Voter Fraud in the Tennessee General Assembly - Who is Speaking for You?

Nashville's WTVF News Channel 5 reporter Jennifer Kraus has broken a story that might be the most sensational yet for this session of the Tennessee General Assembly - the fact that our elected lawmakers have an established practice of casting votes for one another. In fact, this practice is so established that many lawmakers have hand made widdled sticks on hand that they use to push their missing neighbor's button of "aye" or "nay" to vote (or "present" during roll call). They use the sticks so that they do not even have to rise from their seats when casting vote after vote after vote after vote for their missing colleagues. Votes that affect the lives of millions of people.

Jennifer Kraus reports:

Last year, Tennessee lawmakers passed the controversial voter ID law aimed at eliminating voter fraud.
At the time the legislation was up for consideration, Rep. Debra Maggart, R-Hendersonville, told other House members, "You should be who you say you are when you go vote."
But when it comes to their own votes, we found House members not only vote for themselves, they also vote for others who are not in their seats. And, sometimes, believe it or not, they even vote for members who are not even there.
Political watchdog and radio talk show host Steve Gill had no idea this was going on.
"I think this is a fraud on the taxpayers," Gill told NewsChannel 5 Investigates. "I think this is a fraud on the people of Tennessee.
"That's not what they were sent there to do."
But Rep. Dale Ford, R-Jonesborough, insists it's no big deal.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked Ford, "You don't think this is important?"
"No," he replied. "This is neither illegal or immoral. There's nothing wrong with it. It's done all of the time."
It's such a common practice in the House, in fact, that many lawmakers have sticks they use to reach each others' voting buttons.

Chattanooga Times Free Press editorialist David Cook wrote a piece describing the use of sticks by the Tennessee State Legislature as a dropkick "right in the ballots":

The most insulting part is the message this sends. The hubris. You, Elected Representative, are voting on things that affect millions of lives. The price of college. The existence of life-saving social services. I think about the good folks at Taft Youth Center who are about to lose their jobs.

They deserve better.

I wonder how many people ghost-stick-voted to pass the controversial voter ID law. You know, to prevent fraud.

I wonder how many people ghost-stick-voted to pass the law requiring welfare recipients to get drug tested.

You know, to make sure they’re not taking advantage of the system.

Cook says he has been calling our area representatives to get their reactions. To ask them what they think about this well established practice. I recommend you do the same.

The following Tennessee State Legislators voted for the law that requires voters to present a state-issued identification when casting a vote - a law which creates completely unnecessary barriers between the ballot and poor people, working people, people of color and students - for the ostensible purpose of ensuring the sanctity of the one person one vote rule. Let them know how you feel about their hypocrisy:

Majority Leader, Rep. Gerald McCormick:
(615) 741-2548
rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Jim Cobb
(423) 365-4848
(615) 741-1450
rep.jim.cobb@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Vince Dean
(615) 741-1934
rep.vince.dean@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Richard Floyd
(615) 741-2746
rep.richard.floyd@capitol.tn.gov

Senator Bo Watson
(615) 253-0280
sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov

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