Attorney General's News Release

November 1, 2000

Missouri judge issues temporary restraining order against Web site that claims it buys and sells votes

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a temporary restraining order that stops an Austrian-based Web site from claiming that it can legally buy and sell votes from Missourians. The order, signed by Cole County Circuit Judge Thomas Brown, directs the operators of the Web site vote-auction.com to disclose on the site that the buying and selling of votes is illegal under Missouri law.

On Tuesday (Oct. 31), Nixon filed a lawsuit against several individuals and a business connected with vote-auction.com. The site represents that it will auction off votes to the highest bidder, with money then going to the voters selling their ballots.

Nixon also is asking for preliminary and permanent injunctions against the defendants to keep them from making misrepresentations to Missourians. The Attorney General also is asking the court to assess civil penalties of up to $1,000 for each violation of Missouri law. Judge Brown has scheduled a hearing on Nixon's request for a preliminary injunction on Nov. 28.

Earlier this month, an Illinois judge issued an injunction to keep voteauction.com from operating in that state; the operators of the Web site then changed the domain name of the business to vote-auction.com in an effort to circumvent that ruling. Nixon's lawsuit asks that any injunction handed down by the court cover not only the named defendants, but also any parent corporations, subsidiaries or anyone acting in concert with them or on their behalf to keep them from violating the law.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818