I have just learned some disturbing information about what happened at the polls in November 2004.
Before reading further I want you to know that I have confirmed this with 5 highly regarded sources. They cannot be named because they literally fear for their jobs and livelihoods.
I ask you to please let me know what you think of these actions. I would like suggestions on what we as Democrats should do or not do about this.
Just South of Richmond is the County of Dinwiddie. It is a fairly rural area with mostly farming that is dying out. It has a significant African-American population that when it turns out can be a voting force.
Apparently in the last election there was a group known as the Dinwiddie Institute. It is a collaboration of several African-American churches, or more importantly the ministers at those churches. The group organizes poll workers and works for Democratic candidates for the right price. This group was chiefly responsible for Mark Warner winning the 2001 Gubernatorial Race in the Commonwealth.
The Dinwiddie Institute then became a targeted group for the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Virginia. With limited funds they paid the group a couple of thousands dollars and supplied them with ballots.
Apparently the Republicans paid better though. At the polls that day the Dinwiddie Institute had poll workers pass out Republican ballots based on the Republican commitment of preventing Gays from sinfully taking over the Institution of Marriage.
The preachers the Sunday before the election went to the pulpit and preached how the Democrats were for Gay Marriage and against the church. The result was in 2001 Warner with their support got 52% while Kerry got 46% in 2004 without their support.
I do not understand how African-American preachers could sale out so easily to Republicans for pieces of Silver. They seem to have abandoned the candidates that would have been beneficial to their people.
I do not believe that this is the only incident where this happened in Virginia or the Country. Democrats should be worried about what is happening with Republican targeting of African American preachers. They pay them off to support Repubs in church and at the polls at least in Dinwiddie County Virginia. The preachers can now justify it because of the social issues. That is how they sale it to the congregation so not one is wise to what they are up to.
I am going to continue to investigate this matter, because it scares me. Democrats may be loosing a core constituency. I urge us to debate this today and consider whether this is an isolated case or if it could become and epidemic.