Amazing It Took Them This Long: OC Dems Statement On "Immigrants Can't Vote" Letter

This just came over the transom from the OC Democratic Party:

STATEMENT OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ORANGE COUNTY ON VOTER INTIMIDATION

Contact: Mike Levin, Executive Director, (714) 835-2122, mike@ocdemocrats.net

Recently, a Spanish-language letter from the “California Coalition for Immigration Reform” was received by Latino voters in Orange County, warning them that only United States citizens are permitted to vote, that voting by non-citizens is a deportable offense, and that immigration restriction organizations have access to a federal computer database of properly registered voters.

Worse, when translated, it is clear that the letter advises that all “immigrants” cannot vote, whether they be naturalized citizens or not.

We believe the letter to be violative of both the Voting Rights Act and the California Elections Code. We demand a full investigation by both Attorney General Bill Lockyer and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, which shall include:    

1. Identifying the individual(s) responsible for the permit to mail this letter, as well as the organization behind its content.    

2. Ascertaining the number of letters sent, and to whom they were sent within the County. For example, were Democrats targeted exclusively, or did all voters with Latino-sounding surnames receive the letter?

We also have reason to believe that there are those who desire to further suppress voter turnout this November 7. In an attempt to combat this activity, we will be hosting a comprehensive training for attorneys, candidates, and other interested individuals at the date and time below. This training will provide information on how to make sure all votes are counted this election day.

Protect the Vote 2006
Saturday, October 21
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Democratic Party of Orange County
200 N. Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92701

If you would like to attend the training, please call Susan Freeze at (714) 835-2122 or click here.

Finally, we demand that those individuals responsible for this letter and similar efforts to suppress voter turnout be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Many of these individuals are identifiable, and they must be stopped immediately.

As Democrats in Orange County, we will not be intimidated.

Frank Barbaro
Chair

Rima Nashashibi
Vice Chair

"...other interested individuals..."? I'm interested -- can I come? Or would that be intimidating for them?

Comments

Jubal:

How can you intimidate them. They said they will not be intimidated.

[Chris Prevatt]

Matt,

It seems that it took the GOP a little longer to comment on the matter.

My guess is that the reason the response from the Democratic Party of Orange County took as long as it did has to do with the fact that, despite popular myth, Frank Barbaro is not a knee-jerk liberal. He gathers the information available and crafts a reasonable response.