An eyewitness in Salt Lake City has come forward alleging direct knowledge of voter registration events at which a congressional staffer for Congressman Chris Cannon named Marco Diaz assisted people in registering to vote regardless of their legal status a voter registration events.

Diaz, a "constituent services representative" for Congressman Cannon, is the same aide who was with Cannon when the duo illegally solicited campaign contributions from illegal aliens on Spanish-language radio.

But an English language transcript of that radio program (the subject of a CNN Lou Dobbs segment) shows there was a lot more than illegal soliciting going on.

At one point, host José Elibardo Rivera says, "You, you, you…are illegal, as, as I was a long time ago. Let's say you are illegal…And does that eliminate you from the political race? On the contrary, you more than anyone have to vote, have to pull out your money, if you can't vote, give money."

In response, Congressman Cannon adds, "Okay."

[We've posted a few paragraphs of this online, and you'll be shocked, I think, to read what else is going on during that program.]

But there is more to the Diaz-Cannon story. Diaz, working with the Mexican consulate in Salt Lake City, was a major force in the successful effort to get Utah to grant driver's licenses -- the only requirement to vote in Utah -- to illegal aliens based on the matricula consular.

Diaz claims to have taken to Spanish-language radio on the night of a major vote on the bill, inciting hundreds of illegal aliens to assemble in the state legislative building to exert pressure on the state legislators to pass the bill. When the bill passed, Diaz and the others sent up a chant of Viva Mexico.

At least for part of the time during that battle, Chris Cannon, a U.S. Congressman, was seen in the building, strategizing with Diaz by cell phone.

It is no wonder Cannon gave the speech to MALDEF saying he was proud that Utah was one of the first states to grant driver's licenses to illegal aliens based on the Mexican matricula consular card.

Voter fraud is a serious issue. It is very difficult for a community to extricate itself from the corrosive effects of widespread voter fraud once it's entrenched. (For example, we took a look at a few thousand voter registration records in a small area in Salt Lake City with, according to Census 2000 data, a high concentration of foreign born. We could find no unusual patterns or a way to determine whether people were illegally registered. Had we, it would have been a great way for us or any civic-minded Utahn to use the right to "challenge" to fight back against corruption).

For decades, Americans have opposed amnesties for illegal aliens, yet every few years, Congress hands us another one. It will take firmness to break the cycle.

+== TAKE POSITIVE ACTION ==+

It's an indication of the power of the immigration issue that the more voters learn about Chris Cannon's radically out-of-step views on the issue, the more they desert him, and the more they desert him, the more desperate and expensive the measures immigration profiteers employ to keep him in office.

But Republicans need to know that taking a stand against amnesties and illegal immigration is good politics.

Please call the Republican National Committee and ask to leave a message for Chairman Ed Gillespie. Politely remind him of the CBS/New York Times poll taken last January that found only one third of Americans supported him on that. Point out that Chris Cannon's AgJOBS amnesty is much worse than the President's "soft amnesty." Tell him that Republicans like Chris Cannon who insist on pushing legislation wildly out-of-step with the American people are hurting and dividing the Republican Party

Ed Gillespie
202-863-8700
Chairman@gop.com

+== QUOTE OF THE WEEK ==+

Los invitamos a todos los que viven en el tercer distrito (la mayoría del West Side de Salt Lake y la mayoría del Condado de Utah) que están registrados para votar en Junio 22, 2004. Si necesitan mayor información por favor llamar al (801) 641-8596

Marco e Yvette Diaz
From a recent article in Salt Lake City's
Spanish-language press encouraging readers to vote

+== EMAIL OF THE WEEK ==+

Did anyone catch the Lou Dobbs (CNN) story on Chris Cannon's illegal funds solicitation gaffe last night. Cannon came across on national TV looking like the biggest clown Utah has to offer. I was absolutely embarrassed for our state. They indicated that if Cannon somehow slipped past Throckmorton (which he won't), the Democrat challenger would be licking his chops. Cannon is damaged goods, and his colleagues in Washington are furious.

Posted on the Provo Daily Herald web site