It’s back to court in the #USPS suit today. @NAACP_LDF’s @SamSpital & @Public_Citizen at the helm. But first, let me share some of what we’re learning abt the meaning of the data sets we’ve received (including whether there are “300,000 lost ballots”).
The 300,000 reflects ballots that had origin scans but not destination scans. Doesn’t mean they weren’t delivered. B/c of the judicial orders requiring the USPS move faster, we learned that the destination scan process was omitted in order to speed up delivery for some mail.
On the troubling ballot processing score in places like Philly (70%). It’s doesn’t actually mean that 30% of mail was not delivered. It DOES mean that only 70% was timely - delivered (w/i the svc standard -2 days for local mail usually). So 30% was delayed. Which is a problem.
Those percentages helped us identify target jurisds. The “extraordinary measures” ordered by the court was designed to find ballots mailed close to Election Day & ballots lost in the system. Our effort has been to get them delivered before ballot deadlines in the relevant states.
Texas’ deadline, for example, was yesterday. So it was impt for Judge Sullivan to order a sweep there yesterday. It turned up 800 ballots. Today we’re focused on NC (deadline tmrw) & other jurisds that can still receive ballots postmarked by Election Day according to state law.
W/regard to the failure of #USPS to fully comply w/Judge Sullivan’s order earlier this week - it is not over or forgotten. We have prioritized getting ballots delivered, but it is a serious matter. And Judge Sullivan, as you may have seen, is not amused. nytimes.com/2020/11/04/us/…
We are fighting for the delivery of every ballot. Ppl who voted absentee (to protect against COVID exposure in particular),deserve to know their ballot was delivered. It is a public trust that must not be betrayed.
Lastly, the rank and file postal workers and union have been terrific throughout this process. No matter what the failures of leadership, they have taken the judge’s orders and this litigation seriously. They are not responsible for ordering the changes that created these delays.
Like poll workers and vote counters, our mail deliverers should be credited with trying to do their jobs despite the failures of leadership in this country. That’s all for now. We’ll keep fighting!

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More from @Sifill_LDF

7 Nov
I know that so many of us are riveted by the vote count. But is there anything stopping McConnell from moving forward the COVID relief package passed by the House in May? Cause you know who’s not watching Kornacki? Ppl packing up their belongings b/c they’re facing eviction.
Instead of spinning tales abt voter fraud on Fox, perhaps Sen @tedcruz could apply himself to addressing the desperate needs in his own state & move his Senate colleagues to pass the COVID relief bill passed by Dems in the House in MAY. houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-t… Image
I know @SenCoryGardner will be out in Jan, but he’s still a Senator now. And ppl living in the Ramada Hotel in Englewood, CO are facing homelessness b/c the eviction moratorium doesn’t apply to ppl living in hotels. We need to pass the COVID relief bill. denver.cbslocal.com/2020/11/06/ram…
Read 4 tweets
19 Oct
I’m so glad. Justice Murphy gets no shine in historical discussions of SCOTUS justices and Justice Jackson’s dissent in Korematsu receives more attention for its powerful, predictive metaphor about the danger of the Court’s holding (“it sits about like a loaded weapon....”).
But as among the most powerful, direct anti-racism dissents ever written, Justice Murphy’s dissent in Korematsu stands near the very top. “I dissent from this legalization of racism.” That sentence alone still gives me chills. What our country might be if more justices said this.
Among the most, moving powerful passages ever written by a SCOTUS justice. Every judicial nominee should be able to point to a professional experience or decision in which they demonstrated adherence to the belief espoused by Justice Murphy here. supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/…
Read 4 tweets
18 Oct
1. Continue to discredit absentee voting by suggesting that absentee ballots are as a lesser, illegitimate form of ballot not worthy of being counted & tying absentee voting to COVID denialism.
2. Encourage opposition to counting absentee and provisional ballots. Counting ballots is now to be considered evidence of cheating. As I have said, we should expect opposition to counting & attempts to physically intimidate vote counters.
Trump will declare himself the winner on Nov 3 no matter what. “Set the predicate on Nov 3rd.”
Read 5 tweets
5 Oct
We have reached the nadir of lawless, reckless conduct by the Repub Senate leadership - which has relinquished any claim to integrity & responsibility in its zeal to rush through the confirmation process to fill the seat left open by the passing of #RBG. judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/nomin…
First, this nomination should never have moved forward. It is not only that we are in an election year. Or even just the staggering hypocrisy of Republicans’ refusal to abide by the rule they created in 2016 to deny even a hearing to Judge Garland. washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost…
We are in the middle of the general election with record numbers of voters voting early (as here in Illinois and Virginia) and by mail. The presidency and key Senate races hang in the balance.
Read 13 tweets
24 Sep
Are these “experts” still suggesting that the constitutional crisis is still to come? That’s why so many in our profession are paralyzed - waiting for the crisis. Here are all the times over the past 3 years when I signaled we were in a constitutional crisis.
Read 6 tweets
19 Sep
So many GOP Senators are on record standing against the precise thing the President & Majority leader wants them to do today. Every journalist (& their concerned constituents) should confront them with their own words. Here’s Sen. Cory Gardner in 2016: coloradotimesrecorder.com/2020/02/would-…
Mother Jones has a great compilation. Here’s Rubio: motherjones.com/2020-elections…
Read 5 tweets

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