Comments on: Comments on 4112

Post number 4112

Dreama — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 07:00:36 -0800

Writer Guilty of Voter Fraud From his stunt during the primaries, Salon writer Dan Savage has plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of voter fraud to avoid trial on a felony charge.

By: alan

alan — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 07:10:02 -0800

How can they deny the caucuses have a security problem when the only reason they knew about Dan Savage and his fraudulent vote was a column that got national attention.

By: beth

beth — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 10:14:58 -0800

I get "page not found". Anybody have a working link for this one?

By: Outlawyr

Outlawyr — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 12:42:43 -0800

try http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20001108/el/eln_campaign_infiltration_1.html

By: UrineSoakedRube

UrineSoakedRube — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 13:47:54 -0800

I am really at a loss as to why this should be considered a crime at all. The Iowa straw poll isn't binding to either party -- it's a popularity contest. No delegates are elected, and it is not a secret ballot. This talk about security problems avoids the fact that there shouldn't be a straw poll in the first place.

By: alan

alan — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 14:03:31 -0800

Except this wasn't a straw poll, it was the actual Republican caucus.

By: thirteen

thirteen — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 14:05:01 -0800

UrineSoakedRube you have the most vile Metafilter name I have ever seen. Go stand in the corner.

By: UrineSoakedRube

UrineSoakedRube — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 19:21:09 -0800

All right, I went to salon.com and checked the original story, "Stalking Gary Bauer," and it used the term caucus instead of straw poll. But my point remains that the results of the Iowa causus/straw poll/whatever were not binding in any real sense. No delegates to the Republican convention were chosen as a result of the outcome. So why is Dan Savage's caucus voter fraud punishable at all? If, say, I lied to an exit pollster on my way out of the polling place, could I be arrested? What if I only pretended that I had voted and then told an exit pollster that I voted for Gore? Could I be arrested then? I'm not sure why Iowa is able to bring criminal charges against Savage. I may be able to see the Iowa Republican party bringing a civil suit against him, but I imagine that they wouldn't bother. thirteen -- Really? The most vile Metafilter name that you've seen? Thanks!

By: Mars Saxman

Mars Saxman — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 21:34:20 -0800

Was it ever even proved that he did what he claimed to have done in his column? How do we know he didn't just make the whole story up? The page at the link listed above no longer seems to work, so I can't check to see if the article explains this. -Mars

By: capt.crackpipe

capt.crackpipe — Wed, 08 Nov 2000 22:23:22 -0800

Dan Savage, 36, had been charged with two counts of voter fraud for casting a ballot using a Des Moines hotel address. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to fraudulently voting in a caucus, a misdemeanor. By pleading guilty, Savage was spared a trial on a felony voter fraud count. He could have faced up to six years in prison. He was sentenced instead to a year's probation, 50 hours' community service and a $750 fine. No burden of proof if guilt is admitted. Is bad advice a just a misdemeanor?

By: kindall

kindall — Thu, 09 Nov 2000 00:30:09 -0800

The man essentially got slapped on the wrist compared to what he could have got. Binding or not, it's still a vote and you don't tamper with that. I like Savage generally, but geez, this was one of the dumbest stunts I've ever seen anyone brag about in print.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Thu, 09 Nov 2000 08:14:31 -0800

It was a crazy, hack-the-system stunt. Bravo. And how, how stupid....

By: UrineSoakedRube

UrineSoakedRube — Thu, 09 Nov 2000 15:21:10 -0800

D'Oh! A Retraction Oops. After some research, I realized that I completely misunderstood what had happened. The straw poll is not the caucus. Savage voted in the caucus. Still, I am a bit confused as to some details of the story: Savage told the woman who gave him the ballot that you have to be a registered Iowa Republican, but other sources note that anyone who is a registered voter may participate in a caucus. Anyway, I take it back: I do see how this can be considered illegal. Mea maxima culpa