what the hell?

[acroyear]

Officials find source of fake election flier, won't press charges | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com:

Calling it a "joke that got out of control," a top state election official today confirmed that the person responsible for a phony election flier circulated in Hampton Roads has been identified.

Law enforcement officials, meanwhile, added that charges will not be filed in the matter.

Oh THIS PISSES ME OFF.

Year after year after year, false information (almost entirely, but there are exceptions, spread to harass potential Democratic voters) is spread around through junk like this, through robocalls, through lies in websites, to in-person threats door-to-door in minority neighborhoods.

And if you don't charge these people with a crime, which they have committed and admitted to, you're just asking for it to continue forever.

"Oh, yeah, I raped her, but it was just a joke." - if that's not a valid defense, then "it's just a joke" isn't a valid defense here, either.

Intent may be useful in sentencing, but it alone should not be free reign for carte blanche permission to spread bullshit illegally like this.  A crime was committed.  It is up to the courts to decide if there was malicious intent.

Comments

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

So if a democrat in VA didn't vote today, there's something useful they can do tomorrow. Go to their polling place, look lost and confused. Ask the most official person there where you are supposed to go to vote. Then call the hotline to report voter fraud.