christmas. But the facts are clear - when left up to the will of the people (an option that Massachusetts fears like the plague) gay marriage does not get passed. 70-80 years from now? Who knows.

[Tom Lang]

And Tim, your point is what?

This is a fresh blog and I hope we aren't again going to head into the circular path of "the will of the people" versus "people shouldn't get to vote on equal rights issues."

This blog is about the fraud and the cover ups and the lies and the omissions of The Mass Family Institute/Vote on Marriage groups. The two groups of people who are the self-appointed moralists who feel so strongly that "marriage should be protected" that they would choose to allow future generations of gay people, their families and their children to not be protected, respected or allowed equality.

This blog is about the initiative petition process and the first step to bringing a ballot initiative to the people. A process which is ripe for fraud and manipulation of the electorate and the sponsors of this particular petition who knew what Arno was capable of and chose to hire it anyhow. Because it is ALL about getting the petition on the ballot and NOT about HOW it got there--isn't it??

From a KnowThyNeighbor standpoint, the fear is not that Massachusetts might get to vote on this issue, but the fear is that KTN and others may open a dialogue on it. People may want to vote on my rights and my "worthiness" as to be considered a fellow human being and American citizen, but they will hear our stories and our protests before, during and after.

Oh, Merry Christmas to you too.

[Tim]

Yes, Tom, the point was made very clear . . .

Are you one of those people who believes that if the big moving picture box says it - it has to be true?

[Tom Lang]

No Tim, I am one of those people who was out observing the fraud firsthand. I even made calls on my cell phone to the Attorney General's and Secretary of the Commonwealth's office, held the phone in the faces of the signature gatherers and allowed them to hear what I was hearing directly.

KTN.org was taking in so many consistent fraud complaints from across the state that we were able to map the path of the Arno people and its "sub-contrators." We handed in so many reports to the Attorney General that I was asked to testify in the fraud hearing.

So Tim let's just say that what I know to be true goes beyond my "faith" in what FoxNews said. However, the big moving picture box and that Right Wing News Network's Report was kind of "sweet."

[Ghengis Cohen]

Tim said: "Don't we remember that SSM came about when the legislator closed session ILLEGALLY way back in 2001 when we had 180,000 signatures and they decided the will of the people was worthless???"

Hi Tim -- could you please email me some info, links, etc.? I'll be busy for a couple weeks, but I'd like to get that story up on my blog.

[Paul Jamieson]

Ah the spin is overwhelming.

From what I know, 75% or more of the signatures have come from Churches.

Moderate, Liberal AND Conservative churches.

[John Hosty]

Our opponents talk about the petition in such a clinical uncaring way. Like they are trying to figure out the best way to demolish a building or something. How they can address an issue that takes away rights we find to be a basic need for happiness with such indifference confounds me. How they can maintain their position when face to face with our suffering escapes me. Fine. I yield the point of marriage to make another.

The gay world has suffered too long at the hands of of those who enjoy inflicting pain. When can we expect something to be done about it? When are we going to have some social reform so that we don't have to feel like sub-humans? If I live by all the rules and do nothing but good, why would you want to keep me from feeling good about myself because I am gay?

[Tyler Dawbin]

No one here is being treated as a second-class citizen, in any way. Want to know why?

Homosexuals aren't the only ones prohibited from marrying (in most states). The same is true of polygamists, and members of NAMBLA, and guys on ranches in Utah with horses. You get my point, although I'm not making it so well - if marriage is your only beef, then get straight and marry someone of the opposite sex! Wouldn't that be easier to fulfill your passions properly than it is to have unbridled same sex passions and whine about how you are being mistreated?

There really is such a thing as a former homosexual, you know. The evidence is quite clear on that matter.

I'm out...too sick of the personal attacks, and too ready to take it to a level where it will reach more people now that the propaganda war will have to start with the legislators.

In Christ,

Tyler

[Stanley Pryhoda]

Tyler Dawbin -

I had to read your spewed venom three times, then count to one hundred, before you lurk here for your response.

I could leave your hateful words speak for themselves. They do quite nicely, thank you.

The Dominionist Theocratic talking points are all there. So is the new strategy with the legislative part.

HO-MO-sexuality is a choice, not a psychosexual orientation accredited by all professional medical and social service organizations.

HET-"RO"-SEXUALITY is the only "plug and play" (recreate while you choose to re-create or pro-create or not by choice or age) for your "natural passions". The wording is so predictably extreme theocratic right.

Bestiality in UT, pedophilia, and probably the polygamists too, is the logical sequitur to same-sex marriage.

Marriage is a religious and not a civil contract. You cannot divorce the two. The laws of God must be the laws of the Christian American nation.

Lastly, you are your own reason for being the victims of the Dominionist Theocrats and secular Neocons who enable them. If you were "normal 'hetro's' " , then we would not spend hours, weeks and months of our time on your blogs explaining to you in verbally violent bashing ways why you dykes and faggots need to leave the institutions we mock and we fail at in majority numbers to us.

On Eggplant Day, we get it. We get it from the person responsible for more positive voices silenced on this blog, to the occasional "drive-by bashers."

Before we see you at the legislature, GLAD and many amici curae will be seeing the true petitioners in Court. Moderate and liberal Republicans will join Democrats in this endeavor. Mainline evangelical Christians will also stand guard against the Theocrats. The Humanist society in MA, led by the chaplain at Harvard University, will speak to the secular neocons and defenders of patriarchalism to inform their bigotry and hatred.

[Tom Lang]

Paul,

If 75% of the signatures came from churches as you claim, then Kris Mineau should have no problem letting us all know how much money he paid Arno Political Consultants to "get the job done."

Let's not forget, The Vote On Marriage people announced that they would have all their 120,000 signatures collected by the second or third weekend of the petition process and that it would be the Conservative, Catholic, Black and Hispanic Churches that would be where the signatures would come from.

KTN.org discovered first the Arno and its Sub-Contractor's allegedly fraudulent tactics, then we found out that the Mass. GOP State Committee also was inducted into the process. All that being said, it took them the ENTIRE petition cycle NOT the 2 to 3 weeks that they claimed. We have strategic emails from Vote On Marriage itself to prove exactly how long it took.

Using the tactics that were employed in this cycle and the length of time it took Vote on Marriage, they could probably be employed by those "guys in Utah on ranches and their horses" that Tyler speaks about to get signatures for their petition too.

Tom Lang