Republican National Committee

Counsels Office
November 4, 2012 The Honorable Matt Schultz Secretary of State First Floor, Lucas Building 321 E. 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 Dear Secretary Schultz, On behalf of the Republican National Committee, I am writing to express concern with what appears to be illegal activity involving Democratic and Obama campaign operatives engaged in absentee ballot canvassing. We understand that the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations is investigating this matter. We request the Iowa Secretary of States Office do all it can to further that investigation and to ensure that any illegal activity conducted by Democratic operatives does not taint the fairness of the 2012 general election. According to reputable media reports (see, e.g, http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121029/NEWS09/310290018/Absentee-ballot-issuesreported-2-Iowa-counties?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1), Democratic operatives allegedly encouraged elderly persons to fill out and falsely sign absentee ballot requests for other family members. Additionally, the same reports suggest that Democratic operatives themselves may have even falsely filled out and submitted absentee ballot requests without the permission of the Iowa voters oh whose behalf the requests were submitted. As the Des Moines Register reported, the [Department of Criminal Investigations] has approached paid Democratic Party staff to ask questions about allegations of unauthorized requests for absentee ballots in Floyd County . . . . DCI agents have also spoken to three workers at the Organizing for America office in Charles City. The Iowa Democratic Party has now asked DCI to have conversations only with Democratic Party attorneys. Fair and open elections are vital to our democracy. And the alleged conduct of Democratic and Obama operatives, if true, is highly disconcerting. Please keep us informed of the steps you are taking to ensure this alleged illegal activity does not affect the integrity of the election. I can be reached at (202)863-8638. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely,

John R. Phillippe, Jr. Chief Counsel

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