Lobbyist busted 'stealing' election for Romney?

We received a breathless e-mail exposing that the Tampa Bay $20-per vote straw poll this week was a fraud because people were seen voting over and over again ("This kind of stuff has to stop, or the polls mean NOTHING"). Checking the video link, we see Fred Leonhardt, the Gray Robinson lobbyist/power broker and Romney supporter, voting again and again. That's perfectly kosher - and the straw poll was never billed as a real election - albeit a bit sinister-looking on video.

Leonhardt told Buzz the fellow next to him was happily stuffing the ballots for Ron Paul. "Meanwhile everyone in America watching the substance of the debate knows Mike Huckabee won it (based on the media reviews), and nobody knows what happened with the straw poll,'' laughed Leonhardt, who didn't know himself the straw poll results until we told him.

Comments

I thought it was a slot machine. My bad!

Too bad Fred couldn't "steal" a win for Gallagher!

Does anyone else get this crap!? Cardenes, Leonhardt, et all... It's lik Mitt Romney took Gallagher's coalition press releases and copied his team.

he's setting a bad example for florida's voters. bring back the hanging chads!

HAHAHA

It's so sinister that someone who bought a hand full of tickets would actually use them in the manner they were intended for as set forth by the organizers of the event. Many Ron Paul and Romney supporters voted more than once because they were ALLOWED to. I love how playing by the rules of the event is somehow a story. lol

Come on Buzz, this is LAME...

I am sure the Romney folks appreciate him conceding the debate for them.

WHAT!… A rigged election in the techno-crazed world of electronic corporate appointment systems… errr… electronic voting systems?

Why, I never heard of such a thing? Besides, I thought choosy mother really did choose Jiff.

Give me a freaking break, Adam… for Heaven’s sake…

Sad, very sad.

Why was there no limit (1 vote, $20), per person?

The $$ was more important than the result, apparently- so who collected/benefited from the $$?

FUNNY

This guy was just one of many Rommey folks voting 20-80 times. The whole thing is wrong. First they say, "There are limited tickets" so passionate Ron Paul supporters bought blocks of tickets with THEIR OWN money to make sure supporters were able to attend. Then the GOP decided to print more tickets. Romney's campaign paid for the tickets and the campaign workers who stood their voting one after another.

Was it a vote or an auction. Anyone who was in St. Pete can't deny the support that Ron Paul has. He packed a theater, had signs EVERYWHERE and supporters of all walks of life.

Romney may be able to buy this straw poll but come election day 1 vote per person.

This straw poll, like all straw polls, was a total joke. Romney spent thousands more of his personal fortune buying this straw poll in a pathetic and failed attempt to claim legitimacy in Florida.

Money can't buy you love.

Fred is an idiot!

Everyone in Florida knows that.

Straw poll fundraiser!!!!
$20=one ticket, each vote costs $20, it's a fundraiser you moran's. You buy 1oo tickets you get 1oo votes-real simple it's a fundraiser gimmick nothing more, so get over it, 1/29/07 is when one person=one vote, thats real
life.
Until Jan. have a great holiday season and chill out.

GOP Person

The headline is so silly, "Lobbyist Busted"... Busted? Busted doing what? Voting in a straw poll, using tickets he purchased, just as the event coordinators had promoted. Hmmm, sound like a straw poll to me. How scandalous!

Meanwhile, ignorant Ron Paul fans video tape these evil people who dared to play by the rules of the event. And somehow this is a story... Remarkable

A better story would have been that University of Florida administrator, Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin, appears to be trying to squelch free speech on campus.

This is by far the lamest buzz blog item yet. I am lame for posting a comment, as is everyone who has posted before me or after me. A shower will not remove our lameness. This is like - NEWSFLASH - LOBBYISTS ATTEND COMMITTEE MEETINGS. How can anyone be stupid enough to believe that if you pay $20 to vote, it's legitimate? It's almost as stupid as being a Ron Paul supporter...

[Proud CFR member]

I see the Ron Paul Goon Squad is still whining over a straw poll loss on Wednesday. Get over it. The rules allowed for one vote per ticket, not per person. The Ron Paul Goon Squad shouldn't get their panties in a wad; he'll still get his 5% on 1/29/07, if he makes it that far!

[Peter]

Please watch this video. It documents not only the 20-25 Romney supporters voting as many times as they can, but the conversation had afterwards where threats were made over the inquiry.

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Corruption_at_a_Florida_Straw_Poll_Romney_Supporters_vote_10_times_each

Fred Leonhardt is the kind of sleeze that gives all lobbyists a bad name.

Oh, please! Romney tries to buy everything. The straw Poll? You vote as many times as you buy tickets. That's OK. Unfortunately for Romney, he can't do the same in the election.

Election Day = Reckoning Day for Romney. After spending millions of his own money, he will come in where he deserves: DEAD LAST.

Peter... it seems as it was Ron Paul supporters intention to create situations... why else would there be soooo many videos of a practice that is acceptable at a straw poll?

Get over it, realize that straw polls are simply fundraisers for local political parties and you will sleep better at night.

I have not watched the footage, but I can tell you I would be annoyed after having multiple video cameras shoved in my face if I were there.

However, you do have the right to be there, and if you think you are accomplishing something by posting these videos, you keep doing just that... but as someone who has not yet chosen who I will vote for in the primary, I can tell you, your actions don't speak so well for the candidate you support.

Maybe Ron Paul needs to provide guidance on proper grassroots protocol to his supporters. Cuz I can tell you, everyone you accosted at this event will go back and tell their friends about the negative experience they had because of you - and that does not translate to votes.

Again, get over it, this is how straw polls work. You will sleep better at night. If you don't like it, organize a straw poll yourself, and allow only one vote per person...

Ron Paul sounds like a name for a surfer Pope. Time to wax the surf boards.

I hate to kick a dead horse but.....Ron Paul is a joke. It is funny though when you hear about the same 100 people showing up to different events in different areas afterwards talking about all the support he has.

Peter,

Interesting video. So, Tony "The Meatball" is threatening women over a straw poll.

You’re a real tough guy “Meatball”. Exactly what I’d expect from a corrupt little Party weasel compensating for his short-comings.

… what a pathetic fem the “Meatball” is…

[Concerned]

What many here do not understand is that the rules to allow for as many votes as you have tickets in hand were, changed the morning of. No one seemed to know about the rule change except for the Romney people.

A poll worker was asked a simple, " How many times can I vote?" She refused to answer and asked that the camera be removed.

If there was nothing "wrong " going on, why would she become hostile and refuse to answer the question. Clearly, she felt like she was doing something wrong. It's caught on video.

If it's "just a fund raiser" and the results mean nothing, then why did people bother using the $20,000 worth of tickets Romney bought to vote again and again and again. Some were at the ballot for 50 minutes voting. If the funds were all that mattered, why didn't Romney just make a cash donation to the party? he wanted to BUY a win, because the win does mean something.

It was decpetive to make it appear as if Romney had the greatest support and organization there that day when anyone who was there knows, that is the furthest from the truth.

It was deceptive, and unfair to those who spent $20 of their own money, on a Straw poll they were told prior to that day would be one vote per person.

How many of you know that the REC Chair threatened an REC member who questioned it the next day, telling her that, "If you make a big deal out of this, you will get hurt"?

Disgusting!!! It's a no wonder why the Republican party is crashing and loosing members and lost last November. The ethics of it are a complete turn off to decent Americans.

[Kudos!]

This sort of information is what the blogosphere was created for. More evidence of just how deceiptful the Republican party has become. I applaud the Ron Paul supporters for wanting to bring integrity back to the Republican party and Politics. They sound like Great Americans to me! Kudos to them. Shame on the Pinellis REC and the Romney campaign. Tsk Tsk tsk.

If the straw poll meant nothing, why did people bother voting multiple times with the tickets Mitt Romney purchased?

The results certainly mean nothing now, if the rules allowed for one vote per ticket.

[theloneconsumer]

I had a talk with some people in media in Mass, about how Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney are playing by the same "play book."
They both approved LNG gas tanker terminals (AES, EL PASO, Distrigas Suez) in their states, that the people are trying to destroy (but TWO on west and east coast Florida advocates are sleeping and saying nothing).

Both approved SUPERFUND contaminated sites for BIG BUSINESS billion dollar re-use before they left Romney-WOBURN Mass site, and Jeb Indiantown US Steel for AARP Mike Twomey's Florida Gas Storage he was paid to promote.

The water and soil in Florida is still contaminated, the FERC documents the EX ENRON employee produced has a fast track Charlie Crist and DEP Michael Sole's office has produced. Only 5-10% of the site had bore drillings, but 50% MINIMUM of the site will be dug up! Where is Florida Gas Storage going to put 100,000 TONS of contaminated soil? According to the EPA!

So, we moved up the primaries in 5 states so Romney could be showcased. This was from the Boston Mass papers in 2006. All of Jeb's money men want Romney (jeb was considered as a Vice president running mate)to be the next OIL AND GAS MAN. Romney exspouses free market principles...

Sorry that debate wasnt on U TUBE.

11:47,

There is so much wrong with your post but I will only waste time on the begginning part.

"What many here do not understand is that the rules to allow for as many votes as you have tickets in hand were, changed the morning of. No one seemed to know about the rule change except for the Romney people."

The above quote from your post is a total and complete lie. I have had as much of this as I can take. You guys lost fair and square. That's all there is to it. Everything else after is an example of 1) the ignorance of many of the Ron Paul supporters, 2) the quick knee jerk reactionary attitude of many Ron Paul supporters that many of us have experienced during this ridiculously long election year. Instead of taking time to ask question and learn about things that you don't know, understand, or aren't familiar with, many in the Paul camp flip out and assume the "evil powers" have conspired against you and your interests.

Meanwhile you all sound like a bunch of whining democrats.

And the whole video tape thing makes you guys look like such huge douche bags, btw. You're lucky you shoved camera's in the faces of civil st. pete metropolitan types. I dare you to pull that kind of garbage in miami of the north florida... hehe

Straw polls are fairly meaningless. The reason the Romney supporters took part in this poll is because some people have a hard time letting go of the past. Over the years straw polls have lost any importance they may have had at one point. Some politicos, not limited to Romney fans, still think winning these events are meaningful. Many of us however believe that is no longer the case and that straw polls are a huge waste of time. The consensus around the idea that these polls are meaningless continues to grow.

On a side note, and i know I'll probably be ridiculed for being a part of the conspiracy. From what I can see, the Ron Paul camp is pretty green when it comes to grassroots politics. This is good and bad. I've also noticed an unwillingness on the part of a large portion of the active Paul camp to engage and learn from those wh ohave been active and around grassroots politics for a while. I would suggest to the Paul people that there is much you could learn if you were willing to do so.

All these hi-jinks will do Romney as much good as all the money he has spent on this campaign: NONE. People see him for what he is:

- a flip-flopper;
- an arrogant goon who thinks he can buy the presidency;
- a draft dodger who thinks his sons' campaigning for him is the equivalent of going into the service, etc., etc., etc.

1:53:

There were no "hi-jinks". Either you can't read, a purposely trying to spread lies, or you're just stupid.

1:53:

There were no "hi-jinks". Either you can't read, are purposely trying to spread lies, or you're just stupid.

who are Fraud Leonhardt's clients??

who would hire him?

[James]

Sorry, but that's a scam, what have we come to? Russia?

FRAUD HAS 10-15 CLIENTS.

HE REPRESENTS A SHERIFF. HE NEEDS TO TURN HIMSELF IN FOR STEALING THE ELECTION.

James, sorry, but you're an idiot.

2:57, I guess you haven't paid attention to much of this discussion. This was not an election, it was a straw poll where you pay to vote. Both the Romney and Paul supporters who voted multiple times did so within the rules of the event as set forward by the event organizers.

[Pizza God]

From what the Paul organizers understood from the Republican straw poll organizers is that it was 20 bucks per ticket to get in and vote, and that only 1200 tickets would be sold. So one of the local organizers purchased 325 tickets and was working hard to resell them to people to get them out.

She is still holding on to 100 of them.

I was not there, but from the people who were, the Ron Paul people elected to not vote multiple times. They each vote once. There were more than 500 Ron Paul supporters there and maybe 100 supporters of other candidates.

I know first hand how rules get miss or not read, I do not know anything other than what the organizers said, but I do know that this straw poll was purchased by Mitt and am fine with 2nd place.

Why, because we had more feet on the ground like we will in January. This 5 percent is going to be more than you think.

[Jason]

2nd place for Paul was really good. What happened to Rudy, McCain and Huckabee?

Look at me, pay attention to me, we are relevant!!

A Ron Paul Supporter.

Pizza God,

It is simply not true to say the Ron Paul supporters did not vote multiple times. I was there a I saw it. Not that there's anything wrong with that obviously. It was perfectly fair for them to do so.

I was there. I support Paul. I voted once, as did those who accompanied me (5).

F it, I tried doing it the right way, if it doesn't work out little snobs like this will be nothing to me. Primaries need to have millions of watchdog groups (Yes, I'm aware there are some already). I can only imagine what that's going to be like.

RON PAUL 08 OR NOONE.

[Elaine McKillop, Esq.]

The problem with this event is that it was either a fund raiser or a straw poll. Ron Paul supporters were told it was a straw poll and only 1200 tickets were available. The Republican's set up their crooked voting machines, lets not forget that some people who voted for Ron Paul saw Mitt Romney's name pop up, and pretended it was a vote for the candidate with the most support. When they were caught cheating, the story changed, it was a fundraiser. Had they not been caught they probably would have announced that Romney won the straw poll. The only fair thing to do is give Ron Paul supporters their money back. It was either a mistake or deliberate fraud, either way it stinks, so give them back their money! Let this be a wake-up call to all Americans, be vigilant to those who will try and corrupt the process and steal this election.

[Elaine McKillop, Esq.]

The problem with this event is that it was either a fund raiser or a straw poll. Ron Paul supporters were told it was a straw poll and only 1200 tickets were available. The Republican's set up their crooked voting machines, lets not forget that some people who voted for Ron Paul saw Mitt Romney's name pop up, and pretended it was a vote for the candidate with the most support. When they were caught cheating, the story changed, it was a fundraiser. Had they not been caught they probably would have announced that Romney won the straw poll. The only fair thing to do is give Ron Paul supporters their money back. It was either a mistake or deliberate fraud, either way it stinks, so give them back their money! Let this be a wake-up call to all Americans, be vigilant to those who will try and corrupt the process and steal this election.