DOJ orders Pennsylvania county to change ballot practices after 'troubling' findings

Little Democrat Lady?

The presidential election is less than eight weeks away and all eyes are on battleground states like Pennsylvania. Board of Elections officials there are anticipating at least 50 percent of voters will vote by mail.

The Justice Department sent a letter to a Pennsylvania county on Thursday, ordering it to change its practices after multiple military ballots were found discarded.

The issue surfaced earlier in the day when the DOJ announced that it had recovered a small number of discarded ballots. While the Justice Department would not say where they had found the ballots, they did say there were nine recovered -- seven of which were cast for President Trump, while the other two were sealed by Luzerne County before the FBI recovered them,

In his letter to Luzerne County officials, U.S. attorney David Freed indicated that additional ballot materials were found in a dumpster. Freed said their investigation yielded "troubling" findings, including that the county allegedly improperly opened ballots.

"Even though your staff has made some attempts to reconstitute certain of the improperly opened ballots, there is no guarantee that any of these votes will be counted in the general election. In addition, our investigation has revealed that all or nearly all envelopes received in the elections office were opened as a matter of course," Freed's letter read.

"It was explained to investigators the envelopes used for official overseas, military, absentee and mail-in ballot requests are so similar, that the staff believed that adhering to the protocol of preserving envelopes unopened would cause them to miss such ballot requests. Our interviews further revealed that this issue was a problem in the primary election--therefore a known issue--and that the problem has not been corrected," he added.

"While the assigned investigators are continuing their work including reviewing additional discarded materials, it is imperative that the issues identified be corrected."

On Monday, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis requested the investigation, which involves cooperation with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Her office claims it opened an investigation after hearing about issues surrounding the ballots last week, on Sept. 17.

Freed said that in additon to the military ballots, "investigators recovered four (4) apparently official, bar-coded, absentee ballot envelopes that were empty. Two (2) of those envelopes had the completed attestations and signatures on the reverse side.  One (1) envelope with a handwritten return address was blank on the reverse side. The fourth empty envelope contains basic location information and the words “affirmation enclosed” on the reverse side."

The majority of the recovered materials, he said, were found in an outside dumpster.

In a statement provided to Fox News, Chief County Solicitor Romilda P. Crocamo said: "Luzerne County thanks the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police for quickly accepting our request and for their professional work in this matter. The County will continue to work in cooperation with the authorities throughout their review. Due to the fact that this is an ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate for the County to provide further comment at this time."

The incident touched on widespread concerns about election integrity amid social distancing restrictions that arose during the coronavirus. "It is the vital duty of government to ensure that every properly cast vote is counted," DOJ's release read.

Republicans have generally resisted calls for mail-in ballots due to concerns surrounding potential fraud and error. Democrats have pushed the mail-in alternative as a way to ensure voters can cast their ballots safely -- although Axios reported on Thursday that party leaders are increasingly pushing in-person voting.

That could be especially problematic for swing states like Pennsylvania, which Trump won by less than a percentage point.

Luzerne has been held up as an example of Trump's appeal to swing voters. He won the mid-state county after former President Obama won it during 2008 and 2012.

State election officials recently sounded the alarm that thousands of votes could be tossed out in November after a state Supreme Court ruling last week that "naked ballots" cannot be counted.

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The Court ruled that officials in the battleground state can reject mail-in ballots sent without a secrecy envelope, which prevents the poll workers from seeing how someone voted. The ruling rescinded previous guidance allowing counties to count "naked ballots," or those ballots not placed in the proper security envelope.

More than 100,000 ballots could be thrown out as a result of the decision, according to Lisa Deeley, the chair of the Philadelphia city commissioners. President Trump won Pennsylvania by just more than 44,000 votes during the 2016 election.

Fox News' Megan Henney contributed to this report.

 

Amid Kentucky unrest, AP poll shows public support for racial justice protests falling

 

A new poll shows support for protests like those engulfing Louisville following a grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case has fallen from a peak reached soon after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in May.

The survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 44% of Americans disapprove of protests in response to police violence against Black Americans, while 39% approve. In June, 54% approved of the protests

The survey was conducted before Wednesday’s announcement that a former Louisville police officer would be charged in the Taylor case, but not for her actual death.

Floyd's death had also sparked a renewed focus on the shooting that killed Taylor during a drug raid on the night of March 13.

“I was supportive back in June, but after seeing everything up until now, I’m almost dead against them,” said Dave Hipelious, 63, of New Lenox, Ill., who is a retired pipe fitter in the energy industry.

Hipelious, who is White, said his support for the protests soured when he saw violent unrest, arson and looting that marred the largely peaceful demonstrations following Floyd’s death.

“I was a pretty wild young man,” Hipelious said. “Every time the police stopped me, and every issue I had with them, I was completely in the wrong. I do believe they are doing their job right.”

The poll also found that 35% of White Americans approve of the protests now, while 50% disapprove. In June, 53% of White Americans approved of the protests while 34% disapproved.

Among Latinos, 31% approve, compared with 44% in June; 63% of Black Americans support the protests, down from 81%, with more now saying they neither approve nor disapprove.

Eighty-four percent of Black Americans, but just 42% of white Americans and 50% of Latinos, say police more often use deadly force against a Black person than a white person. Mewanwhile, 74% of Black Americans say the criminal justice system is too lenient when officers cause injury or death, 47% of white Americans and 50% of Latinos say the same.

Among Republicans, 75% say they disapprove of the protests, up from 56% in June. Just 9% approve, down from 29% then. And more Republicans now describe protests as mostly or all violent, 52% vs. 36%. Among Democrats, 70% approve, and close to half describe them as mostly or all peaceful. Still, roughly as many describe them as a mix of both.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

America Hating Rioter Cartoons

 

Texas Republican Gov. Abbott sued by GOP over early voting decision

What the Hell?

 

The Texas Republican Party filed a lawsuit against the state governor Wednesday, after Gov. Greg Abbott added six days to the early voting period in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Texas Constitution is not a document of convenient consultation,” said the lawsuit filed by Texas Republican Party Chairman, Allen West, along with other party members. “It is a steadfast, uninterrupted charter of governmental structure.”

The Texas GOP party is claiming that Abbott did not have the legal authority to change the early voting start date from Oct. 19 to Oct. 13., adding that he was acting like a “king” by unilaterally altering the dates.

"Governor Abbott seems to have forgotten that the Texas Constitution is not a document that he consults at his convenience," Jared Woodfill, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a statement to the Texas Tribune. "It is an uninterrupted charter of governmental structure that limits the Governor Abbott’s ability to act as a king."

The lawsuit argues that Abbott is required to consult any constitutional changes with the state Legislature.

Abbott argued in July that extending early voting would allow more voters the ability to safely vote during the Nov. 3 presidential election.

"As we respond to COVID-19, the State of Texas is focused on strategies that preserve Texans’ ability to vote in a way that also mitigates the spread of the virus," Abbott said in a July statement.  "By extending the early voting period and expanding the period in which mail-in ballots can be hand-delivered, Texans will have greater flexibility to cast their ballots, while at the same time protecting themselves and others from COVID-19."

But Republican lawmakers have also voiced their dismay of how Abbott has handled the coronavirus by initially shutting down “nonessential” businesses and enforcing mask mandates.

“Given the extraordinary circumstances Texans have faced over the past seven (7) months, it is shocking that Governor Abbott has continued to unilaterally suspend laws while refusing to convene the Texas Legislature,” the lawsuit said.

The Republican Party’s lawsuit comes at a time when Republican lawmakers across the nation are pushing for more measures to limit mail-in ballots and early voting.

“The more we expand the time, place, and manner that people can vote, the more opportunity there is for corruption,” West reportedly said in a statement earlier this week.

President Trump, along with other members of the Republican Party, have repeatedly claimed that mail-in voting is an unsafe form of voting that could allegedly lead to invalid election results – though they have yet to provide evidence to show that voting through the mail leads to an increase in fraudulent ballots casted.

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Millions of Americans typically vote by mail and avoid the polls on Election Day with more than 40 percent of Americans voting by mail in 2016 and 2012.

Abbott's office could not be immediately reached for comment.

Donald Trump Jr. condemns 'anarchy' in Louisville after officers shot amid Breonna Taylor protests (America Hating Rioters)

America Hating Rioters

 

Louisville, Ky., is the latest American city to see peaceful protests (America Hating Rioters) transform into violent riots and "anarchy," Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday during an appearance on “Hannity”

“There are peaceful protesters doing the right thing and I think that's wonderful," the president's eldest son told host Sean Hannity. "That's very American. But what's going on, when police officers are shot, when Democrat mayors are turning a blind eye, when they're more worried about protecting arsonists, vandals, looters and outright criminals than they are about the citizens of these towns? It is absolutely disgusting.”

Trump Jr. agreed the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor by Louisville Metro Police officers in March should have never happened. However, he continued, when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has championed legislation banning so-called "no-knock" police raids, was attacked by demonstrators (America Hating Rioters) in Washington last month -- and when trucks are "showing up" in Louisville "with supplies, you start to realize that this isn’t an organic, peaceful protest gone wrong. This is anarchy."

The president's son added that he condemned “in all ways, shape and form what's going on to the police officers who are just out there serving" and noted that the vast majority of U.S. police officers have also condemned police brutality against Black Americans. He then argued that the unrest in Louisville on Wednesday was the latest effort by rioters and Democrats to destroy America.

“When a grand jury in an impartial process doesn't give them the answer they want, [they think] they can burn down cities and states ... ," he said. "You think that if Joe Biden wins, you think that problem's going to go away, or you think it's going to embolden these criminals? I think it emboldens them."

Trump blasts ballots when asked about election aftermath: 'The ballots are a disaster'

Tired.

President Trump on Wednesday told reporters he would have to “see what happens” with election results before committing to a peaceful transfer of power.

After a reporter asked the president: “Win, lose or draw in this election, will you commit here today for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?” Trumped deferred, repeating his claim that mail-in voting could lead to widespread voter fraud.

“We're going to have to see what happens," Trump said during the White House news conference. "You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster."

The reporter, Brian Karem of Playboy, pressed the president, noting the anti-police riots (America Hating Rioters) that have plagued some American cities over the summer.

“Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won't be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation,” Trump said, referring to mail-in ballots. “The ballots are out of control. You know it, and you know who knows it better than anyone else? The Democrats know it better than anyone else.”

Trump also stressed the need to quickly appoint his soon-to-be-announced pick to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court to avoid a four-four split on a potential election-related issue.

In July, Trump told Fox News’ Chris Wallace he wouldn’t commit to accepting the results of the 2020 election prematurely.

“I’m not going to just say yes, I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time, either,” he said.

Questioned about Trump’s comments, Democratic nominee Joe Biden rhetorically asked “What country are we in? He says he most irrational things.”

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, of Utah, also criticized the president’s words, writing in a tweet, “Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus. Any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable.”

Election experts do say that voting by mail is more susceptible to fraud than casting a ballot in person, but they’ve seen no evidence of widespread fraud or that absentee balloting favors Democrats. But the massive increase in absentee balloting places an extra burden on already stressed-out state and county election officials and on a U.S. Postal Service facing financial and manpower deficits.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

 

Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor protests; suspect in custody

 

Two police officers were shot in Louisville, Ky., on Wednesday night as protesters flocked to the streets to rally against the death of Breonna Taylor, authorities said.

Shortly after a police news conference, reports emerged on social media that a third police officer may have been injured.

The two police victims confirmed by authorities were being treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Interim Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Robert Schroeder said in a short news conference around 10 p.m. ET.

"One is alert and stable, the other officer is currently undergoing surgery and stable," Schroeder said, adding that one suspect was in custody. The suspect was not identified and potential charges were not available.

One officer was shot in the abdomen, below a bulletproof vest, while the other was shot in a thigh, sources told the Courier journal of Louisville.

Schroeder said the shootings happened at the intersection of First and Broadway. It was unclear whether the protests played a role in the shootings.

"I am very concerned about the safety of our officers," he told a reporter. "I think the safety of our officers and the community we serve is of utmost importance."

President Trump on Wednesday night tweeted he was "Praying for the two police officers that were shot tonight in Louisville, Kentucky. The Federal Government stands behind you and is ready to help. Spoke to @GovAndyBeshear and we are prepared to work together, immediately upon request!"

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted late Wednesday, "Our hearts go out to the two @LMPD officers who were shot. Please pray for them and their families, & pray for our city, and all who are in pain today. For anyone who is still out, please go home tonight. Violence doesn't get us closer to a fair, just and equitable city."

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also posted comments via video.

A third officer reportedly suffered minor injuries but wasn't shot, a reporter with WGCL-TV in Atlanta reported. The station reported that two civilians also were shot.

Demonstrators (America Hating Rioters) turned out in droves hours after a grand jury handed down charges against one of three officers involved in the March raid inside Taylor's apartment -- with none of the charges directly involving Taylor's death.

Police move after a Louisville Police officer was shot, Sept. 23, in Louisville, Ky. (Associated Press)

The local branch of the FBI said on Twitter that its SWAT team responded to an officer shooting and was assisting in the investigation.

A grand jury earlier in the day indicted one of the three officers who took part in the botched drug operation in Taylor's apartment, targeting a man who did not live there and who was already in custody.

Former Louisville Metro Police officer Brett Hankison has been booked and released on $15,000 bail on three counts of felony wanton endangerment. (Shelby County Detention Center)

The charges against former LMPD Officer Brett Hankison were for recklessly firing stray bullets that found their way into a neighboring family’s home. He was fired in June.

(America Hating) Civil rights attorney Ben Crump called the charges “outrageous and offensive to Breonna Taylor’s memory.”

“It’s yet another example of no accountability for the genocide of persons of color by white police officers,” he said in a joint statement with co-counsels Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker. “With all we know about Breonna Taylor’s killing, how could a fair and just system result in today’s decision?”

Protesters (America Hating Rioters) shouted slogans like “No justice, no peace” and criticized the charges in connection with Taylor’s death.

Photographs taken during the protests show tense confrontations between protesters (America Hating Rioters) and police after dark.

A fire burns in downtown Louisville, Ky., after a grand jury indicted one officer on criminal charges six months after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police.(Associated Press)

In one, police brandish firearms and clear out an intersection near where the officer was shot. In others, fires burn on the sidewalk.

TownHall reporter Julio Rosas shared video to Twitter that he said showed people trying to set fire to the courthouse’s boarded up windows.

Demonstrators (America Hating Rioters) were marching in other cities around the country, too, including New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

Police survey an area after a police officer was shot, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (Associated Press)

Taylor was shot and killed in the crossfire when her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, allegedly opened fire on police officers who entered her apartment March 13, according to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Walker has stated he believed the officers were intruders.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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