Vander Plaats Unveils Executive Order to Stay Same-Sex Marriages, Challenges Culver to ‘End ‘Irresponsible Silence, Take Action’

http://www.teamvp2010.com/

Attorney General’s Memo Ordering County Recorders to Issue Licenses Lacks Constitutional Authority

DES MOINES - Releasing the text of an executive order that would stay same-sex marriages and withstand a legal challenge, Bob Vander Plaats today called on Gov. Chet Culver to sign the order before county recorders are expected to issue marriage licenses on Monday.

"The governor’s acquiescence to a court opinion is tantamount to neglecting his constitutional responsibilities," Vander Plaats said at a Statehouse news conference. "Because he hasn’t been willing to do his job, we’ve done it for him. I have worked with a team of attorneys who understand the Iowa Constitution and the end product is an executive order that defends our constitution and defends the will of the people. It gives Governor Culver the opportunity to exercise the authority that only he has but his so far given away to the courts and Attorney General Tom Miller."

Vander Plaats noted that Miller’s April 8 memo directing county recorders to adhere to the Iowa Supreme Court’s April 3 opinion and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples is "without constitutional basis."

"On April 15th, 1998 Governor Terry Branstad signed House File 382 into law after it passed the General Assembly as prescribed by law. According to the constitution, this is the only method by which laws and statutes in Iowa can be created. The constitution does not grant the Supreme Court the power to write, amend or strike legislative law. Its opinion, to secure justice for the parties, should have been to refer the matter back to the Iowa General Assembly with the opinion that its members should either rewrite the law or bring it before a vote of the people of Iowa as a constitutional amendment to remedy the issue."

Vander Plaats continued, "Iowa’s 99 county recorders are caught between a rock and a hard place. They’re being threatened with legal action from our state attorney general if they don’t comply with a court opinion but that opinion does not carry constitutional weight to change our marriage laws. Governor Culver has a responsibility to take that burden off Iowa’s county recorders and issue a stay on same-sex marriages in Iowa until this matter can be resolved by the only two authorities in the state legally qualified to resolve it: The General Assembly or the people of Iowa."

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Call and email Governor Chet Culver: www.governor.iowa.gov Click on "Contact Us." It is here that you can email the governor. Also, call his office and leave a message 515-281-5211. Let Governor Culver know that you want him to sign the Executive Order putting a stay on the Supreme Court's ruling allowing the legislature time to do their job and let the people vote.

SKYNEWS 6 Checks out 2 Tulsa Tea Parties

Muskogee County GOP Convention and Precinct Meetings

http://www.meetup.com/mikehuckabee-66/calendar/9838094/
Mar 7
Sat 9:00 AM
Location
Muskogee Public Library
801 W Okmulgee StMuskogee, OK 74401Change Place

The 2009 Muskogee County Republican Convention will take place on Saturday, March 7th. The Convention will be held in the Grant Foreman meeting room of the Muskogee Public Library, located at 801 W. Okmulgee St. in Muskogee, beginning as soon as the precinct meetings end (approx. 10:15am).

At the County Convention, delegates are selected to attend the State Convention in Oklahoma City on April 18th. Only registered Republicans can vote in the County Convention; however, the public is welcome to attend.

This year's county and state conventions are crucial, as we will be voting on the State Chairman and Vice-Chairman at the State Convention in April, and setting the course for the 2010 election cycle (which includes the Governor's race). As registered Republicans, please try to attend these events. Keeping our Party conservative requires grassroots involvement.

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2204821975#/event.php?eid=54677338175&ref=nf

Cuyahoga County elections officials find more cases of potential fraud

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/10/cuyahoga_county_elections_offi_1.html

Cuyahoga County elections officials find more cases of potential fraud

Posted by Joe Guillen/Plain Dealer Reporter October 21, 2008 18:20PM

Plain Dealer file
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has referred 14 more cases of possible voter fraud to the county prosecutor.

CLEVELAND -- The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections referred 14 more cases of potential voter registration fraud to the county prosecutor Tuesday as part of an investigation of suspicious registration cards submitted by ACORN.

Each case is tied to a voter whose name appears on at least one card turned in by ACORN, a national group that led registration drives across the country. Those voters must vote provisionally on Election Day, the board decided. Unless board workers can prove the person's eligibility, their votes will not be counted.

The board voted on each case individually after reviewing copies of cards the registration department flagged as suspicious.

The problems on the cards reviewed Tuesday were consistent with others flagged previously in the investigation. Of about 72,000 cards ACORN turned in this year, election workers found batches of cards with the same name but different addresses, mismatched signatures or different Social Security numbers.

Of the cards ACORN turned in this year, more than 5,000 were missing information and could not be used. The board could not verify the address on 3,500 others. Those people will have to vote provisionally if they turn out at the polls.

The board referred four cases of potential registration fraud to the prosecutor last week. The county sheriff has subpoenaed employment records of 41 workers from ACORN's Cleveland office.

A spokesman for Prosecutor Bill Mason said the investigation is ongoing. Charges have not been filed.

After the board finished reviewing the questionable ACORN cards Tuesday, member Sandy McNair reminded the audience the cases don't endanger the presidential election because voter fraud is a different problem.

Representatives from ACORN were not at the meeting.