Paul Jacob

Paul Jacob is a long-time lieutenant for ultra libertarian causes like legislative and judicial term limits, strict tax caps that bankrupt state government, and the removal of land use policies that protect the environment while allowing for growth.

Jacob is also the director of Citizens in Charge, a group he uses to advocate for the expansion of ballot initiatives so he can take his ballot ideas to all 50 states.

BISC has tracked Jacob's ties to secretive organizations with deep pockets (such as Howie Rich-funded Americans for Limited Government) that prefer to operate outside of the public eye.

In 2007 a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma indicted Jacob and two others for their involvement in the 2005 petition drive to put the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) initiative on the ballot. They were charged with conspiracy to defraud voters by hiring out-of-state signature gatherers, against Oklahoma state laws.

As a result of the indictment, Jacob has launched a national tour to highlight the so-called legal threats to the "citizens' initiative movement" around the country. He is now traveling around the country testifying against common-sense signature gathering reforms, and claiming victimization at the hands of the Oklahoma Attorney General (and caricaturizing the AG in offensive ways).

The truth is, Jacob has worked in this arena long enough to know the states' laws. He just thought they could get away with ignoring them. Through our research and tracking of signature gathering fraud over the past four years, BISC has found that most conservative ballot initiative players operate with little disregard for state laws that are meant to ensure an open and honest process of putting issues on the ballot. More examples can be found here and here.

The dirty tricks that fraud merchants like Jacob use to get initiatives on the ballot by any means necessary, alienate voters and expose the deceitful ways in which they try to manipulate the system to their advantage.

Here are more examples of Paul Jacob's misdeeds and fraudulent practices:

Multi-State

• 1994. While serving as president of US Term Limits, Jacob managed several signature drives aimed at placing term limits on the ballot. Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah and Oklahoma all launched criminal investigations to determine whether fraudulent signatures were submitted. ("Fraud Charges Hit Term Limits Crusade." Roll Call, September 22, 1994)

• 1994. When confronted with the evidence of fraudulent signature gathering in multiple states, Jacob dismissed the complaints insisting that US Term Limits was "merely doing what was necessary to put term limits on state ballots." ("Fraud Charges Hit Term Limits Crusade." Roll Call, September 22, 1994)

North Dakota

• 1994. After submitting signatures to qualify term limits for the ballot in North Dakota, Secretary of State Al Jaeger received tips that US Term Limits had employed out of state signature gatherers, a direct violation of North Dakota law. After launching an investigation, Jaeger discovered at least 8 circulators who "fully acknowledged" they had been "contacted by US Term Limits" and asked to falsely sign the petitions, although out-of-state actors had done the actual circulating. Some of them, Jaeger said, "had just been duped. They were offered $50 - and for some of these people $50 is a lot of money - and asked to go to a notary public" and falsely swear they had done the circulating. At least two of them were local Libertarians, Jaeger said, who were not paid. ("Fraud Charges Hit Term Limits Crusade." Roll Call, September 22, 1994)

Oklahoma

• 1994. The day after the term-limits measure was approved, the Oklahoma Attorney General launched an investigation into the signature drive when it was revealed that the name of a state Supreme Court justice had been forged onto the petition. Additionally, the same circulator submitted the name of a seven year old and a gentleman who had been dead for over a decade. ("Fraud Charges Hit Term Limits Crusade." Roll Call, September 22, 1994)

• 2007. Oklahoma's multi-county grand jury indicted Susan Johnson president of NVO, Richard Carpenter of Oklahomans in Action, and Paul Jacob (who was working with Oklahomans in Action on the campaign) for their involvement in the 2005 petition drive to put a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) initiative on the ballot. They were charged for conspiracy to defraud voters by hiring out-of-state signature gatherers when Oklahoma law mandates that petitioners must be residents of the state. This indictment was dismissed due to a legal technicality; however, Oklahoma Attorney General issued a re-indictment. Pending an appeal, the maximum punishment on the conspiracy count is 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. ("Grand jury indicts three over signature gathering." The Oklahoman. October 3, 2007)

Fraud Wire