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August 25, 2012

Proof to Gemma Claims Trickling Out

Marc Comtois

Let me just say this: I'm glad the media has gotten over their (semi-justified, though hyperbolic) derision of the Gemma voter fraud presentation (and all the professional analysis claiming nothing doin') and is looking into his claims. WPRI took the lead, but now the ProJo has some video of a man who claims to be able to bring in numerous mail ballots.

From the story by Zachary Malinowski:

The Journal learned that Robert Cappuccilli, a field operative for Gemma, agreed to wear a hidden microphone and meet with Ramirez behind the campaign headquarters overlooking the Blackstone River and Tolman High School. Cappuccilli did not respond to a request for an interview.

The recording The Journal obtained begins with an investigator setting the stage, with date and time, for the meeting that was about to take place....Cappuccilli brought along a Spanish-speaking woman from the campaign office to help him understand Ramirez, a native of the Dominican Republic who speaks limited English.

During the recording, Cappuccilli and Ramirez have an in-depth conversation about absentee ballot votes and how much the Gemma campaign would have to pay for the service.

In response to several questions from Cappuccilli, Ramirez said he had experience handling absentee ballots for Cicilline and other elected officials — a state representative and a city councilman in Providence. Cappuccilli told Ramirez that he understood the Cicilline campaign paid him $450 a week in cash, an arrangement that Ramirez did not dispute.

Cappuccilli tells Ramirez that the Gemma campaign is willing to hire him to get votes for Gemma, but they want to do it above board, paying him each week with a check, not cash.

Ramirez agrees and provides Cappuccilli with his Social Security number and his driver’s license. They also talk about filling out a 1099 tax form.

Before the deal is completed, Cappuccilli says he wants to make sure that Ramirez can deliver on his promise.

“Do you have mail ballots with you?” Cappuccilli asks. “My neck is on the line with Anthony [Gemma].” They talk about whether he can deliver “300, 400, 500 or 1,000 mail ballots.”

Cappuccilli turns to the Spanish interpreter and says, “Let me tell you something. He has to show me something right now. Don’t take it the wrong way, but I have to make sure he’s not playing both sides.”

Ramirez retreats to his silver compact car and pulls out several absentee ballots. He shows Cappuccilli mail ballots for the coming primary that he said had been cast for Cicilline and Gemma.

Ramirez assures Cappuccilli that he has many “friends” and can coach them to cast their ballots for a certain candidate. He also tells Cappuccilli that he is a notary public and has notarized the ballots himself.

In the recording, Ramirez mentions the names of Latino voters at various addresses and senior high-rises in the capital city.

Keep digging.

Comments

Holy ****. I went to get the ProJo this morning at the local store and the headline on the front page stopped me in my tracks. This is incredible! Why would anyone, ANYONE, vote for Cicilline!!! My God, is this type of corruption everywhere in RI?

Posted by: Mike at August 25, 2012 11:53 AM

As I've said MANY times on this blog:
1. Look up the projo obituaries from January 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 in Providence.
2. Find out how many of those corpses "voted" in September and November 2010.
It ain't rocket science.

Posted by: Tommy Cranston at August 25, 2012 12:01 PM

David Cicilline is a scumbag-but he's a smart scumbag.Little Chichi would never be dumb enough to get into a conversation of illegal activity on the phone or with more than one person present.He knows better.Now some of his minions may not be that sharp,so this could get interesting,but remember in any conspiracy case,testimony from a single co-conspirator must be corroborated.Easier said than done.

Posted by: joe bernstein at August 25, 2012 2:53 PM

Rep. Cicilline won the primary in 2010 by 7000 (out of over 50,000 cast); he won the general by even more (almost 10,000 out of about 160,000). Is there a serious claim that those results were fraudulent?

Posted by: brassband at August 25, 2012 4:59 PM

Hi, Brassband. Yes, there's a serious allegation that at least some of those votes were fraudulently obtained. Whether the entire 10,000 vote margin was fraudulent is another question and probably not knowable.


"Little Chichi would never be dumb enough to get into a conversation of illegal activity on the phone or with more than one person present"

That's right. You'll notice that the only point-blank denial that came out of the Cicilline camp was of any wrong-doing on his part (and on his part alone, by the way; no mention that I heard of the allegations against his staffers, past and present). Well, probably no one expected that the candidate himself would be handling the "No Show" (?) list or personally giving instructions to voter impersonators as they were walking into the polling place.

Posted by: Monique at August 25, 2012 8:04 PM

I can't wait for the Dominican Republic story to come out, complete with video tape and Doctor's deposition. This story will make the voter fraud look like a parking ticket - disgusting!

Posted by: Buddy at August 25, 2012 9:55 PM

I can't wait for the Dominican Republic story to come out, complete with video tape and Doctor's deposition. This story will make the voter fraud look like a parking ticket - disgusting!
Posted by Buddy at August 25, 2012 9:55 PM

Care to enlighten us?

Posted by: Tommy Cranston at August 26, 2012 1:12 PM

@Buddy-c'mon give us a hint-this sounds good-remember Cianci said something about Whitewater starting with a land deal and winding up with sex in the Oval Office,and how much worse things than voter fraud were in the offing.Buddy hears things,and whatever one thinks of him,they aren't imaginary voices.

Posted by: joe bernstein at August 26, 2012 6:56 PM