AUGUSTA, Maine — Outgoing Maine Republican Party Chairman Charlie Webster plans to investigate claims that “dozens of black people” who were unfamiliar to municipal officials voted Nov. 6 in rural Maine towns.
Webster, who will step down Dec. 1 after four years as Maine GOP chairman, first mentioned the questionable voter activity 16 minutes into a 21-minute interview Tuesday with Don Carrigan of WCSH-TV in Portland.
“In some parts of the state, there were dozens of black people who came in to vote,” Webster said. “Nobody in town knew them.”
When Carrigan pressed Webster to identify the towns, the Maine Republican Party chairman only specified that they were small rural towns.
In a phone interview Wednesday, Webster told the BDN that he plans to send “several thousand” postcards with a photo of the State House to the addresses of voters who registered on Election Day as a way to investigate potential voter fraud.
“They’ll go out in first-class mail,” he said. “I don’t expect people to respond to the question. The concept behind this is to see if they are returned. This is a reasonably inexpensive effort by me to settle the question” of whether people travel to Maine communities to vote fraudulently.
If cards come back as undeliverable, Webster believes it will prove his theory that people travel to Maine to vote fraudulently.
The Maine Republican Party paid for the postcards and postage, Webster said.
“One of the reasons people think there’s a problem is that they don’t know these people when they come in to vote,” he said. “Several pockets in the state had unusually high numbers of new voters, and the selectmen and town clerks did not know who they are.”
Webster bristled at the notion that his probe is racially motivated.
“It’s not about being black or Spanish or Chinese,” he said. “Every election I hear that hundreds of unfamiliar people come in to vote. It’s unfortunate that people will use the issue of being black. If you lived in a small town, you would know that if [an unfamiliar] black person or Chinese person comes to vote, it would seem odd.”
Maine People’s Alliance communications director Mike Tipping issued a statement Wednesday condemning Webster’s actions. “First it was union members, then it was college students, now it’s African Americans,” Tipping wrote. “Every one of the outlandish and offensive claims Chairman Webster has made in an attempt to restrict voting rights has proven to be completely untrue. I look forward to the day, coming very soon, when he is no longer given a public platform to launch his conspiracy theories.”
Webster has crusaded against alleged voter fraud throughout his tenure at the helm of the Maine Republican Party. In July 2011, he produced a list of 206 college students from out of state as grounds for a voter fraud investigation by the Maine secretary of state’s office. In September 2011, Secretary of State Charlie Summers reported that investigators turned up no fraud resulting from Webster’s list.
In June 2011, Webster also accused Democrats of stealing elections and busing people to the polls to sway outcomes. No charges resulted from that allegation.
Webster said he planned to send postcards to voters who registered on Election Day two years ago, but that the plan fizzled amid the euphoria over Republican victories in legislative and gubernatorial elections.
In the interview with Carrigan, Webster also labeled presumptive Maine Senate President Justin Alfond, D-Portland, a socialist and said that Maine will have the “most liberal legislature in the country” when Democrats return to majority status in January.
He told Carrigan he believes Democrats “represent Portland” and that “Republicans will start winning elections when people who drive trucks start voting Republican.”
State Rep. Richard Cebra, a Republican from Naples who could not seek re-election because of term limits, has emailed Maine Republican Party state committee members to express his interest in succeeding Webster. State Rep. Beth O’Connor, R-Berwick, who lost her re-election bid this year, also has been mentioned as being interested in the position.
What an a**
And not a very smart a**. When you go in to vote you give your residence (i.e. 123 Main Street, Faketown). That doesn’t mean you get mail at 123 Main Street, your mailing address could be PO Box 321, Faketown. So he’s going to get hundreds of these pictures back, scream fraud, have another investigation launched, and end up with egg on his face. AGAIN.
The voter registration cards require both physical address and mailing address (if different) so I’m assuming he’s sending them to the mailing addresses listed. When you step up to get your ballots, you state your physical address.
One may have a physical address in one town and receive their mail in another where it’s more convenient. I have done that in the past when I lived in areas where it was either out of the way to get to the post office in my town, or where there was no post office in my town. Why is it that, according to the TeaPubs, the only reason that they lost must be becaus of fraud. I thought they were the party of personal responsibility, so why aren’t they OWNING the responsibility for the fact that the majority of the people of Maine, and the majority of Americans, voted against their regressive policies and ideologies?
Perhaps because it was a smaller majority than 4 years ago?
I was still a larger majority than Bush got in his two elections
That is funny because I had to use my mothers mailing address in my town the post office ran out of mailboxes at the office and they would not deliver on my road because of the hill and the treacherous road conditions in winter and mud season. So you are absolutely right unless you send it registered mail and require a signature. I wonder “who” would pay for that. Maybe Chuckles Party they must have tons of money left over from not having to throw that big big BIG VICTORY party. ROFLMA!
Maybe they could use all the fireworks the Romney campaign had purchased for their victory pary (as they knew it was a sure thing!!)
Wow. I’d like to be able to say that this is a new low, but… yeah, actually, it is a new low. Randomly and for no evident reason including the race card in a repeat of the tired old “Democrats bus in ringers” lie plumbs fresh depths.
Those who protest the loudest are usually the ones trying to cover bad behavior. Guess the Dems should have cried foul 2 years ago. There is always a gracious winner and loser … oh wait that was last century.
Democrats aren’t protesting. They are just pointing out what a dishonest specimen this man is. It is blatantly clear he has some deep seated issues.
Um, it’s Webster, the GOP fool who is protesting – and loudly. He makes it clear that any black person voting at all is suspicious, period. And that’s unAmerican and unconstitutional.
It isn’t just Democrats who are talking- or as you say it, “protesting.” EVERYONE should be “protesting” his racist and untrue comments.
Well okay, so isn’t it Mr. Charley protesting so loudly ?
Charlie told me that it is even worse than he has thus far revealed: Thousands of extra-terrestrials were able to vote in other small unnamed Maine towns! Beefy Hispanic voters intimidated Republicans from voting in other small unnamed Maine towns! One hundred thousand Canadians flooded across the border to vote and thereby bring Canadian-style “socialism” to our poor struggling country!
Charlie’s solution is simple: any potential voter not recognized by a Republican poll watcher must prove to the satisfaction of that Republican poll watcher that he was not born in Kenya. If the poll-watcher is not satisfied, the potential voter cannot vote.
Webster’s tactic stoops to the low of the infamous Senator Joe McCarthy. And so we can say to him as well:
“Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last have you left no sense of decency?”
Agreed!
If the GOP had any sense of decency, they’d fire this clown today.
They won’t fire him, they will take up his cause and believe every word without facts.
Definitely. McCarthy clearly comes to mind. Shameful…sick….demented….the word preposterous is not strong enough!
http://youtu.be/493pL_Vbtnc
LOL
The teapublicans will back you up on that. One neighbor, just back from Florida, and sporting a deluxe tan, was forced to show his birth certificate.
I am a republican who voted, with careful thought, for Barack Obama to be re-elected President of the United States of America. And I did so, while knowing full well, that it is just as likely as not that he is a Kenyan, rather than a Hawaiian-born American.
At least, he is not some alien-decendent Mormon!
That, I simply could not accept.
And, that is probably where Mr. Webster and I differ.
It seems that he could.
I, instead, prefer being represented by someone who descends from people of planet Earth.
I wonder if Charlie considered the fact that the black people in these towns just didn’t want anything to do with his friends?
There surely cant be that many crazies in the Republican Party. But i’m beginning to wonder.
Why in the world are decent Republican’s in this State allowing a creep like this to represent their interests? This guy obviously has nothing meaningful to contribute to the public discourse.
Even on his way out Charlie wants to show us all exactly what kind of person he is, and why I might add that even the GOP/Tea Party can’t stand having him around anymore.
He helped sabotaged 2012 for many GOP candidates…obviously just getting a head start on 2014 here. The Democrats couldn’t ask for a better present than this amateur.
I just watched the video. It’s even harder to bare than his reported comments. He’s full steam ahead on every issue that was just totally rejected by the citizens of Maine. Apparently the man is incapable of learning from his previous blunders. Liberals will be missing him for sure. Thank goodness we still have an ace in the hole in the Blaine house to keep reminding Mainers to keep supporting Democrats.
Could be he’s just plain nutz, ya know. Never read anywhere that sanity or mental stability were part of the requirements to get elected… LOL
You misspelled ace…think about it.
I see we’re thinking on the same page. pbmann (above) may have it right but there are guidelines here that I try not to cross.
My understanding is that he withdrew support of any candidate that supported Ron Paul. Sounds about right.
actually, I believe over half of the GOP delgates voted against Mr. Webster and the status quo back at the state convention in May
I agree, unbelievable! It has to be a toss up…between who actually contributed more to the Democratic Party…Charlie or Paulie!
whats worse…thinking black people may be coming into rural maine to bolster voting…..or intentionally busing in black people to bolster voting…lets pretend that either could be true….which would be worse…..
Where’s Waldo really at with this lets pretend scenario? Be a bit more up-front about it, brother, and speak your mind! Got the old undercover Black-o-phobia or what? “Oh, there goes the whole neighborhood! You know how THEY are!” LOL Personally don’t think a couple busloads of Black voters would’ve made the slightest difference — as Ritchie pointed out, 100K vote win wouldn’t change any with a dozen or so. That seems to be a wash-out, a parting delusion from Charlie. Black folks moving to rural Maine, hmm. Why would they want to? Weather is cold and many people are just as chilly about ‘foreigners’ and change.
Last time it was “students” being bussed IN . Now it’s ‘blacks”? Next time it will be “women”. Seriously? GOD help us !!!
Funny how it was a repub who was found with voter fraud.
That’s all it is, a Charlie pretend world. Go back to your bunker.
The success of early in-person voting by Black voters as part of faith and other group ‘get out the vote’ efforts on behalf of Democrats has been validated as a ‘bloc technique’ in the Analysis of the Cuyahoga County, Ohio 2008 election, and now the 2012. 77% of the early voters were Black, and they voted at a rate 10 times that of White voters.
Racist?
The results reveal that the vote is overwhelmingly Black, and in many precincts 100%. Similar results were obtained when absentee ballots were handed out in a highly organized effort almost exclusively in Black Precincts.
Was the same ‘get out the Black vote’ tactic used in Maine by Black student and religious groups? Who really knows…but people want to know because we are no longer a color blind society.
Ah for the halcyon days of “color-blindness when Black slaves were 3/5 of a person and the Fugitive Slave Act was vigorously enforced.
That 99% of African-Americans voted for the President (perhaps 3% higher than the percentage who voted for Kerry in 2004) is a tribute to their intelligence and enlightened self-interest. This stands in stark contrast to working class whites voting for a Republican Party that would voucherize Medicare, privatize Social Security, and extend tax cuts for the wealthy.
Charlie got the memo that the GOP needs to retool their message. Not familiar with that concept, Charlie thought it meant he needed to be a tool, again and again.
This ultra-goofball Webster IS the FRAUD. He first is a FRAUD of a human being, because he isn’t. He is a delusional FOOL. Next, he is a FRAUD of a poltiical party chair who has alienate MANY members of his own party with his nonsense and the way he fouled up their state convention. And Webster is a FRAUD of an “investigator.” He doesn’t have a clue about voting laws or ANYTHING else for that matter. Webster is a weak-minded pathetic JOKE of a walking FRAUD and GOOFBALL. Go ahead numbskull Webster. Keep up this nonsense. Your sad little TeaRadical party won’t be to get anyone elected as dog catcher. Now step into the real world for a moment, and realize that you GOT BEATEN TO PULP at the voting booth, and your pathetic little TeaNutParty is OVER.
this is a joke right? i mean … no really its just a joke right?
You know, most reasonable decent people would think so. But believe it or not, it is likely true. I don’t see them publishing anything like that as a joke. It is almost unbelievable though, you are right.
i would just like to think we’re past this sort of ignorance … *sigh*
“likely true?” … see the 16 minute mark on the video … yes, it surely is true! … and still unbelievable even after you see it with your own eyes! … and this guy had a legitimate position ???? how?
You’re right. I had meant to say…..it is true, not likely. I never could understand how he attained that position….never. This confirms why I wondered. That is the best they could do in that party? Apparently they thought he was a plausible and legitimate person for that position. What does that tell you?
a hand full of like minded showed up and elected him . BYE BYE rational R party .
This just in:
Charlie Webster has been named Chairman of the Republican Party’s Minority Outreach program for Maine.
It is pathetic and sad that this is what this man really believes, and there are Mainers who believe this crap too. When are the REAL republicans, not the TPer’s who hang on their coattails or the Libertarians, going to speak out against this anti-American attitudes?
The TPer’s claim that Olympia and susan are RINO’s, but personally I think it’s just the opposite. The Charlies. LePage, Lance, etc etc are the real RINO’s. They are extremely far right of the GOP I grew up with (Nixon et al being the exception). Hopefully the bunch of them will gang together and start their own third party. The GOP has been severely harmed by these extremists and it would be good for the sake of the party to weed them out and separate the TPer’s from the rest of the GOP.
why would a handful of people come all the way to Maine to vote illegally? They would have had to bring 100,000+ people to alter the outcome. Obama won by over 100,000 votes. A few dozen “black people” won’t change that.
Maybe it’s not just about black people maybe it’s over all temporary resident voters.
All I can say is thank God the GOP didn’t win in Maine or Washington. Good heavens, can you imagine the course of our country under the leadership of this crew?
Not fair. I’m a card carrying republican, but I am disgusted with Webster’s antics. I’m glad he is leaving on the 1st. Don’t lump all of us in with the few nutcases like Webster.
“Don’t lump all of us in with the few nutcases like Webster.”
It has become apparent that the “few nutcases” to whom you refer are the movers and shakers in the Republican party. I’m glad that you are disgusted, now vote with your feet. Toleration of racism is in itself racist.
Then you and those like-minded need to go public and squash this thing and his attitude real fast. Between Webster and LePage this state in once again a laughing stock in the country. People will believe that you hold these same idiotic ideas. People will believe that all Mainers think this way. SPEAK UP!
If more republican’s such as yourself, policed their party better, perhaps things would be different for the GOP than it currently is. If moderate R’s don’t want this kind of derision, it wouldn’t be there.
D’s had to self-police their party too, you can’t have those too far right or too far left being the controlling factors of a party.
We’re trying. I did the same thing this election as I did in 2008. Voted for Ron Paul in the primaries and Obama in the general election as “next best alternative”.
In the past, the Republican party had members who understood the art of compromise in politics. The tea party has been its downfall, I’m afraid, and the honorable “old-school?” members have been cast aside.
It’s sad to see this happen. America functioned quite well for years with both parties bringing good ideas to the table and discovering
solutions that worked for…drum roll…the people.
As long as you continue to vote Republican, you will continue to be lumped in with the rest of the nut cases.
I agree. We’d all be wearing missionary shirts and ties, and belittling our neighbors, our women and children into obedient subhumans.
Many citizens would be ‘persecuted’ simply because they are poor.
Too scary to even contemplate.
I’m not sure if the numbers of “Black People” being shipped up to vote really matters. If that was done then it would be wrong and someone other than Charlie would have egg on his/her face for making it happen. I’d have to guess that’s all Charlie desparately wants to do right now, put as much egg on other people’s faces as possible while he still has the power to do it. If he can prove or make everyone eggfaced, then suddenly he would elevate himself to being something that he’s always appeared not to be, a “normal” rational thinking human being. Will he be right THIS time? I highly doubt it.
It does matter.
You can be sure Romney sent in plenty of “missionaries” to vote in Maine and New Hampshire from Utah, Idaho and the Cayman Islands.
No the numbers don’t matter. Cheating would be cheating. It matters not which side is doing the cheating. Mr. Webster is making a fool of himself here by exposing himself to be racist and further bringing down his own party but on that point (if he were ever to become intelligent enough to express it) I’m (probably for the first time ever) in complete agreement with him. OUCH! That even hurt to type!
O.K. I agree. Cheating is cheating. Point made and accepted.
Really!!! And how would you defend that if you were not already part of participating in the same thing, the other way, yourself?
Huh?
“put as much egg on other people’s faces as possible ” You mean, egg white, don’t you? ;)
So there weren’t any white people voting that were unfamiliar in some of these small towns? This guy is a joke.
EXACTLY!
Hello? There were many local state rep races that were won or lost by a tiny handful of votes. Anyone who does not think there is some voter fraud are the same people who think there is no fraud in welfare and other things.Everyone should have a picture ID voting card.End of the problem.
No actually, the people that don’t think there is voter fraud are everyone who looks at the data correctly. Both the Bush II admin and our very own Charlie Summers spent a ton of money to find it, but came up dry. That is why people don’t think there is voter fraud. People who do not think Welfare fraud exists also don’t know how many people on welfare have overpayments they are paying back each month (since that info is confidential.)
If you want every person to carry a picture ID, then we need to spend the money on supplying the elderly and the poor with those IDs so they are not disenfranchised.
Why are so many people up in arms over fictional voter fraud that does not exist, yet say nothing about intentional Republican efforts to suppress Democratic votes by passing Jim Crow type voting laws? Please explain how this despicable behavior by the Republicans does not amount to nationwide Election Fraud.
Did he just say that? “In some parts of the state, there were dozens of black people who came in to vote,” Webster said. “Nobody in town knew them.”
Can you imagine anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, and so forth, showing up in a rural town town and attempting to vote? It just isn’t possible as everyone in those towns knows everyone else down to where they live, where they work, what truck they drive, and if they hunt, how many deer they tagged.
Does this leave any doubt why the Repubs can’t win an election. They need to shed the biggots! They have no place in today’s society.
There was not any doubt even before this, but this is just one more vivid example. They keep coming it seems.
As a Republican I must say Mr. Webster has not been a asset to the party as of late.
Sympathies, man. At this point that’s a little like looking down at yourself after a gunfight and observing, “You know, this sucking chest wound I’ve sustained is really not adding value to my day.”
Agreed. I don’t think he could have done more damage if he were a secret Democrat plant in the Maine GOP.
Webster, you are on your way out, please leave quietly and don’t damage the GOP further.
Well that’s sugar-coating the matter. He’s a disaster! The GOP really should keep him in power.
I’m sorry I should have done it the Lib. way, show lots of hate and name calling.
Oh cry me river Saint Gramps. You sling your share of manure at the left.
So, the head of the GOP in Maine is a racist, hate driven fool.
No surprise, really.
I always used to hope that they’d have one of their big get-togethers, and Charlie would just lose it during the keynote, veering off into Pink’s psychotic rant from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. You know the one – “Who let all of this riffraff into the room?! There’s one smoking a joint! And that one’s got spots! if I had my way I’d have all of you shot!”
It’s a Crime I tell Ya!
Voting While Black!!!!!!!!!
LOL
Good time Charlies got the blues!!!!
Charlie Webster is a political satirist’s dream.
Dude, black people have lived in this state since long before it was a state. Were they registered to vote? If so, they had to provide proof that they were citizens and legal residents in order to get that status. If not registered, they could not have voted.
He is “Crazy” you know. The man spends his entire life in fantasy land. Last year it was students involved in “voter fraud”. That was shown to be one of “Crazy’s” fantasies. Now he is back this year only now it is blacks voting in unnamed rural locations. This could be looked on as just another nutcase shooting off his mouth. Except for one minor problem. As of right now this guy is the Headman in Maine’s Republican Party. Did I mention he is “Crazy”?
Actually his term as party chair ends Dec 1st.
Nuts and crazy….and not what one would consider a very decent human being. His “priorities” are really sickening.
Oh, Charlie, keep looking, you “might” just find one to prove your point… You and your buddy Summers need to get a real job! Give Mitch McConnell and John Boehner a call, I’m sure they can find something for you to do…
He is completely wrong. Maine is a truly diverse state with at least 15-20 African Americans.
And some of them are not college students on sports scholarships, too!
This guy is truly disturbed.
Charlie is a perfect example of the type of paranoid lunatic that is drawn to the Republican party these days. Completely incapable of recognizing that a differing belief can be valid. Can’t conceive that other people think differently than him. He (and many other prominent Republicans cough Ann Coulter cough) needs professional help.
I can’t imagine this would have swayed popular vote and our 4 whopping electoral college votes. It must have been an advantage to the African American delegates in our state Legislature he’s worried about.
Why are state citizens asked to pay for the postage?
Hey Chucky baby…..Don’t let the door hit you on the way out……
Charlie, shut the hell up and go make me some oatmeal.
People in small towns know every person that lives in them. If the Liberals feel the need to cheat, I feel sorry for the country.. All this time they say nasty things about repubs when they themselves are dirty.
Do they? I sure don’t. I keep to myself. The same lady that has been checking me in at the polling location for the last 8 years still can’t pronounce my name.
As a Republican, I think we should sway people to vote for our party based on the merit of our ideas of small government, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty.
It’s very telling that even when we were fully in power here in Maine, we could not find any evidence of widespread voter fraud despite a full investigation by the Secretary of State in 2011.
Let’s stop this witch-hunt seeking to disenfranchise voters, and instead seek to educate them to the merits of what our party stands for.
You are just as ill as Webster.
From 2000- 2009 [and likely still continuing this decade] Maine had the highest increase of black people immigrating into the state, per capita, than any other state in the country. Higher than Florida,Mexico,, higher than all 49 other states. Than add black population increasing with actual births in the state.
This is why native rural Mainers in rural Maine towns are seeing dozens of blacks they never saw before., because blacks are actually moving into urban and rural Maine.
Incidentally, nothing wrong with that. Unlike the 20yo-something, temper-tantrum white ‘boys’ that still live home with mommie and/or daddies, young blacks want to compete and do more with their lives than live at home
Whats with the negative moniker?
Don’t encourage him. You’ll be sorry about the explanation. ;P
Wow….I think Charlie’s on to something…it was pretty sneaky to bring black people in to vote. I think I saw some green and orange people too…especially after my third martini on Election Day….
What a joke this man is. He only hurts Republicans.
Thank goodness we have people like Charlie Webster in this world to help with ummm, well to keep us from ummmm, I guess to protect people from ummmmm….maybe because he has helped so much in the last couple of years??come to think of it, why in the world do we have people like this in the first place?? Crazy……
No wonder why the Dems won big time. The GOP just has so little to offer and delusional jokers like Webster are the reason why. Keep it coming! They didn’t lose because of election fraud. The GOP is in complete denial that the demographics have changed and if they continue w/thier same message they will continue to lose. It’s the wave of the future and I’m so psyched to be a part of it!
People who disagree with combating voter fraud make me need to puke.
In Charlie’s case it’s more disagreeing with making up voter fraud that didn’t happen. As usual.
That red button stuff doesn’ t seem to be working well for you at all.
Your shouting in a room full of Communists. No one is listening.
So go ahead and puke. Then go tilt at a windmill or two; they’ll be as real as voter fraud in Maine.
There is no fraud.
That’s the point, there is no fraud.
People who register on election day cast provisional ballots. There is a LEGAL process to challenge them. If there was fraud the GOP would use this legal process instead of creating a myth.
The GOP in Ohio is doing the same thing. They claimed that 60,000 Somali’s were bussed in to vote when the entire Somali population of Ohio, including children is only 40,000. Ohio voting officials have discredited this myth, but it’s still being repeated.
Why don’t you FIND some fraud and use proper legal channels to address it. You can’t because there is none.
I feel the same way about people who disagree with combating zombies and killer robots.
Charlie Webster is a terrible human being, and is doing real harm to the GOP on his way out.
In a rather dictatoresque move, with the help of the RNC committee, Webster replaced elected delegates from his own party with compliant yes men. He’s shown his disdain for democracy clearly enough.
And as for voting fraud, what was it Summers investigation turned up? Can you remind us?
I believe we should combat voter fraud! And based on its likelyhood and impact here in Maine, we should get right on it…after about dozen other more pressing issues.
the chinaman is NOT the issue!
Also, Dude, China man is not the preferred nomenclature. Asian-American, please.
Oh dam it Charlie caught me, I had hired 20 buses to bring in black people from the south, they all stayed over night on the bus so I’m sure that they qualify as residents.
Charlie have fun trying to run that one down
What a idiot, the longer he stays in office the less I like the R’s for allowing him in office.
I cannot believe the depths of desperation that this puny little man is sinking to and taking what used to be my party with him. I went to my small town polling place on election day and saw at least two people I didn’t recognize. They looked like hippies, or commies, or Vermonters even. I hope they get a postcard. Gawd, this is better than a flat-lander trying to carry an over sized cooler on to a boat at low tide. I gotta run to the greenfront and get a brown bag.
Ha, I haven’t heard “green front” in years. Good ol days of 18 and legal !!
Ok, I admit it, it was me. Ole Chuck is just too clever for me to fool!
Charlie’s confused.
Those were Bigfoot dudes sneaking out of the woods into the polls. They’re commies too.
How come nobody ever gets a picture?
Charlie just does not have a nice look to him…reflecting his bigoted and crazy thoughts . It is all in his face.
webster’s drinking again?
No, but he’s smoking special Vermont blend “tea”.
Do your party and State a favor just go away
As a life long Republican I have observed over and over that Charlie Webster has been his own worst enemy for years. I am so glad that he is leaving and hopefully we will have someone replace him that has a better code of ethics and stop blaming everybody for his errors during Republican conventions etc. Charlie, good luck in all your future endeavors…..Please do us a favor and fade away from our Republican party. We will do just fine without you in the future…
.. but why in the name of all things logical, did he stay on at all after the Voter-ID debacle… his very presence says that the GOP believes every word he says, therefore the entire Maine and National GOP is the face of Charlie Webster… and he actually does seem to represent the GOP very well. The garbage being spewed nation wide by people like him is disgusting..
The rest of us, Independants and Dems, are wondering when the republicans are going to start speaking out against this stupidity.
I would not hold my breath. Probably not many. They still listen to Fox news,etc. And from some comments from Repubicans post election, well, you can see not to expect much enlightenment there.
Well I won’t tell Charlie about the white guy that I didn’t recognize voting then, or the woman who looked 15 and voted, clearly those won’t fit Charlies profiling of a fraudulent voter.
I thought I saw an older white man from Mississippi in line to vote . Should that have been reported..
Not unless he looked like he colored himself white….
I think Mr. Webster should look at California’s legislature, which will have supermajorities in both houses with a Democratic governor, as the “most liberal” before he says ours is.
This is the problem with the republician party. racists!
They let black people vote in Maine? Next thing you know they are going to be given their freedom!
I’m sure they were unfamiliar in town, as they are chained-up on the plantations of Maine…
what gets me is this sentence “The Maine Republican Party paid for the postcards and postage, Webster said.” Are you kidding me, the whole lot is crazy………
It says they think what he is doing is okay or else they do not have the courage and integrity to stand up to him. No, not that party…..
I wonder what the postcards say…
Dear black person,
We are just writing to verify that you are really at this address. Though we’re not doing it with white people, it has nothing to do with you being black. Really. We are not racists.
Love,
Charlie and the gang
PS – We have lots of black friends.
Even if he does not use those exact words, that is definitely the message.
People like Charlie Webster are why I’m no longer a Republican.
that nut job belongs in Acadia Hospital for the foreseeable future
Oh darn he thinks my 20 bus loads of blacks voted illegally, now I’ll play hide and seek for a while before we show the college ID’s.
Charlie go find a job somewhere nobody wants you in Maine.
He needs to go. Now. Repubs, do the right thing and “accept” Charlie’s resignation before he opens his mouth again.
I’m sure some of his sycophants will support him to the bitter end, though I get the impression that most are ready to throw him squarely under the bus at this point. What’s going on man, haven’t seen you for awhile…you still posting over at PPH?
Even the die-hards will be hard-pressed to support this blatant racism.
I do post occasionally on PPH but unfortunately having to use my real name limits expressing my opinion. I miss the old days :) although don’t miss the vitriol from the usual suspects.
I’m still hoping the free market will work and they will revert back to the old system. That said, the mods are better here, the posts are instant and the conversation is for the most part just as lively.
There are quite a few of us who do not post there anymore. I do miss the usual suspects, but I do agree on your comment of vitriol from some, who happen to once in a while show up here with their real names (wink wink). The comments are way down at the PPH. I also am hoping they realize what they did was stupid.
And those who do use their real names in both places have blocked many of us from seeing her posts on PPH (myself included). Not much going on there anymore. I think they have finally managed to sink the PPH for good.
You are pathetically irrelevant.
The Maine R’s have paid dearly for entrusting this delusional jackpot with their party chairmanship. Webster has no credibility but I wouldn’t put it by him to have paid “plants” in a desperate,twisted scheme to support his lunacy. When are the R’s going to pull the plug on this nutcase?
The keyword here seems to be “outgoing” — as in has-been, like see-ya-later. Seems more like he just wants to go out with a big splash, ain’t even going to be around to be part of any results. Anybody notice tour buses full of Black folks with out-of-state plates on Election Day? Nope, me either. LOL Sorry, Charlie.
It’s almost as if he feels that if he can’t run the GOP in Maine, he doesn’t want there to BE a GOP in Maine.
Ahhh the face of the ROBthePUBLICAN Party…I mean, he was elected by these people as their state chairman, right? Keep it up Charlie…soon the ROBthePUBLICans will join the Whigs and Federalists……..
How can that happen?,if a persons name isnt on the roster for their polling district,then they cant cast a vote.
Thar goes the neighborhood!
Was this guy actually paid to represent the State of Maine? Am I to understand he was in a leadership position?
He may have been paid, but it was to represent Republicans to the citizens of Maine. Of which he has done a terrible job.
Charlie Webster has done such divisive harm to our party in the past few years, it’s almost like he was a secret Democrat plant in the GOP sent to sabotage our momentum.
I heard that Professor Griff and the S1Ws voted in Pembroke.
Head line should read ….. Republicans rebound after defeat as National talking points go out to state sponsored extremists.
The Mormons have been known for a long time to play crooked politics by “importing”voters from one state to another,nothing new.
Maine is one of the blue states,that probebly explains why the cost of living is so high there.
““In some parts of the state, there were dozens of black people who came in to vote,” Webster said. “Nobody in town knew them.”
There are those “scary black people” again. Why don’t all you T’Baggers move down south where they appreciate your white sheets and cone heads.
From the way Chuckles talks one would actually think he saw their ballot and knew who they voted for.
He just doesn’t get it, he never has. It was his and the governor’s shenanigans during the past two years that greatly contributed to what happened to their party this year. He even has the audacity tell the truck drivers that they are voting wrong, how does he know who they voted for?…….he doesn’t! I feel bad for the rank and file republican party soldiers who really do want to represent their party honorably and look for middle ground.
What an awful thing to say. Just awful
Where are this man’s family and friends and why don’t they get him some help?? There are some very fine hospitals, with qualified mental health professionals staffing them, and a supply of very good medications here in Maine for the folks who suffer from delusions and mental illness.
This isn’t just that Charlie is nuts. Read some of the papers in Ohio and Florida, the same myths are being circulated. This is all coming from the top. The Koch brothers and their ilk.
They just can’t accept that they lost because their fear driven campaign because of fact checkers and because they are running out of crazy, angry, racist white guys.
in Philadelphia, Mitt Romney was shut out 19,605-0 in 59 Black.voting divisions. and in Cleveland, and other urban precincts there was the same result. —-didn’t realize the Koch Brothers made this all up. I thought it was political scientists and other voting researchers publishing these analyses?
I think we’re talking about two things; real analysis with verifiable numbers, like what you mentioned and unbelievable claims like Websters.
The GOP is scrambling to explain their loss while maintaining support for their misguided policies. It looks like their going to keep the fact checkers busy for awhile longer.
Enough of the “he is crazy, he is not crazy”. What is the truth about the (black) voters in small towns that no one recognized? IT SHOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO DETERMINE IF THIS HAPPENED!
and yet ONCE again he wouldn’l provide any proof. Making most sane people people conclude it is a figment of his own imagination….again.
Unless you’re crazy.
Charlie can’t keep his feet out of his mouth. He keeps beating the voter fraud dead horse. Charilie, you can ban 25% of legitimate voters and the Republicans will still lose. If you can’t beat them, accuse them of cheating! What a class act, late night tv fodder.
You can’t make this stuff up. Give Charlie credit for not using the N word, because we all know he wanted to.
I drive a Ford truck. I wonder if that’s the brand I need to own whenever I decide to vote Republican.
I do not know anything about this man other than what I have seen in this article and in the video. With that said, I guess I do not see the controversy.
He is not saying anything negative or derogatory about any group or groups of people. In many rural Maine communities the population is almost entirely white, many of the people in these communities are familiar with most of the people who live in these communities so when these people go to vote and they see a bunch of people who they otherwise do not recognize it is not surprising that they become suspicious In this case it just happened to be that these people were African-Americans.
The reality is that it doesn’t matter as there are certain individuals who portray nearly everything a Republican says as racist. From Chris Mathews claiming that “Chicago” is a Republican racist code word or that any mention of welfare, or drugs is somehow racist. Or when Mitt Romney in the first presidential debate made the statement about his “boys” and that this was somehow him calling Barrack Obama a boy which in-turn is racist. Or when for absolutely no reason Romney was accused of trying to make Obama look like “an angry black man”, without even evidence to support such a statement.
The question needs to be, why is it that those making such accusations and drawing such wild conclusions aren’t considered the racists? In order for me to assume that speak of welfare is somehow racist I have to make some pretty bad assumptions based on some very negative stereotypes about such groups. To me, that is racist.
But it doesn’t matter, most people lack any form of critical thinking and are never properly exposed to opposing view points because all they do is read, watch, and listen to things that only reinforce their many times false beliefs. As a result our political divide becomes more and more self propagating. Alternatively if we simply all listened to one another and objectively assessed one another opinions and beliefs, and perhaps changed our beliefs based on new and convincing evidence we might actually get something done in this country and stop being so divided.
And, to close, if you want an example of real racism, here is some:
http://october2011.org/blogs/margaret-flowers/high-school-senior-shot-and-killed-being-black-oakland-protests
what you don’t get is without any proof, he is probably making it UP!! !just like the student fraud. Did you ever hear of the little boy who cried “wolf”, once too often??.
Maine is changing, even if many long-time residents don’t really realize it. Home Depot and Walmart bring in out of staters to run their stores, while (as has been the case for nearly a century) the local youth head elsewhere to find jobs and opportunity.
Romney did not win, proving plenty of people have very good critical thinking skills.
Charlie, you need to seek medical help as this is just the most insane thing you have ever come up with.
Good Ole Charlie, tilting at more windmills and dragons. Unfortunately, there are too many like him who, like Joe McCarthy, see a conspiracy behind every pillar and under every beadstead. And even after Charlie has ridden off into the sunset, there will be yet another thug to take his place.
Is it fair to say the Old Charlie entertains racist GOP fantasies?
Yes it is….
Yessah
I wonder if Mr. Webster has considered that what the Republicans were selling the general voting population wasn’t buying.
Sounds a little RACIST to me…!!!
The only reason Obama got re-elected is because of voter fraud. This man is going to prove it. Good for him for standing up to voter fraud and making it public.
You are correct. In order to vote in a presidential election a person has to be a citizen of the United States. This means; No Green Card holders, No illegals, No aliens, No landed Immigrants, No visa waiver, or B-2 visitors, No person who walked across the border, and No person who is not registered to vote on election day.
If all the people mentioned above DID NOT VOTE!!!! Romney would be our next President.
This is a fact, and I do not understand why the Republicans do not demand a full recount of the US election.
Because it might expose their own voter fraud. Missing ballots from several democrat districts, limiting voter hours, complex verbose ballot questions, long lines at polls…
If there was a shred of evidence of voter fraud they would be recounting. They can easily challenge provisional ballots.
They prefer spreading myths. It’s what they do.
I think you are confused about what “fact” means.
It’s statistically impossible for voter fraud to have swayed this election. Obama won in an electoral vote landslide, and in the swing states the margin of victory was far beyond what would trigger a recount.
But more important— why would ANYONE bus in tens of thousands of voters to MAINE to sway our election outcome?? We gave a whopping 4 electoral votes to the winner.
You call around 100,000 votes in Ohio a landslide, and google how many votes separated the two in Florida smarty pants.
Nice, name calling.
Please re-read my comments. I called the electoral vote outcome a landslide, and pointed out that the swing state votes were not statistically close enough to trigger a recount.
Google electoral college, and come back and tell me why anyone would expend the resources to commit voter fraud in Maine in enough numbers to sway our election outcome.
First of all smarty pants is a grade school term, (I hope your feelings were not hurt to bad) second it was a jab at humor.
I did not say Maine would change because of voter fraud, I mentioned Ohio, and Florida. I would also add Virginia.
So why would either party bus people into Maine to vote when their effort would be much better in these other swing states?
But AGAIN I STATE— the triggers for recounts are there for a reason. It’s statistically unrealistic to think any of those elections were swayed by voter fraud due to the margin of victory.
…which makes it a possible problem for Ohio and Florida officials.
Two Republicans tried to vote twice recently to “test” the system and got themselves arrested. You’re telling me that hundreds of thousands of people risked arrest and prosecution to vote fraudulently, and that this went completely undetected?
Or is it that you mean that Obama stole the election by deviously getting more people to vote for him than Romney did?
Somehow you are not very persuasive at all.
OMG, please deliver us from this fool. Is he a decoy to distract us from what the Republican Party is pulling elsewhere?
The good old GOP, frustrated, angry, sore losers. Grasping at straws, acting like children. They seem to be living in their own little world. It’s really difficult to have any respect for them.
The system works with the current checks town clerks and election officials have at their disposal. Let him make an arse of himself with his witch hunt, but it would be nice to see sensible republicans stand up and repudiate his waste of resources, his ideological extremism, the embarrassment he has caused their party in the state and the nation… Their loss in this election can be attributed at least in part to this dolt. For the rest of us having to suffer with a highly partisan, unnecessarily so, legislature due to the extremism this dolt espouses and encourages, we all are victims of the consequences these extremists bring to Maine. The nation has suffered immensely with the extremism encouraged and exploited by the national party. This is just one small manifestation of it playing out right in front of our eyes… Where are the moderates in the gop?
“I was wrong” is not a phrase one hears form a GOP member…. it is a sign of their immaturity, that they cannot take responsibility for their actions. The wars and wrecking of the economy would be a good start. If some of the GOP leaders were to accept that the country was left in bad shape as Obama took office….. If any of the GOP would admit that the Voter ID issue in this State is and was a witch hunt….. there are many opportunities for the GOP to gain back respect they lost, but it is up to them to admit they may have been incorrect on a few issues, rather than not being able to admit that the policies and actions of the past put us where we are.
True, but when you read some of the posts on the BDN pages by those who adhere to the right wing point of view, you still see the denial. All they do to try and make themselves feel better and “right” is talk, delusionally, about how , in their minds, President Obama did not win very clearly and decisively. Most people knew differently on election night, (and quite early including Paul Ryan. But their dismal candidate Romney is still in denial, still not taking any responsibility for his big loss. Shows his “character.”
Charlie Webster says……. HAHAHAHA!!!!
this guy is a true nutcase. the republicans elected a moderate to lead the minority in the house to get away from this king of right wing nut case babble.
I am not saying this was a case of voter fraud, but one would have to be completely delusional to believe voter fraud doesn’t exist. Having to present an ID would take care of this, but of course that is “racist” or “discriminatory against the poor,” or whatever. Knowing that all anybody needs to know in order to vote in my place is my name and address is very scary. To me, I don’t see this as an issue because I am a Republican. I see it as an issue as a reasonable US citizen.
blah,blah, blah –white noise
Yeah and let me guess, we should have a poll tax and maybe an IQ test too?
I know this right winger who wants a test. (who makes ups the questions and who administers it? a right winger?) He thinks too many people vote!
Ha ha ha ha ha….
There is 0 reason that a citizen should be forced to pay money to get a picture ID to vote.
Then there should be 0 reason why a citizen should be forced to buy health insurance but you voted for it. If you stand for something for one person you have to stand for it for all.
Really? In-person voter fraud is almost non-existent. There have been less than 10 cases since 2000, and 2 of those were just this last election when 2 Republicans tried to vote twice to “test” the system and got arrested.
If there’s so much voter fraud going on, how come it is never detected?
Go google ‘acorn’ & ‘voting fraud’ and educate yourself.. oh, and throw in ‘blackyouthproject.com’ if you want to see what racial appeals do to skew and bias the voting process.
Citizens have a right to vote. Which is a bigger issue, the folks trying to prevent people from exercising their constitutional rights, or the folks trying to add people to the voter rolls?
Jim Crow Charlie. What an amazing lack of tact and leadership ability. He has just labeled our party as the nut case boogie man chaser party.
He should get in his big fat truck and hand deliver them.
Big deal. He gets a lot of mail back, let him check it out. If he doesn’t…so what.
The big deal is that it is ILLEGAL, against the law, not legal, against the Constitution, Against State Law, ETC. to vote in a Presidential Election if you are not registered, and a Citizen of the USA!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, THIS should help bring the GOP into the 21st century.
There goes Colonel Flagg with another one of his red herrings.
In order to vote in a presidential election a person has to be a citizen of the United States. This means; No Green Card holders, No illegals, No aliens, No landed Immigrants, No visa waiver, or B-2 visitors, No person who walked across the border, and No person who is not registered to vote on election day.
If all the people mentioned above DID NOT VOTE!!!! Romney would be our next President.
This is a fact, and I do not understand why the Republicans do not demand a full recount of the US election.
Sour grapes?
Why? Because it’s statistically ridiculous to think the election was swayed by voter fraud.
Do you realize that around 20,000,000 illegals live in this Country?
If you did you homework you would know that anyone who lives in the USA can vote even if illegal, all you have to do in most states is check a little box that states you are a us citizen.
????
Obviously you aren’t a US citizen, because I registered this year, and you have to have a social security number or a state id.
If you understood math you’d realize how silly it is to think that either party would bus in voters from out of state to sway MAINE’S election results for our president.
Time to go home now Charlie. You continue to make a fool of yourself.
Charlie is right, but for all the wrong reasons. First it was college students, then it was Union members, now it is Blacks. The highway must have been jammed with all of the buses going from poll to poll.
How is he right? All of those groups did show up to vote and many showed up that stayed home in previous elections. What he is saying is that he doesn’t know any blacks, his friends don’t know any blacks, so blacks must be fraudulent voters.
Get over it Charlie, you lost because of exactly that blind world view that ignores everyone but you.
Well, at least it’s a good reason not to widen the turnpike.
Keep it P.C. Charley
If these people were Webster white there would be no issue for Charlie……
It is reported that a horse’s patootie voted at Charlie’s voting place.
Just 14 years ago, Massachusetts was the 3rd whitest state in the country.
Maine is no longer the number one whitest state in the country and is becoming as ethically diverse as quickly as Massachusetts did. Dozens of blacks as residents in small rural Maine towns is now normal, like it or not.
Hey Charlie, they weren’t black people just a bunch of Republicans back from spending the winter in the Florida sun.
That is hilarious.
I think that Charlie Webster should be investigated …………………………. if for nothing else then to make sure he is human and from this planet!
Kinda like us Ron Paul folks were pot smoking, free loving, wild eyed, fanatical outer space creatures and not REAL republicans, eh, Charlie? Give it a rest. You already did enough damage. You’re becoming the Gag Gift that keeps on Gagging.
My theory was that the Voter ID proposals were directed against the Ron Paul supporters pre-caucus. Not if sure if Webster is pulling a “look at the squirrel” or what….
Please remember that this is the same Charlie who planned to disenfranchise registered white Republicans because they didn’t fall in line behind Mitt the loser.
Those folks who say he is racist must have missed the part where he attempted to toss the whole Washington County vote in the wastebasket. When I was at the Washington County Caucus, there was not one single black person in evidence.
Funny story: We ad a black fella in our town a while back. He was a spervisor at Bell Atlantic, and head of the local Republican Party. Not a real popular guy, but at least not Democrat. Am I allowed to say that here? or is it considered “racist”
While we’re on the subject, I’m a bit sick of the “R” word being applied to everyone who isn’t on board with giving illegals citizenship, or attempts to have a discusion about the high level of minority crime reletive to minority population.
Back to Charlie The Republican party now has the opportunity to remake itself in a new image. My choce would be to make it more libertarian. Drop the “anti- abortion” plank. It is stupid, achronistic, and settled law. Give the reigns of the party to someone younger, smarter, and more in tune with today’s issues.
AND there are plenty of issues that the Democrats haven’t addressed.
Use your brain. People aren’t being called racists simply because they don’t like a black guy. People ARE being called a racist when they for example, say someone is suspicious simply because he/she is black. Or when you tell the President to go back to Kenya and produce a birth certificate. This idea that if you’re not an old white person that you MUST be from away or you MUST be doing something wrong — that’s racism.
Well, technically that’s prejudice. Racism is the belief that one race is superior to another.
Either way, Charlie Webster is a xenophobe :)
Yes-I HATE that the word “racist” is so misused and therefore the meaning is diluted. Someone might make a boneheaded observation about someone else who is of a particular race but that’s not racist. Prejudiced, ignorant, or whatever-but “racist” has a specific meaning that people don’t seem to know.
Um, no. Racism is the belief that there are inherent differences between the races. Racism motivates prejudice.
I would say that is the PC definition. Every race has slightly different characteristics – science supports this. Ditto with sex.
Suggesting that every race is exactly the same DNA just simply isn’t correct. The differences aren’t massive obviously – the similarities far outweigh the differences – but they exist just the same. Doesn’t mean one race is “better” however.
“old white person”….using racial labeling makes you one too!
I heard that people were flown in from planet Golob to vote for Romney.
Not true. I worked the polls on Election Day for Obama for America and we only flew in voters from the planet Mongo, where the President was born. We didn’t believe people from the planet Golob would vote for the President.
Why yes but the GOP stole your playbook. How dya think R got so many votes. Oh it’s spelled Kolob. My mistake.
The GOP also flew in voters from the planet Golow.
If it wasn’t Racist, then why mention Race?
bdnbdnbdn
Man… this guy is so dumb I would think twice before I had him work on my furnace.
Does it need to be said again, the 2 party system is dead and outdated. We need people who can change the system , in office. When you have the head of one of the parties on a witch hunt for some unknown black people ? why not just say “people” as most folks would today. Color is a image and should not be descriptive unless, you are profiling. Charlie, of course is a sick person and should seek out some professional help as soon as possible before his dreams totally consume his sleeping hours if not waking too.
It doesn’t really matter in Maine, but if Obama were white, he would not be our president. Period.
Obama got the same amount of white votes as Clinton did.
dumb remark
Comment by a stupid Green Shirt monster:)
Actually, if Obama looked white, like his mother’s side, he would have won all 50 states .. including the redneck south.
I don’t think he would have won the Democratic nomination in 2008 had he been white. Though that was only one step towards becoming president.
People can argue over whether 2012 was a massive win for Obama, though there is no arguing 2008. Obama crushed McCain in every meaningful demographic and took many perennial red states. I think this can mostly be chalked up to residual Bush negativity, Obama’s positivity and charisma, far more than race. I’m quite confident Hillary would have won by similar margins.
Had Romney been a poor young black man vs a rich, old, white man, he wouldn’t have been the nominee for the GOP either…so what’s your point?
Kind of plausible, except that Obama ran up his delegate counts by winning Iowa and sweeping the caucus states like Maine, Idaho, Alaska, and Colorado.
Biggest hurdle he faced was convincing white liberals and the black political establishment that he actually had shot at winning.
So, absolutely, his race was important, but it cut in all sorts of different directions… meanwhile, Edwards couldn’t keep it zipped while Hillary ran a lazy campaign until January 4, 2008
Hillary thought her name could carry her, no doubt about that, but she discounted the strength of the almighty cult of personality. Whoops!
Democrats certainly made the right move in avoiding Edwards. Boy that would have turned into a royal mess had his scummy ways been exposed after winning the presidency. Dodged a bullet.
Though we’ll never know for sure what goes on behind closed doors, it does appear the Obamas are the all-American, wholesome family, with values that the conservatives champion. Certainly more than can be said about the dysfunctional Edwards or Clintons.
There’s some truth to this: the GOP seems incapable of looking beneath Obama’s skin to take a full measure of his skills and talents…. which does indeed have a lot to do with Obama’s continued success.
Very sad. The GOP continues to misunderestimate Obama…. and this kind of wishful thinking only makes Obama’s job easier.
Excellent excellent commentary.
This is so disgusting and repulsive.
Why does Maine want to wait until the horse gets out of the barn. Before we close the barn door.
It should at least be as hard to register to vote as it is to get a driver’s license.
Except for that whole Constitution and civil rights thing…
As a registered Republican, I think we should win voters with the power of our arguments for smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty. This tactic of making voting harder only reinforces the viewpoint that Republicans can only win by stacking the deck.
Eh? Elder Son moved back to Maine, recently. Had to provide his birth certificate to prove citizenship, show proof of residency to get registered to vote. Or do you mean people should need to pass a test in order to register? Used to have that kind of organic fertilizer in Alabama . . .
I’ll answer your question – voting is a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT … driving a car is not.
Why do you think it had to do with Obuma?
Maybe they were hired by the gays.
These talks of voter fraud are nonsense. Statistically you would have had to bus in the entire population of Washington County (everyone, not just registered voters there) in order to have gotten the 30k+ votes to sway the gay marriage vote.
The Presidential election was even wider a margin, meaning the equivalent of Portland’s population would have needed to be bussed in!
Seriously, anecdotal stories of ‘black people voting’ from Webster is doing nothing but HARM to the Maine GOP at this point. He is on his way out, he needs to go quietly… or is he secretly working for the Dems? He sure handed them the Maine legislature this election.
Well, Charlie, I have it on ENORMOUSLY good authority that a left-handed Swedish speaking jazz musician voted in the town of Etna. Better deploy the postcard right away!!!!
Charlie needs to talk with someone, and it isn’t a postal clerk.
Hey Charlie, …how many Negroes does it take to tip an election ? Perhaps you can bus in some Aryans for the next election cycle, you A-hole !
Mitt “gifts” Romney and Charlie Webster…two people that need to stop talking.
Yeah-it’s okay to let the results stand if the Republicans win. When they don’t, then they MUST be questioned.
What a buffoon.
Webster sure didn’t seem to care about counting all the votes from the primary caucus. Some of the results got “lost in a spam filter” but his attitude was ‘who care, we’ve decided Romney won’.
Is there anyone in the republican party that isn’t insane currently? This guy isn’t one of them.
I saw two white people voting in my small town that I haven’t seen before while I was there.
Sounds like serious sour grapes. The people have spoken and it’s high time we get on with it.
He needs to shut his trap. Way to go repubs. You are on your way out of being elected.
Why would people come to another state to vote for a president. They can do that in any state. This man is a lunatic.
Why is it when they dont get what they want it is always someone else’s fault? Obama got in and even if he does a good job they will find a way to say he did not. The issue is this: we, the people of the United States of America are responsible to ourselves and those around us. The government is not powerful enough to give or to take away if we really want something.
Sour grapes is what I think! He really should take a step back and stop with all of this nonsense – you would think he’d think first about this since he has been proven wrong in the past.
See Charlie, the deal is that black voters are invisible, we’re able to use stealth technology to travel around the state in invisible vans, then materialize right in front of the local RURAL registrar (we can’t do this in urban areas, we’d have to take public transportation) and kazzam we are allowed to vote.Then we get in our stealth vans and drive to another location and do the process all over again. We also have stealth helicopters so that we can get up into the county. We were very successful this cycle, we got black participation up to a 93% for the President. We’d give you a few votes if you only asked us, but you didn’t ask. Next election we’ll rent you our vehicles and our famous invisible ray so you can create your own black people and beat those pesky Democrats. Don’t forget to tell your friends about our service, once you go black you’ll never go back!
Well Hugh, in Philadelphia, where Mitt Romney was shut out 19,605-0 in 59 Black voting divisions questions and investigations are being mounted to determine which racist campaign tactics were used.
The FACTS are most damning, and the FBI will see through your ‘invisible van’ rather quickly
This is today’s GOP.
Charlie Webster, you are on your way out, PLEASE stop damaging the Maine GOP further.
As a Republican, I think we should sway people to vote for our party based on the merit of our ideas of small government, fiscal responsibility, and individual liberty.
It’s very telling that even when we were fully in power here in Maine, we could not find any evidence of widespread voter fraud despite a full investigation by the Secretary of State in 2011.
Let’s stop this witch-hunt seeking to disenfranchise voters, and instead seek to educate them to the merits of what our party stands for.
Two questions can be raised by this article. First, how many white people were not known to municipal officials?” And, will these people have “postcards” sent to their addresses as well?
Me thinks not.
Syanara, Webster….bye bye
Signed:
Republican for Obama
This man is a clown. He gets some anecdotal stories about “black people” voting and suddenly we have voter fraud. How many times does this fool have to be proven wrong before his idiotic claims stop being front page news for BDN?
“in Philadelphia, where Mitt Romney was shut out 19,605-0 in 59 voting divisions.” Perhaps you are the fool, who doesn’t want to believe the truth or is willing to use racism to win elections, or, if you are White, the equivalent of political suicide.
What does Philadelphia have to do with rural Maine? This man is using anecdotal stories to justify accusations of voter fraud and I’m the fool? Where is there a shred of evidence to support this claim? This is disgusting and people like you are the reason why the republican party is a joke. Stop wasting my time.
I know that I’ll probably get some thumbs down for this but anyway…
My belief is that yes – people do come here to register to vote.For a
couple of weeks/months before the vote I noticed that there were growing
numbers of people who supported gay marriage – either gay couples, or
people who wanted it that either stayed here to vote or just simply
registered on voting day. if this wasn’t the case then I’m sorry but
there just seemed to be quite a few more couples in the bangor area.
each time i went to walmart I’d always see two or three younger college
aged lesbian couples talking about the vote. this is not a joke.
In order to affect the outcome of the gay marriage vote, the equivalent of Washington County’s population would have had to be brought in to vote.
I think you heard more people talking about this issue because it was closing in on the final vote. As Mainers United has stated many times, we won the hearts and minds of voters by having these real conversations about why this issue is important to us.
The more people learn that gays and lesbians are Mainers too, the faster we can move on and address our business and economic problems.
Charlie Webster’s myopic focus on voter fraud is offensive— last year he placed ads in several rural newspapers, urging Mainers to vote against the same-day registration veto… “because the gays support the veto”.
Charlie Webster may or may not be a racist homophobe, but his remarks are explicitly pandering to racists and homophobes… and that does Republicans a disservice.
And if it is shown that Democrats also pandered to Black Racists, would you want to invalidate the vote, or cling to your ‘victory’ and slink away? winning is everything for people like you.
Where am I asking anyone to invalidate a vote?
Winning is not everything to me, upholding our Constitution is.
They have been there all along. Maybe they are not fearful of being themselves in public anymore. Or maybe you are just being more observant.
From the photo ,etc. you come off hysterical and shrill.
Though he does not know it yet, it is comments such as this, after a big loss, that illustrates that the GOP is way out of touch with voters, and how short sighted it is for his party. The GOP did not lose due to voter fraud, and Obama surely did not win because of it either (as an election official in Wisc. has alluded to.)
But sure, Charlie, let’s go on another witch hunt for voter fraud, your last crying of wolf cost the State $48K. What do you say about picking up the tab for this investigation, should it pan out as well as the first one?
Continually regurgitating the same false claims. The teapublican party in its racial death throes, pitifully grasping at straws.
Sadly – having to prove nothing. Just spit it out. No verification needed. It’s “News.”
Webster is only echoing the alarming research linking race to Democratic campaign tactics that work. For example, in NEVADA Race trumped gender “African Americans backed Obama over Clinton in Nevada by an extraordinary 7 to 1 — 83 percent to 14 percent. The black vote in the Silver State caucus dealt a blow to the Clinton campaign, which had calculated that she would lose among blacks, but that the margin would be far smaller.”
The 2012 election results in many cities were identical to what you’d expect in a segregated society. The FACTS are damning, and the conclusion was that the dream of a color blind society is no more than a campaign slogan to appeal to White liberals; the reality is just the opposite.
What the hell does that have to do with voter fraud? I’ll help you, the answer is: nothing.
It has everything to do with Voter Fraud and was the motivating factor behind the ACORN vans in Milwaukee and elsewhere.
Obviously, you’re just as ignorant as Webster:
“Yet another former ACORN employee was convicted of voter fraud last week. This brings the total number of convictions for former workers from the embattled group to at least 15 so far this year.
Kevin L. Clancy of Milwaukee pleaded guilty last week to participating “in a scheme to submit fraudulent voter registration applications,” according to Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. Clancy admitted to filing multiple voter registration applications for the same individuals and registering himself and other voter registration canvassers to vote multiple times while working on an ACORN voter drive.”
Black people voting is voter fraud? Get out of here with your disgusting attitudes.
Who is ignorant here?
The guy got caught filling out bunk registration cards to collect a pay check got caught and is now paying the cost for the crime.
Did ANY of these bunk registrations actually vote?
No they didn’t.
Don’t try and make it into something that it isn’t – that case is not about voter fraud it is about money fraud.
Keep swallowing the Fox “news” delusions.
He was looking kind of dumb, with a finger and a thumb, in the shape of an “L” on his forehead.
In case you’re interested what you said could be introduced in court as ‘hate speech’.
No, it couldn’t.
In case your interested what you said could be introduced in court as “ignorant babble”
The line is from the lyrics to a song used in many movies, one being a very popular kid movie.
But feel free to dance that out into a public forum as hate speech if your inclined to make yourself look silly.
Hate speech can be any form of expression regarded as offensive to racial, ethnic and religious groups and other discrete minorities or to women. If you said that about a Black Republican, you’d either get into a fight or have a civil rights complaint filed against you.
What is it you think “L” stands for?
Nationally, there have been disturbing patterns of wholesale racial voting and racist campaign tactics.
Here’s one view of this resurgence of RACISM in the U.S.:
“Democrats say America doesn’t need voter identification laws because there’s no evidence of election cheating. But when a candidate doesn’t get a single vote in 59 precincts, you’ve got to wonder. One candidate did just that last week in Philadelphia, where Mitt Romney was shut out 19,605-0 in 59 voting divisions. The Obama Justice Department might not be concerned about that, but one man who studies voting patterns is dubious. University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato told the Philadelphia Inquirer that it deserves scrutiny. “Not a single vote for Romney or even an error?” he asked. “That’s worth looking into.”
I feel that Webster is echoing this national concern but doing it without evidence…..but if he does find evidence, the Democrats will face lawsuits to overturn the results.
No link?
I think it certainly needs to be looked into and when confirmed as it will be (Romney after all got only 7% of the black vote had to be some o’s in there). Then we need to congradulate those precincts. Given Romney’s post-election comments boy were they right.
Embarrassing. The “leaders” in our state are downright embarrassing, racist and ignorant. That’s all I can say. So glad he is done.
sounds like the republicans are descriminating against the colored people
I typically vote Republican. With that said this guy has some issues. There are many people who move to communities throughout the state from other areas of the country. It’s racist to assume that just because the town clerk does not recognize a black man that it is all of a sudden voter fraud. Does voter fraud happen? Without a doubt. Requiring a picture ID would fix that but these witch hunts have to stop.
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie…
Exactly what good would it do to bus folks in to rig the election in a state as small as Maine?
What, exactly, would folks hope to accomplish?
not racially motivated? then why did he need to say “Black people” instead of saying “people” is what I wonder.
From TODAY’s NYTIMES: “In explaining his overwhelming electoral college defeat last week, Romney said Obama followed what he called the “old playbook” of seeking votes from specific interest groups, “especially the African-American community, the Hispanic community and young people,” the New York Times said. “In each case they were very generous in what they gave to those groups,” he added, according to the paper.”
This issue is far from over and racist appeals by the Democrats are undergoing scrutiny from all losing parties and putting civil rights groups on the spot.
Representing all people and not just white people isn’t racism. You’re disgusting if you think the only ones that matter and the only ones with real concerns are white.
Tell that to the Korean’s who were targeted with a racist boycott by Jesse Jackson, sued on civil rights groups, and won.
Sounds completely irrelevant to what I said.
Romney couldn’t explain his way out of a brown paper bag in reality.
Romney pandered to the rich.
This is your GOP. Good bye Charlie.
Of course there is election cheating. You have Town Clerks that are embezzeling our tax dollars. What’s to prevent them from looking the other way for voter fraud. Furthermore, we have mexicans being brought to come to Maine to work for Painting Contractors. [Naturally at a lower rate of pay].
Sorry my comment got cut off. These workers live in our area for a period of time …. so all they need to vote is a piece of mail that states their address in the State of Maine. We may be a small State … but which ever way the State votes will certainly help swing other States.
please stop giving this goon publicity
Maybe, based on the results of voting, Charlie was having a “_ _ _ dream”! Or a sighting for the “Teabaggers”…
Here’s a guy claiming that “in some towns” dozens of black people voted, and the clerks did not know who they were.
Voter fraud has been a trip wire for teapublicans. Just say it. No need to prove it. In fact similar state and national accusations by teapublicans uncovered none.
When Don Carrigan asked Webster the name of the towns, he waved the question away. Most likely he’d heard some black people had voted. That was enough for Webster. Obviously, to Webster, they cast fraudulent votes before irresponsible town clerks? No wonder he scoffs at naming the towns. He wouldn’t dare. What an embarrassment he is to the teapublican party, and the state.
How ludicrous. To be able to just shoot your mouth off and get quoted the length and breadth of Maine, without having to prove anything.
Personally, I think he was motivated by the story of the “what’s his name” who raised the ruckus in Lewiston over the Somalian women voting. It is so embarrassing! He says, “In some parts of the state, there were dozens of black people who came in to vote,” Webster said. “Nobody in town knew them.” and then says, “If you lived in a small town, you would know that if [an unfamiliar] black person or Chinese person comes to vote, it would seem odd.” So, ummm, if they were white it wouldn’t matter?
The GOP needs to re-evaluate its positions on all issues – especially on race. This statement by Webster is disgusting.
Can we just revoke his Maine residency status? I hate to admit he’s from Maine.
Is he? Where is the birth certificate?/???
I am often confounded when I see a campaign sign containing the name of a conservative republican proudly displayed in front of a rundown doublewide landscaped with scrap metal.
Mr Webster is absurd in every way possible, therefore I have the same kind of confusion/bewilderment when I try to understand why republicans who presumably are not stupid people would choose such a buffoon to lead them. I consider myself a true independent, if the republicans want my vote here is what hey will need to do to get it:
1. Let truth be your guiding principle even if you do not like the facts.
2. Cooperate with the democrats, this is a win win for you. If the Dems policy works we all benefit, Repubs share credit and are not acting as a obstructionist. If the policies fail you can say you went along with the leadership and the policies failed then you will have something to run against.
3. Keep your morality and religion to your self.
How embarassing for the Republican party. When I listen to Webster talk about how Republicans had better candidates,a better agenda and were all about supporting working people, and only lost because they were out campaigned, I can’t help but laugh. I disenrolled from the Republican party last year because it has been hijacked by shrill, radical, uncompromising Tea Party morons, and no longer represents my beliefs and values. For the first time ever, I voted a straight Democrat ticket (except for Cynthia Dill), just because I could not stomach what the Tea Party has done to the Republican party, and I want them out of there. My votes were a complete rejection of ultra-conservative, non-collaborative Republicans, and was not influenced at all by any campaign tactics or maneuvering. The sooner the Republican party accepts that we’re all in this together, and thus must work together on a common agenda, the sooner I and those like me will reconsider rejoining.
Good choice
It seems you were not alone.
As a social liberal/fiscal conservative, I applaud your choice.
America NEEDS an effective 2nd party, and the “fantasy world” elements of the Republican party are fast driving it to irrelevancy.
Great username, by the way!
What sort of accusatory cards are being sent to many innocent people? It’s wrong and it’s intimidation.
At least he’s only the GOP chairman. We Ohioans have Husted as our Secretary of State and as such he uses our money to pay for his never ending attempts at suppressing people’s votes.
What a maroon. Blacks have been allowed to vote since about 1992, this guy needs to learn history
Um- well longer than that, actually. The Fifteenth Amendment to the US Constitution gave that right to black men in 1869, then black women in 1920, (along with all other women). However, it was not until 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was passed, that a myriad of state laws were thwarted to prevent widespread voter discrimination (minorities and poor alike).
Charlie Webster just doesn’t like black people
ah yes, pulling out the old race card eh?
calm down, hero. Its a Family Guy quote. Can I assume you agree w/ Mr Websters…theory?
When you’re scoring ‘own goals’ for the other side, it really doesn’t make sense to complain that they’re cheating…. To say nothing of being offensive about it.
Before getting into the racist weeds… and making thee obligatory point that the GOP chair seems number than a hake, it’s worth making one point clear:
The big reason the GOP lost this Senate seat was that Olympia Snowe declined to run for reelection.
The big reason the GOP lost this Senate seat was that Olympia Snowe declined to run for reelection.
Indeed…”Snowe must go” was one of the rallying cries to get rid of the “RINO”. Well they got their wish. Their “RINO” is gone, and now they have Angus instead. Brilliant strategy.
You folks trying to make Charlie a racist make me laugh. Charlie (you may remember) attempted to disenfranchise te whitest county in the whitest State in the union.
Charlie is not racist, he’s just not favorablly inclined toward democracy.
Haven’t heard him say anything about the many dozens of white people who showed up to vote.
Could anything prove more conclusively Charles Webster and the Maine GOP’s delusional worldview. What Charlie is really saying is that any black person voting is voter fraud i.e. he ain’t white. Charlie has no official standing. He can send out any postcards he wants. I hope no one returns them. They certainly are not required to and if they don’t it proves nothing except they are pretty sauvey voters.
or perhaps he’s a concerned voter that believes in the american voting system that doesn’t want it to be exploited by corrupt individuals.
Judging from past behavior as well as this latest episode, Charlie Webster is a terrible person who panders to racists, xenophobes and homophobes in an effort to win victory for the Maine GOP.
As a registered Republican, I am glad he is stepping down. I just wish he would shut up now and not drag the party down further on his way out. He seems hell bent on burning bridges.
Possibly but seriously, bringing in a group of “black people” into a small rural town in Maine sticks out like a sore thumb. Let’s face it, what is our minority rate for the whole state? Something like 1% or maybe it’s up to 10% now. If you were going to commit voter fraud wouldn’t it make more sense to bus them to one of our larger cities where strangers (whether black, white, or any other minority) would be better absorbed?
Wow! I started to write a comment….but the fact is this guy deserves no recognition whatsoever. Instead I’d like to suggest Mr. Webster move. Charles, buddy…Charlie, Charlie, Charlie….there is no room for morons like you in Maine. Take your racist views and sore loser attitude and get out! Face the facts Charlie old boy…your party’s candidates lost because they suck…not because a handful of these “black people” as you have dubbed them were bussed into the sticks of Maine to upset the balance of Republican power. As soon as the Republican party figures out that your current players are completely out of touch with the majority of Americans…you may have a chance…until then…perhaps you can move to a “whiter” state (good luck) or stay at one of the 1 percenters Summer estates until they do something about this “black people” problem we are having in the US. We are done with intolerance & we are done with you.
what we need in this state and in this country is real voter ID.
we need to institute a system that can verify where someone lives, how long they’ve lived there, and if they are a citizen or not.
Illegals should not vote, people that have been transported to different areas should not vote, and foreign nationals should not vote.
Totally agree with your 2nd paragraph!
So far though, efforts to prevent voter fraud have proven to be solutions looking for a problem. There just isn’t enough voter fraud happening to warrant these measures.
Why? There is no voter fraud, no voter impersonation fraud. The fraud that was uncovered in this past election in every reported case I read about involved republicans illegally throwing away filled out voter registration cards that democrats or independents filled out. You are welcome to your opinions. You are welcome to share your views here. Knock yourself out… But the FACT remains you are more likely to get hit by lightning than have someone steal your vote, even after the Bush Admin studied the matter and found virtually NO voter fraud in the US… Kick that dead horse… kick it hard… maybe, just maybe it will spring to life… good luck…
so about those black panthers,
or maybe the thousands of people that mysteriously got out of the grave to vote in 2008, or the thousands of people brought into various towns to vote for your savior….
no voter fraud? are you blind?
So what about those “black panthers…?” repugs didn’t have poll watchers? Or, hmmm, are you saying something else, and what might that be…? We already have laws and rules and election wardens and town clerks… There is no voter fraud because the system works. Having gone to one of the commission meetings that Charlie Summers organized on voting in Maine, I found it pretty interesting listening to some town clerks suggesting improvements to absentee voting that would make their jobs less stressful and crunched for time registering the votes that come in… but beyond that… the system works… except for conspiracy theorists who see havoc in every strangers face… Name one election that was overturned or thrown to the opposing candidate because it was discovered, because it was even SUSPECTED, a pile of fraudulent votes and voters conspired to do so… Beat that dead horse HARDER, HARDER… you just might turn something up…
Wow what a joke, so glad that this clowns days with any kind of influence are numbered. Get him OUT!! Fire him and the rest of the GOP bigots immediately.
How embarrassing for us! Please don’t think all Mainers think like this. Please! Most of us are good, hardworking people who try not to judge others and accept people for who they are.
The scary thing is that this guy is too liberal for LePage.
Registered voters are not required to respond to postcards sent to them by political parties, so the results of this ersatz survey will have no bearing on these unsupported claims of voter fraud. Let Mr. Webster specify his evidence and its sources so the public can gauge their reliability. For the time being, suffice it to say that the racism behind these apparently spurious charges speaks for itself. Do Maine voters who may have supported a different type of Republicanism in the past really want to put up with the bigoted appeals and conspiracy theories of the current crop of Republicans?
….
If minorities and poor people aren’t good enough, then I guess the Maine GOP would have only leaf-peeping New Yorkers on our voter registration rolls!
Did some door to door canvassing in Hancock county in 2004: spoke to one fellow in Ellsworth who’d just gotten out of prison and was convinced he couldn’t vote. I made sure he knew he still had a right to vote in his home state despite having served time.
(Come on, its not like Maine was settled by the cream of Massachusetts society… Of the six generations Mainers have in the ground, not a few of them have had their run-ins with the law…. including, as this fellow pointed out, one certain ex-president.)
Really good to see him show up at the polls later in the campaign…
Strange. How did he choose the people and registrants to send postcards to? Who gave him a list of suspicious names?
And how did he get the addresses?
I think that is public information. And that is why you shouldn’t list your phone number if you don’t want calls during election season.
One of the biggest problems voting in Maine confronts is people moving from one district to another, especially lower income people or students moving from one apartment to another. My 19 yr old has moved about 5 times in the last two years, between 3 different districts… she had to register in each district in order to vote… The address roles are not always accurate or up to date… Is this a problem that will throw and election one way or the other…? I doubt it… I don’t think anybody has figured out a way to scam the system based on these inaccuracies…
Whoa…. This guy is more than half a bubble off plumb!!! He may represent the new Tea Party Republicans but he is a complete and total embarrassment to the old school Republican Party. If I was in power in the Republican party I’d be trying to find out what could be done to stop him from so poorly representing the Republican party. The Republican party really needs to separate themselves from these Tea Party crazies. They aren’t Republicans… they aren’t Democrats… they’re just a bunch of radical extremists. But… I have to say that the Republican party brought this on themselves when they made a decision to win (elections) at any cost… apparently this kind of crazy behavior and poor representation IS the cost. Let’s hope it’s a lesson learned by politicians so they don’t just grab any willing and warm body and promote them during an election just for the sake of winning. So many of these Tea Party representatives have proven to be completely misinformed and paranoid about conspiracy theories. How ridiculous is it that this guy thinks that black people travel from other states to Maine to vote illegally. Really? What for?
He is an older white man desperately clinging to some past that is slipping farther and farther away….he is scared and bitter. But worse than that….he is a bigot (saying the “n” word under his breath.)
Obama has been winning Maine elections since early 2008. Why do the Republicans think he needed to bus in supporters this year…
Excellent observation….but you are talking about those who live in some alternate zone.
I used to have a lot more respect for the Maine GOP: Chamberlain, Chase Smith, and all that. This is just sad — if the GOP hadn’t started bussing in rich folks from Florida (pink pants, kelly green shirt, and golf-clubs) it wouldn’t be iin such a state.
There is a man who posts on the BDN who lives in Florida. i hope he stays there. Leave his bigoted, non-inclusive views there!!
As someone who has spent 3/4th of his life expatriated from the 802 area code, I probably shouldn’t pursue this line of thought too far…
But it’s very sad to see Yankee Republicans slowly fade away (RIP Fred Tuttle).
Webster has a mental illness called hate/prejudice/bigotry. It leads to political insignificance, at a minimum
Blame it on the black people, they did it. SARCASM! Hate to say this but some folks will believe him.
Mr. Webster is like the Maine version of Jubilation T. Cornpone.
Republicans just make it up as they go. They don’t let the truth get in their way!
This is funny. My wife and I are white and have four grown daughters still living at home. Our neighbors are black and have 8 kids, two of them old enough to vote. All six of our family went to vote and all four of our neighbors family went to vote. The total votes; 6 for Obama and 4 for Romney. My family voted emass for Obama yet my neighbors family was probably the “suspicious” ones. LOL
PS…..Our neighbors have a van does that count as a “bus”.
Exactly my thinking. Just because they were black, who’s to say they were voting Obama, or ANY democrat for that matter? I could understand if maybe this was about voters from ALL races not being recognized by poll workers.
His previous stories about black voters didn’t pan out, so when you lose again, make up new stories. Racial hatred and loathing is all the Republican party has left, and that’s never going to change. When you vote Republican, know what you’re getting.
I’m sure someone already addressed this issue, but did the people crying fraud peer over the shoulders of these black voters and verify they voted Democrat? Just because someone is black doesn’t mean they voted for Obama, or for any of his Democratic party friends.
And I live in a relatively small community and I notice when there are black people who aren’t familiar to me, but that’s because we don’t have a whole lot of them. It doesn’t mean I’m racist, but honestly, they stand out against or majorly white community. But that doesn’t mean I automatically assume they are here on vacation, or that they are “new”. I just obviously have never seen them before. And where better to see ALL of the residents of your town but the one place we all have an interest. The Polls.
As for his fail-proof fraudulent address claim… In such a small community that they might claim these people could be missed by the other residents before election day, don’t you think the people who register voters as they come through might recognize a grossly fake address or know someone who is a neighbor to the address given and inquire if they know them? You know, since they are so obviously NOT from their town.
I like how this was an issue before, but they didn’t pursue it because the Republicans won that year. Has Maine jumped on the secession bandwagon yet? I think this guy might have been Name One on the petition. Sore losers, essentially.
This could be so easily verfied if Chairman Whackadoodle would simply name the rural towns where all this allegedly happened. I mean, seriously, if busloads of people from away (black, white, blue or green) started pouring into the polling stations, don’t you think election officials there would be picking up the phone and telling somebody? Anybody? Buehler? Buehler? This man is a certifiable nut job. And I moved from Bangor to Los Angeles, and I’ve seen some nut jobs out here!
And the GOP is still wondering why the lost?! Keep up with that same mentality and you’ll keep losing elections.
Story even made BuzzFlash. When the people of Maine speak Maine shines nationally. When politicians in Maine speak Maine is ridiculed. Hopefully that will begin to change as these folks fade into the distance.
Maine has made the national news more times in this past year or so than it has in many years prior — all because of horrible, bigoted behavior on the part of our Republican officials. It started with the Governor’s refusal to meet with the NAACP because that organization is a “special interest group,” that could “kss [his] butt.” Then we made news because of the Governor’s stupid petty tantrum about that mural. Somewhere along the line Lepage called the IRS the “gestapo,” and he thinks state workers are “corrupt.” Now we have Charlie Webster spewing hate-based conspiracies in the national news. Whatever must people think of our wonderful state? We used to be known for Cohen, Mitchell, Muskie, and Chase-Smith. Now we’re nationally recognized bigots.
Yes, it’s disgusting and embarrassing. The good news is that King got little or no opposition from the Left.
Personally I would like to see the results of the mailing before I pass judgement.
I would also like to see the results of any follow-up for those who fail to respond as to their residency if it cannot be found within the municipality. If there is no smoke then there is no fire.(in this instance)..
While I understand I have to point out that his method is very flawed. Voter registration (correct me if I’m wrong) is your residence, not your mailing address. Postcards would be returned as undeliverable if they had a post office box. Or, the people could have moved in the last couple of weeks. It is just too flawed to be valid.
Yes it is flawed but it was intended to be an indicator, NOT court evidence. Ones legal residence is mandatory and that requires an address, NOT a PO box but s physical address. Charlie dropped the idea but it is still a optional poll process.
The election wardens in the towns of Maine have rules they must follow to assure a polling place is operating within the law and our vote is secure. That is why polling places have election wardens and officials. When they follow those rules, such as the guidelines necessary for someone to register on the same day that they vote, people that are trying to scam the system get caught, or simply aren’t allowed to vote. The system works, and has worked for a very long time. If you don’t have confidence in how our polling works already, you have passed judgment on a system that has been securing Maine elections for years. Webster hasn’t shown himself the least bit intelligent enough to have found a fatal, corrupting flaw in our very successful, very secure election system. Where there is no smoke there tends not to be fire, as you say, and there is no smoke or fire in this issue…
My family is a wonderful mix of black and white… my daughter in law is an emergency room doctor who most Maine hospitals would love to hire. I have black family-in-law and dear friends who love the beauty and tranquility of Maine and would gladly bring in tourist dollars Maine sorely needs.
Can you imagine how unwelcome they feel and reluctant to come here when the outgoing (fortunately) Republican Party Chairman Charlie Webster shames this fine state with his sour grapes explanation for their loss???
Even though I am a Democrat, in the past I respected the Republican party of Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and welcomed the balance they brought to the politics of this fine state. The mean-spiritedness and bullying nature of the current “Republican party” members that has been Maine’s voice for the last two years has been shameful, painting our fine state with their voice!
I hope the level-headed conservatism of the past will return because I appreciate a balance and willingness (on both sides) put the needs of Maine’s before ideology!
Nothing is more precious to a free society than an election process free of abuse. Each illegal vote is a knife into our hearts. Of 59 voting districts in Philadelphia not one vote was cast for Mitt Romney. Equally as dangerous is checking voter eligibility by race. We need, somehow, to remove even the appearance of cheating.
There are far more than 59 voting districts in Philadelphia. The ones you call attention to also did not vote for McCain in 2008 or Bush in 2004… some insight into this from a Philly newspaper: http://articles.philly.com/2012-11-13/news/35069785_1_romney-supporters-mitt-romney-voter-id-law
“We have always had these dense urban corridors that are extremely Democratic,” said Jonathan Rodden, a political science professor at Stanford University. “It’s kind of an urban fact, and you are looking at the extreme end of it in Philadelphia.”
Hi ( insert name here), what are you doing on Election Day? Nothing? Well then, let’s go up to rural Maine and commit felony voter election fraud.
Sounds like a plan to me.
Charlie Webster you are nuts.
Funny how people making racist conclusions never think they’re racist.
Webster and his pals probably think that all black people look alike, so they mistakenly believed that the hundreds of thousands of African-Americans in Maine were all the same person. Racists make this sort of mistake. *smh*
Oh, Charlie, you make it so easy to vote for the other guys! Your GOP is nuts!
The places these people were bussed in from must have had some pretty empty local polls.
Gee. I wonder why the Republican base is shrinking?
Here’s an investigation for him — who were the people POLL WATCHING and checking folks off. I’ve been voting in a town of under 900 people every year since 1977… and damned if I recognized everyone handling the polling.
Let’s investigate the GOP poll watchers… maybe they’re like our GOP governor — a snowbird who decided to get a temporary job in Maine
More evidence that today’s GOP is a fringe group of extreme right-wing crackpots who are completely unhinged from reality.
Moderate Republicans should stop voting for ANY Republican candidate until the party get’s its house in order and gets rid of the insane wing that is driving it right over the cliff into oblivion.
Wow, if they have money left over from their campaign funds, put it to good use and help out the poor! Typical Republicans. Whine and waste!
Come on, Maine, aren’t you just a little embarrassed by this “official”? How do these idiots assume positions of any sort of authority whatsoever? A returned postcard=voter fraud. Yeah, makes perfect sense to me. Is this one of the geniuses who mucked up the Republican Primary? And they think Democrats are guilty of voter fraud. If nothing else, this guy is guilty of criminal stupidity. Unbelievable.
It seems you are “from away…” So let me speak as a native Mainer and take the liberty to speak for most Maine voters I know… You are damn right we are embarrassed by this buffoon, this donkey’s arse, this self-aggrandizing nincompoop… He is stepping down from running the Repug’s Party in Maine (into the ground as it happens.) We hope the door doesn’t hit him too hard in his backside when he does (well, maybe just a little bit hard…) And yes, there are not a few Republicans in the state that are almost just as embarrassed as I and my friends are, though I tend to think they are ashamed enough to not say much lest they be identified as belonging to the same party as this horse’s arse. (I, btw, am an un-enrolled voter, professed progressive, leaning much more to the Green Party because their platform says what most is needed in this country.) Oh, did I mention, this guy’s a dimwit, a lickspittle, a few slices short of a sandwich…? Mucked up the primaries…? he’s your guy…
Don’t read into what was said. He is sending the cards to addresses that he believes do not exist he has no idea the race of the person at the address, but if the cards come back unable to deliver then he will prove his point of voter fraud. Everyone should want to put a stop to voter fraud.
“…then he will prove his point of voter fraud…” No, he won’t (even though he has apologized and said he won’t send the cards.) Apparently neither Webster nor yourself was aware that homeless people can vote and can use addresses that won’t be guaranteed to be returned. His foolish scheme proving a problem that doesn’t exist in Maine or in the country at large is just his partisan, ideological witch hunt and is an embarrassment to all of us. Even you… Maine’s election system is one of the best in the country and assures voters our elections are free and fair. The town clerks, election officials and polling wardens at each polling place do their jobs well. Folks like Webster that denigrate our system and those civil servants with their BS witch hunts while the law already is perfectly capable of addressing fraud are wasting time, money and breath.
He is just a sore loser like the all the rest…. Grasping at the straws of rasicm
Why would anyone from outside of Maine care about Maine? Especially considering Maine has voted for a democrat president every election since 1988?
Why would anyone from outside of Maine care about Maine? Especially in elections
considering Maine has voted for a democrat president every election
since 1992?
This is so silly. Obama won Maine by over 100,000 votes, mostly from Cumberland County and York County, both of which voted Democrat in about the same proportions in the last two elections. Maine’s population is about 1.3% black according to the Census, which would work out to less than 10,000 voters. The outcome of the election in Maine was never in the slightest doubt, and the only reason for Charlie Webster’s comment is to make a gratuitous racial remark. He didn’t say, “dozens of people unknown to the elections board.” He said, “dozens, dozens of black people.” Saying that he is not a racist because he plays basketball with a black man is also pretty insincere. Charlie Webster should stop worrying about dozens of black people and start worrying about the fact that 64% of the women in Maine voted Democrat.
Taggart, is that you up there in Maine running the GOP? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w36z7XnwOM&feature=share&list=PL9E5C64D05AE0C216
The solution for Webster is simple. Meds.
Black people don’t look familiar because they all look the same to a white racist, if he can see them at all. However, unfamiliar white people still look familiar to a white racist because they all look different. I hope that clears up the confusion.
US Census map for Maine showing that each Maine County has African American residents. Why didn’t he check out the facts before making a fool of himself. “Inconvenient Truths”
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/tm/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DP8/0400000US23.05000?mapyear=2010&extenttype=extent&zoomlevel=OTHER&minx=-8477895.136365622&miny=5072436.803649501&maxx=-6888004.94803438&maxy=6266077.437350496&mm=&by=&bl=&ft=&fl=&catsetid=GEO%3D0500000US23001%21VD1%3DD004&trans=0.8&sr=255&sg=192&sb=203&er=115&eg=0&eb=42&cc=4&cm=NATURAL_BREAKS&
Apparently from other blogs I’ve read, dingbat here is walking back his xenophobia and apologizing for his dingbattery.