Three State Attorneys General to Speak at RNLA's National Policy Conference on May 5

The RNLA is honored to host three distinguished state attorneys general to speak at its National Policy Conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on May 5: Curtis Hill, Attorney General, State of Indiana; Jeff Landry, Attorney General, State of Louisiana; and Leslie Rutledge, Attorney General, State of Arkansas.

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill has focused his agenda on four priorities: rolling back federal overreach; protecting families from drugs and violent crime; safeguarding consumers from fraud and scams; and inspiring youth to pursue meaningful lives.  Prior to his election last November as the top vote-getter of any elected official in Indiana history, General Hill was serving his fourth term as Elkhart County prosecutor.  General Hill has served as a member of the Board of Governors for the Indiana State Bar Association; Governor’s Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving (past chairman); Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (past trustee); and Board of Regents for the National College of District Attorneys, in addition to serving his community through leadership in a many other organizations. 

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2010, where he was ferocious advocate of the Constitution, a leader on national energy policy emphasizing increased domestic oil and gas production, an activist for conservative family values, and a promoter of true reductions in wasteful government spending.  General Landry is a veteran of Desert Storm and left the military with the rank of Sergeant. He received the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, a National Defense Ribbon, an Overseas Training Ribbon and the Louisiana War Cross from his eleven years of service as a member of the Louisiana National Guard. 

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected attorney general.  Along with making the office more accessible, General Rutledge’s priorities have included creating more awareness of the office’s services, such as consumer protection and internet safety for all ages and skill levels; leading efforts to combat domestic violence; and focusing on making the office the top law firm for Arkansans.  She previously served as Deputy Counsel for the Mike Huckabee for President campaign, Deputy Counsel at the National Republican Congressional Committee and Counsel for the Republican National Committee, including during the 2012 Presidential campaign cycle.  General Rutledge is a leader in numerous community organizations including the Junior League, Alpha Delta Pi Alumni, National Rifle Association, and Women in Networking in Central Arkansas.

The early bird registration discount for the National Policy Conference ends next Tuesday, April 18.  Sign up to join us for this exciting event and hear from General Hill, General Landry, and General Rutledge!

Threats and Intimidation Against Electors

Yesterday, the Electoral College convened and voted to make Donald Trump the next President of the United States.  In most presidential election years, this process barely makes the news.  But this year, amidst celebrity calls for electors to abandon the person for whom they were pledged to vote, electors have been threatened with mountains of harassing emails, voicemails, and letters and even death threats:

The nation’s 538 presidential electors have been thrust into the political foreground like never before in American history. In the aftermath of a uniquely polarizing presidential contest, the once-anonymous electors are squarely in the spotlight, targeted by death threats, harassing phone calls and reams of hate mail. One Texas Republican elector said he’s been bombarded with more than 200,000 emails.

Just a few disturbing examples:

• By mid-November, 22-year-old Michigan elector Michael Banerian had already received hundreds of emails: “You have people saying ‘you’re a hateful bigot, I hope you die,’ ” he said. “I’ve had people talk about shoving a gun in my mouth and blowing my brains out. And I’ve received dozens and dozens of those emails. Even the non-threatening-my-life emails are very aggressive.”
• Every elector in Pennsylvania was assigned a plainclothes state police officer for protection: Thousands of emails land in their inboxes every day. Copies of the Federalist Papers and other books urging political courage are being mailed to their homes. They are even getting phone calls in the middle of the night.
• One elector in Arkansas had to file a police report due to "continual threats."

The duties, selection, and voting requirements of electors in each state are established by state law, and the electors who voted for Trump yesterday were fulfilling their legal duties.  To their credit, most Democratic leaders have decried the threats, but the Department of Justice has been strangely silent.  Such threats against electors likely fall under the prohibition against voter intimidation or harassment contained in Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which falls under DOJ's jurisdiction.  Interstate communications that threaten another person are punishable under 18 U.S.C. 875(c).

However, it appears that the FBI and DOJ have done nothing to investigate the threats against presidential electors.  We hope that the Trump Justice Department will investigate these threats, which not only threaten the electors individually but also our constitutional republic and the uniquely American nonviolent transition of power.

Arkansas Overrides Governor’s Veto and Passes Voter ID Law

Yesterday marked a big win for the state of Arkansas and the case for Voter ID.  The Arkansas State House voted 52-45 to override the veto of Governor Mike Beebe of the state’s Voter ID bill SB2.  The law will require voters to show photo identification at polling locations to cast a ballot during elections.  The Governor called the bill “an expensive solution to a non-existent problem”, however the majority of Arkansas’ Representatives did not see it the same way as the Senate passed an override by a margin of 21-12 last week.  Even House Speaker Davy Carter, who did not vote for the bill when it passed the House last month, supported the override.

The new law will require Arkansas to provide a free photo ID to voters who don’t have one, although the requirement won’t take effect until there is funding for the IDs or until January, whichever occurs last.  Currently poll workers must ask for identification, but voters don’t have to show it to cast a ballot. Under the new law, voters who don’t show photo identification can cast provisional ballots. Those ballots would be counted only if voters provide ID to county election officials or, before noon on the Monday following an election, sign an affidavit stating they are indigent or have a religious objection to being photographed.

While, Governor Beebe disagreed with the bill he accepted the override of his veto.”  He made his case as to why he thought it wasn’t going to be good for Arkansas, but they have the final say and they’ve had that say,” said Beebe’s spokesman, Matt DeCample.