B’nai B’rith Criticizes GOP for Poll Guards

In a letter to the county’s Republican Party, a Jewish anti-discrimination organization expressed “dismay” at the recent posting of uniformed guards at polling places and urged party officials not to use such “harassing tactics” in future elections.

The letter, dated Nov. 17, was sent to Thomas A. Fuentes, county Republican Party chairman, who has since admitted that he had endorsed the idea of using armed guards at polling places Nov. 8 in heavily Latino precincts to ensure that voting would be restricted to registered voters.

The letter to Fuentes, which was signed by Jack Adelman, chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith Regional Board, and Harvey B. Schechter, the organization’s Western states director, said the Jewish leaders were “writing to you as registered Republicans” in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

While Jewish leaders agreed that only eligible people should vote, they took exception with Fuentes’ tactic of using uniformed guards.

‘An Intimidating Tactic’

“The hiring and deployment of uniformed guards was clearly an intimidating tactic and may very well have persuaded some who are qualified to vote not to vote,” the letter said.

“It was the unanimous recommendation of our regional board members that we write this letter to you expressing our deep concern and dismay that the Republican Party of Orange County, and you as its chairman, initiated this highly questionable harassing tactic.”

The controversy erupted after the guards showed up at 7 a.m.----wearing uniforms and carrying signs in Spanish and English warning noncitizens not to vote--at 20 polling places in heavily Latino areas of the 72nd Assembly District.