On Nov. 9th, with deference to Jesus and Jefferson, VA Sen. George Allen publicly conceded his seat and Republican control of the 110th Congress. After thanking his family and team, Allen proffered some hope with a forward-looking and artless simile about strong winds and deep-rooted trees, spoken in soft tones that rang dissonantly after arguably the year's most heated electioneering firefight.
Just 3 days earlier, VA election officials had decided to contact the U.S DoJ to seek advice -- now seemingly disremembered by federal lawmakers and enforcers alike -- after a weekend spate of voter harrassment complaints spilled over into Monday.
Allen's team is hardly a testimonial to enlightened governance, bristling with the latest and greatest election law benders and breakers, the lavishly paid closers of anointed up and comers, and career flesh pressers. Largely unknown off Capitol Hill, their tradecraft exemplars are nonetheless iconic, persistent welts on not only the opposition but language itself: swiftboating, flip-flopping, ratfucking.
This is Team Allen.
NOTE: The heart of this story is an interactive Flash graphic HERE, on the ePluribus Media community site.
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No evidence directly links alleged voter suppression to either Allen or his opponent senator-elect Jim Webb (D).
But even a cursory glance at Allen's 2006 campaign strategists reveals some brass-knuckle types, GOP operatives whose storied careers are practically field manuals for creatively subverting the democratic process. And despite decades of accusations, and a felony conviction or three, each new cycle finds their re-branded companies atop recipient lists of GOP cash.
The FBI has refused to confirm or deny the existence of its investigation in Virginia, despite Bureau spokesman Stephen Kodak's election day statement that agents were "reviewing reports that some voters received telephone calls directing them to the wrong polling places or discouraging them from voting." Similarly, the DoJ has declined comment.
But according to Jean Jensen, Secretary of the VA Board of Elections, it was the Justice Dept. who recommended the board issue their initial release stating that federal law enforcement had begun an investigation in VA. And the DoJ advised her to call the FBI.
As it turned out, a call proved unnecessary. An FBI special agent contacted Jensen first, having been alerted instead directly by the DoJ, as she was preparing the board's statement to the press.
In all, Jensen estimates that VA election officials throughout the commonwealth received about 20 complaints during the weekend prior to the election. When additional incidents emerged on Monday morning, Jensen and the board decided to report the allegations to federal authorities.
EXPLORE TEAM ALLEN via the interactive graphic
A more complete picture is evident by looking through the raw data, i.e. the short list of addresses compared with the long of list companies and major players. This information is also available at the link above.