Top Republican: "questionable" that Philly turnout was so high
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Top Republican: "questionable" that Philly turnout was so high
The day after election day is supposed to be a time for the parties to kiss and make up.
Not today. Not in Pennsylvania.
A war of words, of sorts, has broken out after Republican House Speaker Sam Smith seemed to suggest today that turnout in some Philadelphia precincts was "staggering" - almost too high to believe.
"You know I was told that 90 percent of the precincts in Philadelphia County turned out over 90 percent of voters," said Smith, of Jefferson County.
Asked to explain his comments, Smith added: "I’m saying 90 percent of the precincts turning out 90 percent of the voters is ... It’s questionable. I know counties where the people work their tail off trying to get people to come out to vote and they don’t hit 90 percent in 90 percent of the precincts."
Asked whether he was saying there was fraud, Smith replied: "Maybe a good investigative reporter could track some of that down."
As Smith was talking, House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny) was, not-so-subtly, trying to end the line of questioning. He stood up. He called out the name of GOP spokesman Steve Miskin, in hopes, no doubt, the latter would put an end to it. He tapped his fingers on his leg.
But Smith was already off.
And then, so were Democrats.
Democratic Senator Vincent Hughes, of Philadelphia, called those comments "offensive," "outrageous" and borderline racist.
He called Republicans "dinosaurs," and said Philadelphians came out to vote because they were tired of "hard-right" Republican agenda.
"If they believe there was a corruption of the process, then go to court and challenge it. Show the people of Pennsylvania," said Hughes. "Beyond that, shut up."
Smith's math does not add up or not. Overall, voter turnout in Philadelphia was around 60 percent, according to state election figures. For Smith to be right, 90 percent of voters in 90 percent of precincts would have meant turnout of more than 80 percent.
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The GOP has itself to blame their voter ID trick backfired— kevinhjr- I think that voter fraud and stuffing ballot boxes in traditionally low turnout prestincts like in pre-Obama black neighborhoods was routine. Therefore, I take this allegation seriously and not just sour grapes. I wish someone would investigate.
— DarnelX - Sam Smith sounds like a 10th grade graduate like Tom Smith.
Sam is wrong on fact to state that Philly had 90% turn out when in fact it was just 60%.
Sam was also wrong on math as 90% of 90% is only 80%; not 90%.
Where does GOP find these morons?— Seed1 - GOP being called dinosaur is deregatory to some species of dinosaurs.
Some of the dinosaurs were smar ter— Seed1 - Californians actually voted to increase their taxes.
ObamaCare is here to stay and most likely will become increasingly popular with a growing demand for single payor.
The next few Supreme Court Justices will be exclusively selected by a Democrat President and a Democrat Senate. This includes District court judges, where Republicans can no longer filibuster and say "no" for eight years. Many of these judges will probably invalidate any voting plan that GOP Republican PA House Speaker Sam Smith can create.
A debt/deficit plan will be enacted with "revenue".
Congress will "PASS THIS BILL" of September 8, 2011 and allow Public jobs to join the prosperity of Wall Street that more than doubled in value since Obama has been President.
Obama has another four years to articulate the Democrat vision of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
There are more people in one four sided block of North Philly than in four square miles in Bucks County...
...Did I mention the Puerto Ricans?
— Cuddles - This isn't a third world country. The idea that we still vote without proper identification is obscene.— erikmartin2
- No, this is the United State where the right to vote has been respected for hundreds of years - at least until Republicans decided to turn it into a method for voter suppression.
I'm just waiting for the thousands of reports of voter fraud which are sure to arise because PA residents didn't have to show ID.
Guess having to give my address and sign and have my signature compared isn't quite enough to ensure what?
That Republicans are so sleazy that they will do anything to suppress voting is what's obscene.— tsdguy - Typical liberal that attacks without any facts. ID reqmnts are not suppression tactics -it is common sense. Is requiring IDs to buy beer, get married, apply for a passport, register your car, apply for a loan, when you are pulled over for speeding, all a form of suppression or as some liberals state "racist"? Voter suppression is displayed by democrats (like the black panthers with clubs in front of voting precints). We can not trust democrats to play by the rules. That is because they believe the ends justify the means. Republicans believe means are just as important as the ends. That is why they will lose many elections- they stand on principals- and most will never even consider stooping as low as the democrats in ripping apart their opposition. Unfortunately, many people are motivated by great orators and can be easily swung in the direction of the power of a great speaker. Plato once said he despised 2 types of people: orators and actors. Be careful how you accumulate your knowledge. Is it earned knowledge or handed to you? If the latter, make sure regarding the person delivering your reality, his/her motives are pure! — john3377
- The very good thing about the voter ID law was that it would have demonstrated more conclusively if there had been voter fraud or if there had not been voter fraud. Now we are still relegated to the same old suspicions.
One also has to ask if those few people who had claimed so loudly that they were unable to get an ID in the nine months before the election, actually voted...or was that all smoke screen? Would be useful to know.
After every election there are these suspicions and somehow it would be good to end the concerns about fraud.
Perhaps we should look how Oregon does all their voting by mail. Seems simple, cheaper and maybe less open to fraud?— GAC - How many times do we have to go over this? This type of "in person" voter fraud doesn't exist. The state admitted as much. Even if it did, it would be an incredably stupid way to steal an election. You would risk a felony and jail time for ONE additional vote. It's not worth the trouble, and just not realistic on any scale large enough to effect an election. You would need to forge a complete stranger's signature, and you would need thousands and thousands of people to do it.
- Right-wingers keep engaging in allegations and insinuation and for decades have almost no cases of 'voter fraud' and absolutely zero cases of it on any kind of appreciable scale. Look at just one example: low-income seniors originally from out of state trying to get decades old birth certificates in order to get an ID. This is a real problem and the idea that ANYONE could lose their constitutional right to vote because of unfounded fears and allegations is the real obscenity.— scottabc
- GOP lost b/c it only appeals to 2 demographics. 1/ old white men 2/ gun lovers. Why on earth would a woman vote for Republican when the part is against ALL types of abortions even those due to rape. Why would gays vote for them the GOP doesn't recognize them as people..list goes on ....if you are pro education, pro environment pro equal rights and for women rights ...Democratic party is your only choice. GOP reminds me of the Catholic church...you must open your eyes and minds and update your beliefs. The ones you have now are dated and unrealistic.— RealizticFan
- This comment has been deleted.— raptorial
- Google: Nathan Sproul, or Strategic Allied Consulting. Voter fraud most certainly does exist, but Acorn and the Democrats are not guilty of it. The RepubliCons hired these thugs to suppress the democratic vote, and they got caught... Again.
- Yeah, when the minority party poll observers are forcibly evicted from polling areas for hours, who knows what went on. Damn right its questionable.— rudytbone
