If I were Sky Arnold piecing together my Fox17 news report on the battle for paper ballots brewing between Bernie Ellis of Gathering to Save Our Democracy, Chip Forrester of the TNDP (listen to Chip call for the firing of the Secretary of State), and Secretary of State Tre Hargett, I would have switched the order of presentation because if there ever was a money quote, he got it from Bernie Ellis that night.
In the report, Secretary of State Hargett leads viewers to believe that by implementing the Voter Confidence Act the state would be wasting taxpayer dollars to buy the machines that would count the paper ballots.
“I certainly don’t know it’s a wise use of taxpayer dollars when you know better technology is on the way. To go out and spend 25+ million dollars on equipment that is soon to be outdated.”
Bernie’s rebuttal was spot on:
“If Tennessee were using optical scan equipment and paper ballots that’s 20 years old, it would still be more secure reliable and verifiable than the most up-to-date touch screen machines…”
That said, there is a broader point to be used to rebutt Mr. Hargett. The money to buy the machines are federal dollars that were given to us to buy election equipment. It can be used for nothing else.
If Mr. Hargett is holding on to that money for an election “emergency” than I can think of none better than the replacement of machines in which he is unable to prove that even one vote has been counted accurately.
Watch the full report:
[...] Integrity activist Bernie Ellis, on his way to a meeting with Senator Beverly Marrero, was detained today by the Tennessee State [...]
Not to mention the money he offered to spend on “printed public notification required of all constitutional amendments” like, for instance, SJR127.
http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/04/08/you-get-the-next-one-secretary-of-state-offers-to-pick-up-the-tab-for-sjr-127-notification/
“In a memo obtained by NashvillePost.com addressed to leaders in both parties and both chambers of the legislature, Secretary of State Tre Hargett states that his office will fund the constitutionally mandated printed public notification required of all constitutional amendments (at an estimated cost of $20,000) regardless of whether a traditional appropriation is provided for in the budget.”
Keep in mind, the ends justify the means for some…
Its a waste of tax payers money?
Did he say that?
As opposed to what, its ok to spend tax payer money on Crafton and the English Only bill?