A Black Panther, yes. Intimidation, no
John Sullivan reports: A Republican poll watcher called police to allege that two members of the New Black Panthers group were intimidating voters at the polls at 12th and Fairmount, according to an attorney working with the McCain campaign on election matters. But police and an investigator from the district attorney's office went to inquire and found no evidence of that, according to spokespeople for both offices. The Republican attorney, Lovida H. Coleman Jr., said one of the alleged intimidators had a nightstick and was asked to leave the location by police. In a video posted on a site called electionjournal.org, police can been seen asking a man with what looked like a nightstick to leave. "I think it had the appearance of being a serious issue," Coleman said, "but I have not found evidence of any specific harm to anyone." Another Panther at the scene this afternoon, Jerry Jackson, said he was there to protect voters, not intimidate them. "I'm making sure that media agitation does not disturb voters," said Jackson, a member of the 14th Ward Democratic Committee who had permission to be there, according to election officials at the scene. Overall, the D.A.'s office had received 45 calls about a variety of complaints by mid-afternoon compared to 72 at the same time in 2004, according to spokeswoman Cathy Abookire. "It's been remarkably quiet," she said. Peter Berson, the supervisor at the DA’s election complaint unit, said he had received calls from reporters from as far away as Chicago about this unsubstantiated report of intimidation. Click here for Philly.com's politics page.
A Black Panther, yes. Intimidation, no
John Sullivan reports:
A Republican poll watcher called police to allege that two members of the New Black Panthers group were intimidating voters at the polls at 12th and Fairmount, according to an attorney working with the McCain campaign on election matters.
But police and an investigator from the district attorney's office went to inquire and found no evidence of that, according to spokespeople for both offices.
The Republican attorney, Lovida H. Coleman Jr., said one of the alleged intimidators had a nightstick and was asked to leave the location by police. In a video posted on a site called electionjournal.org, police can been seen asking a man with what looked like a nightstick to leave.
"I think it had the appearance of being a serious issue," Coleman said, "but I have not found evidence of any specific harm to anyone."
Another Panther at the scene this afternoon, Jerry Jackson, said he was there to protect voters, not intimidate them.
"I'm making sure that media agitation does not disturb voters," said Jackson, a member of the 14th Ward Democratic Committee who had permission to be there, according to election officials at the scene.
Overall, the D.A.'s office had received 45 calls about a variety of complaints by mid-afternoon compared to 72 at the same time in 2004, according to spokeswoman Cathy Abookire.
"It's been remarkably quiet," she said.
Peter Berson, the supervisor at the DA’s election complaint unit, said he had received calls from reporters from as far away as Chicago about this unsubstantiated report of intimidation.
Click here for Philly.com's politics page.
Great,just great.Get ready for 4 years of this.— bednarick
Comment removed.- "I'm making sure that media agitation does not disturb voters," said Jackson, a member of the 14th Ward Democratic Committee who had permission to be there, according to election officials at the scene. LOL, now that is a classic, we have the NBP Party regulating the media to prevent "agitation", and the Philadelphia Media supine and compliant downplays the obvious racial implications of white voter intimidation. Not only do the Dems rule the City, but they obviously also control the Daily News and Inquirer. Hey, Harold Jackson, Annette John-Hall and Fatima Ali lets see your opinion columns on this.— BucksBoy
- No evidence? So let me understand this, the DA went an interviewed all those voters who were intimidated and turned away. Right. Granny didn't get to vote!!!— The Clear
- This is the guy you did an article on last week saying to kill all the white people. Yeah him verbally harrassing people (per witnesses), yeah no problem.— dan19148
- Where is the evidence these guys were there to intimidate voters? If you look objectively at the facts, at least those available in the stories, it seems clear that they were there to intimidate those who would intimidate voters.— rlinsk
- disgusting behavior by those panthers. but not nearly as disgusting as the widespread effort to rig this election in favor of the GOP in swing states. like in virginia where voters in college towns were turned down at their polling places by the TENS OF THOUSANDS and told to go to other locations.— Ryan
- All I can say is get ready for 'Black History Month' every month of the year if Obama gets in. Time to move out of the country...— barkley3407
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yeah, scary looking guys smacking nightsticks in their hands constitutes no threat.— fgomarty- Right there with you, Hulkster. I'm a white Obama supporter, and I would run like HELL away from a polling place with these two in front of it, and armed no less! And one is a local Democratic committee member? I'll be voting against Nutter in the next election if thugs like these two continue to set his agenda.— ugh0987
- tr88, per KYW, someone hacked into George Mason U's e-mail and said, under the guise of the DNC, that students should vote tomorrow. FBI is getting involved. Also, Grinnell College students in Iowa were being harrassed by repubs saying they didn't put down the school's individual PO box #s, just the collective one, even though that's what they were told to do. Flyers distributed in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods sayonmg to avoid lines, vote on 11/5. Two goofballs at one polling place versus attempts to disenfranchise hundreds. Why do republicans hate America so?— mike l
- Listen up ya'll. I'm from Virginia, as you guys call us, "Southerners," and "Hicks" Well Ya'll are acting like you live in the boonies back in the early days of America. This is 2008, get over it. I stood in line for 5 hours and EVERYONE was together, talking..Black, White, ETC..Democrat, Republican-some inbetween and Philly is the place of "Brotherly Love"? ....Okay. And if you think that either candidate can change all this nonsense..? OOOOKAAAAY. Keep On Dreamin Dreamers..May the BEST man win..And whoever said If you voted for Obama--this is what we will get. Come on Now...Grow Up and Face Reality..— VA757
- Hey everyone what about Nutter's quote on action news at 6pm: These guys are just wearing uniforms. Please flood action news website complaining their allowance of Nutter to get away with an absurd remark for treating us dumb. I dont think he would feel that way if there were neo-nazis or KKK members outside of the polling stations. Sounds like Nutter is no different than his predecessor, the racist John Street: The brothers and sisters are in charge.— Jes44
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Thomas Fitzgerald joined The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000, and has covered Harrisburg as well as city, state and national politics for the newspaper. He was a “boy on the bus” in the 2004 presidential campaign and during primary contests in 2000 and 1996.
Nathan Gorenstein has covered politics and government in the city, state and nation for the Inquirer. He's worked in the city hall bureau, had a stint on the business desk, and once covered the suburbs. After serving as assistant regional editor, he was named editor of the "Politics" web site.
