Are they really using a “no harm, no foul” defense?
“Sure, we did illegal stuff. We had no way of knowing beforehand whether it would help us win, but it turns out our illegal activities made no difference, so let’s just forget about this and move on. Now, if the vote was close enough, go ahead, throw the book at us.”
Republicans “obviously support an investigation into allegations of irregularities
fraud as long as it is fair they are in charge and includes the investigations of
irregularities committed by both sides, whether there were any or not."
FIFY
They really do have no shame at all. I think I have to adjust my thinking: the GOP nolonger is a political party; it is a cult.
The ends justify all means, legal and illegal. All things are okay if done in furtherance if the one true way.
External authority, such as generally applicable law, is fine if wielded by the GOP. It is invalid if others try to rely on it to the GOP’s detriment.
Maybe if I can remember this, I will stop getting so completely enraged and disgusted every day by the actions and arguments of the acolytes. Maybe.
If this case goes to the House of Rep’s for certification, would it be by the newly seated Democratic-majority house or the current, corrupt Rethuglican-led house?
Not mentioned here but is being pointed out elsewhere, dozens of absentee ballots had the same two witnesses sign them. One of those two signers was none other than Leslie McCrae Dowless. This is as clear cut case of local election fraud as you are ever going to see. Jail time is more than warranted.
You’ve nailed it. I hope to downgrade the daily disgust as well, but this is the second time I’ve seen something get taken over by a cult (never dreamed the entire nation was next), and I think the anger/disgust is a necessary part of opposition. Even though it takes its toll. Without the resistance born of anger, the damage count just goes even higher. It’s the soup we’re in. Or the bowl of poisoned koolaid, as it were.
“Let’s accuse the Dems of voter fraud while we go ahead and commit voter fraud ourselves. Yeah, that’s the ticket!!! What could possible go wrong?”
We have been in Florida for 26 years. In 2 weeks we move to NC. Our new congressman is Mark Meadows. The good news? It’s turning blue with retirees and overflow from Asheville. I’m exhausted from their BS and treachery.
Welcome to NC. Did the FL to NC thing in 2010. Republicans still dominate but you’re coming at a good time. New governor and the statehouse no longer has a super majority.
Lots of big scary Evangelical churches. Beware!
We’re in Hendersonville and they are everywhere. I entered the Apple recipe contest at the NC Apple Festival and got 2nd place! I’m a local now. The people there make a very conscious effort to be kind and welcoming to one another aside from the differences. It’s lovely.
We are north of Weaverville and go to Hendersonville regularly to play with a musical group. Welcome to the area, your biggest problem is going to be figuring out what to do out of all the fun and interesting activities available here.
The GOP is not a cult. It’s a Gang.
You join the Gang, you support the Gang. Snitches get snuffed. Cops and judges get paid off.
Gang leaders get rich. Low-level soldiers get sent to prison.
Trump has set himself up at the DON of the GOP Mob.
Ok, I see that a lot of voters got absentee ballots they didn’t ask for, and 1180 (40% of the total) absentee ballots weren’t returned in Bladen county (according to 538), and 60% in Robeson county.
So the pattern seems to have been: request absentee votes. Go and pick them up. If they weren’t sealed or already filled out, make them for Harris. Discard all others.
Add this to the Democrats getting 52% of the vote in North Carolina yet only three out of 13 House seats, and the state assembly about 60% Republican with that 48% of the vote (well, 51.54% out of 12 seats, since one was won by the Republicans uncontested, but that’s 75% of the seats from 48.46% of the vote)
Per the relevant law:
necessary to assure that an election is determined without taint of fraud or corruption and without irregularities that may have changed the result of an election.
… the key factor is that the law gives two conditions of failure:
- It was tainted by fraud or corruption
- It has irregularities that may have changed the result of the election
Keep this in mind when reading the GOP talking points / responses. These are two criteria. Fraud does not need to have changed the result of the election. “Irregularities” must have changed the result.
So what are irregularities with respect to fraud? In simplest terms, irregularities are done without intent; fraud requires intent. Irregularities include improper handling of records, mismanagement, etc. They can cost one side or the other votes - the fatal Broward County ballot design which violated best practices and published advice might fall into the “irregularity” column even though it cost a Senator his seat for instance.
So when the GOP is talking about “irregularities” with intent, they are just trying to wordsmith around saying there was fraud here (or, at best, suspected fraud), because fraud per the regulation does not have a “could tip the election” criterion added to it.
It would be the House as of January, which was just elected in November, who would choose to seat (or not seat) the representative purporting to be from NC-9. It is not an act of the House at the time of the election, but at the time of the seating.
Yes, and thank you for using the proper term.
This is Election Fraud, not Voter Fraud. A bunch of individual voters didn’t perpetuate this. A campaign and/or party apparatus systematically abused the voting process, stealing and/or destroying votes.
The distinction between the two irritates me also.
Election fraud should be a felony carrying a minimum 10 year sentence at a big boy prison. Ten years.
I’d settle for 1 year per disenfranchised voter.