USA Today ran a story about the New Hampshire Republican scheme to jam the phones to keep the New Hampshire Democrats from voting in 2002. Here's an excerpt from the story.
The records show that Bush campaign operative James Tobin, who recently was convicted in the case, made two dozen calls to the White House within a three-day period around Election Day 2002--as the phone jamming operation was finalized, carried out and then abruptly shut down. The national Republican Party, which paid millions in legal bills to defend Tobin, says the contacts involved routine election business and that it was 'preposterous' to suggest the calls involved phone jamming. The Justice Department has secured three convictions in the case but hasn't accused any White House or national Republican officials of wrongdoing.... The phone records of calls to the White House were exhibits in Tobin's trial but prosecutors did not make them part of their case. ... Virtually al lthe calls to the White House went to the same number, which currently rings inside the political affairs office. In 2002, White House political affairs was led by now-RNC chairman Ken Mehlman.
You can find the full story at this link.
What this story suggests is just one more tawdry detail in the Republican Party's willingness to trade integrity for power, competence for chronyism, and sound governmental policies for corporate welfare. Why is it that these factually proven cases of corruption are not being talked about on the television and radio news channels day after day? The media spend hours talking about sensational crimes, but not about these sensational political crimes that so direly threaten democracy across the country. The potential involvement of White House personnel in election dirty tricks out to be explored. Why aren't reporters asking about this story at White House press conferences?
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