PageA5
September IO. 2008
Justice Pledges
Election Monitors
"My new house payment
is less than I paid for
rent!"
Civil rights groups fear intimidation
(AP) — The Justice D epart­
ment pledged Monday to send
election monitors around the
country to help ensure access
to the polls in November, even
while acknowledging its limited
pow er to enforce election laws.
Civil rights groups fear that
an u n p re c e d e n te d m in o rity
voter turnout due to Democratic
presidential nom inee Barack
O bam a might be countered by
efforts to intim idate or other­
wise block people who seek to
cast their ballots.
A ttorney G eneral M ichael
M ukasey and other Justice o f­
ficials met about 35 representa­
tives from voter access w atch­
dogs, hoping to assure them
that having a smooth Nov. 4
election is a priority.
"The Justice Department has a
limited but extremely important
role to play in ensuring elections
are fair and just," acting Assis­
tant A ttorney G eneral Grace
Chung Becker told reporters after
the closed-door meeting.
A lthough federal prosecu­
tors have in past elections fo­
cused on preventing voter fraud
Kristen Clarke
— in other words, making sure
voters are eligible to vote —
Becker said her goal was to
broaden ballot access for as
many people as possible.
She said the Justice D epart­
ment will deploy hundreds of
federal m onitors around the
country to make sure voters
aren't unfairly kept from the
polls.
In 2004, long lines at m inor­
ity-dom inated voting precincts
in Ohio led to w idespread com ­
plaints and a D emocratic Party
lawsuit that the election pro­
cess unfairly helped President
Bush win the state.
NAACP political participa­
tion director Kristen Clarke said
the m onitors them selves are
part of the problem. Although
most o f the monitors will be
election lawyers and other gov­
ernm ent em ployees, prosecu­
tors may also be deployed to
watch over the polls.
"H istorically, m inority vot­
ers have experienced intim ida­
tion in their encounters with
law enforcem ent at the polls,"
sa id C la rk e , w ho a tte n d e d
M onday's m eeting. "And de­
ploying crim inal prosecutors
who lie at the hearts o f law en ­
forcem ent efforts could d is­
courage them from turning out
and participating in November.
Campaign Legal Center asso­
ciate counsel Paul S. Ryan said
Justice officials would not rule
out prosecuting voter fraud cases
within a month before the elec­
tion. Generally, doing so is dis­
couraged for fear it could curb
voter turnout and make the case
appear politically motivated.
When Lanesheia's rent increased, she decided it was
time to buy a home.
Lanesheia and her family are now enjoying life in a beautiful new home
built by HOST Development and purchased through a grant from Portland
Community Land Trust in partnership with the African American Alliance
for Homeownership.
"As a single mom with three kids on a limited income, a lot of people told
me I'd never own my own home. But they were wrong!" Lanesheia did her
homework and explored all her options - and PCLT was a perfect fit.
Lanesheia's advice to renters hoping to own a home? "Never give up!"
Fair Housing Complaints Investigated
Improved process outlined
For the first time in 15 years
the Oregon Bureau of Labor and
Industries is again investigat­
ing federal fair housing com ­
plaints in the state.
Since 1992, complaints based
on federal fair housing laws
have been routed to the U.S.
D epartm ent o f H ousing and
Urban D evelopm ent’s regional
office in Seattle.
“ In v estig atio n s conducted
closer to home tend to provide
for a sm oother process for both
the tenant and the landlord, who
need to be close to their inves­
tigator and case proceedings,"
said M oloy G ood with the Fair
Housing Council o f Oregon.
G ood also expects investi­
gations will be processed in a
tim elier manner. He said some
O regonians have w aited up­
wards of 2 to 3 years to have
their claim s heard in Seattle.
Legislation passed in 2007,
and further am ended in 2008,
enabled BOLI to investigate
these cases under contract with
HUD.
The federal agency contracts
with state governments, and pro­
vides funding to them, to enforce
their housing discrimination laws
if their programs are substantially
equivalent to federal law.
"BOLI is proud to again take
a leading role in protecting O r­
eg onians from housing d is­
crim in a tio n ," said C o m m is­
sioner Brad Avakian. "O ur in­
vestigators take this responsi­
bility seriously and we will en ­
sure that appropriate action is
taken when tenants are victims
of housing discrim ination.”
The Civil Rights D ivision of
the Bureau o f Labor and Indus­
tries enforces laws granting job
seekers and em ployees equal
As a nonprofit, PCLT has been helping families buy homes in Portland
neighborhoods since 1999. Currently, we help families of all sizes with
incomes between $32,000-$45,000 buy homes for around $145,000*.
Join us for a free one hour orientation class to learn more. Visit
www.pclt.org or call Renee Watson-Taylor at 503-493-0293x10 to
sign up.
• T h e se n u m b e rs a re a v e ra g e s
“ The desperation
came from not being able
to stop gambling.”
"/ made the call to get some help.
I found people that really understood me..."
Robbery Suspect Wanted
The Port of Portland Police
Department and the United States
Marshals Service, in cooperation
with Crime Stoppers, is asking for
your help in finding a wanted
armed robbery suspect.
Brian Tam ar Baker, 29, is
charged on multiple counts of
robbery and unlawful possession
of a weapon in connection with a
carjacking last April. Bail is set at
$1.02 million.
In the early morning hours of
Sunday, April 6, an employee
patrolling the economy parking
lot of the Portland International
Airport stopped to assist Baker
who was sitting on the curb bleed­
ing at the mouth. Baker is accused
of pulling a gun and taking the
em ployee's vehicle.
Baker is described as a black
male, 5 foot-6,170 pounds, short
black hair and brown eyes. 1 le has
tattoos on his shoulders and right
arm. Police said he is an admitted
gang member who uses PCP and
cocaine. He is suicidal and iscon-
"I didn’t know that gambling did not affect
everyone the way it affected me."
Brian Tamar B aker
sidered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with immediate infor­
mation on Baker's whereabouts
should call 9-1-1.
Crime Stoppers isoffer-
ing a cash reward of up to $ 1,000
for information, reported toCrime
Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in
this case, or any unsolved felony,
and you remain anonymous. Call
Crime Stoppers at 503-823-HFLP
(4357) or leave a tip online at
crimestoppersoforegon.com.
Charged with Bilking Mom
AP) — A Multnomah County
id jury indicted a Portland
nan accused of charging more
i $40,000 to credit cards
dulently obtained in her eld-
mother's name.
•lizabeth M. Patterson, 59,
ided not guilty at her ar-
:nment Monday to charges
irgery, theft, mail theft, iden-
theft and crim inal mistreat-
lt. She remains in jail and a
I date has been scheduled
Oct. 21.
'olice said Patterson moved
(
'7 was mesmerized."
in with her ailing mother in 2005
to provide care. The alleged
scam w as u n c o v ered w hen
Patterson went on vacation and
a daughter-in-law stayed with
the 77-year-okl woman.
d ir
"The counselor made me understand that
there was hope and I have not placed a
bet in 6 years. ”
Problem Gambling Helpline
1 877 MY LIMIT
Treatment is free, confidential and it works.
I iiTessional counselors are available 24 hours a day. / days a week.
I nt; nil to I8//M Y 1 lMIT.org for more information or to chat with a counselor on line.
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