This was no swipe at George Bush or republicans in general, but if you think everybody serving in these positions are republicans, or are sympathetic to the Bush administration, I have a bridge you might be interested in purchasing. ;-}

Hmmmmm. I wonder who appointed these paragons of justice to their esteemed positions. And in southern California, no less.

The Republicans here – send out the usual stuff – here I am, here is what I stand for. Even the guy who is attempting to unseat our incumbent Rep – sent one of those flyers – but not Obama – he is into milking the system to the end.

I don’t like how my state has allowed anyone and everyone to vote absentee – but they have done everything to turn OH blue – so this is just another step in that attempt. I can’t wait to election day – going to be a long day for me (I’m a poll worker) but it will be fun. . .My first Presidential election. I can’t do much, but I won’t sit on the sidelines and do nothing.

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/20.....t-879.html

Former Congressional Candidate Indicted on Federal Obstruction of Justice Charge

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Santa Ana, Calif., indicted former congressional candidate Tan Nguyen on a federal obstruction of justice charge today, announced Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, and Thomas P. O’Brien, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. The indictment alleges that Nguyen made misleading statements to investigators regarding a letter that was sent to Latino voters in the 47th Congressional District of the State of California prior to the November 2006 federal elections. At the time the letter was sent, Nguyen was running to represent the Orange County-based district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The grand jury alleged that Nguyen knowingly misled state investigators who were investigating the circumstances surrounding the mailing of the letter. The indictment also alleges that Nguyen’s actions were intended to prevent communication to federal law enforcement officers of information relating to Nguyen’s involvement in the production and dissemination of the letter and to whether the letter violated federal election laws, including interfering with the federally protected right to vote in federal elections.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted, Nguyen faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Nguyen will receive a summons to appear in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana for his initial appearance and post-indictment arraignment on Oct.14, 2008.

This continuing investigation is being conducted jointly by the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case is being investigated by Special Agent Julie McWilliams of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney James Walsh, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Waier of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The existence of some letters was substantiated.

The claim that this was a “calculated efforts to disenfranchise voters” was not.

In fact, the California Attorney General rejected that claim.

Nah, couldn’t happen. I’m just cynical.

the text of the actual letter (translated) is as follows:

“You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time, and you will be deported for voting without having a right to do so.”
“At the same time, you are advised that the government of the United States is installing a new computer system to verify the names of all new registered voters that vote in the October and November elections. Anti-immigration organizations can ask for information from this new voting system.”

readers can decide for themselves if the letter seems intimidating or misleading. It seems like the “or you are an immigrant” part is what was controversial. It implies that as a naturalized immigrant, you can’t vote. Ironically, that would be one of the first things that one would have to understand if they passed the citizenship test. In any case, the local GOP condemned the letter and asked for Nguyen to resign his candidacy.