On Friday night, images began circulating from an Iowa resident showing a mailer from Ted Cruz’s campaign shaming people into going to caucus on Monday.
An image of the mailer, yellow with an all-caps header in red reading “Voting Violation,” was shared on Twitter by Tom Hinkeldey of Alta, Iowa. He said he was inspired to caucus on Monday for Marco Rubio instead as a result of the cloying mailer.
The text on the manila envelope-looking piece read: “You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area. Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors’ are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. CAUCUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Monday’s caucuses.”
In addition to this, the mailer listed Hinkeldey’s wife’s name as well as a group of his neighbors, all of whom, according to the mailer, get ‘F’ grades for their voting history.
According to the Iowa Secretary of State the mailers misrepresent Iowa election law.
Not only that but the guy who brought this mailer to attention of the media, Tom Hinkeldey, responded in this way.
I am not sure if there will be any consequences to the Cruz campaign for distributing private information like this to people's neighbors, but there should be.
Sadly it appears that the Cruz campaign might have been inspired by a similar incident that happened up here in Alaska back in 2014.
Great. You know when I say I want Alaska to lead the nation, this is NOT what I have in mind.
He actually works at his most-hated status? I thought that was the sort of thing you either are or you aren't.
ReplyDeleteObviously he attracts like-minded minions to his endeavors too.
I think this is par for the course for a despicable creep such as Cruz. BUT, it's just a form of doxxing which you allow here on a regular basis when it concerns that girl Alicia.
ReplyDeleteThat was quite a leap.
DeleteCalling out dishonest hypocrites, who try to hide their identities rather than own their bullshit, on their lies and distortions is essential. Equating delusional Alicia with delusional Cruz is a pretty accurate comparison though, so thank you for that.
Delete@2:20AM -- The issues of Alicia's stalking and Cruz's ethics are apples and oranges, so your point is?
DeleteTo be honest, Cruz getting the nomination would be the best thing that ever happened to the Democrats in November. Some prominent Republicans have even gone on record as saying they would vote for Bernie over Ted.
ReplyDeleteI think this latest prank will backfire. Perhaps some Iowans will show up to caucus who would not have, if for no other reason than to vote for anyone but Ted.
This kind of "scare tactics" should be illegal - in every state of the Union. What is it with Republicans that they hate the voters so much?
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
This REALLY worked out well when it was done last election cycle. It feels like an invasion of privacy (which is an illusion) to me. Keep it up Teddy!
ReplyDeleteGuess they took one out of Sarah Palins playbook, ya know under the chapter of MAKIN STUFF UP. Voting Violation my ass.
ReplyDeleteHe is such a turd and probably ineligible to run if his parents were not married at the time of his birth. Hope this backfires on him big time.
ReplyDeleteTom Hinkeldey should have blotted out his neighbors names, before he made this paper public. He is worse than Cruz, he (Tom Hinkeldey) outed the voters worldwide.
ReplyDeleteHe is just a Repub jerk, calling out another Repub jerk.
Why? It was already published by Cruz.
DeleteCruz sent them to the homes, not the internet. Hinkeldey put it on the internet.
DeleteBoth are jerks, but the one who put it on the internet is worse.
Except that had Cruz not assembled and disseminated the not so readily available info in the first place, Hinkeldey would never been able to put it on the internet.
DeleteCruz for the win.
@Anonymous 8:11 AM
DeleteCruz did send the names to the homes of these people, and that is bad enough, BUT it is worse that the recipients sent the names to the world wide web. Where the whole world can see it. Hinkeldey and the other person(s) who decided to share this with the world, should have blotted out the names of their neighbors.
I'm sick and tired of hearing about his damn mailers, I want a full investigation if they were marked classified or not when he sent them... What a shitty idea, shaming people into voting for him.
DeleteOT Trump was interviewed on the phone on State of the Union, and he said "I got the endorsement of Congresswoman of Alaska, Sarah Palin" I laughed my ass off, and then went on to thank Chris for being fair to him. He was talking to Jake Tapper. Wonder whose supply he's been stealing from? Then he repeats things twice, to make them sound true. Epic fail, Sarah quit as governor, was never a congress critter, and Megyn Kelly didn't give a shit how "Fair" Chris, er Jake, or whomever he was talking to in his head.
Wow, we all know Cruz is a total jerk, but would guess his whole staff is as well. Certainly SOMEONE on his staff would have known this is not a good way to encourage people to caucus for Cruz.
ReplyDeleteGood thing about the current crop of republicans....they always seem to blunder themselves out of the way. Let's hope that trend continues.
There you have it--just a nasty piece of work.
ReplyDelete~Canuck~
Unfortunately, not every Canadian is as cool as you. Canadian Cruz proves that point.
Delete@ 5:24 AM - Although he was born here, I wouldn't consider Cruz a true Canadian. He and his parents returned to the U.S. when he was only 4 yrs. old. Most of his upbringing was done there. All of his political ideals were formed there as well.
DeleteNot saying that we don't have our own share of right-wing nut jobs; we do. However, we shouldn't consider Cruz to be one of them. He's America's problem child, pure & simple. Don't blame Canada for this one.
5:38 - so should we blame Cuba, then?
Delete@Anonymous 5:38 AM
DeleteHe will always be known as Canadian Cruz, sorry.
@6:00: I suggest you blame Texas. As 5:24 said, that's where he was raised, and that's where he formed his political ideas (ugly as they are). I'm betting the only thing he was concerned with as a Canadian was playtime, eating time and bedtime!
DeleteBoth of Cruz' parents were Canadian citizens when Teddy was born. His mother renounced her US citizenship when she became a Canadian. When the family moved to the US, the parents did nothing to change Teddy's citizenship. We don't want him in the US.
DeleteBeaglemom
How about blaming Cruz himsrlf as well as his patents? Blaming a place or environment is foolish and childish. Rafael himself is responsible for his vilr behavior and twisted ideology.
Delete@8:23 - what did he patent?
DeleteI think we should all blame Harvard and Princeton.
Delete@11:21am
DeleteWell for starters, he patented lying, cheating, fake religiosity, being a jerk, the word "pendejo" and many other things.
;-) 8:23
Joseph McCarthy would be proud of Ted Cruz.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 5:24 AM
DeleteRubio is just as bad. Every time he opens his mouth he slanders President Obama. He even said President Obama is like Ted Cruz.
How absurd is that. President Obama is a kind, humble, respectful man, just the opposite of Cruz.
Rubio has no business running for POTUS or any other office.
DeleteDid Cruz just help Trump?
ReplyDeleteI think there is research showing that something like this (e.g., sending out info comparing your neighbors' voting records and yours can be effective in getting out the vote). I also think that the fact that you voted (but not how you voted) is a matter of public record. I vaguely remember hearing about this research during the 2012 campaign. I know the research was conducted to determine ways to increase voter turnout. So, Cruz is just implementing the research findings. However, since Cruz is basically disliked by many non-fundamentalists and bears an uncanny resemblance to Joe McCarthy, I think this will backfire in that, just like Tom Hinkledey, voters may be inspired to turn out to vote---just not for "persecuted-just-like-Jesus" Cruz.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to find the research and get back with that info.
Here's some info:
DeleteCruz being persecuted just like Jesus according to his father
http://crooksandliars.com/2016/01/papa-cruz-my-son-being-persecuted-just
Social pressure and voter turnout
https://www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/social-pressure-and-voter-turnout-united-states
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313124403.htm
Keep talking, Papa Cruz, you nutbag.
Delete...It now appears that Cruz’s underhanded tactics have even caught the eye of Iowa’s state government – and they weren’t amused. Iowa’s Republican secretary of state, Paul Pate, released a statement strongly rebuking Cruz’s campaign for trying to pull something like this. He has a personal beef with it too, because Cruz’s campaign – in all of its hubris – decided to name his office in the mailer. It implied that Iowa’s state government was complicit.
ReplyDelete“Today I was shown a piece of literature from the Cruz for President campaign that misrepresents the role of my office, and worse, misrepresents Iowa election law. Accusing citizens of Iowa of a ‘voting violation’ based on Iowa Caucus participation, or lack thereof, is false representation of an official act. There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting. Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong and I believe it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses.”
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/30/cruzs-desperate-last-minute-attempt-to-win-iowa-is-so-vile-state-officials-just-nailed-him-for-it/
Can we say D_E_S_P_E_R_A_T_I_O_N ???
ReplyDeleteThey better be damn sure the voting histories they publish are accurate. Otherwise defamation suit.
ReplyDeleteAn Iowa Voter Forced Ted Cruz To Confront The Human Toll Of Repealing Obamacare
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-obamacare-iowa_us_56ad66a1e4b077d4fe8e6396
Fox host shreds Ted Cruz over Obamacare falsehoods: ‘More people have jobs and health insurance’
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2016/01/fox-host-shreds-ted-cruz-over-obamacare-falsehoods-more-people-have-jobs-and-health-insurance/
I think that Cruz may be on the way out...not this month, not next, but well before the convention. No one likes him save his family. The press despises him. His party hates him, and his bloated sense of himself is disgusting. He is almost more egotistical than Trump (who I still believe is playing games with the GOP.)
ReplyDeleteThis stunt just shows what kind of man he is, and Iowa will not be bullied. Please proceed, Senator. "We do not like you Ted, we said."
How much are one way train rides to Canada? Lets send out a "I quit" flyer with his name on it then drop them on Iowa and New Hampshire, along with a photo of the tickets. Iowan's are a lot of things, but they don't like being made fools of.
ReplyDelete