Trump Says TAKE OVER Elections Ahead Of Midterms
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Donald Trump explicitly called for Republicans to 'take over' voting processes in multiple states, citing concerns about illegal voting and 'crooked' states.
- ❖Recent federal actions, such as the FBI seizing 2020 ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, and federal agents requesting voter rolls from states like Minnesota, are interpreted as aligned with Trump's call for election intervention.
- ❖The Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was present during the FBI's Fulton County ballot seizure and brokered a call between Trump and FBI agents, raising questions about her role and motivations.
- ❖Reports from Seymour Hersh detail proposals by Trump allies like Stephen Miller (using National Guard to disrupt midterms) and John Eastman (delaying/refusing electoral votes in Democratic states) to influence election outcomes.
- ❖A Georgia state law, passed post-2020, enables the Republican-dominated legislature to take control of county election boards if 'evidence of dysfunction' is found, potentially leveraging investigations like the Fulton County FBI raid.
- ❖The hosts suggest that controlling Fulton County elections, a major Democratic stronghold, could significantly depress Democratic votes and alter statewide results in Georgia.
Insights
1Trump's Call for Election Takeover
Donald Trump publicly stated that Republicans should 'take over' voting processes in at least 15 places and 'nationalize' voting, alleging widespread illegal voting and 'crooked' states. He specifically mentioned Georgia, claiming he won states that officially showed he lost.
Trump's comments in a podcast appearance with Dan Bonino.
2Coordinated Federal Actions Related to Voter Data
The FBI seized all 2020 ballots from Fulton County, Georgia, a key area for 'Stop the Steal' conspiracies. Separately, Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota offering to withdraw federal agents from Minneapolis if the state handed over voter rolls, and the Department of Justice is suing over 20 states for their voter rolls.
FBI seizure in Fulton County, Pam Bondi's letter to Minnesota, DOJ lawsuits.
3Tulsi Gabbard's Controversial Role in Election Inquiry
Tulsi Gabbard, as Director of National Intelligence, was present during the FBI's Fulton County ballot seizure and brokered a call where Trump questioned and praised frontline FBI agents. Her office cited federal law allowing DNI to analyze election security intelligence for her presence, but hosts speculate her actions aim to raise her profile within MAGA.
Gabbard's presence in Atlanta, brokered call, DNI letter to Congress, host commentary.
4Proposed Schemes to Disrupt Elections
Reporting from Seymour Hersh indicates that Stephen Miller proposed using local National Guard troops to disrupt midterm elections in critical states. John Eastman, the disbarred lawyer, conceived a new scheme for a future presidential election where sympathetic election officials in Democratic-winning states would delay or refuse to submit electoral votes to reduce the number needed for a Republican victory.
Seymour Hersh's Substack article, host commentary on Miller and Eastman's plans.
5Georgia Law Facilitating State Takeover of County Elections
A Georgia state law, passed after the 2020 election, grants the Republican-dominated legislature the power to take control of county election boards if 'evidence of dysfunction' is found, even without proof of wrongdoing. This mechanism could be triggered by investigations like the FBI raid in Fulton County.
Greg Bluestein's reporting, Georgia state law details, host commentary.
Bottom Line
The Georgia state law allowing legislative takeover of county election boards based on 'evidence of dysfunction' provides a legal pathway for partisan control over local election administration, even without proven malfeasance.
This mechanism could be exploited to target heavily Democratic counties like Fulton County, potentially suppressing votes and altering statewide election outcomes by changing local election management.
Understanding this specific legal vulnerability allows for proactive legal challenges, public awareness campaigns, and monitoring of state election board appointments and actions in states with similar laws.
The reported schemes by Stephen Miller (National Guard disruption) and John Eastman (delaying/refusing electoral votes) reveal a continued focus on disrupting the certification process rather than just influencing votes.
These plans indicate a strategic shift towards exploiting procedural weaknesses and constitutional ambiguities in election certification, potentially leading to constitutional crises if implemented.
Legal and political strategists can focus on strengthening election certification processes, clarifying constitutional roles, and preparing for rapid legal responses to attempts to subvert vote submission or certification.
Lessons
- Monitor state legislative actions regarding election laws, particularly those granting state bodies increased control over local election administration.
- Pay close attention to federal agency activities (FBI, DOJ) related to election data and investigations in key electoral states, assessing their potential impact on local election processes.
- Educate oneself and others on the specific mechanisms and legal frameworks that could be leveraged to influence election outcomes, such as Georgia's state election board takeover law.
Quotes
"The Republicans should say, 'We want to take over. We should take over the voting the voting in at least many 15 places.' The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting."
"When you put it all together, Sager, I would say it paints a pretty disturbing picture."
"This is a way for her to get into his good graces. Not just good graces, but to re raise her profile within MAGA. This is a constant theme in the Trump White House is that when you need to get back into Trump's good graces, you satisfy and are willing to do the absolute craziest that nobody else is willing to touch."
Q&A
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