Written testimony in support of HB 228 from a proud U.S. citizen, immigrant and Army veteran

Top: Current GA.drivers license issued to foreign nationals. Bottom, Drivers license proposed in HB 228. The bill would also change state law to make non-citizen ID unacceptable as photo ID at the polls.

In her support for HB 228, our friend, YeSun copied us on her written testimony to the Republicans on the (House) Special Committee on Election Integrity in time for a hearing scheduled for Friday, Feb 26, 2021.

–>The (sub-committee) hearing is scheduled to begin when the full committee ends – the full committee will begin on adjournment of the day’s House session. The hearing is a result of public anger, input and constant pressure.

I paste the testimony below. It’s good reading.

I took the liberty of inserting a link to a 2014 report from ScienceDirect.com titled *”Do non-citizens vote in elections?”

Thanks, YeSun

dak

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ye Sun Wiltse <y

Subject: Written Testimony: I Support HB 228 Amend state law to make LIMITED TERM credentials unacceptable as proper identification for voter ID – Clearly label Non-Citizen DL/ID cards.

Date: February 25, 2021 at 9:16:05 PM EST

To: “rick.williams@house.ga.gov” <rick.williams@house.ga.gov>, “lynn.smith@house.ga.gov” <lynn.smith@house.ga.gov>, “bonnie.rich@house.ga.gov” <bonnie.rich@house.ga.gov>, “chuck.martin@house.ga.gov” <chuck.martin@house.ga.gov>, “jan.jones@house.ga.gov” <jan.jones@house.ga.gov>, “houston.gaines@house.ga.gov” <houston.gaines@house.ga.gov>, “buddy.deloach@house.ga.gov” <buddy.deloach@house.ga.gov>, “shaw.blackmon@house.ga.gov” <shaw.blackmon@house.ga.gov>, “alan.powell@house.ga.gov” <alan.powell@house.ga.gov>, “barry.fleming@house.ga.gov” <barry.fleming@house.ga.gov>

Cc: David Ralston <david.ralston@house.ga.gov>

Reply-To: Ye Sun Wiltse <ye

Dear Republican members of the Special Committee on Election Integrity,

As I live in Evans, I am unable to attend any hearing on HB 228. Please consider this my written testimony and make it part of the record.

HB 228 is a simple bill that changes our law to insure that official ID credentials issued to foreign nationals are unacceptable at our polls. The bill also requires driver’s licenses and ID Cards issued to non-citizens to clearly state, “BEARER NOT A U.S. CITIZEN – NOT VOTER ID.” These would be commonsense adjustments in normal times, but after the chaos of the November elections, it is critical that this committee and the legislature pass HR 228 and send it to Gov. Kemp’s desk.

If the goal of this committee is to improve voters confidence in the election system, this bill should see a unanimous “do pass” vote.

The opponents of HB 228 claim that there is no evidence of non-citizens registering to vote, therefore, this legislation is not needed. *There are many documented cases of non-citizens voting since passing Motor Voter Act that was implemented in 1995 according to Associated Press, NPR and the Pew Center. For every documented case, there are likely hundreds if not thousands of cases that go unreported.

When people apply for Georgia driver’s license, the DDS automatically attempts to register them to vote. DDS personnel lack knowledge to discern the voting eligibility of the person receiving driver’s license because that is not and should not be their responsibility. That responsibility belongs to board of elections registrar. There are non-citizens who do not realize that they were registered to vote at the time they received driver’s license. Once they are inadvertently registered, they can be targeted by organizations to vote or apply for absentee ballots, and sometimes vote illegally.

I have heard some legislators and activists who oppose any Voter ID laws say marking drivers licenses and ID cards to show the holder is not an American citizen is somehow “offensive to immigrants”.

From this immigrant who is a naturalized citizen and a retired Army veteran, I wholeheartedly support HB 228. I was not born in the USA, but I am grateful everyday that I had a good fortune to immigrate to this wonderful country that afforded me opportunities I would have never had in my native country. I respect the rule of law and treasure many freedoms I enjoy. I value my voting rights and am determined to prevent a fraudulent vote to cancel my legal vote.

HB 228 is the simplest and clearest legislations I have read. I respectfully urge this committee to pass HB 228. Georgians are counting on you rebuild our confidence in Georgia’s election system.

Sincerely,

YeSun Wiltse

Evans GA

706-***-****

—>UPDATE: The liberal AJC prints a lengthy correction after demand letter from the Dustin Inman Society. More news on this coming soon.

__________

Daily Signal News report (‘DEFAMATORY’: Conservative Demands Swing-State Newspaper Retract ‘Hate Group’ Smear’)
on the recent AJC attack here by the great Tyler O’Neil.

_______

I added educational hyperlinks to the below letter – dak.

_______

October 18, 2024

VIA U.S. REGULAR MAIL & E-MAIL

Leroy Chapman, Jr., Editor in Chief THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION 223 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE Atlanta, Georgia 30346

Re: Demand for Retraction and Apology

Dear Mr. Chapman, Jr.:

I write on behalf of my client, the Dustin Inman Society (DIS), to demand an immediate retraction and apology for the defamatory statements published in your October 7, 2024, article titled “Democrats in this Georgia district are backing a write-in candidate” by Tia Mitchell.

Through use of internet links, the AJC article wrongfully characterizes the Dustin Inman Society as a “Marietta-based anti-immigration hate group.” This characterization is false, defamatory, and published with actual malice. The Dustin Inman Society pushes for secure borders, is not “anti-immigration” and its proprietors do not hate anyone. Rather, DIS advocates for enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and actively opposes unlawful immigration. This distinction is crucial and well-known to staff at your publication.

I paste the offending paragraph from the AJC story:

“A search of activity under her birth name, Karen Sacandy, which Stamper legally changed in 2019, showed that she previously was aligned with a Marietta-based anti-immigration hate group. The group’s website often linked to Sacandy’s activities, like a letter seeking information about the state’s Immigration Enforcement Review Board and a copy of a letter to the editor supporting legislation to prevent immigrants claiming asylum from obtaining driver’s licenses.”

HEMMER WESSELS MCMURTRY PLLC
250 Grandview Drive, Suite 500, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017 ● Phone 859.344.1188 ● Fax 859.578.3869

October 18, 2024 Page 2

We note the AJC informs readers that the Dustin Inman Society “often” linked to Karen Sacandy/Kate Stamper activities — but produces only two occasions.

Your story, for which DIS founder and president D.A. King was not contacted, informs readers that Sacandy/Stamper “was aligned” with the Dustin Inman Society. We note that polls show that a majority of Americans oppose the federal offense of illegal immigration. Since the letter posted on the DIS site was a published missive to the editor at the Cherokee Tribune, we must ask: does this make that newspaper a “Cherokee County-based anti-immigration hate group”?

Your characterization demonstrates a reckless and vindictive disregard for the truth, rising to the level of actual malice as defined in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. Actual malice in defamation law refers to publication of a statement with knowledge that it is false or with reckless disregard of whether it is false or not. Your repeated mischaracterization of the Dustin Inman Society, despite having been corrected on numerous occasions, clearly meets this standard.

The Dustin Inman Society’s position on immigration is clear and public:

1. It supports sustainable levels of legal immigration through established channels.

2. It opposes unlawful immigration due to various societal concerns, including: – Strain on public resources and services
– Potential and real public safety issues
– Economic impacts on low-wage American workers and America’s poor

– Challenges to the rule of law

3. The Dustin Inman Society defends legal immigrants when media attempt to blur the difference between them and illegal aliens.

Moreover, the Dustin Inman Society’s board includes lawful immigrants who have navigated the proper channels for authorized immigration. This fact alone should dispel any notion that the organization is “anti-immigration.” As he has informed you multiple times over much of the last two decades, D.A. King’s sister is a real, legal immigrant.

While we acknowledge that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Dustin Inman Society as an “anti-immigrant hate group that denigrates all immigrants,” your article presents the “anti-immigration hate group” characterization as the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s independent assessment and statement of fact.

This smear is not only demonstrably false and ignores Mr. King’s many communications to you advising you of the truth, but also demonstrates an exceedingly unprofessional failure to fact-check and verify information before publication.

We demand that the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

October 18, 2024 Page 3

1. Immediately publicly retract the defaming statement in the October 7, 2024, article.

2. Publish a prominent apology, equal in visibility and placement to the original defamatory article.

3. Cease and desist from further defamatory characterizations of the Dustin Inman Society.

Failure to comply with these demands may result in further legal action. We expect your prompt attention to this matter and await your timely response.

Sincerely,

Todd V. McMurtry

cc: James Abely, Esq.