Teachers Union Says Leader of Tax-Recall Effort Altered Thousands Of Petition Signatures – 89.3 WFPL News Louisville
Attorneys for the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) and the Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA) allege Theresa Camoriano, the leader of a tax-recall petition, and president of the Louisville Tea Party, altered thousands of signatures to help the petition pass muster with the Jefferson County Clerks office.
The evidence shows Ms. Camoriano and her daughters changed thousands of handwritten and electronic petition signatures, sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot, JCTA attorney David Tachau told the court during a virtual trial Tuesday.
The JCTA and the JCBE filed suit in August challenging the validity of Camorianos recall petition, which put a 9.5% property tax increase before voters on the November ballot. The school board and the teachers union allege the Jefferson County Clerks office incorrectly certified thousands of signatures, including duplicate signatures, and signatures with incorrect addresses and birthdays. The tax levy question is already on the ballot because the challenge came too close to the printing deadline to make any changes. The courts decision will determine whether votes cast on the issue will count.
On Tuesday, attorneys for the JCTA presented new evidence showing Camoriano and her daughters used a Republican Party database to fill out missing birth dates and addresses for voters whose names had been entered on the petition electronically, bringing into question how many of the signatures are valid. In a deposition with attorneys, Camoriano said she did not keep track of which entries she altered or added to.
In one case, records show when a man listed a Bullitt County address on a handwritten sheet, Camoriano added a second Jefferson County address, as well as a second, different birthday.
Dana Howard, an attorney for the petitioners, said Camoriano and her daughters only reformatted and corrected minor typos signers made when they entered their information through the electronic petition Camoriano circulated.
In this first-time-ever-in-Kentucky electronic online petition, people made errors, Howard told the court. They made formatting errors, they put birth dates in the wrong place. They squished numbers and letters together. They made mistakes in the address.
Camoriano was just cleaning those errors up, Howard said.
Howard said Camoriano added a handful of signatures from people who requested in writing that she add them to the petition. She also said Camoriano also threw out more than 5,000 signatures before she submitted the petition to the county clerks office.
There is nothing in the deposition testimony that evidences any type of bad intent, malintent, deliberate, misleading or any of the other words that plaintiffs have used to describe Ms. Camoriano or the petition committee, Howard said.
Arguments will continue Wednesday. The court has not yet heard evidence from petitioners attorneys.
According to witness testimony, the petition originated out of discussions at a board meeting of the Louisville Tea Party. Camoriano does not live in the Jefferson County Public School district. She lives in Anchorage Independent School District, which has a higher tax rate than JCPS. Camoriano said she spearheaded the effort against the tax increase, and pushed it forward.
Another Louisville Tea Party board member, Michael Schneider, undertook creating the website and electronic petition. Schneider told attorneys he added security features to protect the website from hackers. However, he did not add controls that would prevent users from signing more than once, nor did he add a CAPTCHA feature, to prevent signing by bots.
Schneider said he considered adding CAPTCHA, but that he worried it would limit access for the elderly and people with disabilities, who can struggle to pass the CAPTCHA tests.
Signers were asked to submit their name, address and birthday, which the Jefferson County Clerks office uses to compare against voter rolls to determine whether the signer is registered in the school district.
Lawyers for JCTA presented a spreadsheet showing a number of entries Schneider agreed were suspicious. Five names were added within five minutes, all having addresses on the same block, and no birthdays.
If I knew my neighbors name, address and date of birth, and I elected to sign that person up, would anything that the committee had done, in terms of security, catch that or prevent me from doing that? JCBE attorney Tyson Gorman asked Schneider.
I dont see how. I dont know, Schneider responded.
Schneider said each day he would download the list of signers in a spreadsheet and send it to Camoriano and her daughters, who he said would evaluate the details of each signature.
In deposition, Camoriano told attorneys she used a Republican Party database of voters to verify a person or fill in a blank when she had trouble with a certain part of it.
Camoriano said the database allowed her to search people by name, birthday or address, and that she used it to correct misspellings in addresses, or sometimes fill in missing birthdays.
I didnt invent people. I didnt create people. But I could use that to help me match to people that were already signed on the petition, she said.
Camoriano said she did not always reach out individually to contact people to let them know she was changing the record. However she did send out at least two mass emails alerting signers data that was missing.
Lawyers for the JCTA also allege that Camoriano intentionally made it difficult for the Jefferson County Clerks office to comb through and verify the signatures by providing paper copies of the signatures, and refusing to provide searchable electronic records.
In verifying records, the clerks office accepted thousands of duplicate signatures. Jefferson County Elections Center Co-Director Maryellen Allen said employees could only catch duplicates if they were on the same page of the paper copies they were provided.
Emails show Frank Friday, the government affairs executive at the Jefferson County Clerks office, asked Camoriano for the electronic records, but she never provided them.
We didnt have it in one nice clean document to give to him, Camoriano said, adding that she was afraid that if we submitted anything, in addition to what we already submitted, that that would create an opportunity for a challenge, she said, that maybe we added things or changed things or something, and I didnt want to I didnt want to introduce anything new that could create a challenge to the petition.
Camoriano said Friday told her he understood. According to their depositions, Friday and Camoriano live in the same neighborhood, and Friday said the two see each other regularly at Republican political functions.
Schneider said he had the original electronic records on his computer, but never knew about Fridays request.
Read more from the original source:
Teachers Union Says Leader of Tax-Recall Effort Altered Thousands Of Petition Signatures - 89.3 WFPL News Louisville
- Wonderland Tea Party returns for a third year of whimsical fun - veronapress.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Host A Garden Tea Party And We'll Match You To A Bird Persona - BuzzFeed - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Greg Gutfeld likens Musks third party idea to a tea party - Fox News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- On This Day: NHS worker from Watford invited to tea party hosted by Prince William - Yahoo - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- 'Fabulous' Mad Hatter tea party fundraiser for Northamptonshire's Animals In Need - Northamptonshire Telegraph - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Host your own Alice in Wonderland tea party - Times of India - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- 5 Things to Do: Yankee Doodle Tea Party, Dabblers: Painting for Adult Beginners, and more in Kendall County - Shaw Local - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Is No Kings a new Tea Party in the making? - The Hill - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Host A Royal Tea Party To Reveal Your Inner Disney Princess - BuzzFeed - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Doves Garden Tea Party Collection Brings 'Bridgerton' Vibes to Your Shower - The Daily Beast - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Dove channels afternoon tea with limited-edition Garden Tea Party collection - Drug Store News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Dove Debuts Garden Tea Party-Inspired Body Care Collection Exclusively at Target - PR Newswire - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Visiting the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum: What You Need To Know Before You Go - Mommy Poppins - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- York care home celebrates Pride Month with tea party and cupcakes - uk.news.yahoo.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Governor, state reps speak at county Tea Party meeting - Pendleton Times Post - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- 'Twisted Tea Party' brings fashion and philanthropy to Rancho Mirage - The Desert Sun - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Win Tickets to The Tea Party - Indie88 Toronto - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- What the Boston Tea Party was fighting and why it still matters | Opinion - The Topeka Capital-Journal - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Tea Party in the Garden - Lac Ste. Anne County - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Tea Party to headline CanRock triple bill with Headstones and Finger Eleven at Rogers Place - Edmonton Journal - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- School Nutrition Pros Treated to Tea Party - fayette-news.net - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- A Royal Saturday Show: Princess Peigh's Sword Fighting Tea Party - WENY - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- The Tea Party, Headstones and Finger Eleven Map Out Canadian Tour - Exclaim! - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- The Tea Party making a tour stop in Windsor - AM 800 - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Finger Eleven To Tour Canada With The Tea Party & Headstones This Fall - Theprp.com - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Tea Party to headline CanRock triple bill with Headstones and Finger Eleven at Rogers Place - Yahoo - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- THE TEA PARTY, HEADSTONES, FINGER ELEVEN Join Forces For Canada-Wide Tour Kicking Off In November - BraveWords - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- The Tea Party, Headstones & Finger Eleven Announce Joint Canadian Tour - iHeartRadio Canada - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- The Tea Party, Headstones and Finger Eleven announce tour stop in Penticton - Penticton News - Castanet - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- The Tea Party, Headstones And Finger Eleven Team Up For Canadian Tour - live in limbo - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Learning Disability Week marked with Mad Hatters Tea Party in Kirkstall - West Leeds Dispatch - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- School nutrition pros treated to tea party - Peachtree City Citizen - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Angry Democrats could face Tea Party-like movement from the Left - Washington Examiner - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Its dj tea party all over again - Roll Call - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Kildare public encouraged to throw a tea party for Team Hope - kildare-nationalist.ie - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Afternoon tea party on the way in County Waterford - waterford-news.ie - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Street Style Look of the Week: Wonderland Tea Party - The New York Times - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Sanrio Mascot Kuromi Gets Her Own 20th Anniversary Tea Party - Crunchyroll - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Tea Party and a Play with The Little Mermaid - geddieconnections.com - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- PHOTOS: Crowds pour in as Oak Bay Tea Party heats up the weekend - Saanich News - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- PHOTOS: Oak Bay Tea Party kicks off a weekend of festivities - Vancouver Island Free Daily - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- A Wonderland of Wellness: The Mad Hatters Tea Party in the Mountains of Mallorca - Majorca Daily Bulletin - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Music, parade and teacup-race rematch on tap at Oak Bay Tea Party this weekend - Times Colonist - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- EXCLUSIVE: IRS Official Tied To Obama-Era Tea Party Scandal Now Running Tax-Exempt Division - AOL.com - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Spring is the perfect time for a tea party - Monroe County Reporter - June 1st, 2025 [June 1st, 2025]
- Defying the British dev behind their MMO's "casual doubling of our taxes," Old School RuneScape player recreates the Boston Tea Party:... - June 1st, 2025 [June 1st, 2025]
- Medicine Park Tea Party to add class to the rugged Wichita Mountain scenery - The Lawton Constitution - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Malti's adorable tea party with Priyanka Chopra's manager is the cutest thing. Pics - India Today - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Priyanka Chopra's Daughter Maltie Marie's Tea Party PICS Are The Cutest Thing On Internet Today - Times Now - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Tea Party on the Porch and Patio to be hosted at Mountainsides Levi Cory House - Union News Daily - May 17th, 2025 [May 17th, 2025]
- Care home marks 80th anniversary of VE Day with afternoon tea party - Yahoo News UK - May 17th, 2025 [May 17th, 2025]
- Wiltshire care home celebrated VE Day anniversary with 1940s tea party - Wiltshire Times - May 17th, 2025 [May 17th, 2025]
- Abundant Life hosts free mother-daughter tea party next Saturday in New Bern - WCTI - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Channel your inner 'Bridgeton' on this Texas tea party tour bus - MySA - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Cinderellas Tea Party kicks off enchanting afternoon at Berks Ballet Theatre performance - Berks Weekly - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- NOTL in Bloom - Setting up for a tea party fit for Alice at the NOTL Museum: Photo Gallery - Niagara-on-the-Lake Local - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- VE Day 80 marked at Newport Castle with community tea party - The Pembrokeshire Herald - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- A king-in-training: Prince George unexpectedly joins Prince William and the Princess of Wales to meet veterans at a Buckingham Palace VE tea party -... - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Prince George makes surprise appearance at tea party for World War II veterans - as young royal, 11, joins Wil - Daily Mail - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Prince George meets veterans in surprise appearance at VE Day tea party - The Independent - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- William tells of Georges interest in war veterans at Palace tea party - The Independent - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- William tells of Georges interest in war veterans at Palace tea party - Yahoo News UK - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Kingwood Community Engagement to host 'Under the Sea' Mother's Day tea party - WV News - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Charity Gets Ready to Treat Township Grandmothers with the Sweetest Tea Party! - Good Things Guy - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Killeshin tea party in memory of much-loved Siobhn raised 12k - carlow-nationalist.ie - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- King and Queen to host VE Day tea party for World War Two veterans - BBC - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Sip & Savor: Family Tea Party, a Gathering for Mothers, and a Cider Fest - southsoundmag.com - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Hosting an Adult Tea Party Will Make You the Diamond of the Seasonand It's Easy with These Pro Tips - Better Homes & Gardens - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- A tea party at the Palace to mark 80 years of peace with King Charles and Queen Camilla hosting - Royal Central - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- King and Queen to host veterans at Buckingham Palace VE Day tea party - The Telegraph - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- King and Queen to host palace tea party to celebrate VE Day anniversary - MSN - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- King Charles to host VE Day tea party for 50 World War Two veterans - and Wills and Kate will attend too - The Sun - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- King Charles and Queen Camilla to throw palace tea party to mark VE Day anniversary - lbc.co.uk - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- VE Day 2025 celebrations to include King and Queen hosting Buckingham Palace tea party - MyLondon - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- When are the VE Day celebrations as Charles and Camilla plan tea party for veterans? - London Evening Standard - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- The Boston Tea Party and the Haifa Spring Festival - VINnews - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Leicester Windrush Tea Party needs your help - voice-online.co.uk - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Tim Walz tries to spark a liberal Tea Party movement with trip to Ohio and other red states - Signal Cleveland - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- Cahoon Museum Will Host Mermaid Tea Party - CapeNews.net - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- Mad Hatter's tea party and egg hunt provides Easter fun for families - Daily Echo - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]