I am bothering with all this detail because, as we've pointed out on this blog more than once, there's good reason to be very concerned about election fraud. (See the Conyers Report. For a brief discussion of its conclusions: Conyers Report.) The EAC has an important role in the larger "watchdog" mechanism of federal elections.
And now our man Fuentes is part of EAC.
The recently-sent “board highlights," referring to Dave Lang's remarks, inform us that
Trustee Thomas A. Fuentes...was on his way to Washington, D.C. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert appointed Trustee Fuentes to the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission Board of Advisors, succeeding U.S. Congressman J.C. Watts.
Remember: Fuentes has been appointed specifically to the EAC’s Board of Advisors. That's the smaller of EAC's two boards.
On the EAC website (EAC), one learns that
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 provides for the establishment of two boards to advise the EAC: the EAC Standards Board and the EAC Board of Advisors.
The Standards Board (acting through its Executive Board) and the Board of Advisors review proposed voluntary voting system guidelines and EAC technical guidance. They play a role in recommending candidates for the EAC Executive Director. They also may hold hearings and take testimony related to carrying out the provisions of the Help America Vote Act [HAVA].
The EAC Standards Board is composed of 110 members drawn from State and local election officials…The EAC Standards Board is required to select nine of its members to serve as the Executive Board of the Standards Board….
The EAC BOARD OF ADVISORS [Fuentes' group] comprises 37 members drawn from various national associations and government agencies who play a role in the implementation of the Help America Vote Act and from science and technology-related professionals appointed by Congressional members. Members of the Board of Advisors serve two-year terms and may be reappointed.
The Help America Vote Act requires that these boards have partisan and geographic balance. Members of the boards are not compensated for their services, but their travel costs are paid in accordance with federal law.
Watts, former Congressman from Oklahoma, whom Fuentes is replacing, is a conservative Republican.
It appears, then, that Fuentes has been appointed to the smaller of two EAC boards. On the other hand, he's not among the EAC's four Commissioners. (One resigned recently.)
On the EAC website, I learned that the Commission and its boards are meeting this very week. the Advisory Board met yesterday and will finish today. Their meeting is open to the public.
We're told the purpose of the meeting:
The U.S. EAC Board of Advisors, as required by HAVA, will meet and receive updates on EAC research projects and activities and discuss other relevant matters pertaining to the administration of federal elections. The Board will receive an update regarding recent work conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on the voluntary voting system guidelines. The Board will elect officers and consider the appointment of a proxy committee and the appointment of a resolutions committee. The Board will receive reports of committees and discuss other administrative matters.
If you’re a complete loon, you’ll want to read the Board of Advisors’ agenda, too:
Agenda (This is a pdf file.)
