Nearly 3,000 Petitions Call for Van Hollen to Investigate Suspicious McCain/RPW Mailings

MILWAUKEE — Nearly 3,000 Wisconsinites have signed a petition calling on Republican Attorney General and John McCain for President state co-chair JB Van Hollen to investigate suspicious absentee ballot mailings coming from McCain and the Republican Party of Wisconsin. One Wisconsin Now, which launched the drive, delivered the petitions to Van Hollen’s office Monday.

“We need answers about this McCain mailing immediately and we need a full investigation by law enforcement,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “Not only could this lead to voters failing to receive their absentee ballots, it also could cause chaos on Election Day as those who did not receive their ballots scramble to cast their votes.”

In addition to the petition, available at www.SaveWisconsinsVote.org, those who received the mailing and wanted to file a complaint with Van Hollen, the Government Accountability Board and their local District Attorney were able to do so. Sixty-five Wisconsinites have filed complaints with 15 county District Attorneys over receiving an incorrect mailing.

The McCain campaign and the RPW have refused to reveal the exact number of recipients who may be at risk. A top Republican Party of Wisconsin official said “hundreds of thousands” of absentee ballot applications have been mailed by the McCain campaign. Reporter inquiries to explain further have been refused by the McCain campaign.

Van Hollen has been roundly criticized for using his taxpayer-financed office to assist GOP election efforts including filing a frivolous, but dangerous lawsuit which could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of legal Wisconsin voters and cause enormous problems on Election Day.

After initially denying contact with the Republican Party over the suit, it was revealed top Van Hollen aides at the DOJ had discussions with RPW officials. During the Republican National Convention in Minnesota just prior to the Van Hollen suit filing, the Attorney General was recorded saying McCain would win Wisconsin and indicating he would be taking unidentified actions.

“Every moment McCain co-chair JB Van Hollen refuses to do his job and investigate destroys any credibility he has left,” said Ross. “He’s not a hired attorney for John McCain and the Republican Party – he’s supposed to be Wisconsin’s top cop and serve us.”