Brad Friedman
Encyclopedia
Brad Friedman is a US
blogger, journalist
, actor
, radio broadcaster, director
and software programmer, most known for his criticism of election integrity issues in the USA. Friedman has a BFA
from New York University
's (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts
.
standpoint.
His blog site is generally critical of Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems), ES&S, Sequoia Voting Systems
and electronic voting
in general.
Based on his advocacy at The BRAD BLOG and in other publications, he was invited to testify at the Election Assistance Commission
's Voting Advocate Roundtable Discussion. Friedman is a noted advocate of a return to paper balloting
and of the role of bloggers as journalists. he has been described in the New York Times as "perhaps the most dogged critic of electronic voting machine technology in the blogosphere".
& Ellen Spiro's Body of War, David Earnhardt's Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections, Dorothy Fadiman's Stealing America: Vote by Vote and Patty Sharaf's Murder, Spies & Voting Lies: The Clint Curtis Story.
In July 2006, Hustler
magazine featured an article in which Friedman discussed the alleged suicide of Raymond Lemme, an investigator tracking down claims of vote-rigging by Congressman Tom Feeney
, as alleged by Florida software programmer Clint Curtis
in a story Friedman broke in late 2004 and has covered in great detail ever since.
Friedman reported on suspicions that the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic primary
was rigged.
He has also extensively covered the case of Ann Coulter's voter fraud issues in Florida.
In 2008 Friedman reported critically on the FBI investigation into the suspected involvement of Bruce Ivins in the 2001 anthrax attacks
.
An exclusive interview Friedman conducted with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
, just prior to the 2008 general election, was published in two parts; one part in Computerworld
, noted Brunner's memorable thought upon reviewing the "awful" findings of the state's report on the security of electronic voting systems in Ohio ("I thought I was going to throw up"), and the other in Alternet
quoting the Secretary as stating "we will be ready" for the 2008 election.
As an actor, Friedman was the winner of multiple Joe Bob Briggs
' Drive-In Academy Awards
Friedman contributed a chapter on Nevada's "illegally certified" electronic voting machines to Loser Take All, a collection of essays on America's voting system, published by Ig Publishing in 2008, as edited by NYU media professor, author and outspoken election integrity advocate Mark Crispin Miller
. The investigative essay, titled "The Selling of the Touch-Screen 'Paper-Trail': From Nevada to the EAC" was co-authored with Michael Richardson, and described by Miller in the book's introduction as "the harrowing pre-history of the 2004 election in Nevada, whose voting system had long since been hijacked by Secretary of State Dean Heller".
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
's "35 Articles of Impeachment Against George W. Bush" refers to several reports by Friedman in its published footnotes for Article XXIX, "Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965". Friedman was tapped by Kucinich as one of several experts who helped to compile two (Article 28, "Tampering with Free and Fair Elections" and Article 29, "Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965") of the 35 articles of impeachment
as introduced in Congress in 2008.
In February of 2011, Friedman and his family were discovered to have been named as targets of a proposed $12 million smear campaign being created for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce by three government-contracted cyber intelligence firms. In an interview with David Dayen at Firedoglake, Friedman decried the plot, called it a "new era of dirty tricks" and said "We’re fighting against how our own tax dollars are being spent against us."
He is the creator and publisher of The BRAD BLOG, which the Los Angeles Times
has described as California's "most persistent blogger-watchdog on the dangers of voting technology".
"If you want to learn about the state of our election process, I urge you to visit BradBlog.com. Brad Friedman has worked doggedly on this issue, amassing tons of valuable news and information on this subject." - Catherine Crier, Crier Live, Court TV, July 11, 2006. Friedman would later appear, along with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., live on Crier's program, on July 20, 2006 to discuss concerns about voting systems to be used in that year's upcoming general election.
A November, 2008 interview by BuzzFlash.com describes Friedman as a "Champion of Fair Elections and Challenger of Election Theft," and notes "Brad has been unrelenting in documenting the details of the dark side of our voting system."
The Chicago Sun-Times' Beacon News profiled Friedman in April 2008.
McClatchy-owned Kansas City Star cited Friedman's "rare" radio interview with Missouri Sec. of State Robin Carnahan
in May 2008, concerning the controversial issue of voter Photo ID restrictions at polling places in the state, as a bill to require it in Missouri was being debated in the state legislature. The paper describes Friedman as a "well-known voting machine critic and blogger".
Friedman is a 2010 Project Censored
award winner for "Excellence in Investigative Journalism" in recognition of his coverage of "The Mysterious Death of Mike Connell—Karl Rove’s Election Thief". He also contributed a chapter to the organization's Censored 2010: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2008-09 book, on voting problems and fraud in the 2008 Elections.
On 9/30/10, CNN's Senior National Editor Dave Schecter wrote "One of the squeakiest wheels on the subject of voting is Brad Friedman, of 'The Brad Blog'" and cited his coverage of Pac-Man being hacked onto an electronic voting system made by Sequoia Voting Systems.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blogger, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, radio broadcaster, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and software programmer, most known for his criticism of election integrity issues in the USA. Friedman has a BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
.
The BRAD BLOG
Friedman's blog covers voting rights and election integrity issues in the USA, and a number of other subjects related to media reform and political corruption from a progressiveProgressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
standpoint.
His blog site is generally critical of Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems), ES&S, Sequoia Voting Systems
Sequoia Voting Systems
Sequoia Voting Systems was a California-based company that is one of the largest providers of electronic voting systems in the U.S., having offices in Oakland, Denver and New York City. Some of its major competitors were Premier Election Solutions and Election Systems & Software.It was acquired by...
and electronic voting
Electronic voting
Electronic voting is a term encompassing several different types of voting, embracing both electronic means of casting a vote and electronic means of counting votes....
in general.
Based on his advocacy at The BRAD BLOG and in other publications, he was invited to testify at the Election Assistance Commission
Election Assistance Commission
The Election Assistance Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 . The Commission serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration...
's Voting Advocate Roundtable Discussion. Friedman is a noted advocate of a return to paper balloting
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
and of the role of bloggers as journalists. he has been described in the New York Times as "perhaps the most dogged critic of electronic voting machine technology in the blogosphere".
Other work
He is featured in numerous documentary films, interviewed as an investigative journalist, and expert in issues of election integrity and voting systems. Among the films in which he appears: Phil DonahuePhil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
& Ellen Spiro's Body of War, David Earnhardt's Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections, Dorothy Fadiman's Stealing America: Vote by Vote and Patty Sharaf's Murder, Spies & Voting Lies: The Clint Curtis Story.
In July 2006, Hustler
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
magazine featured an article in which Friedman discussed the alleged suicide of Raymond Lemme, an investigator tracking down claims of vote-rigging by Congressman Tom Feeney
Tom Feeney
Thomas Charles "Tom" Feeney III, usually known as Tom Feeney , is an American politician from the state of Florida. He represented . He was defeated in the 2008 election by Democrat Suzanne Kosmas.-Early life:...
, as alleged by Florida software programmer Clint Curtis
Clint Curtis
Clinton Eugene "Clint" Curtis is a United States computer programmer and ex employee of NASA and ExxonMobil, currently living in Northern California, who worked for Yang Enterprises in Oviedo, Florida until February 2001...
in a story Friedman broke in late 2004 and has covered in great detail ever since.
Friedman reported on suspicions that the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic primary
New Hampshire Democratic primary, 2008
The 2008 New Hampshire Democratic primary on January 8, 2008 was the first primary in the United States in 2008. Its purpose was to determine the number of delegates from New Hampshire that would represent a certain candidate at the National Convention. In a primary, members of a political party—in...
was rigged.
He has also extensively covered the case of Ann Coulter's voter fraud issues in Florida.
In 2008 Friedman reported critically on the FBI investigation into the suspected involvement of Bruce Ivins in the 2001 anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
.
An exclusive interview Friedman conducted with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
Jennifer Brunner
Jennifer Lee Brunner is an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as the Ohio Secretary of State. Brunner was the first woman to serve in this capacity. She took office after sixteen years of Republican control, which included two four-year terms by her predecessor J. Kenneth...
, just prior to the 2008 general election, was published in two parts; one part in Computerworld
Computerworld
Computerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...
, noted Brunner's memorable thought upon reviewing the "awful" findings of the state's report on the security of electronic voting systems in Ohio ("I thought I was going to throw up"), and the other in Alternet
AlterNet
AlterNet, a project of the non-profit Independent Media Institute, is a progressive/liberal activist news service. Launched in 1998, AlterNet now claims a readership of over 3 million visitors per month .AlterNet publishes original content as well as journalism from a wide variety of other sources...
quoting the Secretary as stating "we will be ready" for the 2008 election.
As an actor, Friedman was the winner of multiple Joe Bob Briggs
Joe Bob Briggs
John Irving Bloom , who uses the pseudonym Joe Bob Briggs, is a syndicated American film critic, writer and comic performer.-Early years:...
' Drive-In Academy Awards
Friedman contributed a chapter on Nevada's "illegally certified" electronic voting machines to Loser Take All, a collection of essays on America's voting system, published by Ig Publishing in 2008, as edited by NYU media professor, author and outspoken election integrity advocate Mark Crispin Miller
Mark Crispin Miller
Mark Crispin Miller is professor of media studies at New York University, and the author of the book: Fooled Again, How the Right Stole the 2004 Elections. He is known for his writing on American media and for his activism on behalf of democratic media reform...
. The investigative essay, titled "The Selling of the Touch-Screen 'Paper-Trail': From Nevada to the EAC" was co-authored with Michael Richardson, and described by Miller in the book's introduction as "the harrowing pre-history of the 2004 election in Nevada, whose voting system had long since been hijacked by Secretary of State Dean Heller".
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
's "35 Articles of Impeachment Against George W. Bush" refers to several reports by Friedman in its published footnotes for Article XXIX, "Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965". Friedman was tapped by Kucinich as one of several experts who helped to compile two (Article 28, "Tampering with Free and Fair Elections" and Article 29, "Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965") of the 35 articles of impeachment
Articles of impeachment
The articles of impeachment are the set of charges drafted against a public official to initiate the impeachment process. The articles of impeachment do not result in the removal of the official, but instead require the enacting body to take further action, such as bringing the articles to a vote...
as introduced in Congress in 2008.
In February of 2011, Friedman and his family were discovered to have been named as targets of a proposed $12 million smear campaign being created for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce by three government-contracted cyber intelligence firms. In an interview with David Dayen at Firedoglake, Friedman decried the plot, called it a "new era of dirty tricks" and said "We’re fighting against how our own tax dollars are being spent against us."
Recognition
Buffalo's independent newspaper The Beast describes him as "perhaps the most diligent and unassailable election integrity advocate in America."He is the creator and publisher of The BRAD BLOG, which the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
has described as California's "most persistent blogger-watchdog on the dangers of voting technology".
"If you want to learn about the state of our election process, I urge you to visit BradBlog.com. Brad Friedman has worked doggedly on this issue, amassing tons of valuable news and information on this subject." - Catherine Crier, Crier Live, Court TV, July 11, 2006. Friedman would later appear, along with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., live on Crier's program, on July 20, 2006 to discuss concerns about voting systems to be used in that year's upcoming general election.
A November, 2008 interview by BuzzFlash.com describes Friedman as a "Champion of Fair Elections and Challenger of Election Theft," and notes "Brad has been unrelenting in documenting the details of the dark side of our voting system."
The Chicago Sun-Times' Beacon News profiled Friedman in April 2008.
McClatchy-owned Kansas City Star cited Friedman's "rare" radio interview with Missouri Sec. of State Robin Carnahan
Robin Carnahan
Robin Carnahan is an American politician, daughter of Missouri politicians Mel and Jean Carnahan and the current Missouri Secretary of State. She is a member of the Democratic Party and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010, to replace retiring Republican Sen...
in May 2008, concerning the controversial issue of voter Photo ID restrictions at polling places in the state, as a bill to require it in Missouri was being debated in the state legislature. The paper describes Friedman as a "well-known voting machine critic and blogger".
Friedman is a 2010 Project Censored
Project Censored
Project Censored is a non-profit, media criticism and investigative journalism project within the Sonoma State University Foundation. It is managed through the School of Social Sciences at the university....
award winner for "Excellence in Investigative Journalism" in recognition of his coverage of "The Mysterious Death of Mike Connell—Karl Rove’s Election Thief". He also contributed a chapter to the organization's Censored 2010: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2008-09 book, on voting problems and fraud in the 2008 Elections.
On 9/30/10, CNN's Senior National Editor Dave Schecter wrote "One of the squeakiest wheels on the subject of voting is Brad Friedman, of 'The Brad Blog'" and cited his coverage of Pac-Man being hacked onto an electronic voting system made by Sequoia Voting Systems.