eBay
Another entry from the "you really can buy (almost) anything on eBay"
file...
Contributed by: Bloomberg News (via CNET.com news)
eBay thwarts sale of presidential election votes
By Bloomberg News
August 17, 2000, 4:55 p.m. PT
eBay said it halted at least four auctions by people trying to sell
their votes in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Yahoo also was investigating a vote up for bid on its auction site.
eBay said several people alerted it about an auction in which the seller
set initial bidding at $1. At least three other auctions with similar
offers were taken down today, said Kevin Pursglove, eBay's spokesman.
The auction site's guidelines prohibit the sale of illegal items. In the
past, eBay has pulled offensive offerings from its auction listings,
including seats at a death row inmate's execution and a rifle allegedly
salvaged from the Branch Davidian compound siege seven years ago.
Yahoo, the giant portal, also forbids the sale of illegal merchandise. A
listing from a seller in Cortland, N.Y., posted an auction yesterday for
the sale of a vote.
"You may specify whom I vote for in the presidential and all other
elections in my district by name or by party," said the posting by a
seller who goes by the name "celebpikz." An initial price of $5 was
requested with bid increments of 10 cents each.
"Why should the American Citizen be left out? Congressmen and Senators
regularly sell THEIR votes to the highest bidder!"
Pursglove said it was unknown if some of the sellers on eBay were
serious or trying to pull a practical joke.
eBay said it is cooperating with agencies investigating the situation,
including the U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Election
Commission.
Copyright 2000, Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved.
