Suspects Charged With Election Day Tire Slashing
Monday, January 24, 2005

MILWAUKEE — The son of first-term U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (search), D-Wis., was among five Democratic activists charged Monday with slashing the tires of vans rented by Republicans to drive voters and election monitors to the polls last November.

Sowande Omokunde and four others were charged with criminal damage to property, a felony that carries a maximum punishment of 31/2 years in prison and $10,000 in fine upon conviction.

Michael Pratt (search), the son of former Milwaukee acting mayor Marvin Pratt, also was among the five charged with flattening the tires on 25 vehicles rented by the state Republican Party to get out the vote and deliver poll watchers Nov. 2.

Also charged were Lewis Caldwell, Lavelle Mohammad, both from Milwaukee, and Justin Howell of Racine.

The GOP rented more than 100 vehicles that were parked in a lot adjacent to a Bush campaign office. The party planned to drive poll watchers to polling places by 7 a.m. Election Day and deliver any voters who didn't have a ride.

Some Republican officials have criticized Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann (search), a Democrat, for taking more than two months to bring charges.


McCann said agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (search) were involved in interviewing witnesses in four states: Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and New York.

"We asked the FBI knowing that this probably wouldn't be their first priority," he said.

Rick Wiley, state GOP executive director, discovered the vandalism on the morning of Election Day. He said initially he felt disbelief, and then, anger.

"It was unbelievable that people could stoop this low in a political campaign," he said. "I figured it had to be someone from the opposition. But I didn't think someone on the paid (John) Kerry campaign would do this."

Wiley didn't say whether the vandalism prevented anyone from voting, but said poll watchers were about two hours late.

Good work man. I never would have dreamed that those bastards would have been caught. Justice is not yet dead in the USofA :D

Good work man. I never would have dreamed that those bastards would have been caught. Justice is not yet dead in the USofA :D


.....I had no idea they had suspects in that whole thing. Crazy ****!!!

Suspects Charged With Election Day Tire Slashing
Monday, January 24, 2005

MILWAUKEE — The son of first-term U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (search), D-Wis., was among five Democratic activists charged Monday with slashing the tires of vans rented by Republicans to drive voters and election monitors to the polls last November.

Sowande Omokunde and four others were charged with criminal damage to property, a felony that carries a maximum punishment of 31/2 years in prison and $10,000 in fine upon conviction.

Michael Pratt (search), the son of former Milwaukee acting mayor Marvin Pratt, also was among the five charged with flattening the tires on 25 vehicles rented by the state Republican Party to get out the vote and deliver poll watchers Nov. 2.

Also charged were Lewis Caldwell, Lavelle Mohammad, both from Milwaukee, and Justin Howell of Racine.

The GOP rented more than 100 vehicles that were parked in a lot adjacent to a Bush campaign office. The party planned to drive poll watchers to polling places by 7 a.m. Election Day and deliver any voters who didn't have a ride.

Some Republican officials have criticized Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann (search), a Democrat, for taking more than two months to bring charges.


McCann said agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (search) were involved in interviewing witnesses in four states: Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and New York.

"We asked the FBI knowing that this probably wouldn't be their first priority," he said.

Rick Wiley, state GOP executive director, discovered the vandalism on the morning of Election Day. He said initially he felt disbelief, and then, anger.

"It was unbelievable that people could stoop this low in a political campaign," he said. "I figured it had to be someone from the opposition. But I didn't think someone on the paid (John) Kerry campaign would do this."

Wiley didn't say whether the vandalism prevented anyone from voting, but said poll watchers were about two hours late.



this is sad indeed, the bar has just been lowered - now the Dems are acting like Republicans

this is sad indeed, the bar has just been lowered - now the Dems are acting like Republicans

"When you fight monsters, be sure you don't become a monster yourself."

That was a ***** move which will not help the dems reputation as being a bunch of *****es one bit.

They must pay for their actions!

How would they like it if someone slashed their tires.

There are idiot supporters on both sides. It doesn't make the Dems look bad just the morons who pulled that stunt. Those individuals should definitely be punished. I'm sure their were plenty of Repubs guilty of equal or worse crap.