American politicians caught voting for absent politicians (video)

Video of House lawmakers reaching over to their absent colleagues desks and voting - multiple times - on bills.

source: John Oliver explains how voter fraud is a problem — but only among politicians

Take Debbie Riddle, the representative who filed HB 16, the law requiring government-issued IDs for voters in Texas.

In 2007, Riddle was caught on tape “ghost voting” for her absent colleagues — basically, reaching across her desk to vote for someone who wasn’t there. Riddle wasn’t alone: A local news investigation found representatives from both parties voting for absent colleagues — often multiple times during a single vote. And although this is a blatant violation of House rules, the investigation found no instance of lawmakers being disciplined for this voter fraud. When asked why this practice was allowed to continue, Speaker of the House Tom Craddick shrugged his shoulders and said it was up to lawmakers to police themselves.

Skip to the 11:05 mark to see the "voting" in action.

Edit: converted to gif:



Edit to add source.

a reply to: Blackmarketeer

Video is unavailable for UK

I remember when this came out a few years ago. It pretty much got swept under the rug as "well everyone does it"

And America with it's 30 second attention span forgot all about it by the end of the weekend.

I think it should be a criminal offense.

a reply to: Blackmarketeer

Political hypocrites caught red handed. Maybe if these representatives can't show up to vote, maybe they should be removed from office. That is part of their main job taxpayers hired them to do! They don't get lunch breaks or restroom breaks, and we're supposed to believe that? Why do we pay these people high salaries when they can't even be present to push a voting button?

added portion of video as a gif:

a reply to: Blackmarketeer

Thanks for the GIF

It's funny, people who still hold faith in democracy tell us if we want the laws and rules changed we do it via the correct mediums, like voting.

This only serves to prove that it's all a sham, nothing will change for the good of the people whilst these putrid pieces of cheating and lying excrement are in power, serving their own hidden agendas.

How much longer will it take for people to realise that the system is inherently broken and corrupt and the only way to get things to change is either by force or non compliance

a reply to: Blackmarketeer

"This is a republic, and a democratic nation! With democratic process!" [end theatrical speech]

I remember seeing this years ago as well. Not at all surprising, and it doesn't get spoken about nor is anyone held accountable. STUPID #ing legislators

What do you expect when the ruling political class is overwhelmingly made up of lawyers?

Lawyers make the rules.

Lawyers enforce the rules.

Lawyers protect their lawyer freinds and even their lawyer foes in order to protect the reputation of lawyers/political class in general.

A quiet disbarment is about the worst they can expect.

High crimes and misdemeanors. You know what that leads to.

a reply to: Blackmarketeer

Speaker of the House Tom Craddick shrugged his shoulders and said it was up to lawmakers to police themselves.

My favourite piece.

originally posted by: watchitburn
I remember when this came out a few years ago. It pretty much got swept under the rug as "well everyone does it"

And America with it's 30 second attention span forgot all about it by the end of the weekend.

I think it should be a criminal offense.

I too, remember when this issue came up years ago.

If I remember correctly, the politicians said they were just too busy to be present for every vote, so they cover each other's asses. A hum-dinger of an excuse, if I ever heard one!

And to think this type of behavior comes directly from the very same people who gave us voter ID laws to prevent voter fraud.

What an absolute joke!

ETA: There's probably more voter fraud going on in one session of our state house legislature than we'd see in a lifetime of general elections.

For a long time now I've thought that the news never gets better on a regular basis. Violence, mass shootings, police misconduct, corruption, blatant law breaking by officials, in addition to the armed robberies, drug busts, terror attacks, scandals and on and on.

It was getting worse by the month, then the week, then the day, but it only gets worse by the hour now. Everything these days is pretty much out of control and with a track record that gets worse by the minute. This can't go on much longer before the SHTF. Any second now . . .