GOP poll watchers allegedly targeting black precincts in Pittsburgh Philadelphia CityPaper Philadelphia weekly



Civil rights and other progressive groups have sent a letter to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez alleging that the Pennsylvania Republican Party and Pittsburgh Tea Party are targeting Pittsburgh precincts with large numbers of black voters "under the guise of combating alleged voter fraud."



We have seen their list and it strongly suggests that the Pennsylvania Republican Party is coordinating with the Pittsburgh Tea Party to target African American voters for intimidation at the polls, according to a statement from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Associate General Counsel Nicole Berner. The Pennsylvania Republican Party has serious questions to answer about where they are putting their poll watchers and why.



According to the letter, the rights organizations obtained a partial list of targeted precincts distributed at a Pittsburgh Tea Party poll watcher training coordinated with the Republican Party. The precincts have a black voter registration of over 79 percent.



Full text of the letter is below:



November 5, 2012



The Honorable Thomas E. Perez

Assistant Attorney General

Civil Rights Division

U.S. Department of Justice

Civil Rights Division

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20530



Dear Assistant Attorney General Perez:



The undersigned civil rights and community organizations write to raise concerns about the

likely targeting of African-American voters by the Republican Party and groups and individuals

acting in concert with it in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Allegheny County is one of 51

jurisdictions that will be monitored by the Civil Rights Division of Department of Justice on

Election Day 2012 as part of the Departments efforts to enforce the Voting Rights Act, to

prevent discrimination, and to the protect the rights of voters of color.



We have received information that strongly suggests the Republican Party, under the guise of

combating alleged voter fraud, has assigned Election Day poll watchers disproportionately to

majority African-American precincts in Allegheny County. We are in receipt of a partial list of

targeted precincts that was distributed at a poll watcher training conducted by the Pittsburgh

Tea Party Movement. The Pittsburgh Tea Party Movement conducted this training, on behalf of the

Republican Party, as part of its program to combat alleged voter fraud in Allegheny County.

We understand the Republican Party has targeted approximately 111, out of a total 1,319

precincts, in that county. The partial list, which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, includes 59 of

the total 111 precincts targeted by the Republican Party. We are unaware of any history of

voter fraud at any of these 59 locations. We are concerned that these locations are being

targeted for impermissible, racially-motivated reasons.



A comparison of the 59 Republican Party targeted precincts to the other precincts in Allegheny

County reveals that the targeted precincts disproportionately contain African-American voters.

Specifically, the targeted precincts are over 79% African-American. By contrast, the nontargeted

precincts contain, on average, less than 11% African-American registered voters.



Moreover, although the targeted precincts include only 3% of the total number of voters in

Allegheny County, they contain 18.5% of the registered African American voters. The vast

majority of these precincts are among those with the mostly highly concentrated African-

American populations in the County. A statistical analysis of the 59 Republican Party targeted

precincts is attached hereto as Exhibit B.



On the basis of the above, the undersigned organizations are extremely concerned that the

racial composition of the targeted precincts districts suggests that race may have been a factor

in the decision of the Republican Party to target these 59 precincts in its voter fraud prevention

program with the purpose or potential significant effect of deterring qualified African-American

voters in Allegheny County from casting their ballots and thereby suppressing the minority vote.



We call upon the Justice Department monitors to make every effort to ensure that voters at

these targeted locations are able to cast their ballots freely and fairly on Election Day and to

inquire of the Republican Party and the Pittsburgh Tea Party Movement as to the source of its

list and the basis of the targeting.



Respectfully submitted,



Advancement Project

1220 L Street, NW, Suite 850

Washington, DC 20005

Common Cause

1133 19th St NW

Washington DC 20036



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There at it again bringing out old favorites from the past. Sad Sad party don't know when they've been conquered! Source:Civil rights and other progressive groups have sent a letter to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez alleging that the Pennsylvania Republican Party and Pittsburgh Tea Party are targeting Pittsburgh precincts with large numbers of black voters "under the guise of combating alleged voter fraud."We have seen their list and it strongly suggests that the Pennsylvania Republican Party is coordinating with the Pittsburgh Tea Party to target African American voters for intimidation at the polls, according to a statement from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Associate General Counsel Nicole Berner. The Pennsylvania Republican Party has serious questions to answer about where they are putting their poll watchers and why.According to the letter, the rights organizations obtained a partial list of targeted precincts distributed at a Pittsburgh Tea Party poll watcher training coordinated with the Republican Party. The precincts have a black voter registration of over 79 percent.Full text of the letter is below:November 5, 2012The Honorable Thomas E. PerezAssistant Attorney GeneralCivil Rights DivisionU.S. Department of JusticeCivil Rights Division950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20530Dear Assistant Attorney General Perez:The undersigned civil rights and community organizations write to raise concerns about thelikely targeting of African-American voters by the Republican Party and groups and individualsacting in concert with it in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Allegheny County is one of 51jurisdictions that will be monitored by the Civil Rights Division of Department of Justice onElection Day 2012 as part of the Departments efforts to enforce the Voting Rights Act, toprevent discrimination, and to the protect the rights of voters of color.We have received information that strongly suggests the Republican Party, under the guise ofcombating alleged voter fraud, has assigned Election Day poll watchers disproportionately tomajority African-American precincts in Allegheny County. We are in receipt of a partial list oftargeted precincts that was distributed at a poll watcher training conducted by the PittsburghTea Party Movement. The Pittsburgh Tea Party Movement conducted this training, on behalf of theRepublican Party, as part of its program to combat alleged voter fraud in Allegheny County.We understand the Republican Party has targeted approximately 111, out of a total 1,319precincts, in that county. The partial list, which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, includes 59 ofthe total 111 precincts targeted by the Republican Party. We are unaware of any history ofvoter fraud at any of these 59 locations. We are concerned that these locations are beingtargeted for impermissible, racially-motivated reasons.A comparison of the 59 Republican Party targeted precincts to the other precincts in AlleghenyCounty reveals that the targeted precincts disproportionately contain African-American voters.Specifically, the targeted precincts are over 79% African-American. By contrast, the nontargetedprecincts contain, on average, less than 11% African-American registered voters.Moreover, although the targeted precincts include only 3% of the total number of voters inAllegheny County, they contain 18.5% of the registered African American voters. The vastmajority of these precincts are among those with the mostly highly concentrated African-American populations in the County. A statistical analysis of the 59 Republican Party targetedprecincts is attached hereto as Exhibit B.On the basis of the above, the undersigned organizations are extremely concerned that theracial composition of the targeted precincts districts suggests that race may have been a factorin the decision of the Republican Party to target these 59 precincts in its voter fraud preventionprogram with the purpose or potential significant effect of deterring qualified African-Americanvoters in Allegheny County from casting their ballots and thereby suppressing the minority vote.We call upon the Justice Department monitors to make every effort to ensure that voters atthese targeted locations are able to cast their ballots freely and fairly on Election Day and toinquire of the Republican Party and the Pittsburgh Tea Party Movement as to the source of itslist and the basis of the targeting.Respectfully submitted,Advancement Project1220 L Street, NW, Suite 850Washington, DC 20005Common Cause1133 19th St NWWashington DC 20036Read more: http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/nakedcity/GOP-poll-watchers-allegedly-targeting-black-precincts-in-Pittsburgh-.html There at it again bringing out old favorites from the past. Sad Sad party don't know when they've been conquered! 66 Tweet