October 11, 2007
Department of Motor Voter Fraud?
Understandably, the emphasis on the just-revealed Rhode Island DMV fake ID scandal is on how a "valid" driver's license can help an individual avoid some unpleasant questions about their citizenship and/or "activities":
Dolores Rodriguez-LaFlamme, 40, of Providence, and Soraya Santiago, 42, of Pawtucket, are accused of working with two “middlemen,” who were paid about $2,500 to $3,000 by each person who wanted a valid Rhode Island license — with a fake identity.That's plenty to get steamed over. {UPDATE - Monique has distilled it down nicely: "By the way, thanks much to both the DMV dime-dropper and to the Rhode Island State Police for breaking up a serious criminal enterprise undertaken in a publicly funded building with publicly funded supplies carried out by publicly funded state employees."} Oh, but there's so much more. We also learn that LaFlamme shouldn't have even been in the U.S., much less working for the RI State government!:A valid license is a desirable item to have, especially if you’ve been deported and have illegally reentered the country, or if you’re wanted by the police. The valid license stops the police from further questioning someone’s immigration status, because the license assumes an identity has been established. And a person can hide their true identity when their photo is matched with a fake name and birth date on a real ID.
State Police Capt. Stephen Lynch said the word was out on the streets among people involved in illegal activities about the scam.
LaFlamme had been previously ordered deported to the Dominican Republic after her application for adjusted status was denied following an investigation into two fraudulent marriages, according to a court affidavit. LaFlamme is appealing the deportation order.OK, so she's appealing the order, but still....
Finally, what to make of LaFlamme's interesting political ties.
LaFlamme is well-known in the politically active Latino community in Providence...One is State Rep. Anastasia Williams, who said she is “devastated” by the news of LaFlamme’s arrest. They’re both members of the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Labor Council for Latin-American Advancement; Williams is chairwoman and LaFlamme is the treasurer....I wonder if bribing her was one of her "tips"? Williams is quoted in the story as feeling as if she's "been punked" by LaFlamme and other associates are also surprised by all of this. No doubt.LaFlamme has also been involved “with a lot of different [political] campaigns,” Williams said, including for Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, the campaign of U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and for Providence City Councilman Nicholas Narducci Jr. (Whitehouse and Cicilline didn’t return calls last night.)
...LaFlamme ran unsuccessfully for Democrat Ward 4 Committee, promising “A New Beginning.” She also volunteered for a neighborhood crime watch, neighborhood cleanups, Williams said, and with “every community — the Italian community, the Latino community, the African-American community.”
...LaFlamme was also the face of the DMV at the 2006 Latino Expo held at the Rhode Island Convention Center last September. During an “Ask projoCars!” seminar, LaFlamme was a co-presenter. The topic? “How to Save Time at the Department of Motor Vehicles.”
But then, I wonder. Here we have an obviously tuned-in Democratic Party partisan who work(ed) at the state DMV making fake ID's for illegal immigrants and felon's. I wonder how many of them voted? Or if LaFlamme also made up some "Motor Voter" IDs for other non-U.S. citizens.
I'd just like to stick a flag in the top of this mountain that I can point to next time some moron on the left says "Illegal aliens can't vote".
Posted by: Greg at October 11, 2007 1:04 PMDoes it surprise anyone that LaFlamme is politically active in the Latino community? In her case, it would better be described as "marketing to your customers"!
If an illegal immigrant commits a crime, they should be fingerprinted, put in a database and immediately deported.
Law abiding immigrants (OK, this may be an oxymoron--how about "productive" illegal immigrants?) should be put on the path to citizenship or returned home.
Posted by: Anthony at October 11, 2007 1:27 PMHow many Republicans are linked to this illegal activity and possible voter fraud scheme? Let me guess....NONE!
Posted by: Ben at October 11, 2007 2:06 PMLots to talk about.
Here we've been looking for undocumenteds at the work place and on welfare. Who thought to look on the state payroll?
My initial reaction was to ask who obtained a job at the DMV for these two employees of the month. But this turns out to be unclear inasmuch as they appear to have several well connected patrons.
While the thought of manufactured identifications is certainly disquieting, let's not get away from the idea of requesting a voter to show i.d. The biggest problem at the poll (aside from enthusiastic campaign volunteers who cannot measure fifty feet) still seems to be the casting of ballots by dead or absent voters.
By the way, thanks much to both the DMV dime-dropper and to the Rhode Island State Police for breaking up a serious criminal enterprise undertaken in a publicly funded building with publicly funded supplies carried out by publicly funded state employees.
Posted by: Monique at October 11, 2007 2:21 PMI noticed that Matt over at RIFuture has decided to ignore both this and the Martineau story. I guess they only cover the news that paints the picture they see in their heads.
Posted by: Greg at October 11, 2007 3:44 PMGreg,
Matilda and the girls at RIDemise are Democrats. There is no morality and no sense of right/wrong with Democrats. If corruption and misdeeds are carried out by non-Democrats they will speak up but only to use those misdeeds as political fodder. Any illegal and/or immoral acts themselves are not offensive to Democrats. Hence the silence on this outrage as well as the silence on the Martineau scheme. Where is Miguel Luna on this matter? Progresso Latino?
Anti-American frauds all!
If we suffer tamely
an attack on our liberty,
We encourage it
and involve others in our doom.
-Samuel Adams
an American Patriot
1771
We are giving what others before us fought so valiently away, without a fight. The scams are endless. There must be a manual somewhere, it seems as though too many people know how to beat us. that they do it right in front of us is obscene.
Posted by: michael at October 11, 2007 7:35 PMThis, from start to finish, is quite likely the funniest thread I have seen so far on AR. I thought, for a moment, about writing a parody, but it's pretty hard to parody something that is itself a parody.
Posted by: Thomas at October 11, 2007 8:10 PMI’m sorry folks, but I don’t get all the hype on democrats and republicans because there is a very serious security problem with State of RI, Federal Immigration and these two women. I am very happy the RI State Police took action investigating and stopping the actions of these women and I don’t care what party they supposedly belong to or associated with.
How they first got into the United State is a wonder? How they both got hired by State of RI Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles (RIDMV) in year 2000 is another question? Why their IDs; addresses; SSNs (real or false); were not flagged by Federal Immigration to RIDMV, RI Taxation, RI State Police or local municipal police (this is done for dead beat dads not paying child support) makes me wonder about our current security and law enforcement systems.
What really goes up my butt is they were selling false IDs to drug dealers the very same State ID license that Federal Homeland Security wants to establish as the USA standard for security identification.
To hell with trying to decide if they were democrats or republicans, there is a real problem here and both parties are to blame!
But Ken...as Tim has pointed out so clearly and convincingly, all the Democrats are corrupt and immoral, and all the Republians noble and brave and virtuous (not to mention handsome!).
What pathology keeps you from realizing this? Also, I hope you're not thinking of trying to convince anyone here otherwise. Go read RIFuture if you want the Democrat spin. Here we get only the unbiased, unvarnished TRUTH!
It's clear that you're an anti-American supporter of illegal immigration and voter fraud and an enemy of True Patriots like Samuel Adams. Shame on you.
Posted by: Thomas at October 11, 2007 8:22 PMAt the risk of sounding a discordant note.
Anthony. We have a path to citizenship. People, "productive" or not, need to avail themselves of it or not come here.
Enticing people to come here illegally by not cracking down on employers who hire illegals and by offering social programs (okay, not all states, only the dumb ones like ours) and then throwing up our hands and saying, "we might as well regularize them, they're here" is not a solution.
Posted by: Monique at October 11, 2007 9:05 PMThanks for the update comments, Marc!
And we have two more arrests in this case, which apparently is still very much active.
http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/newsblog/archives/2007/10/2_more_arrests.html
Posted by: Monique at October 11, 2007 9:32 PMMichele, Her immigration status aside, are you saying that the State's case against LaFlamme is a sham and being pursued for a political agenda? If so, who's agenda? The AG? The State Police?
Posted by: Marc Comtois at October 12, 2007 2:04 PM