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To sum up where things stand: Trump had a very bad Friday in court with his election cases. They're headed for more action next week https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/14/politics/trump-election-cases-status/index.html
Some notable points in the recent election court filings that were overshadowed by the bluster and the rulings against Trump:
- The new 3rd Circ decision cuts out some claims Trump was trying to make in PA--putting his weak case in an even worse position https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/14/politics/trump-election-cases-status/index.html
- The new 3rd Circ decision cuts out some claims Trump was trying to make in PA--putting his weak case in an even worse position https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/14/politics/trump-election-cases-status/index.html
In lawsuits in PA and WI from private individuals trying to block the election results, they promise evidence of fraud--but say it doesn't exist yet! From the filings: "This evidence will be shortly forthcoming when the relevant documents are final and available"
Would you like to read a point-by-point rejection of election fraud allegations in Michigan, showing why they're not credible?
That exists now, from a judge.
Read it here: http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2020/images/11/13/costantino.et.al.v.wayne.boc.et.al.opinionorder.pdf
That exists now, from a judge.
Read it here: http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2020/images/11/13/costantino.et.al.v.wayne.boc.et.al.opinionorder.pdf
I wrote this a week before Election Day, based on many legal experts' view that the remaining serious questions for the court were too small-scale to matter. It's still the case: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/21/politics/voting-litigation-courts-2020-election/index.html
Two days after Election Day, that was still the case. Republicans' first round of post-election challenges were about numbers of ballots that were too small to matter. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/05/politics/trump-legal-challenges-pennsylvania-nevada-michigan/index.html
Then came a PR effort to spread the idea of fraud--by accusing elections officials of mismanagement. Some campaign affiliates (Lewandowski, Bondi, Giuliani) zeroed in on Philly/ballot observer access. A judge pressed a lawyer on whether the Trump campaign was able to observe...
... which led to an instant classic: The Trump campaign lawyer told the judge there was a "non-zero number of people in the room."
He confirmed yes, the campaign had access to watch ballot processing in Philly. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/06/politics/trump-and-gop-lawsuits-to-challenge-election-flail-in-court/index.html
He confirmed yes, the campaign had access to watch ballot processing in Philly. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/06/politics/trump-and-gop-lawsuits-to-challenge-election-flail-in-court/index.html
That hearing before Judge Paul Diamond (appointed by: Bush 43) was a bumpy ride. The Trump camp lawyer handed Diamond a handdrawn map of a processing room. The judge retorted, keep your day job.
Trump camp tried a similar map move in Nevada, unsuccessfully--exhibit photo below
Trump camp tried a similar map move in Nevada, unsuccessfully--exhibit photo below
Maps weren't the only creative exhibits lawyers have used to try to argue election fraud, unsuccessfully.
In Michigan, one person claimed an anonymous pollwatcher slipped her this post-it. This is filed as evidence. Judge Cynthia Stephens called it hearsay--"vague and equivocal"
In Michigan, one person claimed an anonymous pollwatcher slipped her this post-it. This is filed as evidence. Judge Cynthia Stephens called it hearsay--"vague and equivocal"
For more on Judge Stephens' dismissal of the Michigan claims last week, and brief glimpses into other post-election cases in key states, we published this round-up last weekend: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/06/politics/lawsuits-trump-gop-proof/index.html
You'll notice "SharpieGate" in Arizona has been kicking around in court for a week now, in several different iterations. The Trump campaign dropped their AZ complaint yesterday, acknowledging it wouldn't change Biden's win. More from @KaraScannell here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/13/politics/arizona-trump-lawsuit/index.html
"SharpieGate," along with quickly collapsing "fraud" allegations in other courts, became part of a disinformation campaign pushing unfounded suspicions about the election. I wrote about how Trump was exploiting the court activity here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/09/politics/election-trump-court-push-claims/index.html
Then this week, the post-election lawsuits started beating a new drum--stop the certification of votes in PA, WI, MI, AZ! It's Trump's dream-big Electoral College play, where the likelihood of success diminishes daily. If you're curious, explained here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/12/politics/trump-legal-electoral-college/index.html
(If you'd like to take a detour into wild presidential election history loosely related to the Trump court cases now, take a look at the election of 1876, when neither candidate could secure enough electoral votes initially.) https://www.history.com/news/reconstruction-1876-election-rutherford-hayes
(Also on this detour, worth checking out how Justice David Davis essentially could have named the president, but Dems tried to sway him w a Senate seat. He resigned. So an R-leaning replacement for Davis stepped in, securing the presidency for R.B. Hayes) https://www.wamc.org/post/letter-found-lenox-library-provides-insight-controversial-1876-election
Back to where we are, in the lingering, longshot disputes about this election. A federal judge in Pennsylvania has hearings set for next Tuesday (arguments over why Trump's case should be dismissed) and Thursday (possible witness testimony)
