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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, May 14, 2018

Updated: A Trick to Embarrass People Into Voting


On Saturday, a regular reader told me about a mailer that is going out to younger voters. This has also been confirmed by blogger LVCI. He said no mailer was sent to his neighbors who vote Republican. There was a post about it at Complainers of Bethlehem, too.

Here's how reader Ovem Lupo Commitere reacted:

Two of my adult children received very official looking mailings today: creepy, and also very deceptive. Supposedly from "Pennsylvania State Voter Program" with a return address in Harrisburg. Also, in contrasting red ink across the envelope, "IMPORTANT TAXPAYER INFORMATION ENCLOSED." Inside, a letter asking in all bold upper caps, "what if your friends, your neighbors, and your community knew whether you voted?" In the text, "this chart shows the names of people you know and their voting histories..." and goes on to show a chart with us and our neighbors names and addresses, and the supposed voting histories for Nov 2014, March 2016, and Nov 2016, and May 15 2018 (?).

So many things wrong that the gullible would fall for:
1. seems creepy to be reporting how our neighbors voted, and vice versa
2. PA primary was late April, not March, in 2016, so false info
3. comparing between the two mailings, they gave different voting "records" for each of them, so bogus BS
4. google the "PA State Voter Program", as someone might do, and official PA site comes up that the naive don't realize is NOT this, and google it with the address, and the zip code is crossed off in the search info as missing, and the PO box does not come up at all. Very deceptive, especially as most would only search the name
5. content is not "taxpayer information"
6. the pre-sorted postage is actually paid out of Indianapolis,IN, not Harrisburg, PA
7. NO where is there "paid for" info, to further the deception that this is somehow official to the naive
8. it was only mailed to the two female who were registered Dems.
9. also today another letter addressed to one of them comes from "Nextgen Pennsylania"
10. also today, a big flier mailed to the other one, for Susan Wild paid for by "WOMEN VOTE!", with postage paid out of Baltimore, MD

So, as you wrote:"The people of the Lehigh Valley have a decision to make. Do we want to send someone to Congress who will just be a flamethrower who lies and who falsely portrays..."

This letter is a form of voter intimidation, though it does not appear to be criminal. Who sent it? The Romans would ask, "Cui Bono?" Who benefits? The far left knows it is unable to win unless it can get younger people to the polls. This is a sneaky and dishonest way of achieving that goal.

from the 2016 flyer
Updated 1:54 pm: Before the 2016 election, a similar letter was sent to Ovem Lupo Commitere's household. That one claimed that the "Center for Voter Information" is "A project of Women's Voices Women Vote Action Fund." As some of you know, Women Vote is the SuperPAC used by Emily's List. Emily's List supports Susan Wild and has spent a lot of money to elect her. Emily's List President Stephanie Schriock and NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue met with Wild and supporters at Nosh restaurant in Allentown last week. We now have an answer to the question, Cui Bono?

If you are offended by this tactic, register your resentment in the voting booth by voting for someone other than Susan Wild.

(Originally published at midnight)

Update #2, 5/15/18, 2 am: I have been contacted by the Wild camp, which contends that Women's Voices Women Vote and Women Vote are two separate SuperPACS, and Wild has no idea what either group is doing because that would be illegal. Sure. I'm sure nothing of that sort happened during the hugfest Wild had with Emily's List and NARAL klast week. 

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

My wife and I are in our 70's and both of us received this mailer. Apparently it is being sent to everyone not just young voters. While it may not be illegal, I do consider it intrusive and offensive. My voting record is not for sale.

Anonymous said...

This smells of Moraganelli and Severson. This is the kind of thing they are known for.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Morganelli would have no reason to push for a big turn out.

Anonymous said...

all and I mean all politicians are no good...thats why trump won and will win again.

Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

I actually save political junk mail in a file cabinet. To answer "who benefits?" in the 2016 presidential election, these same two adult children received some similar, claiming to show past voting records, and stating "we will be reviewing these records after the election to determine whether or not you joined your neighbors in voting." That mailing stated it was from the "Center for Voter Information", "A project of Women's Voices Women Vote Action Fund." It was only mailed to the registered Democratic females in the household. I'll email pics of those.

Interesting that they use the same tactic, and very, very similar verbiage. The 2016 mailings, at least identify who is behind it, though its "mother org" is out of DC, not Harrisburg. This year's mailings are much more deceptive in who is behind it. Seems like it should be illegal, as it is clearly intended to help one particular candidate with out any "paid for" identifications, but as with much post- Citizens United, much is in the shadows. I guess that should say something about the "who benefits?"

Anonymous said...

Round up the usual suspects and there you have it

Anonymous said...

My wife is 65 and she got it in the mail..and she is a registered D. It does not say who the neighbors that are listed voted for..only if they went to the polls those past few election cycles. It is not intimidating but is eye opening as it lets you know who votes and who doesn't.

Anonymous said...

and the republicans get no benefit if the Democrats are fighting amongst themselves?
claiming that the far left is responsible without proof has no merit.

Anonymous said...

My husband and I both received this letter. We are middle-aged. I am a registered Democrat; my husband is registered Republican.

Anonymous said...

Morganelli needs uninformed voters to go to the polls and pull the lever for the only name they recognize.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"claiming that the far left is responsible without proof has no merit."

Cui Bono?

Bernie O'Hare said...

" I do consider it intrusive and offensive. My voting record is not for sale."

Actually, it is. I can look up the voting record of anyone. I only do so for people running for office, and even then, only sporadically. The record will reveal whether you voted and what party you belong to. It goes back for quite some time, too. This is how super voters are identified by persons running for office.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"My wife and I are in our 70's and both of us received this mailer. Apparently it is being sent to everyone not just young voters"

Yes, apparently the field is wider than I originally thought. On the Complainer Facebook page, a woman who received one told me she is independent.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Ovem, Thanks for keeping the 2016 flyers. Women Vote is the SuperPAC used by Emly's List, which supports Susan Wild. We now know who benefits and who is responsible.

Anonymous said...

"Morganelli would have no reason to push for a big turn out."

One would believe that all candidate would want the largest turnout possible, so a fair and equitable candidate is nominated. Only the sleazy types don't want people to vote.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Excuse me. John wants everyone who wants to vote to be able to do so. The right to vote necessarily includes the right not to vote. Attempting to shame people into voting is very sleazy, and we now know who is behind it. Susan Wild. The same person who lied to John. The same person who distorted his record.

Anonymous said...

try
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pennsylvania-7th-district-lehigh-valley-democratic-primary-future-of-party_us_5af5b771e4b00d7e4c1a2ab9

"And EMILY’s List, which backs pro-choice Democratic women, announced last week that it was buying television ad time on Wild’s behalf in the Philadelphia and Allentown markets, as well as sending 250,000 pieces of mail to support her bid."

sounds like the super pac announced the spending.

and an answer about Morganelli
"Morganelli told HuffPost on Sunday that he had applied to become U.S. attorney for Pennsylvania’s Eastern District, and withdrew his bid shortly after Trump’s inauguration when he grew disappointed with the president’s conduct."

so he was looking for a job from trump.

and
"Meanwhile, United Together, a PAC affiliated with the centrist group No Labels, is backing Morganelli. The PAC has spent over $150,000 on digital ads blasting Wild, and an additional $137,000 on direct-mail literature attacking Edwards."

Bernie O'Hare said...

11:43, That's all nice and is pretty much what I've been saying. I am the first person to report that the push polling was the work of No Labels, the group behind United Together. That was several months ago. None of that was authorized by John and was in fact condemned by him.

In stark contrast, Wild has actually embraced Emily's List and their Prez jetted in to pat each other on the back last week. She has not condemned the attack ads and has in fact participated in them.

This post is about a mailer that is now attempting to shame voters, threatening ti reveal whether they voted or not. We know that Sue Wild is the beneficiary of this dirty trick.



Anonymous said...



a person posted.
"As I predicted that scummy group United Together was a Tom Severson scam. They just came out and endorsed Morganelli on tv in an Ad. Morganelli has lost all credibility
and your answer
"Neither Severson nor Morganelli has a thing to do with this group. Who they endorse is their business. Just as NextGen and Emily’s List."


" and we now know who is behind it. Susan Wild."

so Emily's list superpac is controlled by Wild?
or "Who they( Emily’s List)endorse is their business."
which is correct?



Anonymous said...

11.58
if wild is working with the superpac that is a big no-no.
the hard part is proving it.
politicians both Dems and repubs have played the silly game that they are not working with a superpac when they are.
Morganelli deserves credit for condemning those actions and Wild deserves shame for such an action

Bernie O'Hare said...

Let me worn you that when you leave gaps between paragraphs or at the end of a comment, it will get deleted. Don't do it again.

The difference here is that Morganelli disavows the attacks, while Wild embraces them, participates in them herself and embraces the leaders of the group. If Wild were to distance herself from the SuperPacs, I would not associate her with their shaming effort here. But she has embraced them.

Anonymous said...

my bad.i had posted the the question of what was correct without refreshing.
that meant i did not see the report of Wild meeting with the prez of Emily's list.
Wild embracing such superpacs does deserve shame

Anonymous said...

This article is going a bit viral.

Trump-loving bigot running as ‘Democrat’ tries to hide his record

Bernie O'Hare said...

Is it? Then why publish it here, except to distract attention from Wild's dirty trick?

Anonymous said...

Thought you'd get a kick out of it. Feel free to delete.

Bernie O'Hare said...

It is off topic, but I will let it stand to show what Wild does to avoid scrutiny of herself.

Anonymous said...

@2:46: Thank you for posting the article. It makes my vote clearer and clearer.

Anonymous said...

Vote for JM...so we can finally get rid of him locally as DA and find someone who shares our values and shares our counties commitment to...Justice and Mercy!

Anonymous said...

Bernie is not wild about Wild !

X said...

Bernie, we all must understand that slow dead Ed was playing with fast eddy before the Allentown state was even announced! With this it and itz consortium of criminalz at many different venue levelz why would anyone eXeXpect anything other than criminal tactikz want to gain by it filling a house seat.
I would hate to be that chair as the ugliness on the inside releives itself.
republican redd
humanist by design
not a party favor and crossing party lines on this here vote, The US Navy Lady looks to be a reincarnation of the beautiful iron lady

Bernie O'Hare said...

2:46 and 3:49 are one and the same person.

Anonymous said...

This is so Tom Severson. Remember when they knocked a candidate off the ballot to help a friend of JM. It is so Severson.

Anonymous said...

Apparantley Morganelli only wants his supporters to vote.

imdave said...

This article seems to attempt to do the same thing that letter does in reverse. Trying to lay this at the feet of one candidate with no real evidence or confirmation and encouraging voters to vote for other candidates puts you in the same company as this mailing.

Anonymous said...

The fact is low voter turnout is not a bad thing. If people need to be prodded and reminded to vote, we’re better off without them voting. Low voter turnout is always interpreted as disinterest. Perhaps. It may also be satisfaction. The right not to vote is as American as the right to vote. Super voters are the not so deep state.

Bernie O'Hare said...

5:21, We know who it is and you know, too. It is Susan Wild. In 2016, Women Vote did the same thing, but made the mistake of identifying themselves.

Unknown said...

Lol... Bernie, trolling for Morganelli... Emily's List represents women's interests... Nothing wrong with that... Women are a majority, after all... There are no women from PA in the U.S. Congress. Susan Wild 2018!

Bernie O'Hare said...

You represent the intolerance in the left that led to Trump's election. Congratulations, elitist. .

Anonymous said...

Bastard's keep calling and not leaving vmail and got a text message to my cellphone, how is that legal/possible?

Anonymous said...

You claim people have the right to vote and to not vote, yet you attack and marginalize candidates over their voting record. Is this the logic of a Morganelli campaign operative?

Bernie O'Hare said...

If someone decides to run for office, his or her voting record is fair game. If someone only registered to vote to run for office, people should know this. But whether Joe Blow from down the street votes in the election is nobody's business but his, and he should not be shamed the way you and Sue Wild propose.

Anonymous said...

Voter shaming...wow...what has happened to us?

Anonymous said...

@ 10:00pm why do you draw such a distinction between the person who registered to vote in order to run for office versus someone who votes infrequently in primaries or otherwise?

If a candidate voted in every primary or general you would still have no idea how they voted so what difference would it make to you? They may vote 100% of the time, but as a non-elected official, what if they were a R who goes against assault weapons or a D who is pro-life? You'd give them credit because they vote, but would still have no idea what you were giving them credit for.

95% of voters give little proactive thought to the candidates up for election prior to getting in line to vote. The candidates who understand that provide simple messages and simple ways to differentiate themselves and win, easily.