Comments on: Don Perata does it again, to the tune of $400,000

By: More Perata campaign-finance intrigue | Political Blotter

More Perata campaign-finance intrigue | Political Blotter — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:07:29 +0000

[...] in late 2008 had transferred $1.9 million from his Leadership California committee – now called Hope 2010, supporting a [...]

By: Both sides still paying Prop 11 debts - Political Blotter - Politics in the Bay Area and beyond

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:42:18 +0000

[...] 9. Nice to see Perata and his friends at VERF didn’t skip out on the bills entirely, given Perata moving $1.9 million in November and December from his Leadership California committee – which ostensibly had been [...]

By: Josh Richman

Josh Richman — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 03:09:40 +0000

Well, I see there’s an “x” indicating Franken filed the challenge to this ballot, but doesn’t the “x” in the “Canvassing Board” row under Coleman’s name mean they called it for Coleman?

By: Lars Ulno

Lars Ulno — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:56:20 +0000

Canvassing board called that for Franken. Double-check that site.

By: Josh Richman

Josh Richman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:59:54 +0000

A few things, Lars:
1.) As I noted in this post and earlier articles, Perata’s fund transfers aren’t illegal, though many might find them distasteful or dishonest. I’d be cautious about overstating Perata’s transgression, and even moreso about imputing his actions to the Democratic Party as a whole – there are plenty of California Democrats angry at Perata – or to any Democrat involved in any sort of kerfuffle right now.
2.) The only way I can see Blago walk is if his lawyers find a way to get the wiretap evidence excluded. As I’ve noted earlier, the transcripts are a rip-roarin’ good read.
3.) As for that ballot you linked to, it looks like the canvassing board called that one for Coleman, not Franken (unless I’m reading the STrib’s grid wrong). But here’s a good explanation of why/how the Franken campaign is challenging certain ballots that lack duplicates: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/12/franken-to-coleman-wheres-beef.html

By: Lars Ulno

Lars Ulno — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:48:49 +0000

Perata knows that the California FPPC could care less about corruption by Democrats, and most media outlets won’t cover it anyway. Even if they put a new regulation in, the AG won’t prosecute Democrats. Blago will walk, even with all the problems in Illinois. Franken will steal an election. (Readers, look at this ballot in Minnesota: http://senaterecount.startribune.com/ballots/index.php?review_date=2008-12-18&index=171
and realize that the state canvassing board said this was clearly a vote for Franken. Look at the other ballots that were found magically a few weeks after the election. Amazing!)

How can corruption like this be tolerated?