Whitehouse Explains Caging: An ‘Especially Nefarious Voter Suppression Tactic’
Whitehouse Explains Caging: An ‘Especially Nefarious Voter Suppression Tactic’
Last week, the Senate Rules Committee held a hearing on the voter suppression tactic known as “caging.” Its first witness was Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a former U.S. attorney who has introduced a bill explicitly outlawing the procedure.
Whitehouse’s testimony clearly explained the tactic, which gained prominence during the U.S. attorney scandal. Karl Rove pushed heavily for the ouster of the U.S. attorney in Arkansas in order to install his protege, Tim Griffin. During his time as research director for the Republican National Committee in 2004, Griffin allegedly engaged in the caging of African-American servicemembers.
As Whitehouse notes, caging is a three-step process that targets voters of the opposite party, who are often minorities. The campaign sends “do not forward/return to sender” letters to those individuals, and then challenges the votes of those whom do not respond — even if they are servicemembers stationed abroad, as happened in 2004. From his remarks:
Indeed, vote caging was used as early as 1960 in Arizona and continued, in fits and starts, through the 2004 elections — when evidence surfaced that voter caging lists were being compiled. While not every voter caging effort is successful in disenfranchising large numbers of voters, the failure of a voter suppression effort is no excuse for its legality.
Watch it:
Whitehouse’s bill — the Caging Prohibition Act (S. 2305) — would “require any private party who challenges the right of another citizen to vote (or register to vote) to set forth in writing, under penalty of perjury, the specific grounds for the alleged ineligibility.” Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) has introduced a similar bill in the House.
Hopefully journalists such as the Washington Post’s Bob Woodward and Jonathan Weisman were listening to Whitehouse’s testimony, since they have both admitted that they have no idea what this “caging thing” is.
Transcript:
In recent years, we have witnessed the re-emergence of an especially nefarious voter suppression tactic, which has come to be known as “vote caging.” As Professor Davidson, who will testify later this morning, has noted, caging is a three-step process.
First, a campaign identifies a geographic area with a disproportionate number of registered voters who belong to the opposite party — sometimes, but not always, taking the ethnic or racial makeup of that area into account. Second, the campaign sends “do not forward/return to sender” letters to voters in that area.
Third, the campaign challenges the right to vote of those citizens whose mail was returned “undelivered” — on the grounds that the voter does not live at the registered address. Of course, there are many reasons why a piece of mail might be “returned to sender” that have nothing whatsoever to do with a voter’s eligibility.
For example, a voter might be an active member of the armed forces and stationed far from home, or a student who is lawfully registered at his parents’ address. Even a typographical error during entry of the voter’s registration information might result in a “false negative.” Nevertheless, these individuals end up facing a challenge at the polls, and possibly losing their right to vote. It is especially galling that those who engage in vote caging often portray it as an anti-fraud measure, when it is really just the opposite: a nefarious way to compile obviously unreliable lists that will be used to challenge legitimate voters.
Caging came into the media spotlight this summer, during Congress’ investigation into the politicization of the Department of Justice and the dismissal of United States Attorneys, but the practice is neither new nor rare. Indeed, vote caging was used as early as 1960 in Arizona and continued, in fits and starts, through the 2004 elections — when evidence surfaced that voter caging lists were being compiled. While not every voter caging effort is successful in disenfranchising large numbers of voters, the failure of a voter suppression effort is no excuse for its legality. Indeed, Minnesota, California, and my home state of Rhode Island have enacted state laws prohibiting vote caging.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
37 Responses to “Whitehouse Explains Caging: An ‘Especially Nefarious Voter Suppression Tactic’”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
Instant veto. the 35% party can’t allow anything to affect their ridding the voting rolls of the people likely to vote against them.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pmYour title threw me for a minute. This White House would never ascribe themselves to that description of voter caging.
Sheldon Whitehouse has been a pleasure to have in the Senate. More like him, please.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 pmnote to Whitehouse; caging is already supposed to be illegal. Why not just enforce current law against it instead of write a new bill that Repugs will NEVER allow to pass?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 pmDubya met with Karl and Jeb at the Tallahassee office of Greenberg Tarig in late June of 2000 to finalize the various plans and methods for securing the Florida’s vote the following November. It happened. I can show you the conference room.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pmWasn’t there a book published recently by a GOP operative who got “thrown under the bus” after being caught doing this exact same thing ( amongst other dubious activities) ? I really should look that up and buy it–that should serve as a point of reference in this case.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pmWhy not just start taking out two Repugs for each Dem challenged. It is time to simply start taking revenge and to make that revenge extremely expensive.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 pmThey shouldn’t even need this, there’s already a prior constraint law on the books from the early 80s, it just isn’t enforced! Karl Rove is ALREADY guilty of this, he just will not be brought up on charges by this Justice Dept, but there’s always NEXT YEAR…
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:39 pmKKKarl should be caged. In a Zoo. This guy’s a freak, & should, if not caged, at least be behind bars.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:42 pm#3 Uncle Ho….
You’d think, wouldn’t you? Maybe the current law isn;t specific enough? On the other hand FISA seems pretty specific and yet look how that’s bee trampled!
I swear if x = x and y = y and none of the twain shall meet, how is it that the GOP gets away with claiming x = n and y= d but n > x and d > y unless the opposite is true on a Tuesday in Texas in which case the world is actually banana-shaped?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:44 pmI like what I’ve seen of Sheldon Whitehouse.
Don’t know much about him, however. Is he relatively new to office?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:49 pmHERES WHAT AMERICAN CHAIN OF COMMAND DO IN IRAQ TO IGNORE THE LAW
“If someone is giving a briefing and they stomp their foot three times after what they are saying, it means ‘disregard what I just said’. For instance, ‘Make every effort to avoid civilian property damage,’ stomp stomp stomp – [means] ignore that. The idea is that when you get back [from combat], anything that you did the book way can be spoken about – but not what was done the real way.â€
http://www.michaelmoore.com/ words/ latestnews/ index.php?id=11016
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:50 pmThis stuff is what makes the GOP a criminal organization, and not a political party.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:51 pm5th estate; I seem to recall that repugs in nearby Oakland county, said that they would be creamed if they could not repress the vote. It was either the ‘04 or ‘06 election cycle- I can’t remember which.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:52 pmeven prisoners in Europe have not lost the right to vote except in the UK
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:53 pmOh, that Whitehouse. For a second I thought the Bushies were owning up to their own misdeeds.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:00 pmI wish I was from Rhode Island…two best things from there are Sheldon Whitehouse and Lois Griffin!
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:00 pmDon’t know much about him, however. Is he relatively new to office?
Comment by Zimzone — March 3, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
Yes, he was elected in November 2006 — defeating Republican incumbent Lincoln Chaffee.
Chaffee was (and still is) a “liberal” Republican who was well-loved by the Rhode Islanders, but put out of office because the voters truly wanted a Democratic majority in the Senate (”hey, nothing personal, Lincoln”).
Besides championing an end to voter caging, Whitehouse has been keeping a relentless spotlight on the U.S. Attorney firing matter and other possible corruption by the DoJ.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:05 pmAs his name implies, Sheldon Whitehouse is destined for big things, maybe even a spot in the “white house” someday. He’s articulate and intelligent and isn’t afraid of the lockstep zombies in Congress. Atta boy, Sheldon! Keep doing the People’s Work!
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:11 pmYeah, but oil is only $104 a barrel. Heckuva job, Bush. Heckuva job, Bush supporters.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:19 pmGiGi; I didn’t think you would show up after getting your head handed to you on a previous thread.
Now, go Cheney yourself.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:31 pmYou can show us the conference room, yet you cannot even spell the name of the firm correctly? Greenberg Traurig — a firm with a huge presence in Florida. That having been said, it is no secret that Greenberg Traurig represented George W. Bush in parts of the 2000 Bush-Gore recount litigation. Comment by good_golly — March 3, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
ROTFL!! You criticizing others over spelling - HYSTERICAL!!! Your posts are as dumb and irrelevant AS EVER - TARD!
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:37 pmYour friends goon? (WARNING-DISTURBING CONTENT) http://www.dumpert.nl/ mediabase/ 43462/ 9fb16ab3/ us_soldaat_gooit_puppy.html
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:40 pmUncle Ho,
I agree with you wholeheartedly that this “new” legislation seems a bit redundant given that voter caging is already illegal. I give kudos to Sen. Whitehouse, though, for this effort anyways because he’s causing this important issue to be talked about in an election year.
I really like what little I’ve seen of Sen. Whitehouse also but am not all that familiar with his stance on issues other than the DOJ infractions of this misAdministration.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 pmIf I had my head handed to me somewhere, I must have missed it,
Comment by good_golly
Yes, well, it’ll turn up eventually.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 pmGiGi; were you born stupid or did you have to work at it.
re: McCain quotes. you demanded links, I posted them.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:48 pmChaffee was (and still is) a “liberal†Republican who was well-loved by the Rhode Islanders, but put out of office because the voters truly wanted a Democratic majority in the Senate (â€hey, nothing personal, Lincolnâ€).
Chaffee was encouraged to change parties but, for some unknown reason, he refused. And he paid a price for it.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pmComment by good_golly — March 3, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
how about an apology to senator obama for your larry sinclair smear first, gg?
http://2164th.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 02/ larry-sinclair-lied-fails-lie-detector.html
eh?
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pmI demanded ….. good_golly
Goon_golly demands and you shall obey. Didn’t you get the memo?
It really thinks we care in any way what it “demands” or even what it wants. All it wants is attention. It really thinks it has some status here. As I have said before, it lives in a fantasy world.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:19 pmGiGi; were you born stupid or did you have to work at it.
I’m going with the born stupid. No one could be that stupid while working at it. It has to be inbred.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:20 pmhow about an apology to senator obama for your larry sinclair smear first, gg?
Comment by joe cantwell
Now joe, if you want an apology out of GG you will have to “demand” it. It doesn’t respond to requests.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:21 pmAs his name implies, Sheldon Whitehouse is destined for big things, maybe even a spot in the “white house†someday. He’s articulate and intelligent and isn’t afraid of the lockstep zombies in Congress. Atta boy, Sheldon! Keep doing the People’s Work!
Comment by satirev
A Whitehouse in the White House, hmm sounds good to me, much better than Chimpaman in the White House.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:31 pmComment by bilbobaggins — March 3, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
Lincoln Chafee wanted to honor his father by staying in the party, perhaps to try to work it out from within, but unfortunately, he saw the writing on the wall too late…
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:00 pmHopefully you all weren’t waiting for me to show up to remind you of Greg Palast’s reporting on Caging Lists, Karl Rove and Tim Griffin.
By the way Mr. Whitehouse, isn’t denying citizens their right to vote a FELONY? It seems your desire to pass new legislation means you don’t want to investigate and prosecute using existing laws.
Here’s a photo (and aritcle) of Greg Palast handing John Conyer’s an ACTUAL caging list allegedly compiled by Tim Griffin. This is Smoking Gun evidence. Tim Griffin should be in jail right now and Karl Rove not far behind. But John Conyers has let us down again.
Let’s not let this story fall into the trash bin of history!
http://www.gregpalast.com/ rove-pick-for-us-attorney-resigns-following-conyers’-request-for-bbc-documents/
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:17 pmSuppressing the opposition vote is how the Republican Party has won very election since 1998. It was then that they gave up on winning the hearts and minds of Americans and began working on simply winning the elections themselves, regardless of voter sentiment. Their agenda is an economic one, and too impotant to be decided by uneducated voters.
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:18 pmTake a lok at R.F.K. Jr`s articl on how the REICH stole Ohio in 04.I bet caging is going on as we speak.Keep an eye on your e-mail amd land mail between now and Nov.
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:39 pmJudging by the current obsession in all media outlets–broadcast, cable, newspaper, and even Air America–with the primary race and nothing but the primary race, it is no surprise that reporters at WAPO wouldn’t know a thing about caging. THEY DON”T COVER ANYTHING BUT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA. Reporting? What’s that? I am so disgusted right now with the idiocy of all pundits and “journalists” I could scream. There are numerous issues actually being addressed in congress, numerous events happening around the world, and all we hear, 24/7 is Hillary said that and Obama said this. Thanks to Think Progress for keeping its eye on the many balls in the air.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 pmThank you Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse………………
Please continue and follow through with something tangible.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:59 pm