-Caveat Lector- >From http://www.apbnews.com/newscenter/breakingnews/2000/11/17/vote1117_01.html Stolen Fla. Voting Machine Turns Up on eBay Pair Accused of Trying to Profit From Election Controversy Nov. 17, 2000 By Rick Sarlat AP A Palm Beach County butterfly ballot LAKE WORTH, Fla. (APBnews.com) -- Two men apparently seeking to cash in on the election controversy in Palm Beach County have been arrested for allegedly trying to sell a stolen voting machine on the Internet. Mark B. Richter, 41, and Steven R. Solomon, 43, both of Lake Worth, were charged Thursday with unlawful possession of a voting machine and dealing in stolen property, said Special Agent Supervisor Michael D. Washam of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Solomon, who was carrying a gun at the time of his arrest, was also charged with possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, police said. Washam said the machine was taken from the Winston Trails Clubhouse, a Palm Beach County polling place, sometime on Nov. 9, two days after the election. Polling machines were being stored at each precinct throughout the county until Elections Department officials could pick them up, he said. Police were tipped off by an elections official who saw an advertisement on the popular auction site eBay.com. "They were advertising the sale of a voting machine complete with the butterfly ballot for $2,000," Washam said. Washam said state agents immediately began investigating and set up a sting in which one posed as a potential buyer for the machine and the controversial ballot, which some claim was confusing and led people to vote for the wrong presidential candidate. Agent seeks deal Special Agent John Marinello of the Palm Beach FDLE office sent an e-mail to the advertiser and was given a telephone number to call. Police said Marinello began negotiating with Richter, who then increased the price to $20,000. "We told him that we'd be willing to pay more than $2,000 if we could first see if it's the real thing," Washam said. Marinello arranged to meet Richter and Solomon at Latana Road and Military Trail at 5 p.m. Thursday, police said. During the meeting, Richter and Solomon displayed the small voting machine and attempted to negotiate a price of $4,000. They were arrested by FDLE agents, Washam said. Both men were being held today at the Palm Beach County Jail on $200,000 bail. If convicted, each man could face a maximum of five years in prison. Rick Sarlat is an APBnews.com correspondent in Florida. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
