[UPDATE: Several readers objected to my use of the phrase ‘voter fraud.’ My reply (in comments below) to the first objector acknowledged this criticism: It’s true that the 9th CD dispute doesn’t fit the Republican definition of “voter fraud,” which is tailored to justify well-worn methods of voter suppression of Democratic constituencies. Many publications, websites, and political figures — and several of the links I posted — use the phrase in a broader sense. But I appreciate your concern with precision. I’ll adjust my posts and comments in the future to reflect the useful distinction your comment references. Thank you — and the other folks who objected to my language. ]
As additional evidence of voter fraud surfaces every day, Republicans want to call off the investigations and declare the GOP candidate the winner.
Republican Congressional candidate Mark Harris doesn’t deny that there was voter fraud committed on his behalf by folks on his payroll.
But so far, there is evidence of only “something over 500” ballots compromised. Since Harris leads in the unofficial vote count by 905, he should be declared the winner without any further scrutiny of the matter.
“… I support any efforts to investigate allegations of irregularities and/or voter fraud, as long as it is fair and focuses on all political parties. But to date, there is absolutely no public evidence that there are enough ballots in question to affect the outcome of this race. Accordingly, the Board should act immediately to certify the race while continuing to conduct their investigation.”
Cheating is okay if they haven’t yet proved – that is, by the time votes have been tabulated – that you stole more votes than your margin of ‘victory.’
Here’s what we know, so far:
There is evidence of voter fraud in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. The elections board has refused to certify the results. (Evidence of skullduggery, including the chart posted above, at the link.)
The fraud was committed by McCrae Dowless, who has past criminal convictions for “fraud, perjury, and passing bad checks; in one case, he was accused of forging insurance documents to collect a life-insurance policy on a former employee.”
Dowless was hired by the Red Dome Group (campaign consultants), who were employed by the Harris campaign for services rendered, including: “Reimbursement Payment for Bladen Absentee” and “Reimbursement Door to Door.”
Democratic candidate Dan McCready has taken back his concession.
Republican officials were warned in May, after the primary, of “ballot stuffers in Bladen,” one of two counties with “irregularities.”
Voter fraud – almost, but not completely, nonexistent in this country – is a favorite theme of Republicans. But not this time.
The North Carolina Republican Party has followed Harris’s lead: if it can’t be proven that the Harris campaign stole more votes than his unofficial lead over McCready, then officials should declare Harris the winner – and stop the whining.
Harris, a “pastor turned politician,” is a favorite of the religious right. Of course.
Another pastor weighed in on the race:
“A person like Mark is once again the beneficiary of the racist policies of voter suppression and gerrymandering,” said the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a prominent North Carolina pastor and a longtime former leader of the state’s N.A.A.C.P.
That’s right. Credit Harris’s small lead not just to voter fraud, but to illegally gerrymandered district boundaries.
This is a case study of Republican contempt for democratic norms and majority rule.