"I am a petitioner for Ralph Nader's campaign to get on the ballot in Oregon.  I am also a fifty-eight year old grandmother with a heart condition.  On August 12, 2004, I was a my home with my two grandchildren when I received a knock on the door about 8:30 PM.  When I answered the door there was a man and a woman there.  They gave me a letter from a lawyer which said that the law firm was investigating me, and that if any of the people who had signed my petitions were not qualified, I could go to prison for it.  They said they had copies of the signature sheets that I had submitted and they told me that there were fraudulent signatures on it and that I might be in a lot of trouble.  I was extremely frightened and intimidated, and I tried to explain to them that I simply asked people if they were a registered voter and if they would like to sign to put Ralph Nader on the ballot.  I told them I was paid 75 cents each signature.  They questioned me closely about who I worked for and exactly what instruction I had been given.

    I asked if they were saying that I had done something wrong.  They said they really couldn't talk about it, that they were just "doing an investigation."  They asked me what areas I had been to get the petitions and I told them I had been in the area around Lloyd Center and around 39th.

    They asked me about any number of things, apparently looking for something they could use against me, or against the people who had hired me.  This whole thing was more frightening and intimidating that I could describe.  When they left I was extremely worried about whether I was in trouble, whether I should even try to collect the $9.99 that I was still owed for signatures, and whether I should give up gathering signatures completely.

    I have done nothing to deserve any of the treatment I have had at the hands of these people.  I was up all last night with worry."