thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-13--Republicans Face Setbacks In The Courts, Trump Law Firm Steps Down

PHILADELPHIA ( AP ) — Republicans suffered setbacks to court challenges over the presidential election in three battleground states on Friday while a law firm that came under fire for its work for President Donald Trump ’ s campaign withdrew from a major Pennsylvania case .
The legal blows began when a federal appeals court rejected an effort to block about 9,300 mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day in Pennsylvania .
The judges noted the “ vast disruption ” and “ unprecedented challenges ” facing the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic as they upheld the three-day extension .
Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to review the issue .
However , there are not enough late-arriving ballots to change the results in Pennsylvania , given President-elect Joe Biden ’ s lead .
The Democratic former vice president won the state by about 60,000 votes out of about 6.8 million cast .
The Trump campaign or Republican surrogates have filed more than 15 legal challenges in Pennsylvania as they seek to reclaim the state ’ s 20 electoral votes , but have so far offered no evidence of any widespread voter fraud .
A Philadelphia judge found none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 8,300 mail-in ballots there .
The campaign has pursued similar litigation in other battleground states , with little to show for it .
In Michigan , a judge Friday refused to stop the certification of Detroit-area election results , rejecting claims the city had committed fraud and tainted the count with its handling of absentee ballots .
It ’ s the third time a judge has declined to intervene in a statewide count that shows Biden up by more than 140,000 votes .
And , in Arizona , a judge dismissed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots in metro Phoenix after the campaign ’ s lawyers acknowledged the small number of ballots at issue wouldn ’ t change the outcome of how the state voted for president .
The campaign had sought a postponement of Maricopa County ’ s certification of election results until ballots containing overvotes — instances in which people voted for more candidates than permitted — were inspected .
Meanwhile , legal giant Porter Wright Morris & Arthur , which had come under fire for its work for the Trump campaign , withdrew from a lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certifying the election results .
Porter Wright , which has earned more than $ 700,000 from the Trump campaign , appeared to take down its Twitter feed Tuesday after it was inundated with attacks .
The payments include more than $ 140,000 paid through a Republican National Committee account for “ recount ” challenges , according to Federal Election Commission records .
The firm did not reply to specific questions about the posts or whether it would stop representing the Trump campaign entirely .
In a statement earlier this week , the firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling election law cases for various parties .
“ At times , this calls for us to take on controversial cases .
We expect criticism in such instances , and we affirm the right of all individuals to express concern and disagreement , ” the Ohio-based firm said .
The U.S. appeals court , in denying the request Friday for an injunction , said it was not ruling on the wisdom of the three-day extension or the state court ’ s power to grant it .
Instead , the court found the plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by dutiful voters trying to follow the rules in a chaotic year .
Scolforo reported from Harrisburg .
Associated Press writers Ed White in Detroit and Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix contributed to this report Read live updates on the election below .
( Note : An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog , so if you ’ re using one , please pause or turn it off . )

LOADING ERROR LOADING
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Republicans suffered setbacks to court challenges over the presidential election in three battleground states on Friday while a law firm that came under fire for its work for President Donald Trump’s campaign withdrew from a major Pennsylvania case.
The legal blows began when a federal appeals court rejected an effort to block about 9,300 mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day in Pennsylvania. The judges noted the “vast disruption” and “unprecedented challenges” facing the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic as they upheld the three-day extension.
Advertisement
Scroll down or click here for the latest updates from HuffPost’s election live blog.
Chief U.S. Circuit Judge D. Brooks Smith said the panel kept in mind “a proposition indisputable in our democratic process: that the lawfully cast vote of every citizen must count.”
The ruling involves a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to accept mail-in ballots through Friday, Nov. 6, citing the pandemic and concerns about postal service delays.
Republicans have also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the issue. However, there are not enough late-arriving ballots to change the results in Pennsylvania, given President-elect Joe Biden’s lead. The Democratic former vice president won the state by about 60,000 votes out of about 6.8 million cast.
The Trump campaign or Republican surrogates have filed more than 15 legal challenges in Pennsylvania as they seek to reclaim the state’s 20 electoral votes, but have so far offered no evidence of any widespread voter fraud.
Advertisement
A Philadelphia judge found none as he refused late Friday to reject about 8,300 mail-in ballots there. The campaign has pursued similar litigation in other battleground states, with little to show for it.
In Michigan, a judge Friday refused to stop the certification of Detroit-area election results, rejecting claims the city had committed fraud and tainted the count with its handling of absentee ballots. It’s the third time a judge has declined to intervene in a statewide count that shows Biden up by more than 140,000 votes.
And, in Arizona, a judge dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit seeking the inspection of ballots in metro Phoenix after the campaign’s lawyers acknowledged the small number of ballots at issue wouldn’t change the outcome of how the state voted for president.
The campaign had sought a postponement of Maricopa County’s certification of election results until ballots containing overvotes — instances in which people voted for more candidates than permitted — were inspected.
Meanwhile, legal giant Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, which had come under fire for its work for the Trump campaign, withdrew from a lawsuit that seeks to stop Pennsylvania officials from certifying the election results.
Advertisement
Porter Wright filed the motion Thursday, as criticism grew that law firms backing the Republican election challenges were helping Trump defy the will of the American people.
Porter Wright, which has earned more than $700,000 from the Trump campaign, appeared to take down its Twitter feed Tuesday after it was inundated with attacks. The payments include more than $140,000 paid through a Republican National Committee account for “recount” challenges, according to Federal Election Commission records.
The firm did not reply to specific questions about the posts or whether it would stop representing the Trump campaign entirely. In a statement earlier this week, the firm said it had a long history of handling election law cases for various parties.
“At times, this calls for us to take on controversial cases. We expect criticism in such instances, and we affirm the right of all individuals to express concern and disagreement,” the Ohio-based firm said.
The U.S. appeals court, in denying the request Friday for an injunction, said it was not ruling on the wisdom of the three-day extension or the state court’s power to grant it. Instead, the court found the plaintiffs had no right to challenge ballots filed by dutiful voters trying to follow the rules in a chaotic year.
Advertisement
“The COVID-19 pandemic ... has caused immense loss and vast disruption,” Smith wrote for the three-judge panel, which concluded that mail-in voters may be disadvantaged by the process, not unfairly privileged.
“Whereas in-person ballots that are timely cast will count, timely cast mail-in ballots may not count because, given mail delivery rates, they may not be received by 5:00 P.M. on November 6,” Smith said.
___
Scolforo reported from Harrisburg. Associated Press writers Ed White in Detroit and Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix contributed to this report
Read live updates on the election below. (Note: An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog, so if you’re using one, please pause or turn it off.)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--CNN’s Brianna Keilar Exposes The Trump Propaganda Trick That Just Doesn't Stack Up

These are binders full of nothing , stacks of papers with information worth less than the paper they are printed @ @ @ @ @ huge , but they are also empty .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Friday examined one particular tactic that has been used by outgoing President Donald Trump and his allies when making outlandish claims.
The “Newsroom” host noted how Trump and members of his inner circle, such as White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, have used stacks of papers to back up ludicrous claims during press conferences, appearances on Fox News, and in pictures.
Advertisement
Keilar summed up the “props” for what she believed they really are:
These are binders full of nothing, stacks of papers with information worth less than the paper they are printed on. They may be huge, but they are also empty.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway’s ‘Landslide’ Boasts Come Back To Haunt Them

CNN ’ s “ Newsroom ” hit President Donald Trump with a montage of his boasts about winning the 2016 election in a “ landslide ” after it was projected that President-elect Joe Biden would win the 2020 election by the same number of Electoral College votes .
There ’ s one key difference between Trump ’ s claims four years ago following his victory over Hillary Clinton and the reality now , though .
Biden ’ s margin of victory in the popular vote is projected to be more than 5 million .
Trump , meanwhile , lost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million .
Check out the video here : CNN projected Biden will win Georgia .
With that , he has 306 electoral votes , which is exactly the number of votes Trump touted about winning in 2016 .
# RollTheTapehttps : //t.co/Vxyo5NRQGy pic.twitter.com/ZYFnFZOjsS — CNN Newsroom ( @ CNNnewsroom ) November 13 , 2020 Twitter users also threw Trump ’ s brags back at him : '' We had a massive landslide victory , as you know , in the Electoral College .
I guess the final numbers are now at 306.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //t.co/RmPEpLdljb — Tom Foreman ( @ tomforemancnn ) November 13 , 2020 Similarly , this November 2016 tweet from former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway also went viral on Friday : It attracted the attention of The Lincoln Project , the anti-Trump GOP group co-founded by her husband , attorney George Conway : Landslide .
Blowout .
Historic .
@ KellyannePolls , once a ghoulish liar , always a ghoulish liar .
( And a seriously shitty parent , which is particularly offensive ) https : //t.co/qGcCrkK2pE — Willie Garson 🇺🇸 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes , Kellyanne .
It WAS a landslide .
A blowout .
Historic ... a repudiation .
78 million votes against Trump = The biggest loser in American history To see a sitting president shown the door like this , a failure of such magnitude that we all need our eclipse sunglasses again .
😎 https : //t.co/yNeaoyz2Kz — SuperDad ( @ michaelmuhney ) November 14 , 2020 @ KellyannePolls President-Elect Biden just reached 306 in the electoral college .
Per this tweet of yours , 306 is a LANDSLIDE .
When are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his # landslide Victory ?
https : //t.co/eYIZvjtsP9 — Debra Messing✍🏻 ( @ DebraMessing ) November 13 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CNN’s “Newsroom” hit President Donald Trump with a montage of his boasts about winning the 2016 election in a “landslide” after it was projected that President-elect Joe Biden would win the 2020 election by the same number of Electoral College votes.
There’s one key difference between Trump’s claims four years ago following his victory over Hillary Clinton and the reality now, though.
Advertisement
Biden’s margin of victory in the popular vote is projected to be more than 5 million.
Trump, meanwhile, lost the popular vote to Clinton by almost 3 million.
Check out the video here:
CNN projected Biden will win Georgia. With that, he has 306 electoral votes, which is exactly the number of votes Trump touted about winning in 2016. #RollTheTapehttps://t.co/Vxyo5NRQGy pic.twitter.com/ZYFnFZOjsS — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) November 13, 2020
Twitter users also threw Trump’s brags back at him:
"We had a massive landslide victory, as you know, in the Electoral College. I guess the final numbers are now at 306.” -Donald Trump, 2016. 😶 https://t.co/RmPEpLdljb — Tom Foreman (@tomforemancnn) November 13, 2020
Landslide (as it has been called by trump 2016) https://t.co/4XoTkoYEBA — Martin Delius (@martindelius) November 13, 2020
@CNN just called Georgia for Biden 😂!! Takes him to 306 Electoral Votes (“A landslide” D Trump, 2016) — Cllr Martin Horwood (@MartinChelt) November 13, 2020
Advertisement
Similarly, this November 2016 tweet from former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway also went viral on Friday:
It attracted the attention of The Lincoln Project, the anti-Trump GOP group co-founded by her husband, attorney George Conway:
And others too:
Kellyanne, this is a good time to retweet this https://t.co/9DTG3PTKZ4 — Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) November 13, 2020
Advertisement
Landslide. Blowout. Historic.@KellyannePolls, once a ghoulish liar, always a ghoulish liar. (And a seriously shitty parent, which is particularly offensive) https://t.co/qGcCrkK2pE — Willie Garson 🇺🇸 (@WillieGarson) November 14, 2020
Yes, Kellyanne. It WAS a landslide. A blowout. Historic...a repudiation.
78 million votes against Trump = The biggest loser in American history
To see a sitting president shown the door like this, a failure of such magnitude that we all need our eclipse sunglasses again. 😎 https://t.co/yNeaoyz2Kz — SuperDad (@michaelmuhney) November 14, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Anderson Cooper Spotlights ‘What Really Matters’ Right Now In Emotional Monologue

Anderson Cooper on Friday delivered an emotional monologue about “ what really matters ” right now , and it isn @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tantrums and refusal to acknowledge defeat in the 2020 election , he argued @ @ @ @ @ anchor examined the devastating toll of the coronavirus pandemic , as hospitalizations reach a record @ @ @ @ @ graphs showing daily new infections head “ nearly straight up.
” “ There are people @ @ @ @ @ all across the country .
Some ICUs don ’ t have any more beds , @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t spend another second today concerned about what a grown man who @ @ @ @ @ not ready to accept , ” Cooper added .
“ I am not ready to @ @ @ @ @ 400,000 dead Americans by the first of February.
” Check out the full video here @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Anderson Cooper on Friday delivered an emotional monologue about “what really matters” right now, and it isn’t President Donald Trump’s tantrums and refusal to acknowledge defeat in the 2020 election, he argued.
Instead, the CNN anchor examined the devastating toll of the coronavirus pandemic, as hospitalizations reach a record high across the country and graphs showing daily new infections head “nearly straight up.”
Advertisement
“There are people right now in crowded ICUs all across the country. Some ICUs don’t have any more beds,” he said.
“I can’t spend another second today concerned about what a grown man who lost fair and square is not ready to accept,” Cooper added. “I am not ready to accept that there could be 400,000 dead Americans by the first of February.”
Check out the full video here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Batter Up! Twitter Saboteurs Hijack 'Million MAGA March' Hashtag With Pancake Tweets

So the K-pop stans on TikTok are taking over the hashtag for Trump 's # MillionMAGAMarch by trolling it , @ @ @ @ @ When people check out the hashtag tomorrow looking for fellow MAGA morons , they will @ @ @ @ @ is my contribution : pic.twitter.com/WEiVmLqFUO

So the K-pop stans on TikTok are taking over the hashtag for Trump's #MillionMAGAMarch by trolling it, posting pictures of pancakes.
When people check out the hashtag tomorrow looking for fellow MAGA morons, they will only see pancakes. Here is my contribution: pic.twitter.com/WEiVmLqFUO


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-13--Trump Again Boasts He Won Pennsylvania And Georgia; Twitter Slaps Him Down

President Donald Trump declared again Friday that he won the states of Pennsylvania and Georgia in the race for the presidency — but Twitter quickly slapped him down .
Democratic candidate Joe Biden has been declared the winner in both states , with his total of electoral votes reaching 306 to Trump ’ s 232 on Friday , after calls were made in the last two states , Georgia and North Carolina , according to multiple sources .
The president tweeted , without providing evidence , that “ 700,000 ballots were not allowed to be viewed ” by Republican poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ means , based on our great Constitution , we win the State of Pennsylvania !
” 700,000 ballots were not allowed to be viewed in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh which means , based on our great Constitution , we win the State of Pennsylvania !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) November 14 , 2020 Trump was apparently parroting a story he had just heard on Fox News .
Soon afterward , Trump tweeted a similar baseless story about Georgia — and was slapped down again by a Twitter correction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican ( RINO ) , won ’ t let the people checking the ballots see the signatures for fraud .
Why ?
Without this the whole process is very unfair and close to meaningless .
Everyone knows that we won the state .
Where is @ BrianKempGA ?
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) November 14 , 2020 The day after the election last week , Trump decreed in a tweet : “ We have claimed , for Electoral Vote purposes , the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( which won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia , and the State of North Carolina , each one of which has a Big Trump lead .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump declared again Friday that he won the states of Pennsylvania and Georgia in the race for the presidency — but Twitter quickly slapped him down.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden has been declared the winner in both states, with his total of electoral votes reaching 306 to Trump’s 232 on Friday, after calls were made in the last two states, Georgia and North Carolina, according to multiple sources.
Advertisement
The president tweeted, without providing evidence, that “700,000 ballots were not allowed to be viewed” by Republican poll watchers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, which “means, based on our great Constitution, we win the State of Pennsylvania!”
Twitter flagged the message with: “Official sources called this election differently.”
700,000 ballots were not allowed to be viewed in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh which means, based on our great Constitution, we win the State of Pennsylvania! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2020
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) mockingly responded to Trump’s latest charge: “Amazing! Congratulations!”
Advertisement
Trump was apparently parroting a story he had just heard on Fox News.
Soon afterward, Trump tweeted a similar baseless story about Georgia — and was slapped down again by a Twitter correction.
Georgia Secretary of State, a so-called Republican (RINO), won’t let the people checking the ballots see the signatures for fraud. Why? Without this the whole process is very unfair and close to meaningless. Everyone knows that we won the state. Where is @BrianKempGA? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2020
The day after the election last week, Trump decreed in a tweet: “We have claimed, for Electoral Vote purposes, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (which won’t allow legal observers) the State of Georgia, and the State of North Carolina, each one of which has a Big Trump lead.”
President-Elect Biden has a message for you: pic.twitter.com/xUBYc8gda6 — Paul 👻 (@pablo_honey1) November 14, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Rudy Giuliani To Take Charge Of Trump's Election Lawsuits

The controversial attorney will also be in charge of all public communication regarding the suits , according to the Times , citing unnamed sources .
The move came after a series of setbacks for Trump ’ s legal strategy to win a second term : Attorneys from prominent law firm Porter Wright Morris & Arthur withdrew from the federal lawsuit that the Trump campaign filed in Pennsylvania to challenge the state ’ s election results .
And in Pennsylvania and two other states , judges dismissed lawsuits seeking to prevent or stop mail-in ballots from being counted .
President-elect Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 presidential election on Nov. 7 , after he won Pennsylvania ’ s electoral votes .
That same day , Trump announced that his campaign team would be hosting a press conference at the Four Seasons before adding that it would be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia — not the luxury hotel , but the parking lot outside a business on an industrial street .
Giuliani spoke at the event , amid confusion over the odd choice of location .
To clarify , President Trump ’ s press conference will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia .
It will be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping— no relation with the hotel .
— Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center ( @ FSPhiladelphia ) November 7 , 2020 Trump advisers aren ’ t happy about the move putting Giuliani in charge of the legal challenges .
They complain that Giuliani is giving the president “ unwarranted optimism ” about his chances of overturning the vote , which will not serve Trump well , sources told the Times .
Law firms working with the campaign have been under “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ fraudulent election ] claims were baseless , and that they were part of a broader campaign to delegitimize the election , ” Wendy Weiser from the Brennan Center for Justice told ABC News .
“ This was not an appropriate use of the court system.
” Read live updates on the election below .
For the latest results , maps and more , check out HuffPost ’ s Elections Hub .
( Note : An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog , so if you ’ re using one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The controversial attorney will also be in charge of all public communication regarding the suits, according to the Times, citing unnamed sources.
Advertisement
The move came after a series of setbacks for Trump’s legal strategy to win a second term: Attorneys from prominent law firm Porter Wright Morris & Arthur withdrew from the federal lawsuit that the Trump campaign filed in Pennsylvania to challenge the state’s election results. And in Pennsylvania and two other states, judges dismissed lawsuits seeking to prevent or stop mail-in ballots from being counted.
President-elect Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election on Nov. 7, after he won Pennsylvania’s electoral votes.
That same day, Trump announced that his campaign team would be hosting a press conference at the Four Seasons before adding that it would be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia — not the luxury hotel, but the parking lot outside a business on an industrial street. Giuliani spoke at the event, amid confusion over the odd choice of location.
To clarify, President Trump’s press conference will NOT be held at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia.
It will be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping— no relation with the hotel. — Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center (@FSPhiladelphia) November 7, 2020
Advertisement
Trump advisers aren’t happy about the move putting Giuliani in charge of the legal challenges. They complain that Giuliani is giving the president “unwarranted optimism” about his chances of overturning the vote, which will not serve Trump well, sources told the Times.
Giuliani may be Trump’s only option.
Law firms working with the campaign have been under “tremendous pressure as it became clear these [fraudulent election] claims were baseless, and that they were part of a broader campaign to delegitimize the election,” Wendy Weiser from the Brennan Center for Justice told ABC News. “This was not an appropriate use of the court system.”
Read live updates on the election below. For the latest results, maps and more, check out HuffPost’s Elections Hub. (Note: An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog, so if you’re using one, please pause or turn it off.)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-13--Pranksters Kill Trump Campaign's Voter Fraud Hotline

Anyone with a complaint can still fill out an online form on the campaign website .
But the forms are also being sent in with bogus complaints and “ lewd images , ” according to ABC News campaign reporter Will Steakin .
The Trump campaign is now directing people to its online form instead , which has been flooded with lewd images , per multiple sources — Will Steakin ( @ wsteaks ) November 13 , 2020 The president ’ s son Eric Trump claimed the hotline phone numbers — which were repeatedly switched in a failed bid to outwit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party .
But complaint calls boldly posted on Twitter and TikTok were clearly not the organized work of the Democrats .
The @ DNC is spamming our voter fraud hotline to bog down the thousands of complaints we are receiving !
Wonder what they have to hide .
— Eric Trump ( @ EricTrump ) November 7 , 2020 A campaign staffer conceded many of the calls were coming from “ lefty teenagers , ” reported Axios journalist Jonathan Swan .
Alex Hirsch , creator of the “ Gravity Falls ” cartoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicious activities by someone who sounded suspiciously like the McDonald ’ s Hamburglar .
He added helpfully : “ I think he ’ s probably antifa.
” The hotline has been ditched as the Trump campaign is significantly downsizing staff starting next week .
Only a small number of staffers will work through the end of the month , sources told ABC .
The campaign has been attacked for baselessly claiming the election was rigged — and then desperately searching for any anecdotes to back up that claim .
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that the election , in fact , was “ the most secure in American history.
” In a tweet Friday , Trump both took credit for the “ secure ” election while also claiming it was rigged .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Anyone with a complaint can still fill out an online form on the campaign website. But the forms are also being sent in with bogus complaints and “lewd images,” according to ABC News campaign reporter Will Steakin.
Advertisement
The Trump campaign is now directing people to its online form instead, which has been flooded with lewd images, per multiple sources — Will Steakin (@wsteaks) November 13, 2020
The president’s son Eric Trump claimed the hotline phone numbers — which were repeatedly switched in a failed bid to outwit pranksters — were being spammed by the Democratic Party. But complaint calls boldly posted on Twitter and TikTok were clearly not the organized work of the Democrats.
The @DNC is spamming our voter fraud hotline to bog down the thousands of complaints we are receiving! Wonder what they have to hide. — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) November 7, 2020
A campaign staffer conceded many of the calls were coming from “lefty teenagers,” reported Axios journalist Jonathan Swan.
Advertisement
Trump campaign aides manning the “voter fraud hotline” describe mostly fielding prank calls from lefty teenagers and dealing with some disturbing unsolicited adult images. — Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) November 9, 2020
Alex Hirsch, creator of the “Gravity Falls” cartoon, posted his report on Twitter of suspicious activities by someone who sounded suspiciously like the McDonald’s Hamburglar. He added helpfully: “I think he’s probably antifa.”
I...may just do this all night pic.twitter.com/OFtKDeMBqE — Alex Hirsch (@_AlexHirsch) November 7, 2020
The hotline has been ditched as the Trump campaign is significantly downsizing staff starting next week. Only a small number of staffers will work through the end of the month, sources told ABC.
The campaign has been attacked for baselessly claiming the election was rigged — and then desperately searching for any anecdotes to back up that claim.
Advertisement
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency announced in a joint statement Thursday that the election, in fact, was “the most secure in American history.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Peter Navarro: Second Trump Term Is The Operating 'Assumption' In The White House

The operating “ assumption ” at the White House is that President Donald Trump is heading into his second term , his trade adviser Peter Navarro said Friday , despite all the facts to the contrary .
Clearly others in the administration agree , including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , who said she expects Trump to attend “ his own inauguration ” in January .
“ We are moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term , ” Navarro said on Fox Business .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has been declared for President-elect Joe Biden , and is challenging the results in court , with no success to date .
Navarro revealed the working assumption while responding to a question about what trade actions Biden might take as president .
“ Our assumption is a second Trump term , ” Navarro repeated .
“ Any speculation about what Joe Biden might do ” in office “ is moot at this point , ” he added .
Navarro has long unabashedly supported Trump in public , often blurring the lines between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role as a Trump campaign surrogate — even though plugging the president ’ s reelection on the taxpayers ’ dime is a violation of the Hatch Act .
“ Navarro ’ s repeated disregard for the law warrants his removal from federal service , ” CREW wrote in a letter last month to the Special Counsel ’ s Office after Navarro brazenly admitted on Fox that he had worked for Trump ’ s campaign .
“ Anything less than that reaffirms this administration ’ s complicity in allowing senior officials to act as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

The operating “assumption” at the White House is that President Donald Trump is heading into his second term, his trade adviser Peter Navarro said Friday, despite all the facts to the contrary.
Clearly others in the administration agree, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who said she expects Trump to attend “his own inauguration” in January.
Advertisement
“We are moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term,” Navarro said on Fox Business.
Trump has refused to concede the race that has been declared for President-elect Joe Biden, and is challenging the results in court, with no success to date.
Navarro revealed the working assumption while responding to a question about what trade actions Biden might take as president.
“Our assumption is a second Trump term,” Navarro repeated. “Any speculation about what Joe Biden might do” in office “is moot at this point,” he added.
Advertisement
“We think he won that election,” said Navarro.
Navarro has long unabashedly supported Trump in public, often blurring the lines between his official White House job and his role as a Trump campaign surrogate — even though plugging the president’s reelection on the taxpayers’ dime is a violation of the Hatch Act.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Police Unions Spent Millions To Beat Back Reform In Los Angeles. They Lost Big Time.

From the City Council to the district attorney ’ s office , voters chose the candidates who ran on reducing incarceration and holding violent law enforcement officials accountable while also approving a measure requiring part of the county ’ s revenue to be set aside for alternatives to incarceration .
At a time when some establishment Democrats are blaming their party ’ s electoral setbacks in the House on calls to “ Defund the police , ” activists in Los Angeles helped oust incumbents and went up against well-funded police unions and won .
Measure J , which allocates funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 14 points .
Nithya Raman , a Democrat and first-time candidate for City Council whose platform included decriminalizing crimes of poverty , defeated incumbent David Ryu , who was backed by Democratic heavyweights Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton .
In the race for county supervisor , both Democrats ran on progressive platforms , but Herb Wesson , who received police union money , lost by a landslide to Holly Mitchell , who took a “ no cash from cops ” pledge in this race .
And reformist California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subject of a fear-mongering campaign by a corrections officer union .
The results of Los Angeles County ’ s elections will have a widespread effect .
Investment in housing and mental health services mean that some of Los Angeles ’ most vulnerable residents might get help instead of a jail sentence .
Under policy changes announced by the incoming district attorney , mistakes made by kids might not ruin their lives .
With more police accountability , cops may feel less emboldened to use lethal force against the people they are supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear that we needed to rise up , we were able to do so quickly rather than trying to figure out what it is we do , how to do it , who to call together , ” Melina Abdullah , a Black Lives Matter L.A. founder , said in an interview .
” We already had a network , we already had a platform , we already had a philosophy that we were able to tap into.
” Earlier this year , before nationwide protests against police brutality erupted , BLM was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around demands that would become central to the “ Defund the police ” movement : Spend less taxpayer money on policing and more on universal needs , such as health care , housing and public transportation .
It was a rejection of a system of policing that disproportionately harms Black and brown people and an embrace of a more equitable vision for Los Angeles .
In addition to organizing protests , BLM has focused on educating the community about the role of the district attorney and the ways in which Lacey had let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly to friends and neighbors , knocking on doors and setting a goal of texting five friends a day about the district attorney race .
As the election grew near , it became clear that the message was resonating .
When Lacey conceded Nov. 6 , one of the first things Gascón did was set up a public meeting with Black Lives Matter — something the group had been asking of Lacey for years .
“ What you have done in many ways , you have moved mountains , ” Gascón told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the first group that I have come to talk to because I do respect and honor what you have done.
” Many of the people in the room had loved ones who had been killed by the police .
One by one , they stood up and told Gascón what it was like to be fed false information their slain family members .
They described being blown off when they turned to the district attorney ’ s office for justice .
Some talked about how hard it was to support Gascón , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they helped him get elected and told him they planned to hold him to his word that he would do things differently than his predecessor .
The activists know that Gascón ’ s victory won ’ t fix everything .
But there are promising signs of change .
He has pledged to reopen four fatal police shooting cases that Lacey declined to prosecute .
He has committed to ending the use of the death penalty and resentencing the people from Los Angeles County who have been condemned to death .
He plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start prioritizing alternatives to arrest for low-level crimes associated with poverty .

Los Angeles County is home to the nation’s biggest local jail system. It also has the largest local prosecutorial office and some of the deadliest law enforcement agencies: The Los Angeles Police Department and the county sheriff’s department each kill more people per year than police departments in other major cities with comparable rates of violent crime. And, despite its progressive reputation, it’s a sprawling county of 10 million people who have, for years, elected tough-on-crime politicians.
But 2020 was different. In a key test of police reform after the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the rallies that spread across the country this summer, anti-carceral candidates and policies won across the board — victories that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
Advertisement
From the City Council to the district attorney’s office, voters chose the candidates who ran on reducing incarceration and holding violent law enforcement officials accountable while also approving a measure requiring part of the county’s revenue to be set aside for alternatives to incarceration. At a time when some establishment Democrats are blaming their party’s electoral setbacks in the House on calls to “Defund the police,” activists in Los Angeles helped oust incumbents and went up against well-funded police unions and won.
The outcome, activists say, is the result of grassroots organizing by Black Lives Matter and allied groups who have worked for years to mobilize the community around racial justice demands.
“This is one of those cases where grassroots pressure, storytelling, organizing all worked together perfectly to beat back police union money,” Chris Lazare, the organizing director of Real Justice PAC, said in an interview. “I don’t think this happens without BLM.”
The biggest battle was the Los Angeles County district attorney race, where progressive prosecutor George Gascón defeated the incumbent, Jackie Lacey, also a Democrat, who conceded Nov. 6. With ballots still arriving as of Friday, Gascón was 7 percentage points ahead of Lacey, who had opposed most criminal justice reform efforts during her eight years in office.
Advertisement
Measure J, which allocates funding for incarceration alternatives, is currently ahead by 14 points. Nithya Raman, a Democrat and first-time candidate for City Council whose platform included decriminalizing crimes of poverty, defeated incumbent David Ryu, who was backed by Democratic heavyweights Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. In the race for county supervisor, both Democrats ran on progressive platforms, but Herb Wesson, who received police union money, lost by a landslide to Holly Mitchell, who took a “no cash from cops” pledge in this race. And reformist California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D) won reelection, despite being the subject of a fear-mongering campaign by a corrections officer union.
The results of Los Angeles County’s elections will have a widespread effect. Investment in housing and mental health services mean that some of Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents might get help instead of a jail sentence. Under policy changes announced by the incoming district attorney, mistakes made by kids might not ruin their lives. With more police accountability, cops may feel less emboldened to use lethal force against the people they are supposed to protect.
There are national implications as well in a country that is locked in a heated debate about reforming law enforcement institutions. “I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that the second most important race in this country was the race for L.A. DA,” said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California. “This is the linchpin for mass incarceration.”
Black Lives Matter L.A. organized weekly demonstrations in front of the Hall of Justice every Wednesday for three years. Valerie Macon/Getty Images
It’s tempting to view the election results as an outgrowth of months of protests, sparked by the high-profile police killings of George Floyd and Louisville, Kentucky, medical technician Breonna Taylor. But Black Lives Matter, which was founded in Los Angeles, has been laying the groundwork for these wins for years.
Advertisement
“When it became clear that we needed to rise up, we were able to do so quickly rather than trying to figure out what it is we do, how to do it, who to call together,” Melina Abdullah, a Black Lives Matter L.A. founder, said in an interview. ”We already had a network, we already had a platform, we already had a philosophy that we were able to tap into.”
After BLM was formed in 2013, activists put pressure on Lacey, a Black woman, to prosecute police officers for killing Black members of the community. When petitions, letters and requests for meetings didn’t work, the group started protesting outside Lacey’s office every Wednesday afternoon, a practice they have carried on for three years.
Earlier this year, before nationwide protests against police brutality erupted, BLM was already at work building coalitions and organizing around demands that would become central to the “Defund the police” movement: Spend less taxpayer money on policing and more on universal needs, such as health care, housing and public transportation. It was a rejection of a system of policing that disproportionately harms Black and brown people and an embrace of a more equitable vision for Los Angeles.
In July, a coalition of Los Angeles activists successfully pressured the City Council to reduce the Los Angeles Police Department’s funding by $150 million — a fraction of its nearly $2 billion budget but a meaningful move in a city with a history of readily approving budget increases for cops.
BLM doesn’t endorse candidates, but it has made ousting Lacey a priority. During Lacey’s time as the county’s top prosecutor, on-duty law enforcement officers in L.A. County have killed hundreds of people, but her office has prosecuted only one case. Over the years, Lacey has taken positions that were out of step with her constituency, opposing efforts to legalize marijuana and seeking the death penalty — actions that have disproportionately harmed people of color.
Advertisement
In addition to organizing protests, BLM has focused on educating the community about the role of the district attorney and the ways in which Lacey had let them down. It took its message directly to friends and neighbors, knocking on doors and setting a goal of texting five friends a day about the district attorney race. As the election grew near, it became clear that the message was resonating.
Lacey is the first Black woman to hold her position, and voting against her may not have been intuitive for Black voters, Abdullah said. She expected to have to do a lot of work explaining Lacey’s record — but she quickly discovered that people were already aware.
“I can count on two hands the number of people who said they were voting for Jackie Lacey,” Abdullah said. “We were knocking on doors, and people already knew, which to us indicated that three-year-long effort had familiarized some people.” Multiple people told Abdullah they were unhappy about an incident in March, when Lacey’s husband pointed a gun at Abdullah during a protest outside the couple’s home.
Law enforcement unions spent more than $5 million in support of Lacey — 72% of her total donations, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis. It was one of several fights they lost in Los Angeles this year.
When Lacey conceded Nov. 6, one of the first things Gascón did was set up a public meeting with Black Lives Matter — something the group had been asking of Lacey for years. “What you have done in many ways, you have moved mountains,” Gascón told the group. “That is why you are the first group that I have come to talk to because I do respect and honor what you have done.”
Advertisement
Many of the people in the room had loved ones who had been killed by the police. One by one, they stood up and told Gascón what it was like to be fed false information their slain family members. They described being blown off when they turned to the district attorney’s office for justice. Some talked about how hard it was to support Gascón, a former cop. They reminded him that they helped him get elected and told him they planned to hold him to his word that he would do things differently than his predecessor.
Progressive prosecutor George Gascón, the next Los Angeles County district attorney, has pledged to end the death penalty, stop prosecuting juveniles as adults, reopen some police shooting cases and invest in alternatives to incarceration. Myung J. Chun/Getty Images
The activists know that Gascón’s victory won’t fix everything. But there are promising signs of change. He has pledged to reopen four fatal police shooting cases that Lacey declined to prosecute. He has committed to ending the use of the death penalty and resentencing the people from Los Angeles County who have been condemned to death. He plans to stop prosecuting juveniles as adults and start prioritizing alternatives to arrest for low-level crimes associated with poverty.
Gascón has “already transformed the L.A. criminal justice system simply by ending the use of the death penalty and no longer prosecuting juveniles as adults,” said Natasha Minsker a policy adviser for Smart Justice California. “It’s so significant what he can do and what he has already done.”
BLM, working closely with a coalition of racial and social justice groups, brought the same grassroots organizing tactics to Measure J, which requires 10% of locally generated revenue to be spent on housing, mental health programs, jail diversion, and other social services.
Advertisement
The Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs spent more than $3.5 million fighting the measure, and Sheriff Alex Villanueva warned Angelenos to oppose the effort “if you don’t want your streets to look like a scene from ‘Mad Max.’”
Without the ability to outspend the cops, “Yes on J” activists stepped up volunteer phone banking and spreading the message on their own social media accounts. When the results started trickling in, it showed Measure J leading by double digits.
It was “a confirmation of the People’s Budget LA work, where Angelenos said they wanted to spend on universal human need, they did not want to spend on police,” she added.
The combination of activists’ educational outreach and reformer candidates’ unabashed embrace of their positions meant that tough-on-crime rhetoric and fear-mongering didn’t have much sticking power. Ryu, the recently defeated City Council member, said in an email to his supporters that his opponent, Raman, wanted to cut police spending by 98% (a misrepresentation of her position) and that her campaign was “fueled by extremist groups who promote hate and violence.”
In a video response, Raman restated her actual position: The police budget should be audited, and some of LAPD’s funding should be redirected toward unarmed service-oriented responders. She also took the opportunity to explain to voters in clear terms the corrupting influence of police unions on local politics.
Advertisement
“Our local police union has for years spent big to support local politicians and to make sure that their preferred candidate wins — which means that in budget discussions at City Hall, they have played an outsized role,” Raman said. “At this moment of national reckoning around race and police violence against Black Americans, we deserve a conversation that hasn’t been absolutely captured by the police union.”
Raman’s victory marked the first time an incumbent councilmember had been ousted in 17 years.
Law enforcement groups also failed a political test during Reggie Jones-Sawyer’s fight to keep his state Assembly seat. Jones-Sawyer, who chairs the Assembly’s public safety committee and has pushed criminal justice reform measures. During his reelection campaign this year, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association gave more than $1 million to his opponent and featured Jones-Sawyer in a video suggesting the lawmaker should be punished for supposedly putting cops in danger.
In the video, a man is shown pointing his finger at a red bull’s-eye placed on top of a labeled photo of Jones-Sawyer, who is Black, while the narrator says, “We’re going to demand that the increased violence and assault on police officers is addressed and that the perpetrators are held accountable to the highest degree.”
Although votes are still being counted, Jones-Sawyer was leading his opponent by 16 points Friday, despite doing poorly in his primary race.
“I didn’t see this coming,” Armour said of the voters’ reform-minded choices. “Twenty years ago, when I was teaching this stuff, it was so gloomy. I didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. We seemed to be more punitive, more about retribution, retaliation and revenge. California was one of the jurisdictions leading the nation in the ‘three strikes’ laws.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Georgia's Blue Shift Is A Lesson For Progressive Organizers Across The South

For years , groups have been organizing and engaging Georgia ’ s substantial Black , Latino and Asian American populations , pushing Democratic candidates to appeal directly to those voters , and beating back decades of efforts to suppress minority votes .
And now that they ’ ve succeeded , progressive organizers across the South are looking to Georgia for lessons in how to do the same in their states .
“ Investment in community organizing is a marathon , not a sprint , ” said Jerry Gonzalez , CEO of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos across the state for nearly two decades .
“ It takes long-term investment ... to provide greater space for communities to be heard in the electoral process .
That takes relationship building .
That takes a lot of one-on-one conversations with voters .
And that takes time.
” Gonzalez helped form GALEO in 2003 , at a time when Georgia was solidly conservative and only about 10,000 Latinos were registered to vote statewide .
Other community organizing groups were active in the state as well , especially in its Black communities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first big sign that Georgia was moving left when Barack Obama lost the state by just 6 percentage points in that year ’ s presidential election .
In 2013 , Abrams , then minority leader of the Georgia House , helped establish the New Georgia Project , a progressive organization that sought to register and engage voters from what it called the “ new American majority ” ― people of color , those between the ages of 18 and 29 , and unmarried women ― who had not signed up to vote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s population .
Abrams later launched Fair Fight , another grassroots group , to register even more voters and to help them navigate barriers that had been erected to keep Georgians of color from voting .
After registering more than 200,000 Georgians ahead of the 2018 gubernatorial election , grassroots organizations added another 800,000 to the rolls this year ― offsetting voter purges that had taken place last year .
Black Georgians , who make up roughly one-third of the state ’ s population , account for a substantial number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also now nearly 250,000 registered Latino voters , according to Gonzalez and GALEO ’ s estimates , and nearly 240,000 Asian American voters in the state as well .
At the beginning of the 2020 cycle , Abrams called on national Democrats to invest in Georgia as if it were a swing state , arguing that to do any less would be “ strategic malpractice.
” That sort of investment never materialized from the Biden campaign or the national Democratic Party , even with two Senate races on the ballot .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Asian American populations turned out in massive numbers during early voting periods and , together with shifts in support among white , college-educated voters , propelled Democrats to victory up and down the ticket .
Incumbent sheriffs in Cobb and Gwinnett counties , just outside Atlanta , were among the most aggressive enforcers of immigration law under Trump .
Groups like GALEO focused on those races in an effort to secure promises from the challengers that they would end the counties ’ contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that give broader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws .
“ There ’ s shared levers of power [ in ] our communities ― Black , brown , Asian , and GLBTQ ― that intersect in how we can work together to effect policy change that affects our everyday lives , more so than in the federal races , ” he said .
“ It is a long-term prospect of working in collaboration with other organizations that share values and share destinies , to make sure we can build up our communities and be there for one another.
” “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was about people power .
This was about the people of Georgia saying enough was enough and that we would not stand for this , ” Woodall said .
“ We ’ re here organizing so that we can ensure that every single Georgian has access to clean water , clean energy , food , access to health care , to not have to be murdered in broad daylight as you ’ re running down your street .
That ’ s what we ’ re doing down here .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s about putting an agenda before those who are considered to be at the pinnacle of power and demand that they listen to ‘ We , the people.
’ ” Democratic Senate candidate Mike Espy lost his race in Mississippi by 13 points , a disappointing result in a race that drew some late enthusiasm .
But there are signs of progress , said Melissa Garriga , a board member of the Mississippi Rising Coalition , a grassroots organization that works along the state ’ s Gulf Coast .
After years of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s community organizing groups have begun to work more closely together on a broader agenda .
This year , they were instrumental in winning voters ’ approval for a ballot measure to adopt a new state flag , replacing one that still included Confederate imagery .
While Mississippi doesn ’ t draw much attention from national Democrats or progressives , it isn ’ t as red as it looks on electoral maps that tend to erase any nuance in how states vote .
It won ’ t likely enjoy massive investment from Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia , Garriga said , is that “ it really takes people who have been in the community to know the community , to have a relationship with the community , and to be able to really make the change that ’ s necessary.
” Kentucky , meanwhile , is barely analogous to those states .
The small size of its Black and Latino populations separates it from the Deep South demographically .
With Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell atop the ballot , the 2020 election was a bloodbath for Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one statewide office , eight of 38 state Senate seats , and a quarter of the state House .
Just three of the state ’ s 120 counties favored Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath , who lost her race to McConnell by 20 points .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
On Friday afternoon, news outlets finally began to call President-elect Joe Biden the winner in Georgia, a state that hadn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1992.
For years, groups have been organizing and engaging Georgia’s substantial Black, Latino and Asian American populations, pushing Democratic candidates to appeal directly to those voters, and beating back decades of efforts to suppress minority votes. And now that they’ve succeeded, progressive organizers across the South are looking to Georgia for lessons in how to do the same in their states.
Advertisement
“It’s an affirmation that we’re on the right track and that our work can pay off,” Cassia Herron, board chair of the progressive grassroots group Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, said of Georgia’s blue shift ― a sentiment that organizers in Mississippi and other Southern states echoed.
Progressive victory may feel a long way off in Kentucky, South Carolina, and Mississippi, where Republican voters propelled both President Donald Trump and GOP Senate incumbents to easy victories. Republican challenger Tommy Tuberville also handily defeated Democratic Sen. Doug Jones to reinforce the GOP’s stranglehold on Alabama.
But it wasn’t that long ago that the landscape looked similarly dire in Georgia, where 2020’s blue turn was more than a decade in the making.
Organizations originally launched by former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams registered 800,000 new voters ahead of the 2020 elections, in which Georgia voted for a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time since 1992. Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Advertisement
After close calls in recent election cycles, including former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams’ narrow loss in the 2018 gubernatorial race, the years of organizing finally paid off in 2020. Along with Biden’s apparent victory, Democrats flipped a metro Atlanta congressional seat that the GOP has held since 1995 and ousted two county sheriffs who helped spearhead Trump’s anti-immigration agenda. Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock both advanced to runoff elections against incumbent GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively.
The lesson, organizers in Georgia say, is that altering the landscape of a deep red state whose conservative tilt is shored up by aggressive efforts to suppress minority votes takes tons of effort and even more time ― especially when national Democrats all but leave the state for dead.
“Investment in community organizing is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Jerry Gonzalez, CEO of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, which has sought to boost political involvement of Latinos across the state for nearly two decades. “It takes long-term investment ... to provide greater space for communities to be heard in the electoral process. That takes relationship building. That takes a lot of one-on-one conversations with voters. And that takes time.”
Gonzalez helped form GALEO in 2003, at a time when Georgia was solidly conservative and only about 10,000 Latinos were registered to vote statewide. Other community organizing groups were active in the state as well, especially in its Black communities, and in 2008, they got their first big sign that Georgia was moving left when Barack Obama lost the state by just 6 percentage points in that year’s presidential election.
In 2013, Abrams, then minority leader of the Georgia House, helped establish the New Georgia Project, a progressive organization that sought to register and engage voters from what it called the “new American majority” ― people of color, those between the ages of 18 and 29, and unmarried women ― who had not signed up to vote in numbers that matched their share of the state’s population. Abrams later launched Fair Fight, another grassroots group, to register even more voters and to help them navigate barriers that had been erected to keep Georgians of color from voting.
Advertisement
After registering more than 200,000 Georgians ahead of the 2018 gubernatorial election, grassroots organizations added another 800,000 to the rolls this year ― offsetting voter purges that had taken place last year. Black Georgians, who make up roughly one-third of the state’s population, account for a substantial number of those new voters. But there are also now nearly 250,000 registered Latino voters, according to Gonzalez and GALEO’s estimates, and nearly 240,000 Asian American voters in the state as well.
At the beginning of the 2020 cycle, Abrams called on national Democrats to invest in Georgia as if it were a swing state, arguing that to do any less would be “strategic malpractice.” That sort of investment never materialized from the Biden campaign or the national Democratic Party, even with two Senate races on the ballot. Still, the state’s Black, Latino and Asian American populations turned out in massive numbers during early voting periods and, together with shifts in support among white, college-educated voters, propelled Democrats to victory up and down the ticket.
While much of the nation focused on the presidential race, Georgia organizers drilled down on local issues that intertwined with national conversations ― including immigration and racial justice protests ― to further motivate new voters, who they thought might need to be convinced that casting a ballot could lead to substantive change in their own lives.
Those arguments resonated in county sheriffs’ races, in particular, Gonzalez said.
Incumbent sheriffs in Cobb and Gwinnett counties, just outside Atlanta, were among the most aggressive enforcers of immigration law under Trump. Groups like GALEO focused on those races in an effort to secure promises from the challengers that they would end the counties’ contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that give broader powers to local authorities to enforce immigration laws.
Organizations that focused on Muslim voter engagement prioritized the sheriffs’ races and their potential impact on immigration enforcement as well. Those contests also presented a chance to elect the counties’ first Black sheriffs and implement criminal justice reforms in metro Atlanta, where protests erupted this summer over the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, in southern Georgia.
Advertisement
Even more than the presidential race, Gonzalez said, the ouster of those law enforcement officers proved the strength of the organizers’ work across Georgia, not just to register voters but to prioritize issues they cared about.
“There’s shared levers of power [in] our communities ― Black, brown, Asian, and GLBTQ ― that intersect in how we can work together to effect policy change that affects our everyday lives, more so than in the federal races,” he said. “It is a long-term prospect of working in collaboration with other organizations that share values and share destinies, to make sure we can build up our communities and be there for one another.”
The lack of investment from the Biden campaign or national Democrats also made it clear that, beyond a general enthusiasm for beating Trump, it was the focus on local issues that allowed organizers to connect with and turn out Georgian voters, said James Woodall, president of the Georgia NAACP.
“The Democrats didn’t win this. This was about people power. This was about the people of Georgia saying enough was enough and that we would not stand for this,” Woodall said. “We’re here organizing so that we can ensure that every single Georgian has access to clean water, clean energy, food, access to health care, to not have to be murdered in broad daylight as you’re running down your street. That’s what we’re doing down here. It’s not about political partisanship. ... It’s about putting an agenda before those who are considered to be at the pinnacle of power and demand that they listen to ‘We, the people.’”
Voters in Mississippi this year approved a new design for the state's flag, replacing a version that still included the Confederate flag. It was a huge win for progressive organizers. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
Advertisement
Replicating those wins won’t be easy in other Southern states, including those that are similar to Georgia demographically and have comparable problems with voter suppression.
Democratic Senate candidate Mike Espy lost his race in Mississippi by 13 points, a disappointing result in a race that drew some late enthusiasm. But there are signs of progress, said Melissa Garriga, a board member of the Mississippi Rising Coalition, a grassroots organization that works along the state’s Gulf Coast. After years of siloing around particular issues, Mississippi’s community organizing groups have begun to work more closely together on a broader agenda. This year, they were instrumental in winning voters’ approval for a ballot measure to adopt a new state flag, replacing one that still included Confederate imagery.
While Mississippi doesn’t draw much attention from national Democrats or progressives, it isn’t as red as it looks on electoral maps that tend to erase any nuance in how states vote. It won’t likely enjoy massive investment from Democrats anytime soon, but one lesson from Georgia, Garriga said, is that “it really takes people who have been in the community to know the community, to have a relationship with the community, and to be able to really make the change that’s necessary.”
“It’s not just electoral work. It’s issue-based work,” Garriga said. “And knowing what they did [in Georgia], and knowing that we’re doing the same thing, that’s where the hope lies.”
Kentucky, meanwhile, is barely analogous to those states. The small size of its Black and Latino populations separates it from the Deep South demographically. With Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell atop the ballot, the 2020 election was a bloodbath for Kentucky Democrats, who will now hold just one statewide office, eight of 38 state Senate seats, and a quarter of the state House. Just three of the state’s 120 counties favored Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath, who lost her race to McConnell by 20 points.
Advertisement
Still, organizers there have drawn energy from a tough Democratic Senate primary that included a progressive challenger and from their fights to expand voting rights to people with felony convictions and make voting more accessible during the pandemic.
Herron, of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, said she has already talked with organizers from Georgia and other states where progressives had more success. The odds of immediate success are long, but she’s excited to get back to work.
“I’m really looking forward to engaging Kentuckians next year and connecting them to resources ― whether it’s joining campaigns, running for office, or cleaning up the water in your county,” Herron said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-13--Ritchie Torres Never Dreamed He'd Be First Black Latino Gay Man Elected To Congress

NEW YORK , Nov 13 ( Reuters ) - Growing up in the Bronx poor , Afro-Latino and gay , Ritchie Torres said he never imagined that he would one day be elected to the United States House of Representatives .
But in a few weeks , Torres , 32 , a Democrat from New York , will become the first Afro-Latino openly gay congressman .
“ I never thought in my wildest dreams that as a poor kid from the Bronx , I would become a United States congressman , ” Torres told Reuters the day before heading to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s new member orientation .
Torres makes history along with fellow Democrat and New Yorker Mondaire Jones , who will be the first openly-gay African-American congressman .
Torres , who is both Black and Puerto Rican , grew up with a single mother in New York City ’ s public housing .
Now he is headed to Washington , DC .
His goal as congressman will be to secure funding for affordable housing , he said .
He aims to fight for passage of the Equality Act , which proponents say is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected from discrimination in their daily lives .
“ LGBTQ people of color are about to have a seat in one of the most powerful tables , ” Torres said .
He added , “ A wise person once said , ‘ If you don ’ t have a seat at the table , then you ’ re probably on the menu.
’ ” Voters on Election Day also backed Sarah McBride in her race to join the Delaware State Senate , making her the highest-ranking openly transgender official in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapse of politics as an old boys ’ club , and we ’ re witnessing the embrace of America as a multiracial , multiethnic , inclusive democracy , ” said Torres .
While Torres is keenly aware that his identity is an inspiration to many , he said he is focused on the job ahead .
“ I hope to be an inspirational example of what is possible in America .
But in the end , I ’ m going to be judged not by who I am but by what I accomplish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short run , but in the long run , what matters is the record that I build in Congress .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
NEW YORK, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Growing up in the Bronx poor, Afro-Latino and gay, Ritchie Torres said he never imagined that he would one day be elected to the United States House of Representatives.
But in a few weeks, Torres, 32, a Democrat from New York, will become the first Afro-Latino openly gay congressman.
Advertisement
“I never thought in my wildest dreams that as a poor kid from the Bronx, I would become a United States congressman,” Torres told Reuters the day before heading to the nation’s capital for Congress’s new member orientation.
Torres makes history along with fellow Democrat and New Yorker Mondaire Jones, who will be the first openly-gay African-American congressman.
Torres, who is both Black and Puerto Rican, grew up with a single mother in New York City’s public housing. Now he is headed to Washington, DC.
His goal as congressman will be to secure funding for affordable housing, he said.
He aims to fight for passage of the Equality Act, which proponents say is written to ensure that LGBTQ people are protected from discrimination in their daily lives.
Advertisement
“LGBTQ people of color are about to have a seat in one of the most powerful tables,” Torres said. He added, “A wise person once said, ‘If you don’t have a seat at the table, then you’re probably on the menu.’”
Voters on Election Day also backed Sarah McBride in her race to join the Delaware State Senate, making her the highest-ranking openly transgender official in the United States.
“We’re witnessing the collapse of politics as an old boys’ club, and we’re witnessing the embrace of America as a multiracial, multiethnic, inclusive democracy,” said Torres.
While Torres is keenly aware that his identity is an inspiration to many, he said he is focused on the job ahead.
“I hope to be an inspirational example of what is possible in America. But in the end, I’m going to be judged not by who I am but by what I accomplish. So my identity matters in the short run, but in the long run, what matters is the record that I build in Congress.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Trump Throws One Hell Of An Inauguration Day Tantrum In 'Photoshop Battle'

President Donald Trump clings desperately to power ― and throws one hell of a tantrum on President-elect Joe Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ a “ Photoshop Battle ” that broke out on Reddit this week .
Redditors reworked @ @ @ @ @ the American flag at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February : Many participants poked @ @ @ @ @ of mass voter fraud that Trump has continued to spread on Twitter in recent days @ @ @ @ @ stay in the White House .
Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Queen Elizabeth II @ @ @ @ @ photo-editing contest .

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--One Of Donald Trump's Favorite Insults Is Flipped Back On Him In 'Daily Show' Supercut

Donald Trump ’ s penchant for calling other people “ losers ” was turned back on him by “ The @ @ @ @ @ ” The Comedy Central program tweeted a montage Friday of old clips in which the @ @ @ @ @ “ a total loser , ” “ a stone-cold loser ” and more .
“ @ @ @ @ @ : Donald Trump is officially ... ” Check out the video here : Once more @ @ @ @ @ Trump is officially ... pic.twitter.com/KOqVjZTZyM — The Daily Show ( @ TheDailyShow ) November 13 @ @


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Democrats Keep Winning The Popular Vote. That Worries Them.

President-elect Joe Biden has so far won 50.8 % of the vote compared to the 47.4 % who voted for President Donald Trump , a 5 million vote advantage that is likely to grow as Democratic bastions like California and New York continue to count ballots .
Biden ’ s 77.5 million votes to date are the most for any winning candidate , and Trump ’ s 72.3 million also set a high water mark for a losing one .
But what alarms many Democrats is a growing gap between their popular vote tallies and their political power .
Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but as long as those votes are clustered on the coasts or in cities and suburbs , they won ’ t deliver the congressional victories the party needs to enact its policies .
That power gap is especially clear this year .
While Biden was racking up those historic margins , Democrats lost at least eight seats in the House of Representatives and failed to gain a single statehouse — in fact , they lost control of New Hampshire ’ s legislature .
They also fell short of taking back control of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resting on winning two run-off elections in Georgia that are considered an uphill climb for the party .
Whether it ’ s a problem — or a necessary check on power — is a point of debate .
The founders created a U.S. system of government based partially on geography .
Wyoming , with its population of 500,000 , has as many senators as California , home to 39 million people .
House seats are awarded based on population , but districts can be drawn to dilute the impact of types of voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amassing a majority of electors allocated to states .
“ Power is not allocated by the popular vote , ” said Simon Rosenberg , a veteran Democratic strategist .
“ What we have to get better at is not just winning more votes , but winning in more parts of each state , and in more states.
” The disparity has only been growing as the country gets more polarized .
When George W. Bush won the White House in 2000 through an Electoral College win despite losing the popular vote , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won reelection in 2004 with 50.7 % of the national vote .
But Democrats have won it every presidential election since , including in 2016 , when Democrat Hillary Clinton won 2.9 million more votes but lost the White House to Trump because she narrowly lost critical swing states and did not win a majority of electors .
The Trump-era polarization has accelerated the divide .
Trump has performed well with white voters , specifically white voters who have not graduated from a four-year college — a group that is fairly evenly distributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meanwhile , have gained ground with college graduates , who are more likely to cluster in cities , and in states like Massachusetts and Colorado .
Another bulwark for the Democratic coalition , Black , Latino and other racial minority voters , are likewise clustered in cities and certain states , and less represented in a broad swath of rural states that help give Republicans their geographic edge .
The results in the 2018 midterm was especially clear : Democrats lost ground in the Senate even as they netted 41 seats to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s easy to see how the dynamic plays out in campaigns .
Trump repeatedly slammed Democratic states like California and New York and Democratic-controlled cities during his presidency and reelection campaign .
Biden , who couldn ’ t win just by appealing to places where his party was strong , argued the country needed to unify and stop fighting .
“ Republicans can be glib about this because it ’ s working for them , but I don ’ t think it ’ s a good long-term solution , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , -based GOP strategist .
“ For the long-term health of the party and of the country , you have to hope you ’ re not just winning barely with a diminishing rump.
” Still , Republicans ’ strong performance in state legislatures makes it likely they can lock in gains during the upcoming once-a-decade gerrymandering , by drawing lines for statehouse and congressional districts that pack voters into districts that favor the GOP .
The party ’ s landslide 2010 win during Obama ’ s first midterm helped them do that over @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Democrats won the popular vote in this year’s presidential election yet again, marking seven out of eight straight presidential elections that the party has reached that milestone.
And, for some Democrats, that’s worrisome.
President-elect Joe Biden has so far won 50.8% of the vote compared to the 47.4% who voted for President Donald Trump, a 5 million vote advantage that is likely to grow as Democratic bastions like California and New York continue to count ballots. Biden’s 77.5 million votes to date are the most for any winning candidate, and Trump’s 72.3 million also set a high water mark for a losing one.
Advertisement
Experts predict Biden’s margin of victory will surpass former President Barack Obama’s 4 percentage point popular vote lead in 2012. Only Obama’s landslide 2008 victory — with a 7 percentage point margin in the popular vote — was larger in recent elections.
But what alarms many Democrats is a growing gap between their popular vote tallies and their political power. Democrats may be winning over more supporters, but as long as those votes are clustered on the coasts or in cities and suburbs, they won’t deliver the congressional victories the party needs to enact its policies.
That power gap is especially clear this year. While Biden was racking up those historic margins, Democrats lost at least eight seats in the House of Representatives and failed to gain a single statehouse — in fact, they lost control of New Hampshire’s legislature. They also fell short of taking back control of the U.S. Senate, with their hopes now resting on winning two run-off elections in Georgia that are considered an uphill climb for the party.
“There’s a massive structural challenge to the majority of Americans having any political power anytime soon,” said Rebecca Katz, a liberal Democratic strategist. “It’s a problem.”
Advertisement
Whether it’s a problem — or a necessary check on power — is a point of debate. The founders created a U.S. system of government based partially on geography. Wyoming, with its population of 500,000, has as many senators as California, home to 39 million people. House seats are awarded based on population, but districts can be drawn to dilute the impact of types of voters. The presidency is a won by amassing a majority of electors allocated to states.
“Power is not allocated by the popular vote,” said Simon Rosenberg, a veteran Democratic strategist. “What we have to get better at is not just winning more votes, but winning in more parts of each state, and in more states.”
The disparity has only been growing as the country gets more polarized. When George W. Bush won the White House in 2000 through an Electoral College win despite losing the popular vote, it was seen as a fluke.
Bush won reelection in 2004 with 50.7% of the national vote. But Democrats have won it every presidential election since, including in 2016, when Democrat Hillary Clinton won 2.9 million more votes but lost the White House to Trump because she narrowly lost critical swing states and did not win a majority of electors.
The Trump-era polarization has accelerated the divide. Trump has performed well with white voters, specifically white voters who have not graduated from a four-year college — a group that is fairly evenly distributed throughout the 50 states. Democrats, meanwhile, have gained ground with college graduates, who are more likely to cluster in cities, and in states like Massachusetts and Colorado.
Advertisement
Another bulwark for the Democratic coalition, Black, Latino and other racial minority voters, are likewise clustered in cities and certain states, and less represented in a broad swath of rural states that help give Republicans their geographic edge.
The results in the 2018 midterm was especially clear: Democrats lost ground in the Senate even as they netted 41 seats to win control of the House of Representatives.
It’s easy to see how the dynamic plays out in campaigns. Trump repeatedly slammed Democratic states like California and New York and Democratic-controlled cities during his presidency and reelection campaign. Biden, who couldn’t win just by appealing to places where his party was strong, argued the country needed to unify and stop fighting.
The increasing gap between the majority and those actually in power troubles even those benefiting from it.
“Republicans can be glib about this because it’s working for them, but I don’t think it’s a good long-term solution,” said Liam Donovan, a Washington, D.C.,-based GOP strategist. “For the long-term health of the party and of the country, you have to hope you’re not just winning barely with a diminishing rump.”
Advertisement
Still, Republicans’ strong performance in state legislatures makes it likely they can lock in gains during the upcoming once-a-decade gerrymandering, by drawing lines for statehouse and congressional districts that pack voters into districts that favor the GOP. The party’s landslide 2010 win during Obama’s first midterm helped them do that over the past decade.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--Militia Groups, Conspiracy Theorists Rally In D.C. For Election Loser Donald Trump

More than a thousand demonstrators swarmed Washington , D.C. , on Saturday in a show of support for President Donald Trump , whose loss to President-elect Joe Biden was determined exactly one week ago .
The “ Million MAGA March ” didn ’ t quite live up to its name , though more than a thousand Trump supporters did show up on Freedom Plaza in a show of solidarity with the president , who has spent the last week desperately seeking to overturn the results of the election by falsely claiming widespread voter fraud .
Followers of the QAnon conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with disinformation peddler Alex Jones , according to Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer .
Demonstrators came out to support Trump ’ s baseless claims that widespread voter fraud in states that Trump lost by thousands of votes means that Biden ’ s Electoral College victory is illegitimate .
Trump and his legal team have provided little to no evidence of the alleged fraud and have lost multiple court battles in the process .
Trump ’ s refusal to submit to reality has also caused him to turn against Fox News , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
White nationalist Nick Fuentes , who once called for the killings of CNN employees , was seen at the rally chanting alongside others : “ Fox News sucks.
” Counter-protestors also made their voices heard , though they were largely separated from Trump supporters by police .
As of Saturday afternoon , no arrests had been reported .
While Trump encouraged his supporters to come out on Saturday in a tweet that also teased his own appearance , the president could only be bothered for a drive-by wave .
Multiple videos on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roll past his most ardent supporters , waving through a window on his way to Sterling , Virginia , where he planned to play golf for the day .
President Trump ’ s motorcade drove by hundreds of supporters , who had gathered in Washington to protest the outcome of the presidential election , on the way to his private golf club in Virginia on Saturday .
https : //t.co/sTZszkegLf pic.twitter.com/AwvbYX69p0 — The New York Times ( @ nytimes ) November 14 , 2020 Some supporters chanted “ Four more years !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
But when the march ends , and Biden is sworn into office on Jan. 20 , Trump ’ s supporters ― much like the president himself ― will have to face a harsh reality : There won ’ t be another four years of the Trump presidency .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Demonstrators as part of a “Million MAGA March” swarmed Washington, D.C., on Saturday in a show of support for President Donald Trump, whose loss to President-elect Joe Biden was determined exactly a week ago.
The protest didn’t quite live up to its name, however.
A few thousand Trump supporters ― many of them unmasked ― did show up to Freedom Plaza in a show of solidarity with the president, who has spent the last week desperately seeking to overturn the results of the election by falsely claiming widespread voter fraud, but the number of marchers fell way short of the “more than one million” falsely touted by the Trump administration on Saturday afternoon.
Advertisement
This is giant. Hundreds of Proud Boys and supporters marching on the streets of DC chanting “FUCK ANTIFA” two hours ahead of the #MillionMAGAMarch. pic.twitter.com/KfZpEq7KYE — Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) November 14, 2020
Demonstrators came out to support Trump’s baseless claims that widespread voter fraud in states that Trump lost by thousands of votes means that Biden’s Electoral College victory is illegitimate. Trump and his legal team have provided little to no evidence of the alleged fraud and have lost multiple court battles in the process. Trump’s refusal to submit to reality has also caused him to turn against Fox News, which has accurately called the election for Biden.
Advertisement
Counterprotesters also made their voices heard and footage on social media showed heated interactions between some Trump supporters and counter-protesters, but the two groups were kept largely separated from each other by police.
As of Saturday night, at least 10 people had been arrested during the protests, including four individuals for firearms violations, D.C. police told AP.
Trump and Biden supporters facing off outside Capital Hilton in NW DC near Black Lives Matter Plaza. Several arrests reported earlier. pic.twitter.com/LzqfF3t6NB — Darcy Spencer (@darcyspencer) November 15, 2020
Pro-Trump: “USA! USA!”
Anti-Trump: “Two more months! Two more months!” pic.twitter.com/mZ86wa0ymy — Victoria Sanchez (@VictoriaSanchez) November 15, 2020
Advertisement
While Trump encouraged his supporters to come out on Saturday in a tweet that also teased his own appearance, the president could only be bothered for a drive-by wave.
Multiple videos on Twitter showed the president’s motorcade roll past his most ardent supporters, waving through a window on his way to Sterling, Virginia, where he planned to play golf for the day.
President Trump’s motorcade drove by hundreds of supporters, who had gathered in Washington to protest the outcome of the presidential election, on the way to his private golf club in Virginia on Saturday. https://t.co/sTZszkegLf pic.twitter.com/AwvbYX69p0 — The New York Times (@nytimes) November 14, 2020
Some supporters chanted “Four more years!” as the motorcade drove by, Reuters reported. But when the march ends, and Biden is sworn into office on Jan. 20, Trump’s supporters ― much like the president himself ― will have to face a harsh reality: There won’t be another four years of the Trump presidency.
Dominique Mosbergen contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-14--GOP Leaders In 4 States Quash Dubious Trump Scheme On Electors

Republican leaders in four critical states won by President-elect Joe Biden say they won ’ t participate in a legally dubious scheme to flip their state ’ s electors to vote for President Donald Trump .
Their comments effectively shut down a half-baked plot some Republicans floated as a last chance to keep Trump in the White House .
State GOP lawmakers in Arizona , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin have all said they would not intervene in the selection of electors , who ultimately cast the votes that secure a candidate ’ s victory .
Such a move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the people , several noted .
“ I do not see , short of finding some type of fraud — which I haven ’ t heard of anything — I don ’ t see us in any serious way addressing a change in electors , ” said Rusty Bowers , Arizona ’ s Republican House speaker , who says he ’ s been inundated with emails pleading for the legislature to intervene .
“ They are mandated by statute to choose according to the vote of the people.
” The idea loosely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular vote wins in their states and opting to select Trump electors .
While the endgame was unclear , it appeared to hinge on the expectation that a conservative-leaning Supreme Court would settle any dispute over the move .
The theory is rooted in the fact that the U.S. Constitution grants state legislatures the power to decide how electors are chosen .
Each state already has passed laws that delegate this power to voters and appoint electors for whichever candidate wins the state on Election Day .
The only opportunity for a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a provision in federal law allowing it if the actual election “ fails.
” If the result of the election was unclear in mid-December , at the deadline for naming electors , Republican-controlled legislatures in those states could declare that Trump won and appoint electors supporting him .
Or so the theory goes .
The problem , legal experts note , is that the result of the election is not in any way unclear .
Biden won all the states at issue .
It ’ s hard to argue the election “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Homeland Security reported it was not tampered with and was “ the most secure in American history.
” There has been no finding of widespread fraud or problems in the vote count , which shows Biden leading Trump by more than 5 million votes nationally .
Trump ’ s campaign and its allies have filed lawsuits that aim to delay the certification and potentially provide evidence for a failed election .
But so far , Trump and Republicans have had meager success — at least 10 of the lawsuits have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days since the election .
The most significant that remain ask courts to prevent Michigan and Pennsylvania from certifying Biden as the winner of their elections .
“ It would take the most unjustified and bizarre intervention by courts that this country has ever seen , ” said Danielle Lang of the Campaign Legal Center .
“ I haven ’ t seen anything in any of those lawsuits that has any kind of merit — let alone enough to delay appointing electors.
” Even if Trump won a single court fight , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the final arbiter of whether to accept electors submitted by Republican legislatures .
If the Democratic-controlled House and GOP-controlled Senate could not agree on which electors to accept and who becomes president , the presidency would pass to the next person in the line of succession at the end of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence ’ s term on Jan. 20 .
That would be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a Democrat .
But unfounded claims about fraud and corruption have been circulating widely in conservative circles since Biden won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state lawmakers should invalidate the official results , GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said , “ Everything should be on the table.
” DeSantis urged Pennsylvania and Michigan residents to call state lawmakers and urge them to intervene .
“ Under Article 2 of the Constitution , presidential electors are done by the legislatures and the schemes they create and the framework .
And if there ’ s departure from that , if they ’ re not following the law , if they ’ re ignoring law , then they can provide remedies as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers , however , appear to be holding steady .
“ The Pennsylvania General Assembly does not have and will not have a hand in choosing the state ’ s presidential electors or in deciding the outcome of the presidential election , ” top Republican legislative leaders , state Sen. Jake Corman , and Rep. Kerry Benninghoff , wrote in an October op-ed .
Their offices said Friday they stand by the statement .
In Michigan , legislative leaders say any intervention would be against state law .
Even though the GOP-controlled legislature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Mike Shirkey told radio station WJR on Friday , “ It is not the expectation that our analysis will result in any change in the outcome .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Republican leaders in four critical states won by President-elect Joe Biden say they won’t participate in a legally dubious scheme to flip their state’s electors to vote for President Donald Trump. Their comments effectively shut down a half-baked plot some Republicans floated as a last chance to keep Trump in the White House.
State GOP lawmakers in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin have all said they would not intervene in the selection of electors, who ultimately cast the votes that secure a candidate’s victory. Such a move would violate state law and a vote of the people, several noted.
Advertisement
Scroll down or click here for the latest updates from HuffPost’s election live blog
“I do not see, short of finding some type of fraud — which I haven’t heard of anything — I don’t see us in any serious way addressing a change in electors,” said Rusty Bowers, Arizona’s Republican House speaker, who says he’s been inundated with emails pleading for the legislature to intervene. “They are mandated by statute to choose according to the vote of the people.”
The idea loosely involves GOP-controlled legislatures dismissing Biden’s popular vote wins in their states and opting to select Trump electors. While the endgame was unclear, it appeared to hinge on the expectation that a conservative-leaning Supreme Court would settle any dispute over the move.
Still, it has been promoted by Trump allies, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and is an example of misleading information and false claims fueling skepticism among Trump supporters about the integrity of the vote.
The theory is rooted in the fact that the U.S. Constitution grants state legislatures the power to decide how electors are chosen. Each state already has passed laws that delegate this power to voters and appoint electors for whichever candidate wins the state on Election Day. The only opportunity for a state legislature to then get involved with electors is a provision in federal law allowing it if the actual election “fails.”
Advertisement
If the result of the election was unclear in mid-December, at the deadline for naming electors, Republican-controlled legislatures in those states could declare that Trump won and appoint electors supporting him. Or so the theory goes.
The problem, legal experts note, is that the result of the election is not in any way unclear. Biden won all the states at issue. It’s hard to argue the election “failed” when Trump’s own Department of Homeland Security reported it was not tampered with and was “the most secure in American history.” There has been no finding of widespread fraud or problems in the vote count, which shows Biden leading Trump by more than 5 million votes nationally.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump’s campaign and its allies have filed lawsuits that aim to delay the certification and potentially provide evidence for a failed election. But so far, Trump and Republicans have had meager success — at least 10 of the lawsuits have been rejected by the courts in the 10 days since the election. The most significant that remain ask courts to prevent Michigan and Pennsylvania from certifying Biden as the winner of their elections.
But legal experts say it’s impossible for courts to ultimately stop those states from app
ointing electors by the December deadline.
“It would take the most unjustified and bizarre intervention by courts that this country has ever seen,” said Danielle Lang of the Campaign Legal Center. “I haven’t seen anything in any of those lawsuits that has any kind of merit — let alone enough to delay appointing electors.”
Advertisement
Even if Trump won a single court fight, there’s another major roadblock: Congress would be the final arbiter of whether to accept electors submitted by Republican legislatures. If the Democratic-controlled House and GOP-controlled Senate could not agree on which electors to accept and who becomes president, the presidency would pass to the next person in the line of succession at the end of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence’s term on Jan. 20. That would be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat.
“If this is a strategy, I don’t think it will be successful,” said Edward Foley, a constitutional law professor at Ohio State University. “I think we’re in the realm of fantasy here.”
But unfounded claims about fraud and corruption have been circulating widely in conservative circles since Biden won the election. Asked this week if state lawmakers should invalidate the official results, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said, “Everything should be on the table.”
DeSantis urged Pennsylvania and Michigan residents to call state lawmakers and urge them to intervene. “Under Article 2 of the Constitution, presidential electors are done by the legislatures and the schemes they create and the framework. And if there’s departure from that, if they’re not following the law, if they’re ignoring law, then they can provide remedies as well,” he said.
Republican lawmakers, however, appear to be holding steady. “The Pennsylvania General Assembly does not have and will not have a hand in choosing the state’s presidential electors or in deciding the outcome of the presidential election,” top Republican legislative leaders, state Sen. Jake Corman, and Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, wrote in an October op-ed. Their offices said Friday they stand by the statement.
Advertisement
The Republican leader of Wisconsin’s Assembly, Robin Vos, has long dismissed the idea, and his spokesperson, Kit Beyer, said he stood by that position on Thursday.
In Michigan, legislative leaders say any intervention would be against state law. Even though the GOP-controlled legislature is investigating the election, state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey told radio station WJR on Friday, “It is not the expectation that our analysis will result in any change in the outcome.”
___
Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., David Eggert in Lansing, Mich., Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pa., Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston and Deb Riechmann in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
Read live updates on the election below. (Note: An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog, so if you’re using one, please pause or turn it off.)