The Ongoing 2020 Election: Maricopa County Recount

[Breccia]

And that recount will be done after Cyber Ninjas have destroyed how many ballots under unsupervised conditions?

It's possible this AZ Senate recount, if it happens, will be to find out exactly that. Or, yes, the Party of Trump members could be counting on Cyber Ninjas breaking everything. Who knows at this point.

[Elegiac]

Taking a leaf out of the Oregon GOP's playbook and fighting fire with fire, Texas Democrats are fleeing the state to deny the GOP a quorum for their voter restriction bill. Nearly 60 state representatives have stated intent to instead spend the time in DC campaigning for voter rights.

[Dontrike]

Taking a leaf out of the Oregon GOP's playbook and fighting fire with fire, Texas Democrats are fleeing the state to deny the GOP a quorum for their voter restriction bill. Nearly 60 state representatives have stated intent to instead spend the time in DC campaigning for voter rights.

Queue the GOP complaining about something they themselves did and forgetting about it.

[Beefhammer]

Queue the GOP complaining about something they themselves did and forgetting about it.

Only if it's a day that ends in Y.

[Captain N]

I am totally waiting for Ted Cruz to complain about Democrats fleeing Texas.

[Huehuecoyotl]

Their governor has already said he plans on arresting all of them when they return to the state.

Arresting political opponents? That totally sounds like something that would happen in a "democracy".

[Edge-]

Arresting political opponents? That totally sounds like something that would happen in a "democracy".

No, not quite. They're breaking the law by breaking quorum and fleeing the state, just like Republicans in Oregon have done a few times. It's illegal/against the rules in both states (and probably elsewhere), and state law enforcement can detain and bring them to the House. I don't think it's a criminal penalty, no jail time or anything, but they can be forced back so that the House can conduct business.

I was a big fan of the whole "arrest them!" thing when Oregon Republicans did it, which Democrats did not do, and in hindsight I think that was the smarter move for them. If Abbott does arrest the Democrats that's likely an optics win for the Democrats, not Abbott.

[Kaleredar]

It's possible this AZ Senate recount, if it happens, will be to find out exactly that. Or, yes, the Party of Trump members could be counting on Cyber Ninjas breaking everything. Who knows at this point.

If cyber ninja had done this quickly and effectively, then maybe I’d see some potential for their evil plotting to work. As in, quickly and surreptitiously edit, lose and/or “question” a bunch of ballots and turn it over to the State as proof of evidence of fraud such to provide them “reasonable cause” to pass a bunch of restrictive voter laws.

But if what cyber ninja has done comes under any actual legal scrutiny… it’ll collapse immediately. And if that doesn’t matter and the GOP are happy with this utterly slap-dash job cyber ninja has done trying to prove… whatever… then why even have the fake audit in the first place if they clearly possessed the ability to pass this legislation without any requisite legal oversight or the barest appearance of having genuinely looked into whether their was fraud or not?

[Elegiac]

No, not quite. They're breaking the law by breaking quorum and fleeing the state, just like Republicans in Oregon have done a few times. It's illegal/against the rules in both states (and probably elsewhere), and state law enforcement can detain and bring them to the House. I don't think it's a criminal penalty, no jail time or anything, but they can be forced back so that the House can conduct business.

I was a big fan of the whole "arrest them!" thing when Oregon Republicans did it, which Democrats did not do, and in hindsight I think that was the smarter move for them. If Abbott does arrest the Democrats that's likely an optics win for the Democrats, not Abbott.

There are a couple of reasons that Abbot's hands may be tied for the time being.

Firstly, Texas police do not have jurisdiction in DC thanks to consistently refusing more comprehensive law enforcement sharing agreements with the Fed, so as long as the reps remain there they can't be forced back without causing an incident with the federal government.

Secondly, the fact Republicans cut state lawmaker salaries to practically nothing means most of them have other jobs (which, ironically enough, they no longer have to be in-state to do thanks to COVID making remote work the default) to support them during their exile.

Basically, "low tax, low service, muh independence" has bitten the Texas GOP in the ass. And less than a year after snowmageddon, to boot.

[Edge-]

There are a couple of reasons that Abbot's hands may be tied for the time being.

Firstly, Texas police do not have jurisdiction in DC thanks to consistently refusing more comprehensive law enforcement sharing agreements with the Fed, so as long as the reps remain there they can't be forced back without causing an incident with the federal government.

Secondly, the fact Republicans cut state lawmaker salaries to practically nothing means most of them have other jobs (which, ironically enough, they no longer have to be in-state to do thanks to COVID making remote work the default) to support them during their exile.

Basically, "low tax, low service, muh independence" has bitten the Texas GOP in the ass. And less than a year after snowmageddon, to boot.

Jesus...$38K for a year of regular sessions and $45K for a two-year term in the House? I'm all for making sure lawmakers aren't paid extravagantly (especially until we can crack down on benefits and gifts they receive from lobbyists), but like...governing should be a full time job that pays a full-time wage if you want it done right.

[Elegiac]

Jesus...$38K for a year of regular sessions and $45K for a two-year term in the House? I'm all for making sure lawmakers aren't paid extravagantly (especially until we can crack down on benefits and gifts they receive from lobbyists), but like...governing should be a full time job that pays a full-time wage if you want it done right.

The Wal-Mart Philosophy applied to government.

It doesn't work well, it's nasty, it was probably built on the blood, sweat, and tears of minorities, but hey - at least it's cheap!

[Breccia]

But if what cyber ninja has done comes under any actual legal scrutiny… it’ll collapse immediately.

I do hope that's the case. As we've seen recently with Powell, people in actual positions that matter are getting tired of baseless accusations that gum up the words, just to troll the libs American people's right to vote.

[Bluespiderman57]

I am totally waiting for Ted Cruz to complain about Democrats fleeing Texas.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/...who-fled-texas

Welp, there you go. Because of course he did.

[Edge-]

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/...who-fled-texas

Welp, there you go. Because of course he did.

"We don't run in Texas! Unless there's some cold weather, likely power loss, teenage daughters to use an excuse, and a dog to leave behind at home. Then we run. BUT ONLY THEN!" - Ted Cruz, 2021

[DarkTZeratul]

"We don't run in Texas! Unless there's some cold weather, likely power loss, teenage daughters to use an excuse, and a dog to leave behind at home. Then we run. BUT ONLY THEN!" - Ted Cruz, 2021

"And then, the very moment we get in trouble, we RUN BACK HOME. TO TEXAS! Where we were running to and from the entire time!"

[Masark]

Jesus...$38K for a year of regular sessions and $45K for a two-year term in the House? I'm all for making sure lawmakers aren't paid extravagantly (especially until we can crack down on benefits and gifts they receive from lobbyists), but like...governing should be a full time job that pays a full-time wage if you want it done right.

What precisely leads you believe that those last 6 words apply to Texas, or indeed, any red state?

[Edge-]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...nting-machines

And Maricopa approved nearly $3M for new vote-counting machines since nobody knows what the hell Cyber Ninja's have been up to since they received the machines.

Really, this should come out of the state Republican Senators budgets/pay since they are the ones who authorized this audit and are ostensibly "overseeing" it, but of course it won't.

Man it would be nice if Republicans ever acted as fiscally conservative as they pretend to be.

[Masark]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...nting-machines

And Maricopa approved nearly $3M for new vote-counting machines since nobody knows what the hell Cyber Ninja's have been up to since they received the machines.

Really, this should come out of the state Republican Senators budgets/pay since they are the ones who authorized this audit and are ostensibly "overseeing" it, but of course it won't.

Man it would be nice if Republicans ever acted as fiscally conservative as they pretend to be.

One would think that leasing a few pairs of MkI eyeballs for the day would be cheaper.

[PhaelixWW]

One would think that leasing a few pairs of MkI eyeballs for the day would be cheaper.

I mean... we're having a crisis in this country where people don't trust machines to count ballots, and you think that the situation would be better if we relied on humans instead?

On top of that I'm sure these machines get used by the county for all elections (not just the general election every 4 years), which can be several times a year. The machines would normally be good for a long time, but, well...

[Breccia]

Really, this should come out of the state Republican Senators budgets/pay

No, no, we're not getting into that. I think the money should come from Cyber Ninjas. They're the ones fucking it up. The AZ GOP might be chasing shadows, but at least they're not directly damaging things and causing fraud.