Subject: [big campaign] Coalition Calls on Governors to Free State Employees to Assist on Election Day
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:42:49 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

For Immediate Release:
October 30, 2008

Contact: David Willett, 202-675-6698

Coalition Calls on Governors to Free State Employees to Assist on Election
                                    Day
           Unprecedented Turnout Requires Unprecedented Response

As unease increases about possible chaos at the polls next Tuesday, a
coalition of labor, environmental, civil rights and consumer organizations
has called on the fifty state governors to free non-essential personnel to
provide much-needed assistance. In a letter sent by Change to Win, Sierra
Club, Public Citizen, People for the American Way, National Partnership for
Women and Families, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and others, the
coalition urges that public employees be released for training on Monday
and then to aid poll workers on Election Day.

"Every voter being able to cast a vote and having that vote count is the
foundation of democracy....Voting is a fundamental right..." the letter
says. While since the 2000 Florida debacle, election officials across the
country have tried to plan for increased turnout, there are already serious
indications in the early voting that they may not be up to the task.

"Lines in Ohio seem to reach Indiana" said Change to Win head Anna Berger.
"Citizens are being forced to wait several hours just to exercise what is
their most basic right as Americans."

"It would be especially scandalous if just as tens of millions of Americans
reengaged with our democracy, the system shut them out," said Sierra Club
Executive Director Carl Pope. "It has now fallen upon the nation's
governors to insure that this does not occur on their watch."

According to the letter, releasing public employees could double the number
of check-in tables and cut waiting time at least in half. Government
employees deal with the public every day and are better suited than most to
act as precinct workers, under the supervision of precinct captains and
others. While government office may be understaffed for a day or two,
"there is nothing more important than the right to vote" says the letter.

"It is what separates the United States from so many authoritarian
governments throughout the world" said Norman Lear of people for the
American Way "If we can hold orderly elections in Iraq., we can certainly
hold them here at home."

###

David Willett
National Press Secretary
Sierra Club
(202) 675-6698 (w)
(202) 491-6919 (m)
[email-masked]
www.sierraclub.org

                                                                           
             "Al Meyerhoff"                                                
             <[email-masked]>                                               
                                                                        To 
             10/30/2008 07:30          <[email-masked]>      
             PM                                                         cc 
                                       "Carl Pope"                         
                                       <[email-masked]>, "Dan    
                                       Newman" <[email-masked]>,        
                                       "Kathryn Kolbert"                   
                                       <[email-masked]>, "Lara          
                                       Bergthold" <[email-masked]>,   
                                       <[email-masked]>                
                                                                   Subject 
                                       RE: CA copy                         

                                                                           

                                                                           

Excellent
Pat suggest CTW also distribute to labor press etc.
Is there a way you could send me as text of e mail? I can send to some
individual reporter/editorial types but am technologically incompetent.

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain information that is confidential and
protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege, as
attorney work product, or by other applicable privileges.  Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.
If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender
by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thu 10/30/2008 4:29 PM
To: Al Meyerhoff
Cc: Carl Pope; Dan Newman; Kathryn Kolbert; Lara Bergthold;
[email-masked]
Subject: RE: CA copy

It's out.   Here's a link to it on our site.

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=77141.0

Working on getting it to bloggers now.

David Willett
National Press Secretary
Sierra Club
(202) 675-6698 (w)
(202) 491-6919 (m)
[email-masked]
www.sierraclub.org

             "Al Meyerhoff"
             <[email-masked]>
                                                                        To
             10/30/2008 07:05          <[email-masked]>
             PM                                                         cc
                                       "Carl Pope"
                                       <[email-masked]>, "Dan
                                       Newman" <[email-masked]>,
                                       "Kathryn Kolbert"
                                       <[email-masked]>, "Lara
                                       Bergthold" <[email-masked]>,
                                       <[email-masked]>
                                                                   Subject
                                       RE: CA copy

Pat?

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain information that is confidential and
protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege, as
attorney work product, or by other applicable privileges.  Any
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If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender
by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thu 10/30/2008 4:02 PM
To: Al Meyerhoff
Cc: Carl Pope; Dan Newman; Kathryn Kolbert; Lara Bergthold;
[email-masked]
Subject: RE: CA copy

will do.   Can someone send along a copy of the full letter in case
reporters ask?

David Willett
National Press Secretary
Sierra Club
(202) 675-6698 (w)
(202) 491-6919 (m)
[email-masked]
www.sierraclub.org

             "Al Meyerhoff"
             <[email-masked]>
                                                                        To
             10/30/2008 06:39          <[email-masked]>
             PM                                                         cc
                                       "Carl Pope"
                                       <[email-masked]>, "Dan
                                       Newman" <[email-masked]>,
                                       "Kathryn Kolbert"
                                       <[email-masked]>, "Lara
                                       Bergthold" <[email-masked]>,
                                       <[email-masked]>
                                                                   Subject
                                       RE: CA copy

Great. Just need (1) to add Carl's quote at the end of the draft I sent you
previously ; and (2) add National Partnership for Women and Families and
Leadership Conference for Civil Rights to identified members of coalition
in first para.
And it can go on anyone's letterhead - either People For or Sierra - most
important to get it out while still news.

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain information that is confidential and
protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege, as
attorney work product, or by other applicable privileges.  Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.
If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender
by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thu 10/30/2008 3:35 PM
To: Al Meyerhoff
Cc: Carl Pope; Dan Newman; Kathryn Kolbert; Lara Bergthold;
[email-masked]
Subject: RE: CA copy

I can distribute the release to our lists  if/when I know it's done.

David Willett
National Press Secretary
Sierra Club
(202) 675-6698 (w)
(202) 491-6919 (m)
[email-masked]
www.sierraclub.org

             "Al Meyerhoff"
             <[email-masked]>
                                                                        To
             10/30/2008 05:36          "Kathryn Kolbert"
             PM                        <[email-masked]>, "Lara
                                       Bergthold" <[email-masked]>,
                                       "Carl Pope"
                                       <[email-masked]>
                                                                        cc
                                       "Dan Newman" <[email-masked]>,
                                       <[email-masked]>,
                                       <[email-masked]>
                                                                   Subject
                                       RE: CA copy

Mechanically, could you get out the release?  Not sure if Sierra Club can
help but our very own Dan newman can.

We need to add a quote to the draft from Carl pope too. Just spoke
 to him and he likes :" It would be especially scandalous if just as tens
of millions of Americans reengaged with our democracy, the system then shut
them out. " said Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope. "It is now
fallen  upon the nation's governors to insure that this does not occur on
their watch."
Also has been suggested to get this posted on Kos urging calls to
governor's offices etc.
.

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain information that is confidential and
protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege, as
attorney work product, or by other applicable privileges.  Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.
If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender
by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

From: Kathryn Kolbert [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thu 10/30/2008 2:25 PM
To: Lara Bergthold; Al Meyerhoff; Carl Pope
Cc: Dan Newman; [email-masked]
Subject: RE: CA copy

I’m happy to help.  Just let me know what you need.  k

Kathryn Kolbert
President and CEO
People for the American Way
2000 M. St. N.W.
Washington D.C. 20036
202 467.4999
[email-masked]

From: Lara Bergthold [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 5:21 PM
To: Al Meyerhoff; Carl Pope; Kathryn Kolbert
Cc: Dan Newman; [email-masked]
Subject: Re: CA copy

I want to loop Kitty Kolbert into this conversation because this is her
call.  Kitty, this is in follow up to the letter I sent you that Change to
Win coordinated re: getting non-essential state employees out to help with
an increase in voter turnout.

See below for latest request.

Lara

From: Al Meyerhoff <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:13:27 -0700
To: Lara Bergthold <[email-masked]>, Carl Pope
<[email-masked]>
Cc: Dan Newman <[email-masked]>, <[email-masked]>
Conversation: CA copy
Subject: FW: CA copy

Would you be interested (People For and Sierra Club) putting our a release
along these lines?
Our trustworthy communications staff (Dan) would be available to help.
Lara, I wrote a possible quote for Norman and we'd come up with something
equally pithy for Carl.

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain information that is confidential and
protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege, as
attorney work product, or by other applicable privileges.  Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.
If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender
by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

From: Al Meyerhoff
Sent: Thu 10/30/2008 11:57 AM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: RE: CA copy

Draft Press Release::

As unease increases about possible chaos at the polls next Tuesday, a
coalition of labor, environmental, civil rights and consumer organizations
has called on the fifty state governors to free non essential personnel to
provide much needed assistance. In a letter sent by Change to Win, the
Sierra Club, Public Citizen, people For the American Way and others, the
coalition urges that public employees be released for training on Monday
and then to aid poll workers on Election day.

"Every voter being able to cast a vote and having that vote count is the
foundation of democracy....Voting is a fundamental right..." the letter
says. While since the 2000 Florida debacle, election officials across the
country have tried to plan for increased turnout, there are already serious
indications just in the early voting that they may not be up to the task.
"Lines in Ohio seem to reach Indiana" said Change to Win head Anna Berger.
Citizens are being forced to wait several hours just to exercise what is
their most basic right as Americans."

According to the letter, releasing public employees could double the number
of check in tables and cut waiting time at least in half. Government
employees deal with the public every day and are better suited than most to
act as precinct workers, under the supervision of precinct captains and
others. While  government office may be understaffed for a day or two,
"there is nothing more important than the right to vote" says the letter.
"It is what separates the United States from so many authoritarian
governments throughout the world" said Norman lear of people for the
American Way "If we can hold orderly elections in Iraq., we can certainly
hold them here at home."

From: Patrick J Szymanski [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Wed 10/29/2008 4:39 PM
To: Al Meyerhoff
Cc: [email-masked]
Subject: CA copy

Attached to Gov Schwarzenegger.

Pat Szymanski
202-721-6035 (office)
202-369-5889 (cell)
[email-masked]
<mailto:[email-masked]>

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