Wanted to report on the election protection efforts of Common Cause on Election Day 2008. I was on calls reporting on efforts in CA and the nation. As of 4pm, election protection efforts have fielded more than 72,000 calls nationwide and 5,096 calls in CA.

We heard on the 10am call that there were long lines in Los Angeles and that many polling places didn't have the supplemental registration lists for those registering late. So those folks had to vote by provisional ballot. In addition, many polling places in LA didn't have enough ballots. In some cases they didn't have any.

Vice-President Dick Cheney came to Sacramento on Tuesday to raise $400,000 for Representative Doolittle. This for someone who has become embroiled in scandal after scandal.

According to the Sacramento Bee, "Doolittle describes Abramoff, who pleaded guilty to three federal felonies in January, as a close personal friend.  A company run by Doolittle's wife did work for Abramoff, and the congressman used Abramoff's sports box [funded by Indian casino lobby money] for a fundraiser. Doolittle is also friends with Brent Wilkes, a defense contractor implicated in the bribery of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Del Mar."

California Common Cause members thought this was the perfect opportunity to raise issues of ethics and voter-owned elections. Rep. Doolittle has opposed efforts in Congress to pass real lobbying and ethics reforms, like stronger limits on lobbyist gifts, travel junkets, and independent ethics oversight.