Ala. GOP pressure ends prisoner registration drive

missypea · 09-21-08, 12:44 PM

Ala. GOP pressure ends prisoner registration drive - NewsFlash - al.com

Quote:

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Prisons Commissioner Richard Allen stopped a voter registration drive for inmates Thursday under pressure from the Alabama Republican Party.

Allen's letter to Hubbard was in response to one the chairman e-mailed him earlier in the day, saying the GOP supports the idea of registering more people to vote, but not when it comes to prisoners.

"Furthermore, I have concerns about potential issues with how this effort is being monitored to ensure no form of voter fraud occurs," wrote Hubbard, who is also minority leader of the Alabama House, which votes on the prison system's budget.

Hubbard's letter came two days after The Associated Press reported that a coalition of groups led by a community activist, the Rev. Kenneth Glasgow, began registering inmates to vote in state lockups this week. Nearly 80 filled out registration forms in two days.

Glasgow's drive concentrated on registering prisoners who have been convicted only of drug possession, which an attorney general's opinion issued in 2005 did not define as a crime of moral turpitude.

The question is not should the prisoners who have been convicted of crimes not defined as moral turpitude be allowed to register/vote. The law says they can register/vote.

Keeping that in mind, what are your thoughts regarding the article?

ADK_Forever · 09-21-08, 01:02 PM

Similar M.O. to what they did in Florida and what they're planning in Michigan.

If they can't win it honestly... stealing it is fine too.

The ends justify the means!

JMak · 09-22-08, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missypea

The question is not should the prisoners who have been convicted of crimes not defined as moral turpitude be allowed to register/vote. The law says they can register/vote.

Keeping that in mind, what are your thoughts regarding the article?

Well, what are your thoughts?

Mine are that the concern about fraud is well-founded and until this registration process can be properly monitored it should be restricted.

Edit: whoops, you're outed, missy.

From your article:

Quote:

Alabama law prohibits felons convicted of "crimes of moral turpitude" from voting unless they have had their rights restored. State law doesn't define such crimes, but court opinions have said they include major offenses like murder, robbery and rape plus some lesser offenses, like taking a stolen car across state lines.

So the state law does explicitly state that such felons cannot vote.

Busted!

Did you ignore the passage I just cited in order to say that the state law permits something it really doesn't?

You either lied or you were deliberately misleading us.

ADK_Forever · 09-22-08, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMak

Did you ignore the passage I just cited in order to say that the state law permits something it really doesn't?

You either lied or you were deliberately misleading us.

Obviously, you are doing the same!

First this appeared...
Alabama law prohibits felons convicted of " crimes of moral turpitude" from voting unless they have had their rights restored. State law doesn't define such crimes, but court opinions have said they include major offenses like murder, robbery and rape plus some lesser offenses, like taking a stolen car across state lines.

Then THIS appeared...
Glasgow's drive concentrated on registering prisoners who have been convicted only of drug possession, which an attorney general's opinion issued in 2005 did not define as a crime of moral turpitude.

What was that you said? Oh yeah...

B U S T E D ! ! !

JMak · 09-23-08, 03:04 PM

Uh, I was challenging an assertion of fact.

Missy posted, "The question is not should the prisoners who have been convicted of crimes not defined as moral turpitude be allowed to register/vote. The law says they can register/vote."

That's what I was challenging.

Your point?

RightinNYC · 09-23-08, 10:01 PM

Two things:

-The fact that the people running the drive say they "concentrated" on drug offenders, who can vote, doesn't mean they're only registering people who can legally vote.

-

Quote:

Hubbard's letter came two days after The Associated Press reported that a coalition of groups led by a community activist, the Rev. Kenneth Glasgow, began registering inmates to vote in state lockups this week. Nearly 80 filled out registration forms in two days.

Glasgow, a Democrat from Dothan who served time for robbery and drug convictions, said the state is illegally denying people the right to vote.

lol

ADK_Forever · 09-23-08, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMak

Uh, I was challenging an assertion of fact.

Missy posted, "The question is not ;should the prisoners who have been convicted of crimes, not defined as moral turpitude, be allowed to register/vote'. The law says they can register/vote."

That's what I was challenging.

Your point?

Duhhhh... you might want to check your so called "fact"!

My point is... you are WRONG... and Missy is right!

Do you NOT see the bolded word "not" in the line you quoted to support your "fact"?!?!?!

I placed some quotes and commas in that sentence to help you out.

That additional line,

Quote:

Glasgow's drive concentrated on registering prisoners who have been convicted "only" of drug possession,
which an attorney general's opinion issued in 2005 "did not define as a crime of moral turpitude".

which you intentionally left off, clarifies Missy's position.

"State law" does indeed explicitly state that felons cannot vote. But, now you are educated and know that those convicted of crimes, that are "not" defined as a "crimes of moral turpitude", are allowed to vote. And it was those prisoners that Missy was talking about.

Now, did "you" lie? Or did you just misunderstand what was Missy's point was?

You're welcome.

Vader · 09-24-08, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADK_Forever

Similar M.O. to what they did in Florida and what they're planning in Michigan.

If they can't win it honestly... stealing it is fine too.

The ends justify the means!

More neo-con nazism.

The Governer of Alabama needs to resign.