Michigan Republicans- Moore broke MI voting law

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Republicans Accuse Moore of Vote Bribery

Tue Oct 5, 7:58 PM ET

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LANSING, Mich. - Republicans say filmmaker Michael Moore should be prosecuted for offering underwear, potato chips and Ramen noodles to college students in exchange for their promise to vote.

The Michigan Republican Party has asked four county prosecutors to file charges against Moore, charging that his get-out-the-vote stunt amounts to bribery.

"We want everyone to participate in this year's election, but not because they were bribed or coerced by the likes of Michael Moore," said Greg McNeilly, executive director of the state Republican Party.

Moore, a Michigan native, is touring the country and imploring "slackers" who usually don't vote to head to the polls this year, saying they could make the difference in the presidential race. Moore has made stops at three Michigan universities as part of a 60-city pre-election tour.

During each program, habitual nonvoters are invited on stage to pledge to vote. First-time student voters are offered gag prizes such as clean underwear.

The GOP said Moore also offered students a clean dorm room, a year's supply of Tostitos and a package of Ramen noodles.

The GOP said it asked the prosecutors to charge Moore, a John Kerry (news - web sites) supporter, with violating Michigan's election law, which prohibits a person from contracting with another for something of value in exchange for agreeing to vote.

Maria Miller, a spokeswoman for the Wayne County prosecutor's office, refused to comment on the matter. Calls to Moore and the other prosecutors weren't immediately returned Tuesday.

While it seems a bit of a cheap blow, laws are laws.

EDITED for formatting.

[edit on 10-6-2004 by Esoterica]

Well, I'd be more than happy to have Moore come to my college.

God knows I could use some clean draws.

Some Ramen Noodles would be damn nice right about now, too.

Hey, Michael....

If they prosecute in Michigan, make sure your tour stops off in (write this down) Alamosa, Colorado!

Damn...a years supply of tostitos!

That's like, drunken binge food for free for a year!

I don't see a problem with trying to get the young people out to vote. It does NOT state in the article that he is trying to get them to vote Kerry, just that he is trying to get them to vote period. The more people that vote the better.

In reality I think the bribes he was offering were probably a joke.

Originally posted by sensfan
I don't see a problem with trying to get the young people out to vote. It does NOT state in the article that he is trying to get them to vote Kerry, just that he is trying to get them to vote period. The more people that vote the better.

That's not what the article ststes is against the law, though. It says offering things of value to get people to vote period is illegal.