Another example of how the Republicans try to destroy our democracy:

A Baltimore jury Tuesday found Paul Schurick, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.’s campaign manager, guilty of fraud and related charges for his role in an Election Day 2010 robocall — a decision hailed by government watchdog groups who say that for too long dirty tricks have tainted Maryland politics.

The robocall, sent to thousands of voters as Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley swept to a re-election victory, was designed to suppress black votes by telling recipients to “relax” and assuring them that O’Malley had been successful even though the polls had not yet closed, the jury found. The call was scripted to give the impression it was coming from Democrats, not Republicans, jurors said.

The jury found Schurick guilty on all four counts, including election fraud and failing to include an Ehrlich campaign authorization line on the calls. After the verdict was read, Schurick clutched his wife, who burst into tears. Schurick, who maintained a solemn face after the hearing as he comforted distraught family members and friends, declined to comment.

(emphasis added)

This is just one trick from a huge bag of dirty tricks the GOP employs to suppress the vote. Not only that but the right has been hell bent on suppressing the black vote for a long time and this case is no exception. Schurick is facing up to 12 years for his crime. He should do every single minute of that 12 years as his crimes are not only against a party or race of people, but against the very foundations of our democracy.