Brunner: Federal Law Requires Me To Have a System for Double-Checking Registrations in Place, But Does Not Actually Require Me to Double-Check Them or Use That System

So I won't.

More: Brunner tied to ACORN.

Brunner's Tie to ACORN Official Raises New Questions

Project Vote director who advised Brunner allegedly worked with Obama campaign

(Columbus) - Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's connection to a top ACORN official raises troubling new questions about her refusal to disclose at least 200,000 questionable voter registrations being held by her office.

An investigation into ACORN's alleged fraudulent election activity revealed on Wednesday that one of its national directors, Karyn Gillette, collaborated with the Obama campaign to raise funds for the group's voter registration efforts.

Gillette is identified on Jennifer Brunner's 2006 campaign website as a consultant to Brunner, and a blog entry filed by Brunner's husband Rick adds that "our candidate had gone earlier in the day to have some meetings and work out of Karyn Gillette's office." Rick Brunner also describes Gillette as "very helpful to the campaign."

According to campaign finance reports, Gillette, a longtime fundraising consultant to Ohio Democrats, was paid $21,250 by Brunner's campaign.

An ACORN whistleblower testified in a Pennsylvania state court on Wednesday that "in November 2007 Project Vote development director Karyn Gillette told her she had direct contact with the Obama campaign and had obtained their donor lists." Project Vote is the voter registration arm of ACORN. (Wall Street Journal, 10/29/08)

"Jennifer Brunner's ties to a top ACORN official, who is also accused of collaborating with the Obama campaign, suggest she's orchestrating a cover-up to protect her friends," said Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine. "This group has publicly testified that it's members engage in fraudulent election activity, and at least one voter said he was persuaded by ACORN to cast a bogus ballot. It's time for Jennifer Brunner to stop the concealing the evidence and start restoring confidence in the integrity of Ohio's election."

Gillette is not Brunner's only tie to ACORN. Members of the group's voter registration arm, Project Vote, regularly advise Brunner on election strategy, previously serving on her Voter Rights Institute and even recently issuing a news release claiming credit for Brunner's directive banning challenges to suspected fraudulent voter registrations.

That's a press release, but I should note that Bonnie used her Google-Fu and sent me this tip an hour ago.

Nice, Bonnie.

posted by Ace at 09:03 PM

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