Heard AG Eric Holder speak last night in Austin...

[Screw_Michigan]

Hey look, you shit eating tards! Basically voter fraud in MD. Suck on this.

A Baltimore jury Tuesday found Paul Schurick, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s (R) campaign manager, guilty of fraud and related charges for his role in an Election Day 2010 robocall — a decision hailed by government watchdog groups who say that for too long dirty tricks have tainted Maryland politics.

The robocall, sent to thousands of voters as Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley swept to a re-election victory, was designed to suppress black votes by telling recipients to "relax" and assuring them that O'Malley had been successful even though the polls had not yet closed, the jury found. The call was scripted to give the impression it was coming from Democrats, not Republicans, jurors said.

The jury found Schurick guilty on all four counts, including election fraud and failing to include an Ehrlich campaign authorization line on the calls. After the verdict was read, Schurick clutched his wife, who burst into tears. Schurick, who maintained a solemn face after the hearing as he comforted distraught family members and friends, declined to comment.

His attorney, A. Dwight Pettit, said he was "disappointed" and vowed to appeal on First Amendment grounds that the call was protected, political speech. He said the case represented an unconstitutional attempt by the state to "regulate political speech."

But voter advocates said the verdict — delivered on the same day that former Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson was sentenced to more than seven years on federal corruption charges — sends a clear message.

"Political operatives in Maryland take note," said Susan Wichmann, executive director of Common Cause Maryland. "Suppressing the vote is not just a 'dirty trick,' it is a crime and it will not be tolerated."

Schurick, whose sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 16, faces a total of 12 years in prison. Defense attorneys said they believed the judge will have to merge some of the counts, resulting in no more than a six-year sentence. Prosecutors told the judge Tuesday they would not seek to have Schurick incarcerated before sentencing.

[smackaholic]

not exactly voter fraud, but, they should be punished.

if receiving such a call caused anyone to stay home, they are certifiable morons who don't deserve a vote.

it does kind of remind me of the '00 elections when news networks called florida for algore even though the central time zoned (and heavily republican) panhandle was still open. certainly, there were no shenanigans going on there.

[Screw_Michigan]

not exactly voter fraud, but, they should be punished.

It's not, but it's close.

[Carson]

The robocall, sent to thousands of voters as Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley swept to a re-election victory, was designed to suppress black votes by telling recipients to "relax" and assuring them that O'Malley had been successful even though the polls had not yet closed.

Rack him for appealing to genetic laziness.