NC Republicans Move To Limit Democrat Governor’s Power Over Elections After Likely Losing Supermajority

By: Breccan F. Thies November 23, 2024

Republican state legislators in North Carolina are moving quickly to pass measures to restrict Democrat power over elections after likely losing its veto-proof majority in the state House.

While Republicans will maintain control of both the House and Senate in North Carolina,if election results remain where they are, the party is one seat shy of its veto-proof majority in the House. Additionally, Gov.-elect Josh Stein looks poised to be able to exercise more authority than his Democrat predecessor, Gov. Roy Cooper.

Both chambers passed a bill that would weaken the governor’s ability to oversee elections, in particulartransferring the power of the governor to appoint members of the currently Democrat-run North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) to the state auditor, Republican Dave Boliek.

“The agility of the General Assembly was demonstrated this week as they passed important legislation,placing the state auditor in an oversight role over the state board of elections,” Jim Womack, president of the North Carolina Election Integrity Team (NCEIT), told The Federalist. “This puts the auditor in a good position to conduct an audit of our elections for the first time in history. That should encourage voters. “

Under the bill, the NCSBE would remain an independent agency, but budgeting and appointments would rest under the authority of the state auditor’s office. According to NC Newsline, NCSBE spokesman Patrick Gannon explained the partisan divide on the board would change hands to Republican control, saying, “It would result in a 3-2 Republican split.” The auditor’s office would also be able to appoint the chairs of the 100 county boards of elections as well.

The measure would also make significant changes to absentee voting by enacting more robust security measures for mail-in ballots. Right now, voters who fail to affix a signature to an absentee ballot or who do not have the address of a witness can provide that information up to one week after Election Day. Voters who do not show up with identification also have a long time to prove identity. The new security measures would allow for two and a half days to fix the issues.

Those measures come after the state’s Supreme Court race, which saw the Republican challenger up by 10,000 votes on Election Day but flip in the incumbent Democrat’s favor by just a couple hundred votes well after Election Day. Those votes came from absentee and provisional ballots, and are being officially protested by groups and candidates.

The new law would also limit the amount of time boards of elections can count absentee and provisional ballots. Absentee votes would need to be counted on election night and provisional could be counted up to three days later.

The bill will now head to Cooper’s desk, where he is expected to veto. But a veto override vote would likely happen early December, as one of the outgoing acts of the supermajority.

https://thefederalist.com/2024/11/23/nc-republicans-move-to-limit-democrat-governors-power-over-elections-after-likely-losing-supermajority/

‘No Idea Who Voted’: GA County Official Says She Was Forced To Certify Election Without Crucial Docs 1/2

By: Brianna Lyman November 25, 2024

‘The thing missing was clearly the most important thing.’

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On Nov. 12, the Fulton County Board of Registration and Election (FCBRE) certified the results of the 2024 election.Except no one knows with certainty if the results were actually accurate because crucial data was withheld, according to a member of the board.

President-elect Donald Trump won the Peach State but lost Fulton County to Vice President Kamala Harris by 240,097 votes.The results were then certified on Nov. 12, but board members, who are considered the superintendents of elections, weren’t given access to all the requested election-related documentation, FCBRE member Julie Adams told The Federalist.

=“I, along with all my board members, did not receive the Numbered List of Electors (the actual names along with their voter register numbers, by precinct and by the method in which they voted) or a list of the number of votes cast, by precinct or by vote method,” Adams said. “So, I have no idea who voted and the votes cast.”

The Numbered List of Electors and the Cast Votes Records, which shows the number of votes cast by precinct and vote method, is required for board members, like Adams, to ensure that there were not more votes cast than voters who voted. It’s a basic process known as reconciliation that happens before certification.

Nonetheless, Adams, along with the other board members, were forced to certify the results of the election. Fulton County Superior Judge Robert McBurney ruled in October that election superintendents may not “refuse to certify or abstain from certifying election results under any circumstance” even if there is a “non-sensical result.”

McBurney agreed that “If … an election superintendent (or member of a board of elections and registration) determines a need for election information from the staff of the superintendent’s office (or of the board), that information, if not protected from disclosure by law, regulation, or rule, should be promptly provided.”

Nonetheless, McBurney ruled the certification deadline could not be ignored due to any delays in access to the election-related material.

Adams explained that she was given the ability to view certain election-related documentation on the Friday and Tuesday after Election Day but that it wasn’t enough time to “analyze data for the largest county in Georgia.” Adams said she was only permitted to write down the data she was reviewing, but wasn’t permitted to take photos, or have copies of her own or receive anything electronically.

“And we never had the completed Numbered List of Electors or the Numbered List of Votes Cast, both by precinct and by vote method. The thing missing was clearly the most important thing,” Adams said. “We didn’t have anything, including the Numbered List of Absentee Voters (which includes mail-in and [overseas ballots].”

https://thefederalist.com/2024/11/25/no-idea-who-voted-ga-county-official-says-she-was-forced-to-certify-election-without-crucial-docs/

>>22056018

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Adams says the election director, Nadine Williams, is in charge of providing the documents to board members but that there was a delay in producing the reports because the board had to adjudicate more than 8,000 ballots that failed to credit qualified write-in candidates. Adams says she repeatedly asked Williams about the status of the documents she requested but ultimately never received them.

Williams did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Adams says she feared that not voting “yes” on certification could lead her to face “criminal charges” or “lawsuits.” Adams was previously threatened by the Democrat Party of Georgia in March after she refused to rubber-stamp the results of the presidential preference primary without getting election-related documents. Adams filed a suit in May in response, seeking clarification about whether her role is discretionary — meaning she and other members should only certify the results if they are confident the election was administered in accordance with the law — rather than ministerial — meaning members must rubber-stamp the results regardless of any concerns.

“I was warring with my thoughts,” Adams said about her thoughts when voting “yes” to certify. “First I was thinking: ‘Couldn’t I be held legally liable for a vote either way? I have a court order that says I have to say ‘Yes,’ but I have an oath that says ‘I will make a true and perfect return.’ I am in legal jeopardy no matter what I do. It is a very uncomfortable feeling: I am on a voluntary board and am risking legal jeopardy.”

And for Adams, it’s not about who won — it’s how they won.

“My president won; I want to go on the record that I proudly voted for President [Donald] Trump. I would have questioned and wanted to verify the results no matter who won,” Adams said. “My focus is for Fulton County Elections to be free, fair, and transparent. And despite President Trump winning, I still have questions about elections being free, fair and transparent. They haven’t been transparent to me, as a member of the board of elections. Clearly they haven’t been transparent to voters and candidates.”

Just this past May the State Election Board reprimanded the county for violating election law in 2020 after it was discovered the county double-scanned more than 3,000 ballots during the 2020 recount. Two Republican members of the FCBRE did not vote to certify the results, as noted by The Federalist’s Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway in her best-seller Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections.

The county also failed to count 1,326 votes during the 2022 primary, resulting in the county having to re-certify the results after discovering the discrepancy, according to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

https://thefederalist.com/2024/11/25/no-idea-who-voted-ga-county-official-says-she-was-forced-to-certify-election-without-crucial-docs/

Scoop: Trump likely to tap loyalist Kash Patel for top FBI or DOJ post

(Axios are rumor mongers to get the left stirred upto create problems for Kash. Grain of Salt) 3 hours ago Zachary Basu, Mike Allen

President-elect Trump is expected to appoint ultra loyalist Kash Patel to a high-profile position at either the FBI or the Justice Department, top transition sources tell Axios.

Why it matters:Patel would be a deeply controversial pick for any leadership role, especially FBI director. Given the hurdles Patel might face winning Senate confirmation, Trump is considering naming him deputy director or to an appointed investigative role within DOJ, the sources said.

State of play:A final decision hasn't been made. Trump still could change his mind, including by elevating Patel all the way to FBI director — a move that would send Gaetz-like shockwaves throughout Washington.

• "Kash has a lot of allies who think placing him in a top role would be well-received by the Trump base, and send a clear message that Trump is serious about major reform to the justice and law-enforcement agencies," a transition source told Axios.

• Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also is being considered for FBI director after Trump chose Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. But a consensus pick hasn't emerged.

What they're saying:"President-elect Trump has made brilliant decisions on who will serve in his second administration at lightning pace. Remaining decisions will continue to be announced by him when they are made," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Axios.

The big picture:Trump has signaled he will fire current FBI director Christopher Wray, whom he nominated in 2017 to serve a 10-year term after ousting James Comey.

• Trump has viewed the FBI with deep distrust dating back to the bureau's 2016 probe into his campaign's alleged ties to Russia, which later turned into the Mueller investigation.

• Trump sees the FBI and the Justice Department as the heart of the so-called "Deep State" — a cabal of bureaucrats that Trump believes sabotaged his first presidency — and is intent on rooting out non-loyalists in his second term.

Zoom in:Patel, who rose to prominence waging war against the Russia investigation as an aide to former Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), shares those aims.

• Patel served on Trump's National Security Council and later as chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, before publishing a book in 2023 that Trump praised as a "blueprint" for purging the government of "corrupt" actors.

• Patel has openly discussed retaliation against Trump's political enemies in government and media, and wrote in his book: "[T]he FBI has become so thoroughly compromised that it will remain a threat to the people unless drastic measures are taken."

• "No part of the FBI's mission is safe with Kash Patel in any position of leadership in the FBI, and certainly not in the deputy director's job," former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe told CNN last week.

Flashback:Former CIA director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in December 2020 after Trump concocted a plan to install Patel as her deputy, as Axios first reported.

Zoom out:Bailey is also a Trump loyalist, but his experience and traditional conservative credentials would likely pave a smoother path to confirmation by the Senate.

• As Missouri attorney general, Bailey has led high-profile lawsuits against the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness program and alleged censorship on social media.

• Bailey also sued the state of New York for alleged election interference and wrongful prosecution after Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts in his Manhattan hush-money case.

Between the lines:In a Cabinet stocked with a dizzying array of ideological rivals, the FBI has emerged as the final battleground in a fierce tug-of-war between MAGA and traditional Republicans.

• Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) was believed to be among the finalists for FBI director, before MAGA influencers intervened to kill his possible nomination.

• "Just spoke to President Trump regarding Mike Rogers going to the FBI. It's not happening — in his own words, "I have never even given it a thought," Trump aide Dan Scavino tweeted as the rebellion brewed last week.

https://www.axios.com/2024/11/25/fbi-director-kash-patel-trump

Weekly Brew: November 22, 2024

Nevada voters must approve two ballot measures again due to the state’s two-election requirement

Nevada voters approved Question 6 and Question 7 on November 5.

Question 6 would establish a state constitutional right to an abortion, and

Question 7 would establish voter ID requirements in the state. Voters will now see the exact same questions in 2026. If voters once again approve the measures, they will then become part of the state constitution.

In Nevada, citizen-initiated constitutional amendments—like Questions 6 and 7—must be approved in two successive general elections to be ratified. This is known as a two-election approval requirement. You can learn more about two-election approval for ballot measures at the link below.

How Trump compared to other statewide Republicans on the ballot in 2024

In Tuesday’s Brew,we took a look at split-ticket voting, also known as ticket splitting. Split-ticket voting occurs when voters choose candidates from different parties in a single election. For example, a voter may select a presidential candidate from one party and candidates from a different party for other elections.

In the 61 elections for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and U.S. Senate held this year,President-elect Donald Trump (R) received more votes than 40 other statewide Republican candidates and fewer votes than 21. Vice President Kamala Harris (D) received more votes than 36 Democratic candidates and fewer votes than 25.

Voters have addressed ballot measures on religion in public schools at least nine times in the past 100 years

Voters have decided on at least nine ballot measures related to religion in public schools over the past 100 years. The period of highest activity was between 1970 and 1972 when voters decided on four such measures. Topics included the Ten Commandments, the Bible, prayer and contemplation, religious clothing, excused absences for religious instruction, and students’ religious rights.

Projected margin-of-victory changes by state

According toelection returns as of Nov. 19, President-elect Donald Trump (R) has outperformed his 2020 margins in every state and the District of Columbia. These margins may shift as final vote counts are certified.

The five states with the largest swings toward Trump between 2020 and 2024 were New York (+11.4 percentage points), New Jersey (+10.1), Florida (+9.8), Massachusetts (+8.7), and California (+8.5). Of these, Trump won Florida, and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) won the rest.

https://ballotpedia.org/Weekly_Brew:_November_22,_2024?_wcsid=78B19FBC0EB6D0EB3E7911DD397C4214E93B182832304C47

November 25, 2024

Statement from President Joe Biden on $1 Trillion in Private Sector Investments Under the Biden-⁠Harris Administration

(The President is very proud of him fleecing America for boondoggle bullshit plans that funded his friends in Wall Street.)

When I took office, the pandemic was raging and the economy was reeling. From Day One, I was determined to not only deliver economic relief, but to invest in America and grow the economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down.

Over the last four years, that’s exactly what we’ve done. We passed legislation to rebuild our infrastructure, build a clean energy economy, and bring manufacturing back to the United States after decades of offshoring. Today I’m proud to announce my Investing in America agenda—the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act—has helped attract over $1 trillion in announced private-sector investments. These investments in industries of the future are ensuring the future is made in America, by American workers. And they’re creating opportunities in communities too often left behind.

Over 1.6 million construction and manufacturing jobs have been created over the last four years, and our investments are making America a leader in clean energy and semiconductor technologies that will protect our economic and national security, while expanding opportunities in red states and blue states.

Today, thanks to my Investing in America agenda, businesses around the world are investing in America—which is good news for American workers and American businesses—and we’re positioned to win the economic competition for the 21st century.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/11/25/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-1-trillion-in-private-sector-investments-under-the-biden-harris-administration/

ALWAYS LYING BIDAN