exactly the demo percentage, 28 percent, in Warren County as Gore received.224

In version of his assertion that there was no wrongdoing in Warren County, Secretary

Blackwell has referred to a Democratic election observer in Warren County, Jeff Ruppert, who

has said he observed nothing inappropriate at the County administration building. While we

have no reason to doubt Mr. Ruppert's truthful account of what he actually observed, a complete

review of his statements shows numerous problems at the building. At the outset, Mr. Ruppert

acknowledges that he was subject to the lockout and had to present identification to even be

admitted to the building.225 Once he gained admission, Mr. Ruppert said he did "have concerns

over how provisional ballots were handled at polling places ­ which he said seemed to be

inconsistent."226 He also points to a number of areas he observed that were centers of activity

(ballots being transferred from vehicles, precinct captains accompanying ballots in elevators, and

ballots being stored), but it clearly would have been impossible for Mr. Ruppert to observe all of

these activities at the same time. Finally, considering that he left before the ballot count was

completed,227 it is inaccurate to state with certainty that there were no problems in Warren

Secretary of State Blackwell has refused to answer any of the questions concerning these

matters posed to him by Ranking Member Conyers and 11 other Members of the Judiciary

Committee on December 2, 2004.228

Ohio Secretary of State 2004 Presidential Vote Results,

www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/results/2004/gen/pres.htm. Kerry received 25,399 votes out of 92,251

cast (27.53%). Id.

Erica Solvig & Dan Horn, Warren Co. Cites Terror for Lockdown, CINCINNA TI EN Q .,

Nov. 10, 2004, at 1A.

Jim Bebbington & Lawrence Budd, Validity of Votes Debated over Internet, DA Y T O N

DA I L Y NE W S, Nov. 10, 2004, at B4.

See Letter from John Conyers, Jr., Jerrold Nadler, Tammy Baldwin, Melvin L. Watt,

Linda Sanchez, Robert Wexler, Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson Lee, Martin Meehan, Zoe

Lofgren and Anthony Weiner to the Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio Secretary of State,

(Dec. 2, 2004) (on file with the House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff and at

http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/ohblackwellltr12204.pdf). Secretary Blackwell was

asked to respond to the following:

·

Have you, in fact, conducted an investigation of the lockdown? What procedures have

you or would you recommend be put in place to avoid a recurrence of this situation?

·

Have you ascertained whether the County officials were advised of terrorist activity by an

FBI agent and, if so, the identity of that agent?

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