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Voter Suppression in Midterm Elections: Robocalls, ID Confusion,
Voter Roll Purges
Saddam Hussein Sentenced to Death, Legal Experts Question
Court Proceedings
Voter Suppression in Midterm Elections: Robocalls,
ID Confusion, Voter Roll Purges
In Virginia, Democratic Senatorial candidate James Webb's
last name does not appear on the voting summary sheet. In
Indiana, African American congresswoman Julia Carson was told
her congressional ID was not sufficient to vote. In Broward
County, Florida early voting, a vote for the Democratic gubernatorial
candidate registered as a vote for the Republican candidate.
Adam Cohen, editorial writer for The New York Times, joins
us to discuss voter disenfranchisement. [includes rush
transcript]
On Tuesday, millions of voters will cast their vote in the
mid- term elections. Many are calling this the most high-stakes
election in recent years with the possibility of a Democratic
takeover of Congress. But some are warning that voters could
be subject to intimidation and a variety of suppressive tactics
meant to keep them from casting a ballot. Some of these tactics
have been mandated by the government like new rules requiring
government-issued voter identification cards. Others have
been perpetrated by unofficial sources such as the bogus letters
sent to thousands of Latino voters in California telling them
it was illegal to vote.
Saddam Hussein Sentenced to Death, Legal Experts
Question Court Proceedings
An Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein to death by hanging
for committing crimes against humanity. The decision was announced
on Sunday, just two days before the U.S. mid-term elections.
We speak with Scott Horton, the Chairman of the International
Law Committee and a member of the Iraqi Bar Association. [includes
rush
transcript]
On Sunday, an Iraqi special tribunal convicted Saddam Hussein
of crimes against humanity and sentenced him to death by hanging.
The deposed Iraqi ruler was convicted of the killing of 148
Shi'ite villagers in the town of Dujail in 1982. Seven co-defendants
were also convicted and two of them, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti,
Saddam's half-brother and head of Iraq's domestic intelligence
agency and Awad al-Bandar, president of the revolutionary
court, also received death sentences. Celebrations in Shi'ite
strongholds broke out across the country after the verdict
was issued. Here is a resident of Dujail speaking on Sunday
about the verdict.
- Ahmed Ajail, resident of Dujail.
Saddam supporters also marched in support of the ousted leader
in the Sunni strongholds of Samarra, Hawija, Kirkuk and Tikrit.
The verdict came nearly three years after Saddam Hussein was
captured in his underground hideaway by American troops. His
trial began more than a year ago and was marked by delays,
violence and outbursts from Hussein condemning the proceedings.
During the course of the trial, three defense lawyers were
killed and the original chief judge resigned in protest over
government interference. When the verdict was read yesterday,
Saddam shouted "You don't decide. You are servants of
the occupiers and their followers. You are puppets."
Many international legal and human rights experts have questioned
the legitimacy of the court. Human Rights Watch issued a statement
saying, "Unfortunately, we believe the serious shortcomings
in the fairness of the proceedings undermined the legitimacy
and credibility of the trial." But President Bush hailed
the verdict as a milestone.
- President Bush, speaking November 5th, 2006.
We discuss the trial and verdict of Saddam Hussein as well
as take a look at some other legal cases in Iraq with attorney
Scott Horton.
- Scott Horton, Chairman of the International Law Committee
at the New York Bar Association. Member of the Iraqi Bar
Association.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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