Statement of Robert Cooper
Comes now Robert W. Cooper, an individual appointed poll watcher at the Ward 8 Fire Station in the recent election on November 7th by the Republican Ward Committee Chairman pursuant to § 17-19-22 who deposes and says:
I was present for nearly the entire election at that poll. At some point late in the afternoon, a voter not known to me but qualified on the voters list appeared requiring help to vote.
I recall that checkers Vivian Moreno (for Malkard Evans) and a checker named Caroline for Leon Tejada were also present.
The disability voting machines either were not working, or she simply wanted human assistance. I did not see the machines used at all during the election.
At some point, Wilbur W. Jennings Jr., who is known to me approached the warden and asked if he could assist her with voting.
The warden, Mr. Ed Hicks explained the procedure clearly and provided an affidavit to be filled out by the person and also Mr. Jennings as the person assisting.
At some point Mayor David Cicilline, who was in the poll visiting the city workers got involved, and claimed that Wilbur was saying he was voting for another person (which I understood to mean "voting instead of the voter").
Mayor Cicilline also told the warden he could not allow this, claimed he would challenge the election if this was allowed and would have Wilbur arrested if he did this. Wilbur protested and Cicilline repeated the arrest threat.
I heard Mr. Hicks tell the mayor that this was the normal procedure. The Mayor disagreed shaking his head, and said something else to Mr. Hicks. I missed that as someone from the growing crowd coming in from outside to see what was going on yelled, “Wilbur’s trying to cheat again.”
Mr. Hicks responded to whatever the Mayor had said, “I’m just doing my job.”
Hicks is a broad, tall man, about 6’7” or taller and dwarfed
the mayor who was shaking his finger at both Hicks and
Mayor Cicilline again publicly threatened Mr. Jennings with arrest, and at some point they took the issue (and the crowd) outside where it continued within 50 feet of the door.
When a lull occurred, I asked if they could take it beyond the 50 foot rule, which they immediately did as things had significantly calmed down.
I returned inside to continue my duties but later on I heard from David Talan, the Republican Party Ward Committee Chairman that the Police had been called, and that someone was forced to leave under threat of arrest by the police and he understood that there had been a fight inside. I assured him there was no violence and had no idea at the time that what he was telling me was allegedly linked to what I understood as the Mayor’s disruptive and disorderly actions inside.
I never saw
In a conversation with
Signed under penalty of perjury this Ninth day of November, 2006
Robert W. Cooper
(401) 447-6474