‌Does Federal Voting Legislation Stand A Chance?

?? Hello readers! 

As California voters decide whether to replace their governor, his opponents have already determined that the blue state’s vote will likely be compromised by cheating: That and more as election officials seek to turn the tide against Republicans’ slipping faith in democracy. 
 

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Alright, let’s dig in.

The Chances of a 50-Democrat bill

NBC News reports that Senate Democrats, focused on Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) complaints with the last round of voting rights legislation, are close to a party consensus around a new round of legislation.

That 50-vote count, obviously, is 10 short of what would be required to overcome a filibuster. And therefore, the new Democratic proposal seemingly fails in the same ways Democrats’ past efforts have.

So: Same old story, right? Democrats agree, Republicans block? Rinse and repeat?

Probably. Still, there’s some hope from Rolling Stone, which reported yesterday, citing unnamed sources, that “President Joe Biden and his advisers have said in recent weeks that Biden will pressure wavering Democrats to support reforming the filibuster if necessary to pass the voting bill.”

Biden reportedly told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently, “Chuck, you tell me when you need me to start making phone calls.” We’ll see about that. 

California Recall Shows GOP’s Faux ‘Fraud’ Rot Runs Deep

Bogus claims that election crimes have flipped results aren’t limited to close races. Nor are they contained in the past tense: With Californians set to vote Tuesday on whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), the governor’s opponents and national Republican figures are already crying foul.

The eve-of-election polling shows California voters against the recall by a 17-point margin. And yet the leading Republican in the race, Larry Elder, as well as Donald Trump, Fox News personalities, and others, have all indicated that they’ll play up the voter fraud angle — though, of course, there’s no signs at this point of election crimes.

“There might very well be shenanigans,” Elder said last week. The candidate’s website promotes an “election integrity” website that states confidently, “Statistical analyses used to detect fraud in elections held in 3rd-world nations (such as Russia, Venezuela, and Iran) have detected fraud in California  resulting in Governor Gavin Newsom being reinstated as governor.” 

For what it’s worth: Most of this GOP uproar around “voter fraud” in California only started to emerge when polls began showing Newsom’s lead.

The page Elder’s campaign site linked to asked voters to pressure the legislature “to investigate and ameliorate the twisted results of this 2021 Recall Election of Governor Gavin Newsom” — as if Newsom has already won.

Election officials have already experienced “surveillance befitting a spy novel,” The Los Angeles Times reported. Many polling place observers are from the Election Integrity Project, whose leader has said that lopsided Democratic wins in California elections are the result of “an algorithm.” 

Around The States

In MICHIGAN — where Republican operatives are seeking to pass new voting restrictions into law with single-digit support from the public — activists have taken issue with the proposed wording of the petition in question: “Nearly every representation the summary makes about what the current law is, and what the petition would do, is untrue and/or not impartial,” Nancy Wang of the group Voters Not Politicians wrote in an objection.

TEXAS Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed the state’s new voting restriction package, SB1, into law last week, marking a climax in Republican efforts to act on Trumpian lies about voter fraud. Here’s a brief guide to the ongoing lawsuits against the new law. There’s also a legal effort from two Democratic state senators who argue that legislative redistricting can’t be done in a special session, as Republicans are scheduled to do next week.

In VIRGINIA, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Monday held a ceremonial signing of a bill expanding voters’ legal rights and voter education measures.  

NATIONALLY, a group of high-powered election lawyers has launched the Election Official Legal Defense Network, which aims to provide legal advice to election officials. It’s gotten national coverage and has brought in local voices from around the country.

The Latest In Audit Mania

Subpoenas could soon be out the door in PENNSYLVANIA as Republicans’ long-delayed look at the 2020 election gets some legislative attention.

A Mesa County, COLORADO election official, who was allegedly involved in the leak of digital images of the county’s voting equipment, now faces charges for her alleged activities after the office came under law enforcement scrutiny. Meanwhile, CO Secretary of State Jenna Griswold is reminding voters: you don’t have to tell door-to-door canvassers who you voted for.

Months past due, we still haven’t seen the report from the “audit” of Maricopa County – a document supporters claim will summarize inconsistencies in that county as they cast broader doubts on Maricopa County, ARIZONA’s 2020 election results. It's a move Republicans in the Arizona state senate have long dangled in front of Trump supporters.. But the release of thousands of pages from the Senate records of the audit continue to produce some fascinating stories — such as the involvement of Cleta Mitchell in funnelling previously-unaccounted-for money to audit firms.

Republican infighting in WISCONSIN continues to play out in public spectacle, as the former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman’s investigation — one of many — is facing criticism from the right of not going far enough. Gableman himself attended Mike Lindell’s “Cyber Symposium” and said last week that his office was “preparing to initiate compulsory [sic] process requiring further witness testimony and document production.” 

TPM: Where Republicans Are Set To Gain The Most In The Great GOP Gerrymander Of 2021

Politico: State GOP leaders push new 2020 election reviews as Arizona report looms

WaPo: “A dangerous trend among GOP candidates shows the Trump threat is here to stay” 

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Tuesday September 14, 2021 @ 6 pm ET via Zoom