Rep Jim Moran's son resigns - voter fraud scandal

[y4m]

Patrick Moran, a son of Rep. Jim Moran, D-8th, resigned today as field director of his father's campaign after a conservative organization said it recorded him advising an undercover videographer how to commit election fraud.

Earlier today, Project Veritas, an organization led by activist James O'Keefe, released the video in which an undercover operative suggests a voter-fraud plan to the younger Moran. The operative said he wanted to cast ballots in the name of 100 voters who were registered but rarely voted.

In the video, Patrick Moran first expresses doubts about the plan but eventually tells the undercover volunteer to "look into it."

Tonight the Moran campaign issued the following statement:

"Patrick is well liked and was a well-respected member of the campaign team. This incident, however, was clearly an error in judgment. The campaign has accepted Patrick’s resignation, effective immediately."

Also today, the Virginia State Board of Elections asked Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to look into allegations of efforts to destroy voter registration applications.

A Pennsylvania man working for a company Republicans hired to conduct voter registration drives faces criminal charges in Rockingham County on allegations that he threw eight completed voter registration forms into the trash.

Colin Small of Phoenixville, Pa., has been charged with 13 counts of disclosure of voter registration information, destruction of voter applications, and obstruction of justice.

www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-politics/2012/oct/24/2/rep-morans-son-resigns-after-video-alleges-electio-ar-2309364/

[ESF]

MorAn.

WTF kind of idiot do you have to be to do this?

at least they are looking into those registrations that were tossed in the garbage. Last I read, the state had declined to investigate or prosecute.

[ESF]

Oct 24, 2012 17:48:07 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

EW! Wtf is wrong with people? Why is everyone so shady?!

What are the legal repercussions for this sort of stuff?

Well, he just discussed the fake idea. There's no evidence that he actually agreed to the plan. To be held liable for conspiracy most of the time, you need some kind of affirmative step towards completion that shows you intend for it to be carried out. Talking about the idea or requesting more information isn't evidence that you intend to commit a crime.

[arborgold]

Oct 24, 2012 17:52:11 GMT -5 ESF said:

Oct 24, 2012 17:48:07 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

EW! Wtf is wrong with people? Why is everyone so shady?!

What are the legal repercussions for this sort of stuff?

Well, he just discussed the fake idea. There's no evidence that he actually agreed to the plan. To be held liable for conspiracy most of the time, you need some kind of affirmative step towards completion that shows you intend for it to be carried out. Talking about the idea or requesting more information isn't evidence that you intend to commit a crime.

This.

Though it makes me sad that it was Moran's son. I like Moran, a lot. I've met and talked with him and his staff on quite a few issues.

[ttt]

OK here's the original video, so you can make your own judgment. The conversation in question starts at 8:20 something.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT77qP2Nai8

I don't think it quite portrays what they say it portrays. The guy comes up to him and basically reveals his plot to commit voter fraud, and Moran is like "uhh...well...I guess you could do that, but you should really just try to get these people to vote instead...so uh, okay..."

That said, the part about faking utility bills is pretty :-|

(I used to eat at that Cosi all the time lol)