NRSC

Will Ohio’s Secretary Of State Jennifer Brunner Finally Denounce ACORN?

After being censured by Congress and stripped of all federal funding,  the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has surrendered its license to operate in the key swing state of Ohio as part of a court settlement today.

Yet despite these disconcerting developments, Ohio’s chief election officer and Democrat Senate hopeful Jennifer Brunner (D-OH) has failed to disavow the organization thus far.

Brunner has close ties to ACORN, having previously hired an operative from their organization as one of her campaign consultants in 2006. Two years later in 2008, Brunner defended ACORN's actions and claimed there was no evidence of voter fraud in 2008, despite strong evidence to the contrary.

“In light of today’s news, will Ohio’s Secretary of State and Democrat Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner continue to stand by ACORN, or will she finally denounce their unethical and illegal activities?” asked National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Marchand. “Brunner has stayed silent on this critical issue for far too long, and as she seeks a promotion this November, voters in the Buckeye State deserve to know whether she stands with them or whether she will continue to stand with ACORN.”

Background Information:

ACORN Surrendered Its License To Operate In Ohio As Part Of A Court Settlement. “The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now will permanently surrender its Ohio business license by June1 as part of a legal settlement with the conservative Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, both sides said yesterday. (James Nash, “ACORN Is Out Of Ohio’s Elections,” The Columbus Dispatch, 3/11/10)

• Two Warren County Residents Teamed With The Buckeye Institute To Sue ACORN Over Their Involvement In Ohio’s 2008 Elections. “The Buckeye Institute's 1851 Center for Constitutional Law teamed with two Warren County residents to sue ACORN in Warren County Common Pleas Court just before the 2008 election.” (James Nash, “ACORN Is Out Of Ohio’s Elections,” The Columbus Dispatch, 3/11/10)

• The Residents Claimed That Their Right To Vote Was Infringed Upon By ACORN’s Fraudulent Voter Registrations. “The residents alleged that their rights were abridged by thousands of fraudulent voter registrations, each representing ‘a potential illegal vote that has the capacity to dilute (legitimate) votes.’” (James Nash, “ACORN Is Out Of Ohio’s Elections,” The Columbus Dispatch, 3/11/10)

ACORN's Fraudulent Operations In Ohio:

ACORN’s Voter Registration Network Admitted That It “Cannot Eliminate Fraud From Its Operation.” A national voter-registration group admitted to Cuyahoga County election officials Tuesday that it cannot eliminate fraud from its operation.  The group blamed inefficiency and lack of recourses for problems such as being unable to spot duplicate voter-registration cards or cards that may have been filled out by workers to make quotas. (Joe Guillen, “Voter-Registration Can’t Be Totally Fraud-Free, Group Says,” Plain Dealer, 10/7/08)

ACORN Took Advantage Of Brunner’s Directive Providing For Same-Day Voting, Resulting In Widespread Voter Fraud. “Brunner’s five-day ‘golden week’ allowed anyone to register and vote on the same day, offering a blank-check for voter fraud groups such as ACORN, which registered one voter 73 times.”(Peter Bronson, Op-Ed, “Ohio Is Lucky 2008 Election Was Not Within The Margin Of Corruption,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, 12/18/09)

• “I Signed 73 Times, Got A Cigarette Every Time I Put Down My Name,” Said Worker Randy Kinney, Bringing Up One Of The Much Publicized Local Voter-Registration Problems Being Investigated By The County Elections Board.” (Mary Pat Flaherty, “In Ohio, Wary Eyes on Election Process,” The Washington Post, 10/30/08)

The Same-Day Voting Allowed For ACORN To Register A Man To Vote Multiple Times, With Fake Information.  “Investigators probing ACORN have learned that an Ohio man registered to vote several times and cast a bogus ballot with a fake address, officials said yesterday . . . .”  (Jeane MacIntosh and Maggie Haberman, “Bogus Voter Booted Amid Probe Of ACORN,” The New York Post, 10/14/08)

• Brunner’s Directive Allowed A Fraudulent Voter Easy Access To Commit Fraud. “Nash breezed into Ohio election offices - the state allows early voting for President - re-registered with a fake address and cast a paper ballot, officials said. ‘He came in on 9/30 and Mr. Nash again registered to vote at [someone else’s] address, and he cast a ballot,’ said board official Jane Platten.” (Jeane MacIntosh and Maggie Haberman, “Bogus Voter Booted Amid Probe Of ACORN,” The New York Post, 10/14/08)

Brunner Said That There Was No Evidence Of Voter Fraud In Ohio’s 2008 Elections:

• When Asked If She Has Any Information Regarding Voter Fraud In Ohio, Brunner Replied “There Are A Number Of, Basically, Allegations That Don’t Have Any Evidence To Support Them.” (Fox News Channel’s “On The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” 10/10/08)

• “Brunner Said Reports Of Widespread Voter Fraud In Ohio Are Overblown.  ‘I Don’t Believe There Is An Effort Under Way To Steal The Election.”’ (Darrel Rowland, “Questionable Registrations: Fork Over Voter List, Judges Tell Brunner,” The Columbus Dispatch, 10/15/08)

However, There Were Numerous Instances Of Voter Fraud In Ohio:

• “In Hamilton County, 17 People Are Registered To Vote From Riverfront Addresses South Of Mehring Way - Places With Street Numbers That Would Put Their Homes Somewhere In The Ohio River.” (Gregory Korte, “Glitches Abound In Ohio Voter Rolls,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/19/08)

• “Another 46 Voters Are Registered At Addresses That Would Put Their Homes In The Middle Of The Paul Brown Stadium Parking Lot, Or At The Riverfront Project Known As The Banks - Which Hasn’t Been Built.” (Gregory Korte, “Glitches Abound In Ohio Voter Rolls,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/19/08)

• “Thousands Of Voters Appear On Registration Lists Twice - Some As Many As Six Times.” (Gregory Korte, “Glitches Abound In Ohio Voter Rolls,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/19/08)

• “At Least 589 Registered Voters - Mostly In Franklin And Cuyahoga Counties - Were Born In 1991 Or Later, Which Puts Them Under The Legal Voting Age.” (Gregory Korte, “Glitches Abound In Ohio Voter Rolls,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/19/08)

• “Voters Are Registered At Post Office Boxes, Office Buildings With No Residences, Police Stations And Even Park Benches.” (Gregory Korte, “Glitches Abound In Ohio Voter Rolls,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/19/08)

Brunner Hired An ACORN Operative As A Consultant To Her Campaign:

Karyn Gillette, A Director Of ACORN’s Voter Registration Network, Was A Paid Consultant On Brunner’s 2006 Campaign. “Karyn Gillette, development director of Project Vote, worked as a paid campaign consultant for four months for Brunner during her 2006 campaign.” (Andrew Welsh-Huggins, “Ohio Elections Chief: Scrap State’s Voter Database,” The Associated Press, 10/30/08) 

• Gillette Was The National Development Director For Project Vote In 2008. “Karyn Gillette, a Cleveland-based fund-raiser for Democratic candidates and liberal causes, (including Tim Hagan, Jane Campbell and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner) has signed on as national development director of Project Vote in Washington, D.C. She starts June 1 and will be charged with raising money with an eye toward the 2008 presidential election.”  (Michael McIntyre, “Italy’s Ex-Prime Minister Plagued By Porcine Manners,” Plain Dealer, 3/19/07)

• “Patrick Gallaway, Brunner’s Spokesman, Said Gillette Worked For Brunner’s Campaign Five Months In 2006 . . . .” (William Hershey, “Brunner Says Elections Officials Ready To Handle Heavy Voter Turnout,” Dayton Daily News, 10/31/08)

On Her 2006 Campaign Website, Brunner’s Husband Identifies Karyn Gillette As Brunner’s Consultant. “We were accompanied by our consultant, Karyn Gillette.” (Jennifer Brunner Campaign Website Blog, “Cleveland, Ohio,” www.jenniferbrunner.com/blog/entry/, Cache Accessed 3/9/09, As It Appeared On 2/13/09)

• On Her 2006 Campaign Website, Brunner’s Husband Writes That Brunner Worked Out Of  Karyn Gillette’s Office. “Our candidate had gone earlier in the day to have some meetings and work out of Karyn Gillette’s office. . . .” (Jennifer Brunner Campaign Website Blog, “Cleveland, Ohio,” www.jenniferbrunner.com/blog/entry/, Cache Accessed 3/9/09, As It Appeared On 2/13/09)

• Brunner’s Husband Says That Gillette Has Been “Very Helpful To The Campaign.” (Jennifer Brunner Campaign Website Blog, “Cleveland, Ohio,” www.jenniferbrunner.com/blog/entry/, Cache Accessed 3/9/09, As It Appeared On 2/13/09)

Brunner Paid A Total Of $21,250 In Consulting Fees To Karyn Gillette’s Firm, KG Associates, Inc., During Her 2006 Campaign.http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/pls/portal/!PORTAL_CF.CF_QRY_CAND_EXPAND.show, Accessed 3/3/09) (The Ohio Secretary of State Website,