Ben Chao, one of two men who resigned from the firm of Bob Beckel and Associates, told United Press International Friday that "Beckel is compiling a report he will send, or may have already sent, to Republican electors on voting patterns, allegations of fraud in the election" and other political and demographic information about the 2000 election.
His letter will include "an editorial comment from him reminding the electors they have the option of abstaining from voting in the Electoral College."
"I did not think it was in my best interests or those of my clients to be associated in any way with this activity, so I resigned," Chao said, adding that it was an amicable separation.
Beckel, who heads the firm and managed Walter Mondale's disastrous presidential race in 1984, is well known as a frequent guest on political chat shows and as an occasional substitute host on CNN's "Crossfire."
He did not return telephone calls to his office Friday seeking comment.
"He is not doing background checks or opposition research on electors," Chao said. "The report he is going to send them is the only communication he has had or will have with electors."
"I think there are any number of people out there with any number of schemes.
"It is probably a lot more talk than it is reality," Chao said. "I think Beckel is doing something completely different" from what other people are said to be doing, "and he is working alone."
Chao says that any efforts to disrupt the electoral process as it goes forward would be ill-advised. Electors meet in their state capitals Monday to cast their ballots, which are counted in a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. The other staffer who resigned is Bud Jackson.
"We Democrats need to be talking about what we are about, what we are for, not what we are against," Chao said.
Shortly after the Nov. 7 election, UPI and other news outlets reported on efforts by Beckel to – using his word – "kidnap" Republican electors who are not bound by law to President-elect Bush and to switch them to failed Democrat former candidate Al Gore.
After a barrage of publicity and with Gore campaign chairman William Daley and recount adviser Warren Christopher publicly disavowing his effort, Beckel softened his tone, saying he was merely compiling information to send to some of the Bush electors.
"The simple fact of it [is] that when the Supreme Court decision came down, I got the sense that if three electors flip, giving Gore the presidency, he would not accept it," Chao said.
"If by some fluke, Al Gore wins a vote in the House, he would not accept it. Therefore, I saw no reason to instigate potential trouble with this report.
"I urged [Beckel] not to send the report. He told me, 'Ben, this is something I have to do.' At that point, I figured I am a young guy in the business, I make my living working for political candidates, and so I quit."
Chao said he still considered Beckel a close friend.
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