Georgia's Election Controversy Continues
Georgia, a state that was the center of election misinformation, questionable results, incomplete audits, and a surprising narrow victory by Joe Biden in 2020, seems to be in the spotlight again. The focus this time is on Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger.
Brad Raffensperger's Fundraising Effort
The issue was brought to light by Kylie Jane Kremer through a series of posts. According to Kremer, Raffensperger sent a private email to a list of trial lawyers across Georgia, soliciting $5 million by November 1st to aid his effort for a 501(c)4 called "Election Defense Fund". He requested lawyers to donate or contact him via his private Gmail account and personal cell phone number.
In the email, Raffensperger expressed his concern over the increasing anger of election deniers and conspiracy theorists. He claimed they were resorting to intimidation, legal challenges, and rule changes, and had threatened, harassed, and sued election officials in Georgia. He also mentioned that the Georgia State Election Board was taken over by three individuals who prioritized partisanship over their sworn duty.
Raffensperger's Intimidation Tactics
Raffensperger seems to be targeting, and possibly intimidating, the three Republican members of Georgia’s five-person State Election Board, Dr. Janice Johnston, Rick Jeffares, and Janelle King. He also appears to be trying to silence anyone who might challenge the outcome of Georgia’s 2024 presidential election.
On September 20th, Johnston, Jeffares, and King voted in favor of requiring a hand count of all ballots to ensure that the number of physical ballots equaled the machine count total at the precinct level. This new rule was opposed by Georgia state elections officials, including Raffensperger, who claimed it could create chaos and confusion on Election Day.
Raffensperger's Opposition to Rule Changes
Before the State Election Board's vote, Raffensperger issued a formal statement, arguing that last-minute changes in election procedures outside of the legislative process would undermine voter confidence and burden election workers. He also claimed that the State Election Board's misguided attempts would delay election results and undermine chain of custody safeguards.
Despite the opposition from Raffensperger, the move by the three Georgia Republicans had the support of President Trump. However, lawsuits were immediately filed, and on October 16th, a Georgia court blocked the rule changes, declaring them "illegal, unconstitutional, and void."
Georgia's GOP Chairman's Response
Josh McKoon, Georgia's GOP Chairman, confirmed the existence of the email in a post. He stated that Raffensperger's email was a dangerous and unwarranted attack on sworn elections officials. He also accused Raffensperger of harassing and undermining public servants and soliciting $5 million for a secret, dark money fund "not subject to public disclosure" to threaten election officials.
Election Defense Fund
The website for the Election Defense Fund, which Raffensperger allegedly established for fundraising purposes, was found to be sparse. However, the language on the site matches what was said in the email. The site claims that contributions to the Election Defense Fund are confidential and not disclosed to the public, and are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
Concerns Over Georgia's Election Results
Raffensperger's attempt to silence anyone questioning Georgia’s election results seems particularly relevant after he recently stated on Face the Nation that voting results could be delayed for three additional days after the November 5th election. Given the extraordinarily slim margin in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election, these overseas votes could prove critical.
Coordination Beyond Georgia
It appears that the coordination extends beyond Raffensperger and Georgia to include other Secretaries of State in crucial battleground states. Michigan’s SoS Jocelyn Benson revealed during an appearance on the MeidasTouch podcast that a group of Secretaries of State are coordinating across state lines to push back on challenges to election certification.
Bottom Line
The controversy surrounding the 2020 election in Georgia, where Biden won by a narrow margin after an unexplained delay in vote counting, continues to cast a shadow over the state's election process. The recent revelations about Raffensperger's fundraising efforts and the coordination between Secretaries of State in battleground states further fuel these concerns.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think these actions could potentially impact future elections? Share this article with your friends and let us know your views. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6 pm.
