NC Gov Candidate Dan Forest asks Feds to investigate consent order
http://nsjonline.com/article/2020/09/forest-asks-feds-to-investigate-consent-order/
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest has requested U.S. Attorney General William Barr investigate the recent consent order regarding absentee ballot processing. Voting by absentee ballot is already underway in the state.
“I am formally requesting that the United States Department of Justice investigate the collusive attack on the integrity of North Carolina’s elections by the North Carolina State Board of Elections and the office of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein,” the opening of Forest’s letter reads.
The consent order, if approved, would effectively reverse legislation safeguarding absentee ballots, which was signed into law by Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and that has had wide bipartisan support. The order was negotiated between N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE) attorneys and plaintiffs represented by Democratic lawyer Marc Elias. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein was also involved. Elias was also the attorney who represented Cooper during the 2016 gubernatorial election recount.
The changes in the consent order would permit usage of “anonymous” outdoor absentee ballot drop boxes, eliminate the witness requirements for absentee ballots and draw out the time period for the state to receive absentee ballots to nine days beyond election day. Another change lets people returning ballots in person to bypassing logging their ballot in writing and instead allowing them to verbally give their information to election workers.
…
Forest closes the letter asking for a full investigation by the Department of Justice, as the consent order, if approved, will “no doubt impact the Presidential, Senatorial, and Congressional elections in North Carolina.”
“Further, I am requesting that the Department of Justice review whether this election interference necessitates federal intervention under the Guarantee Clause of Article IV, Section IV of the United States Constitution,” Forest says in closing.
…
The sitting congressman for the Ninth District, Republican Dan Bishop, also issued a statement asking for legal intervention.
“In the strongest terms, I urge the Trump Campaign and RNC to litigate without delay this abuse of power and attack on the separation of powers,” said Bishop. “In swing states across the country, Democrats are engaged in last-minute efforts, orchestrated by Elias, to throw the election into chaos. They must know they are going to lose.”
Late Wednesday evening, the two Republican members of the NCSBE, David Black of Cabarrus County and Ken Raymond of Forsyth County, tendered their resignations alleging that counsel had misled them about the consent order.
… more at link above