"Democrats” Are Ignoring True Voter Intimidation

In case you missed it, early this week Pennsylvania’s Attorney General came down hard against voter intimidation in Philadelphia:

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said the charges should “draw a very clear line ahead of next week’s election.”  

One elderly couple, both Republicans, cast their ballots together, but only one of the votes was recorded, while the other appeared to have been replaced with a write-in vote for the Democrat in the race, Shapiro said.

A voter intending to cast a ballot for the Green Party candidate was told the ballot machine was broken and later was cursed at when he returned to try again, Shapiro said. Another voter supporting the Green Party candidate was aggressively questioned when he tried to bring someone into the polling booth to assist him, as allowed by law.  

“One should not chalk these actions up to typical partisanship or typical electioneering,” Shapiro said

To anyone who has followed Philadelphia elections, none of this is a surprise. Dozens of Republican court appointed election inspectors and poll watchers were turned away in the 2016 election and since they are also voters in that precinct: "People are leaving and they’re scared to come back and vote."

 

What is pleasantly surprising is that the Pennsylvania Attorney General did the right thing and went after a few of the "intimidators."  Kudos to him. 

Why is this not fought more often?  Well, take a look at the webpage of the nonpartisan “Election Protection” coalition.  The coalition of over 100 groups allegedly fights against voter intimidation which it defines as “putting undue pressure on or trying to coerce a person or group to suppress votes or to vote a certain way.”  This is obviously exactly what happened underlying the charges earlier this week in Philadelphia and has been happening since at least 2008.  Yet, the coalition is silent on this. 

The most recent story on their homepage is about Pennsylvania as well.  Yet nothing on the recent charges in Philadelphia in front of a Mayoral election in just a few days.  It seems like the entire “Election Protection” coalition looks the other way when voter intimidation happens to members of the Green or Republican Party.  Or put another way, they are ignoring the voter intimidation done by Democrats.  Shameful, and certainly not “nonpartisan.”   

RNLA Calls Upon Clinton Campaign to Condemn and Stop Recounts

RNLA officially called upon the Clinton campaign to condemn plans by the Green Party to hold recounts of the presidential election results in several states:

The Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) calls upon the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to stand down and condemn the recount effort in Wisconsin and possibly other states. We are extremely disappointed by the change of heart of Secretary Clinton in deciding to participate. This is an unprecedented effort to divide our country.  

RNLA President Larry Levy said: “The alleged concerns that the recount is to ensure every vote is properly counted is ludicrous. If that were true, why aren’t they seeking recounts in every state or at least include New Hampshire where Secretary Clinton won by a scant 2,736 votes or other states with narrow Democrat wins? This effort diverts attention from the critical work of President-elect Trump and his team to form a new Administration and to be prepared to lead America forward on day one.”  

The recount is pointless, a waste of resources, a squandering of taxpayer funds, and flies in the face of the long tradition of accepting results. Do not take our word for it. Look at the past statements of Secretary Clinton and her lawyer. Further, RNLA agrees with the Obama Administration in its opposition to the recount.  

1. Previously, Secretary Hillary Clinton called the very thought of not accepting the election results “horrifying.” . . . 2. To be clear, there is no doubt about the election results. This is why the Clinton campaign decided previously not to pursue the recount. . . . 3. The Obama Administration also agrees that there is no basis for a recount . . . .

Whatever the fundraising and publicity goals of the Green Party are, Secretary Clinton and her campaign should not approve them.  As her running mate Sen. Kaine said the day after the election, "Nobody — nobody had to wonder about Hillary Clinton, whether she would accept an outcome of an election in our beautiful democracy."

Stein's Recounts Are Not About the Election Results

The current recounts of the presidential election requested or planned by Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party are not about ensuring the integrity of the election outcomes:

RNLA President Larry Levy said: “The cynical and false narrative being pushed by Jill Stein and the Green Party that they are trying to ensure all votes were properly counted is nothing more than an effort to undermine our democracy and proud history of peaceful administration change through contested elections. Ms. Stein doesn’t concern herself with any contests won by Secretary Clinton, including the razor thin margin she enjoyed in New Hampshire, rather she is attempting to disrupt the Electoral College vote for Donald J. Trump in an un-American and vulgar attempt to delegitimize the next President chosen by the American people. And Secretary Clinton’s support for this effort is a disgrace that exposes the hypocrisy she practices.  

“We cannot and will not stand silent in the face of this malicious effort to undermine our democracy. Join the Republican National Lawyers Association and all people of good will in fighting this insidious attack and show the world that democratic elections still count in America.”  

RNLA Board of Governors Member John Ryder further explained: “A recount does not shift more than a few hundred votes unless there are allegations of irregularities or vote fraud. There are no such allegations in this case.”

Dr. Stein has said in multiple interviews that she is not attempting to change the outcome of the election through her recount requests.  But she, with the support of Hillary Clinton, is putting states and election officials through an expensive process in a fool's errand to accomplish a victory through the press that liberals could not accomplish at the polls.