Bad News For Republicans As Court Intervenes In Their Voter Intimidation Scheme

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:27 pm

Republicans are being ordered to explain their comments that they will be monitoring the polls for “voter fraud”.

The United States District Court in New Jersey ordered discovery on Donald Trump and the RNC’s poll monitoring efforts, with a hearing on November 4th, just days before the November 8th election.

The order demands affidavits from several parties, including from someone with personal knowledge about the defendant’s (RNC’s) efforts with the Trump campaign to monitor precincts around the country, “as indicated by Kellyanne Conway”.

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Affidavits are also demanded from several Republican operatives in various states who are said to be conducting state wide “voter fraud” monitoring and poll monitoring, such as RNC member Rob Gleason’s efforts to recruit persons to act as poll watchers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and RNC member Ronna Romney McDaniel’s efforts in Michigan to prepare a “massive, statewide anti-voter fraud effort”.

The RNC must also answer for Governor Mike Pence’s comments that the Trump campaign is working with state governments and secretaries of state to ensure “ballot integrity.

This is what happens when you have zero regard for election law and try to go vigilante.

Rick Hasen at Election Law Blog noted that the discovery granted is pretty broad, “Pretty broad discovery required in short order, with hearing on November 4.”

However, “The judge rejected much of the discovery sought by the DNC given the time frame, but this should alone should be pretty educational on what efforts are actually going on behind the scenes.”

The DNC filed a lawsuit against the Republican National Committee for violating a 1982 court order intended to prevent voter intimidation over Donald Trump’s claims that the election is rigged and that his supporters need to go to the polls to intimidate voters.

Donald Trump’s urging that his supporters go to polling places other than their own (often in “urban” areas) to watch voters is a clear violation of the consent decree and the court isn’t likely to stand for it.

So now discovery has been court-ordered, which is just more bad news for Republicans who are already facing an uphill battle in their bid for the White House.

It’s exceptionally unpatriotic to try to intimidate fellow citizens from exercising their right to vote. Everyone has the right to vote free of intimidation. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from voting.

The full court ruling is available here.

Sarah Jones

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