Cardin wants robocall investigation
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin has asked Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate Election Day eve robocalls that encouraged Democrats not to vote. Cardin, a Democrat, said in a press release that the calls were "clearly intended to suppress voter turnout."
"Relax," the robocaller said in a message that went out about 90 minutes before polls closed on Tuesday. The automated caller assured that Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley had already won the race. "The only thing left is to watch on TV tonight."
Much has been made about the robocalls, which were followed up by an automated message from Rep. Elijah Cummings saying it was still important to vote.
In her column today, The Sun's Laura Vozzella questions whether they were a dirty trick by Republicans -- or Democrats. One conspiracy theory, she writes, is "that the Dems were behind both calls. That would make Republicans look bad, the theory goes, and increase Democratic turnout in the process."
Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler also has said he'll look into the matter.
In addition to his request to Holder, Cardin, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says he wants a hearing on deceptive voter practices that occured in the election cycle.








Comments
Robocalls stink, no matter what they say, and Cardin's robocalls when he ran were most offensive, expecially coming at dinner time and especially after being requested that they stop. What a grab for headlines! Deceptive voter practices? He should look to the lies in O'Malley's campaign ads.
Posted by: Bar | November 4, 2010 3:39 PM
Definitely on topic, Bar...
Anyway, whether the calls were from the Ehrlich camp, the Democrats setting up Ehrlich, or some third party group, they need to be investigated.
Posted by: Stating the obvious | November 4, 2010 3:58 PM
Does Laura have any proof? If not she should be fired. Go work for Ehrlich.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 4, 2010 4:06 PM
Can someone tell me why some Americans are so absorbed with their agendas and their need to force their goals and beliefs on others that they will lower human standards by lying (making up facts), altering (changing facts), stealing (removing campaign signs that do not suit their agenda), deceit (false robo calls) and finally violence (attacking those they disagree with politically)? This type of politics is getting worse every year and needs to stop. I fear for this country as greed, corruption and the manipulation of minds and attitudes have Americans voting against their own interst in the name of corporate greed and wealth for the 2% of our population. Are there answers out there?
Posted by: Liberal One | November 4, 2010 4:14 PM
talking about robots...
Both republicans and liberals are being spied by Hugo Chavez... here is the evidence
http://sites.google.com/site/whoisspying/home
pls stop it !!
Posted by: testbo | November 4, 2010 5:04 PM
So when they discover some left wing group or a demoncrat paid for the calls will they drop the demand for prosecution?
Posted by: JTF | November 4, 2010 5:46 PM
I want an investigation into dead voters, multiple voters, felons who voted illegally and CRIMINAL aliens who are not only supposed to be here but who also get to vote thanks to the Democrats.
Posted by: HarlanR | November 4, 2010 7:27 PM
Let's REALLY fix the issue (or at least reduce the number) and include political calls in the category of those "banned" by the "Do Not Call" list. It's a joke that politicians so brazenly and selfishly refuse to submit themselves to the same rules that they impose on others.
Posted by: Annoyed | November 4, 2010 8:42 PM
HarlanR, when you show us IRREFUTABLE evidence that any of those things happened, there will be an investigation.
Posted by: Randy Brown | November 4, 2010 8:49 PM
Hey Cardin, how about moving on and investigate why there are no jobs in Maryland? Moron! You have better things to do with your time than to find out it was actually a democratic group who made the calls in an effort to make the right look bad.
Posted by: SteveT | November 4, 2010 10:01 PM
Uh, Steve T- you might want to read the latest Sun article revealing that this was orchestrated by an Ehrlich operative before you start ranting. Who's the moron now??
Posted by: Enzo | November 5, 2010 10:37 AM
So when will Laura Vozzella apologize and retract her rumormongering -as expected it was a Bob Ehrlich/Julius Henson production.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 5, 2010 11:29 AM
Speaking of ethics investigations, I would like an investigation into the "Silver Spring Festival" and the Anne Arundel "fish fry." The Maryland Democratic Party offered free food to voters who cast early ballots and they did so immediately next door to the early voting precincts (ironically, also the precinct locations THEY selected). They were told in advance that this was considered illegal by the Maryland State Board of Elections, but they chose to ignore it. Of course they control the Board of Elections and therefore the punishment will be light, if any punishment is doled at all.
Ben Cardin is a liberal partisan hack. He's the worst kind of career politician because he doesn't care at all for integrity, but he's the first to claim he does when it benefits him. After 30 years in elected office, you think folks would tell him to put up or get out already!
Posted by: John | November 5, 2010 4:37 PM
All you crybaby Right wingers, Face it , Erlich just got caught and was exposed to what he relly is, A liar and a faker. He knew all about it, a few days before the election, he announced via of talk radio that he will be victorious on election nite. sounded to confident, that itself raised a flag to me.
Posted by: Greg | November 6, 2010 3:42 PM
Anonymous, I don't think Laura Vozzella has anything to apologize for. You might consider an apology yourself.
Posted by: Dahlink | November 7, 2010 7:33 AM