Mega-Thread: 2020 United States General Election

[Jastall]

Well, it's like I've been saying: the Republican party isn't a monolith. The reason they had such high turnout this year is that a bunch of Trump fanatics voted for the first time. Many of them weren't politically active until these last four years, and didn't even vote in 2016. Might be part of why so many seem to be ignorant when it comes to the election process.

These people aren't really interested in politics, and they're not interested in the establishment. They care about Trump and the various conspiracies he and his supporters spread. They voted Republican because Trump is on the ticket.

I certainly expected them to not care about any race Trump wasn't involved in, but I can't say I expected them to actively boycott.

Though, make no mistake, this is less a schism forming and more a threat. They are trying to pressure the Republicans into supporting Trump's coup because they know the Republicans need them to win elections.

Mainsteam Republicans will likely call the bluff in the end (or at least should) because while Trump is a turnout machine for the GoP, he's an even bigger one for the Democrats. Hence the guy winning in 2016 but losing in 2020. I don't think McConnel and his ilk need Trump, they need a Democrat candidate that they can smear more easily than literally the most harmless politician in America which they'll likely get in 2024 because Biden will be almost 82 by then and I honestly doubt he'll run again. If this election has proven one thing, it's that Republicans don't win via their own turnout, but by lowering their opponent's, and Trump gets in the way of that.

[solinari6]

Did she just say there were going to listen to 500 public comments, at 1 to 2 mins each?

[Levelfive]

Did she just say there were going to listen to 500 public comments, at 1 to 2 mins each?

Yep. Pretty sure the deadline is midnight tonight...

[beanman12345]

Lol so the PA state supreme court just affirmed the trump team losses on all the outstanding stuff before them AND overturned one of the trump team wins in PA so now the trump legal team has only won 1 thing in court instead of 2.

hahaha this is hilarious.

[xmirrors]

Lol so the PA state supreme court just affirmed the trump team losses on all the outstanding stuff before them AND overturned one of the trump team wins in PA so now the trump legal team has only won 1 thing in court instead of 2.

I've been busy with...well, work and stuff...so I've been out of the loop today. Does this include the appeal they made for the last failed lawsuit?

[Breccia]

And no evidence...

Trump's new motto.

Trump is apparently afraid that his legal team is full of fools that are making him look bad.

I mean...it's a valid fear. Clowns are scary, man.

- - - Updated - - -

so the PA state supreme court

Trump campaign suffers new court loss in attempt to block Biden’s win in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Monday dealt President Donald Trump’s campaign yet another legal loss, ruling that mail-in ballots cast in the state’s presidential election can be counted even if a voter failed to completely fill out the envelope.

The ruling comes on the heels of a federal judge’s decision in the state that dismissed the campaign’s request to block certification of votes expected to confirm a victory there for President-elect Joe Biden.

The campaign’s lawsuits were focused on the fewer than 9,000 absentee and mail-in ballots that the county elections board decided to count despite possible errors on the outer envelopes.

The Supreme Court noted that the campaign was not arguing that there was any evidence of fraud associated with these ballots.

“Here we conclude that while failures to include a handwritten name, address or date in the voter declaration on the back of the outer envelope, while constituting technical violations of the Election Code, do not warrant the wholesale disenfranchisement of thousands of Pennsylvania voters,” Justice Christine Donohue wrote in the judgment of the court.

[kaid]

I've been busy with...well, work and stuff...so I've been out of the loop today. Does this include the appeal they made for the last failed lawsuit?

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/11/pen...e-of-his-wins/

[Levelfive]

Now there's this one, too: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...71742383321089

NEW: Trump campaign has now filed in the Third Circuit what they call a "Motion to Submit Emergency TRO Motion with a 6,500 word limit."

[Ripster42]

I would really like to see some legitimate legal proceedings threatened, here.

These people threatening a dereliction of duty just to stroke Trump’s ego with no pushback but a sternly-waggled finger need to be given a reality check, enough to send a compelling message to any other spineless GOP certifiers in other states that think of delaying certification to actually do their friggin’ jobs.

The MI AG has already been making noise about it. I posted some links a few pages back.

[Belize]

Now there's this one, too: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...71742383321089

NEW: Trump campaign has now filed in the Third Circuit what they call a "Motion to Submit Emergency TRO Motion with a 6,500 word limit."

Wait. Who are they filing a TRO against...

[Ripster42]

Should be wrapped up tonight but it depends on just how much the Michigan GOP want to be prosecuted and lose their jobs.

It's over. They certified.

[kaid]

It's over. They certified.

so at this point pretty sure whatever goes on in WI does not matter if georgia, MI and later today PA certify. But regardless even georgia and MI certifying basically nixes any chance of trump even getting to 269.

[Levelfive]

Wait. Who are they filing a TRO against...

From the motion to submit: "Appellants Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. (“Campaign”) and two individual voters hereby move, pursuant to Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure 27(c) and 27(d)(2) and Local Rule 27.6, to submit an Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction Pending Appeal to Stay Effect of Certification and Expedited Briefing (“Emergency TRO Motion”), with a limit of 6,500 words, and in support thereof aver the following:"

https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-c...Document-1.pdf

And here's the link to their opening brief: https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-c..._Documents.pdf

[Ripster42]

so at this point pretty sure whatever goes on in WI does not matter if georgia, MI and later today PA certify. But regardless even georgia and MI certifying basically nixes any chance of trump even getting to 269.

Well, now there's discretion for an audit (they didn't have that discretion before certification), but essentially the results will stand unless the audit finishes before the EC votes IIRC.

[solinari6]

It's over. They certified.

Interesting that the one guy abstained instead of voting no. But listening to 400+ people rant for/against certifying seems kind of weird now?

[Benggaul]

Wait. Who are they filing a TRO against...

Yeah, a restraining order against people telling the truth, maybe?

[Breccia]

NEW: Trump campaign has now filed in the Third Circuit what they call a "Motion to Submit Emergency TRO Motion with a 6,500 word limit."

This action is of nationwide importance because of the consequences of flawed election processes in the election for the President of the United States in the Commonwealth, which could turn the election in favor of either candidate

-- the Trump campaign

That's all they have. A vague description, "flawed".

[kaid]

Wow the one idiot GOP member in MI abstained. Lol ultimate gutlessness.

[Thekri]

Wait. Who are they filing a TRO against...

Against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to prevent them from certifying their election results. So yes, Trump is trying to get a restraining order put on Pennsylvania. Which is funny, but doesn't mean exactly what it sounds like.

Out of interest of fair play, I decided to actually take the time to read through the opening brief submitted today, where Guiliani and co-conspirators outline their case. I don't want to get caught in the trap of just believing what other people are saying about it. Unsurprisingly, it was exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. I found this the most interesting part, which is at least enlightening on what they are trying to do, even though it is extremely unclear why they think this will work.

Third, the Court also misconstrued the remedy sought. The Campaign is not
seeking to disenfranchise 6.8 million Pennsylvanians. (Opinion, ECF 202 at 18, 32)
Rather, as explained in numerous filings, including the Renewed Injunction Motion
(ECF 183, at 2) and Renewed Injunction Motion Reply (ECF 198, at 24-25), the
Campaign only seeks to aside the defective mail ballots among 1.5 million cast in
the defendant Counties.5
The Campaign’s sought remedy is to examine a sample of
the mail ballots to determine the defective percentage and engage an expert to
calculate the overall defective number among the 1.5 million. The defective ballots
should be deducted from Biden’s votes, which may change the result of the election.
This is the exact process and remedy approved by Marks v. Stinson, 1994 U.S. Dist.
LEXIS 5273 (E.D. Pa. Apr. 26, 1994), aff’d, 19 F.3d 873 (3d Cir. 1994).

So in short, based on my reading of this, Guiliani is arguing that:

1) They should be given access to a sample of the 1.5 million mail in ballots so they can examine them
2) They will then determine what percentage of these ballots are "Defective" (He does not expand on what would make them defective).
3) They will then engage an "Expert" (Oh boy...) which will extrapolate the sample group to determine the total percentage of the mail in ballots that are "Defective".
4) They will then deduct all the defective votes from Biden. Yep. All of them are assumed to be 100% for Biden if they are defective. No need to check or anything.
5) This may change the results of the election. No Shit. If you get to go throw out all the votes for Biden, I bet that would change the results of the election.

Nowhere anywhere in any court filing have Giuliani's Ghouls produced one scrap of evidence, nor have they even made any specific allegations as to how these mail in ballots might become defective.

Edited to clean up some format errors caused from copypasta on a court document.

[Belize]

From the motion to submit: "Appellants Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. (“Campaign”) and two individual voters hereby move, pursuant to Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure 27(c) and 27(d)(2) and Local Rule 27.6, to submit an Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction Pending Appeal to Stay Effect of Certification and Expedited Briefing (“Emergency TRO Motion”), with a limit of 6,500 words, and in support thereof aver the following:"

https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-c...Document-1.pdf

And here's the link to their opening brief: https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-c..._Documents.pdf

*slow blink*

Look, ok, bear with me I've had a long day and reading this makes me feel like I've had a stroke.
Let me get this straight:

Trump's "lawyers" are filing an emergency motion to ask permission to file and emergency TRO against, presumably, the entire board of certification to stop the certification of the election in PA.

And that TRO has a word limit of 6500. Except for that part where they say the motion must not exceed 5200 words. Or maybe that's a separate TRO they're filing right now instead of asking permission for.

Did- Did the lawyers get their degrees in cereal boxes?

- - - Updated - - -

Wow the one idiot GOP member in MI abstained. Lol ultimate gutlessness.

They couldn't legally vote no AFAIK.

They can either certify, or try to move the date back, there isn't an option to "not certify".