03-06-2008, 11:11 AM
<b>Clinton campaign accuses Obama camp of vote suppression</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Hillary Clinton's campaign on Tuesday accused Barack Obama's camp of engaging in "outrageous" and "undemocratic" tactics during the voting in Texas, including locking her supporters out of caucuses.
The Obama camp denied the allegations as a "laughable" attempt to play down the state's caucuses, a political nominating exercise that has produced better results for their White House candidate in other states.
Clinton's Texas state director Ace Smith said there was a "really tremendously disturbing pattern" of vote irregularities in Texas, which conducted a statewide presidential primary Tuesday followed by caucuses.
<b>"What is happening tonight is just truly an outrage," he told reporters.
The Clinton campaign accused the Obama operation of taking materials supposed to be available for both sides in the caucuses earlier in the day.</b>
Clinton's aides also said in a hastily-convened conference call that in some locations in Texas her supporters had been locked out of caucuses by Obama backers, who had taken over the meetings.
The campaign's legal counsel Lyn Utrecht warned that some precincts in Texas had also called in results even before they were supposed to open.
<b>"There are numerous locations where Obama supporters have taken over the caucuses and have locked out Clinton supporters who should have been allowed to come in."</b>
<b>She said all options were open for the campaign, including legal action, though no decisions had been taken.</b>
Obama spokesman Bill Burton dismissed the allegations.
"This is a transparent and laughable attempt to divert attention from the caucus results which reward delegates every bit as meaningful as do primaries," he told AFP by email
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The Obama camp denied the allegations as a "laughable" attempt to play down the state's caucuses, a political nominating exercise that has produced better results for their White House candidate in other states.
Clinton's Texas state director Ace Smith said there was a "really tremendously disturbing pattern" of vote irregularities in Texas, which conducted a statewide presidential primary Tuesday followed by caucuses.
<b>"What is happening tonight is just truly an outrage," he told reporters.
The Clinton campaign accused the Obama operation of taking materials supposed to be available for both sides in the caucuses earlier in the day.</b>
Clinton's aides also said in a hastily-convened conference call that in some locations in Texas her supporters had been locked out of caucuses by Obama backers, who had taken over the meetings.
The campaign's legal counsel Lyn Utrecht warned that some precincts in Texas had also called in results even before they were supposed to open.
<b>"There are numerous locations where Obama supporters have taken over the caucuses and have locked out Clinton supporters who should have been allowed to come in."</b>
<b>She said all options were open for the campaign, including legal action, though no decisions had been taken.</b>
Obama spokesman Bill Burton dismissed the allegations.
"This is a transparent and laughable attempt to divert attention from the caucus results which reward delegates every bit as meaningful as do primaries," he told AFP by email
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