Anthony A. Williams, Democratic Candidate for
Mayor in the 
September 10, 2002, Primary Election
Complaint Against Campaign Petitions by the DC Republican Party
July 15, 2002

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Betsy Werronen
July 15, 2002 202/296-6070
202/333-9350

DISTRICT REPUBLICANS FIND "SYSTEMIC AND FLAGRANT ABUSE OF DC ELECTION LAW" BY WILLIAMS' CAMPAIGN

Complaint Asks Mayor to Withdraw Petitions & DC Government to Prosecute Violations

Washington D.C....In a complaint filed today with the DC Board of Elections and Ethics by Betsy Werronen, Chairman of the DC Republican Committee, Werronen charges the Mayor Williams' Reelection Campaign with "systematic and flagrant abuse of the District of Columbia election law which casts substantial doubt over the entire signature gathering process." 

A preliminary review of the signatures submitted by the Williams' campaign reveals that "the petitions include what appear to be patently obvious non-residents and non-registered DC voters"; massive signature forgeries; and "include entire pages which appear to have been signed by the same individual." In fact, approximately 92% of the signatures that were actually verified appear to be forged.

In her complaint, Werronen calls the "type and volume of errors found in Mayor Williams's petitions suggest a pattern that can be no accident" and asks the Mayor to "exercise his prerogative to withdraw those petitions tainted by inaccurate, improper, or defective signatures." Additionally, she calls upon the Mayor to direct the DC Corporation Counsel "to investigate and prosecute any defects and improprieties that could constitute fraud or similar violations of D.C. election law." And, she asks the Board of Elections and Ethics to "exercise its authority to enforce D.C. election law to perform an investigation of improprieties, defects, and potential fraud related to the election petitions submitted in support of Mayor Williams."

Based on its investigation, Werronen asks the Board to reject the invalid signatures and petitions to determine if Mayor Williams qualifies to be on the ballot, and forward any evidence of apparent fraud or illegal activity to the Corporation Counsel for prosecution. 

"These are serious charges for serious violations that the District has never seen before," said Werronen, after filing the complaint. "This is what happens when we have a city that is run by one political party. They have made a mockery of the petition process and undermined public confidence in the political process." 

In a preliminary review of the petitions, Werronen and a group of volunteers discovered rampant defects and apparent improprieties in Mayor Williams' signatures and petitions. Each of these defects and apparent forgeries constitute a violation of the law and renders those signatures and petitions invalid.

Signatures filed by such patently obvious non-residents and non-registered DC voters such as: 

• Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld;
• Georgia Senator Max Cleland; 
• Ohio Republican Congressman Steve Chabot; 
• Former Congressman and Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Jack Kemp;
• British Prime Minister Tony Blair;
• U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan; 
• Frasier stars Kelsey Grammer and Peri Gilpin; 
• Recording artist Billy Joel; and 
• Media personality Martha Stewart. 

On the same page listing the Frasier stars, the petition includes the name of former Frasier producer David Agel [sic], who was tragically killed on 9/11. 

In her complaint, Werronen warns that if the Mayor and the Board fail to investigate and act on the violations it would raise serious Constitutional civil rights concerns. Under the First Amendment, each citizen has the right not to be forced to voice another's political message and "freedom not to speak publicly." The complaint reads, "If the Board adds its official stamp of approval to public documents that include signatures of citizens who did not decide to sign their names to Mayor Williams's primary petitions, it will rob those citizens of their freedom not to voice their support for the Mayor....In addition to falsely inflating Mr. Williams signature count, the inclusion of questionable and apparently illegitimate signatures effectively hijacks the political identity of individuals whose signatures were included despite the fact that they did not actively choose to endorse the Williams candidacy."

The Board of Elections and Ethics will have 15 business days to rule on the validity of the Williams' petition.