I'm not sure that it's true that the House and its delegated observers prevail over state legislatures in the manner of conducting elections.
Posted on 10/30/2022 9:41:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Determined to use their oversight authority to ensure election integrity, House Republicans are deploying dozens of trained observers to key races around the country while dispatching letters putting federal and state officials on notice to look for any shenanigans in the midterms.
The effort led by Rep. Rodney Davis, the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, includes investigating how federal agencies are implementing President Joe Biden's executive order instructing the U.S. government to expand voter registration, along with the training and deployment of House staff as observers under the authority of Congress.
Davis wrote at least one state election chief that the effort preserves the right for a candidate who feels his race was wrongly counted to contest it in Congress.
"As in past elections, the House will use this legal authority to credential and deploy trained congressional staffers to serve as official House election observers in close, or particularly cumbersome congressional elections, in the coming weeks," the Illinois Republican wrote Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose on Oct. 20, laying out his plans. "This allows us to prepare for the possibility that a candidate could later contest the race in the House of Representatives.
"The Committee takes seriously its responsibility regarding federal elections, and we are committed to making sure all lawful ballots in congressional races are counted fairly, accurately, and according to law."
Davis wrote that House staffers who will deployed have been "trained by experts in election observation and instructed that they play no formal or advocacy role in the administration of the election or the vote counting process; they are to function exclusively as observers."
The congressional observers, Davis emphasized, may not be denied access to voting sites.
"The House's constitutional authority in this area supersedes state law, and House observers operate solely under this authority and must be granted access to view the process even if state law credentialing, partisan quota, or access requirements exist to the contrary," he wrote.
The House Administration Committee has long held oversight responsibility for federal elections, and congressional staff have been deployed as observers in past elections.
But House Republicans say the 2022 project is the most comprehensive oversight effort in recent memory, with Davis' general counsel Caleb Hays playing a key coordinating role organizing and following up on investigative requests.
In addition to the observers, Davis and other ranking Republicans on committees have been peppering state, local and federal agencies with questions about tactics they are using and disputes that have already arisen early in the midterms.
For instance, Davis sent Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton a letter Wednesday demanding an investigation into voter registration mailers sent out by Planned Parenthood and Democrat candidate for governor Beto O'Rourke that he said might not have complied with state law.
"It is deeply troubling that Planned Parenthood and Mr. O'Rourke's campaign sent voter registration forms that may not conform to state law to individuals who, in some cases, have been deceased for over a decade," Davis wrote. "It goes without saying: Situations like this have a negative effect on voter confidence at a time we can least afford it. Texas voters must be assured not only that their vote will count, but that all — and only — legal votes will be counted.
"I understand you have launched your Election Integrity Division to investigate instances like this, and I encourage you to direct them to pursue this with all due haste."
Likewise, earlier this month Davis sent a letter to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold asking to be briefed on an investigation into how voter registration notices were sent out to 30,000 non-citizens who aren't legally allowed to cast ballots.
"As you know, situations like this have a negative effect on voter confidence in elections at a time we can least afford it," the Illinois lawmaker wrote. "Colorado must ensure that its voter registration lists are well-maintained and accurate and hold itself to the highest standards for all registration notices. The fact that roughly 30,000 names and addresses 'accidentally' slipped through the process is deeply concerning."
The effort stretches all the way back to the spring, when House Administration Committee Republicans were flabbergasted by what they witnessed at Atlanta voting centers in Fulton County during the spring primaries. Davis said the problem observed, including polling locations that could not operate at full capacity, "do real damage to voter confidence in our election systems and outcomes at a time when we can least afford it."
"I write today to express my concern about information my staff received during their trip regarding last minute security and other software updates that were made to the county's electronic pollbooks (EPBs), which caused polling locations to open at less-than-full capacity, and request an explanation on how you will ensure that all of the county's devices will be updated in time for the polls to open in November, specifically ensuring that minority and majority polling locations are not disproportionately affected," Davis wrote the chairwoman of the Fulton County Elections Board on June 3.
Davis and other GOP colleagues in the House have also been investigating how federal agencies have been responding to Biden's executive order to use tax dollars to expand voter registration across the country.
Rep. Glenn Thompson (Pa.), the top Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, was able to confirm that the U.S. Agriculture Department is helping collect voter registrations when poor Americans seek food stamps and other welfare benefits.
USDA believes the National Voter Registration Act 1993 requires it "to offer voter registration opportunities to any person who applies for or renews an application for public assistance, which includes the acceptance of the completed voter registration form and transmittal to State election officials," the agency wrote recently.
Davis wrote several agencies this summer expressing concern that Biden's order to agencies "goes beyond the power of the President and the statutory authority given to federal agencies" by Congress and digging into the tactics they are using to encourage voter registration.
As elected Judge of Elections I welcome properly certified “poll watchers” to stay within their area and obey all the laws concerning their conduct.
(R) or (D).
Accountability is healthy.
I wonder how much tax payer money the Dems will be paying government agencies to make a Republican win look fraudulent?
You mean election denier? No way.
I can think of 6 Counties that need to be brought to heel.
Natalie Winters is cuter....
I’m a Florida resident and DeSantis has quietly been going about securing the elections here. He’s purged a few of the crooked officials in Broward county where a lot of the fraud was happening. The ones that concern me are democrat states or states like Georgia with RINO governors like Kemp. There’s not much we can do to make sure their elections are legit other than watch them like a hawk. Even then, if fraud is spotted the media and democrat state officials will cover it up.
But people actually monitoring elections is an existential threat to Democrats, I mean, to democracy!!
Who would believe that any R would have the balls to cheat?
Virginia GOP had something like 90-95 percent of poll watcher posts filled. It mattered. If you recall, early evening dems tried to claim they had another batch of votes in NOVA on a data stick and GOP poll watchers stepped in; too find it had already been tallied. dims said "oops" just an honest mistake, when everyone damn well knew it was not.
If the voters turn congress to R the Dems will drag it to the Supreme Court. Betcha
“to look for any shenanigans in the midterms”
Yeh,
And no Jao Malarky either...
At least.
There were indications that some Ky. Counties had some shenanigans in favor of Ditch.
“The ones that concern me are democrat states or states like Georgia with RINO governors like Kemp.”
That’s why it is so important for Mastriano to win in PA. Shapiro is a proven election thief - as governor, he would never let a Republican win ever again.
The catch 22 is, in order for a Governor Mastriano to clean up PA in time for 2024, we need to somehow keep them from stealing 2022 - and guess who’s in charge of rigging PA elections: Shapiro.
So, what happens, when the congressional observers are denied access to voting sites?
Certainly possible.
I have zero doubt that the Illinois party in its hay day would.
Do you recall what Lincoln did during the Maryland referendum on Secession? But perhaps that proves your point.
My second pick would be the old Philly Republican Machine.
Today, Turtle likely would do whatever it takes to keep his party in power. That said, the Congressional Republicans belong to a slightly different tribe which is not fully under his control.
Excellent!
I'm not sure that it's true that the House and its delegated observers prevail over state legislatures in the manner of conducting elections.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.