Letters – Is ACORN visiting Lockhart?

To the Editor:
As a concerned citizen worried about the direction our country is heading, I feel compelled to address the picture of the Democratic gathering (taken at the Luling Zedler Mill Park), entitled “Gary Students Participate in Election Rally (Aug. 12, 2010).” The guest speakers included local (Democratic) elected officials, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D) an

d Texas Rep. Patrick Rose (D).

Yesterday morning [Aug. 16, 2010] I attended the Lockhart Commissioners Court as a request from Gary Job Corp had been made to the Court to place an early voting booth on the Gary Job Corp site.

Randolph Goodman, a contracted worker from Gary Job Corp, was present and accompanied by two young male trainees from the training center. One of the Gary Job Corp students was asked by Mark George (a candidate in Precinct 4) if he (the student) could name any of the candidates who would be on the November ballot. The student could not. Then Tom Bonn, (another candidate running in the November election) asked Mr. Goodman for the official standing of the students attending the training site, as the site was paid for by federal monies. Mr. Goodman replied that the participants were considered federal employees. At this point Mr. Bonn said that the facility was considered the same as a military facility and not only was a voting booth not allowed on a federal facility, but the Gary Job Corp participants were to vote by absentee ballots in their home resident voting district (as are our federal employee military men and women while receiving training on a federal site).

As the request was not legally valid, the commissioners did not vote on the issue (and the request was therefore denied).

However, Mr. Goodman had stated earlier in the verbal exchange, that “if a voting booth was not put on the premises, he would “bus them (Job Corps participants) into Lockhart to vote.” This also is illegal, as these Job Corps participants should be voting by absentee ballot at their home of record, as is required of all other federal employees residing on a closed federally funded site.

Additionally, Mr. Goodman told the Court that a census had been taken at the Job Corps site. Another question of legality!!

Lastly, there are legal issues regarding the Hatch Act, whereas workers of the federal government are not to participate in or promote specific candidates while on duty. As Mr. Goodman had in his care at least two of the Gary Job Corp participants, and was not only attending, but participating in, a political function being addressed by leaders of a specific political party, another legal issue begs to be answered.

Please write, email or call your state and/or federal congress representatives to inform them of highly questionable “ACORN-like” voting action.
Kathy Sellers
Lockhart