Thread by @jimsciutto

Iowa has set a worrisome precedent for a disturbing reality: this cycle, misinformation just as likely to come from inside the US as from outside.

It began with Judicial Watch claim on IA voter registration, rejected by GOP Sec of State but widely circulated in right-wing. 1/

2/ Predictably, Trump surrogates jumped on the vote tally delay to claim the vote was “rigged”.

Don Jr: “The fix is in..AGAIN”
Eric Trump: “..they are rigging this thing."
Parscale: "Quality control=rigged?"

3/ Now Biden team is also questioning the process in strong terms:

“WE HAVE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS. I THINK THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT FAILURES IN THE PROCESS LAST NIGHT THAT SHOULD GIVE VOTERS CONCERN.” -Kate Bedingfield on CNN

4/ So far, these are races within the Democratic Party. Imagine the claims when the election pits Dems vs. GOP. Losses become targets for claims about integrity. Remember, President Trump perpetuated a false claim about his loss in the popular vote for months after 2016.

5/ And like in 2016, technology is at the center of this. In Iowa, it’s as simple as a failed app. For every race, Facebook’s refusal to police false claims in ads. All this happening without knowledge - so far - of what interference Russia, China and others will attempt.

6/ Biden advisor @SymoneDSanders made clear on our show this am they are not alleging caucuses were “rigged”: “IT IS A DANGEROUS PLACE IN OUR DEMOCRACY WHEN WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP FAMILY, THE TRUMP RE-ELECTION TEAM..CLAIMING THAT OUR PROCESS IS -- OUR DEMOCRACY IS RIGGED”

7/ More: “THERE WERE FAILURES IN THE PROCESS LAST NIGHT AND I THINK THE IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEEDS TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT. IT OWES THE VOTERS THAT. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL” - @SymoneDSanders