At about the same time Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel (R — of course) has been proudly and loudly proclaiming that ALL Wisconsin DMV clerks have been trained in the issuance of Voter ID in accordance with the latest court ruling, a 10 minute audio tape confirmed that isn’t the truth.
“You don’t get anything right away,” one DMV employee said on the recording.
How IDs are handled is “up in the air right now,” said another.
The recordings were made Sept. 22, the same day Attorney General Brad Schimel filed court documents claiming DMV “field staff are now trained to ensure that anyone who fills out these forms will receive a photo ID, mailed to them within six days of their application,” even if they don’t have a birth certificate.
Oops.
Molly McGrath, national campaign coordinator with VoteRiders, visited 10 DMVs in Wisconsin and got answers to basic questions like “how long will it take to get my ID to vote” were “all over the board. Hardly the great training Schimel proclaims.
Highlighted in the 10 minute tape are the frustrating experiences of Zach Moore who moved from Illinois to Wisconsin. While he had his Social Security Card, Illinois ID, and a current paycheck stub to verify his residence, he was given a variety of wrong information by several DMV clerks. For the most part, they insisted he provide a birth certificate in order to get Voter ID.
The most recent court ruling states that a temporary Voter ID will be provided if obtaining a birth certificate is a formidable obstacle.
Yowsa!
UPDATE:
Well, that didn’t take long.
While typing my first non-Top Comments diary in a very, very long time due to horrible medical issues, it seems somebody made their way to the Federal Courthouse and the Federal Judge is none too happy.
A federal judge on Friday ordered the state to investigate an incident in which a voter received incorrect information on getting an ID from three Division of Motor Vehicle workers, saying the state may have violated a court order.
"These reports, if true, demonstrate that the state is not in compliance with this court’s injunction order, which requires the state to 'promptly issue a credential valid as a voting ID to any person who enters the IDPP or who has a petition pending,' " he (U.S. District Judge James Peterson) wrote, referring to the ID petition process the state uses for those who have the most trouble getting IDs.
Information in italics added for clarification.
I can’t wait to see the flop sweat as Governor Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel try to ‘splain this away. They have both touted the great training that DMV clerks were given.
Addendum: I’m sorry I have to leave for a medical treatment and won’t be back for an hour or so to read and respond to your comments. Most of you know that I hate to post and run, but this was such important news that I couldn’t let it slide.