Minnesota Republicans Continue to Threaten Free and Fair Elections

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More than 8 months after the November 2020 election, Republicans are still trying to falsely claim that fraudulent activities took place. These accusations are bogus. And, they’re not holding up in court.

On Wednesday the Minnesota Supreme Court struck down Republican Donna Bergstrom’s election contest suit against DFLer Jen McEwen who won the race by a two-to-one margin. Bergstrom lost the race by more than the votes she received.

Chief Justice Lorie Gildea wrote that Bergstrom’s case is “simply too vague to warrant embarking upon the discovery and trial process she seeks.” This decision also determines that the MN Supreme Court won’t order widespread inspection of ballots, lists of eligible voters, and election materials unless evidence can be reasonably argued in court. As Republicans across the country have exaggerated election fraud claims to an extreme degree, this MN Supreme Court ruling draws a line for how far these accusations can go.

Continue reading “Minnesota Republicans Continue to Threaten Free and Fair Elections”

Biden administration offers plan for unused border wall funds

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Money would be used for border technology, cleanup of wall sites, schools for military personnel and more

The White House released a plan Friday to use unspent funds previously set aside by the Trump administration for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to repair damage caused by wall construction while returning other funds to the military.

In the report issued by the Office of Management and Budget, the departments of Homeland Security and Defense spelled out plans to redirect billions of dollars away from wall construction. 

Biden’s budget office also calls on Congress to “cancel any border barrier funds that remain at the end of the year so that these resources can instead be used for modern, privacy-protective, and effective border management measures like enhanced technology between points of entry and improved infrastructure at Land Ports of Entry.” Continue reading.

Trump Pressed Official to Wield Justice Dept. to Back Election Claims

The former president began pressuring his incoming acting attorney general even before announcing that his predecessor was stepping down, emails show.

WASHINGTON — An hour before President Donald J. Trump announced in December that William P. Barr would step down as attorney general, the president began pressuring Mr. Barr’s eventual replacement to have the Justice Department take up his false claims of election fraud.

Mr. Trump sent an email via his assistant to Jeffrey A. Rosen, the incoming acting attorney general, that contained documents purporting to show evidence of election fraud in northern Michigan — the same claims that a federal judge had thrown out a week earlier in a lawsuit filed by one of Mr. Trump’s personal lawyers.

Another email from Mr. Trump to Mr. Rosen followed two weeks later, again via the president’s assistant, that included a draft of a brief that Mr. Trump wanted the Justice Department to file to the Supreme Court. It argued, among other things, that state officials had used the pandemic to weaken election security and pave the way for widespread election fraud. Continue reading.

New report reveals how Trump’s 2020 lies unleashed waves of threat and intimidation against election official

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After the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman reported, on June 1, that former President Donald Trump believes he will be “reinstated” as president by August, many Trump critics — from liberals and progressives to Never Trump conservatives — warned that his delusions could inspire more attacks like the January 6 insurrection as well as an increase in threats against officials. The death threats, harassment and intimidation that election workers have been receiving from Trump supporters is the focus of in-depth article published by Reuters this week, and reporter Linda So shows that the abuse continues months after Trump’s departure from the White House.

In her report, So emphasizes that the election workers who have suffered ongoing abuse range from high-level officials such as Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (a conservative Republican) to low-level and mid-level election workers. Raffensperger, following the 2020 presidential election, infuriated Trump and his allies — including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and far-right attorneys Sidney Powell and Lin Wood — by maintaining that now-President Joe Biden won Georgia fairly and that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the state as Trump claimed. And Raffensperger, along with his wife Tricia Raffensperger, have been inundated with death threats ever since.

So reports that on April 5, Tricia Raffensperger received a text message saying that a family member was “going to have a very unfortunate incident” — and that message was followed by one in mid-April saying, “We plan for the death of you and your family every day.” Then, on April 24, she received a text message saying, “You and your family will be killed very slowly.” Continue reading.

Senate plans investigation of Trump DOJ seizure of House Democrats’ data

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Justice Department inspector general will also probe matter

The Senate Judiciary Committee is prepared to subpoena Trump administration Justice Department leaders if that’s what it takes to get answers about reports that the DOJ obtained metadata related to House members, including the Intelligence Committee chairman.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, who also chairs the Judiciary panel, said the committee would conduct a full review of the matter, which was first reported Thursday by The New York Times.

As part of a sweeping leak investigation, the DOJ used subpoenas to obtain information from Apple, including cellphone metadata for at least two House members: House Intelligence Chairman Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell, both California Democrats. Swalwell and Schiff both confirmed their records had been obtained. Continue reading.

YouTube suspends Ron Johnson for 7 days

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YouTube suspended Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) from posting videos on the platform for one week over his remarks touting unproven treatments for COVID-19.

The platform said it also removed a video from Johnson in line with its policies against COVID-19 misinformation. The video had highlighted Johnson’s remarks from a hearing where he discussed experimental treatments for COVID-19 like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

“We removed the video in accordance with our COVID-19 medical misinformation policies, which don’t allow content that encourages people to use Hydroxychloroquine or Ivermectin to treat or prevent the virus,” a YouTube spokesperson told The Hill. Continue reading.

AG Garland to double enforcement staff to protect voting rights

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Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday announced the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will double the number of enforcement staff dedicated to protecting the right to vote in the next 30 days. 

Why it matters: After an election fraught with baseless claims of fraud and a recent flurry of voter restriction bills in state legislatures, Garland underscored his dedication to protecting voting rights. He said the DOJ will “do everything in its power to prevent election fraud, and if found to vigorously prosecute” but will also scrutinize “new laws that seek to curb voter access.” 

  • “There are many things that are open to debate in America, but the right of all eligible citizens to vote is not one of them,” Garland said in his speech. “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. The right from which all other rights, ultimately flow.” Continue reading.

House unveils antitrust package to rein in tech giants

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A House antitrust panel on Friday unveiled a bipartisan agenda made up of five bills that would give regulators greater authority to rein in the power of tech giants.

The bills put forward by leaders of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee follow a blockbuster report released by the Judiciary panel last year alleging ways that Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Facebook abuse their market power. The report was approved on a party-line vote earlier this year. 

Each of the five bills unveiled on Friday includes a Republican co-sponsor. Continue reading.

Justice Department probes Trump DOJ targeting of media and Congress

Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Friday announced the opening of an internal probe into the department’s Trump-era secret subpoenas against Apple for data belonging to House Democrats and its seizure of phone records of journalists working for major media companies.

The state of play: The move comes after Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco requested that Horowitz open a review and calls from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for an investigation into the matter.

Of note: Following demands from Democratic congressional leaders for former Attorney General William Barr to testify about the leak probes, Barr on Friday said he did not recall getting briefed on the subpoenas, per Politico. Continue reading.

Chicago Cop Arrested In Jan. 6 Attack Allegedly Texted ‘We Inside The Capital LMFAO’

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Officer Karol J. Chwiesiuk allegedly breached the Capitol building, and told an acquaintance beforehand that he was going to D.C. to “f**k up some commies.”

Federal authorities arrested a Chicago police officer Friday morning for his alleged role in storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, when hundreds of supporters of former President Donald Trump attempted to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the presidential election. 

Chicago Police Department officer Karol J. Chwiesiuk appeared remotely before U.S. Judge Gabriel Fuentes on Friday. Chwiesiuk faces charges of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority.

In a press conference Friday, CPD Superintendent David Brown said Chwiesiuk had been on the force for two years, and has been placed on desk duty since his arrest. Continue reading.