Proponents of the Big Lie are increasingly looking to replicate the Arizona election “audit” in their own states. Records we obtained show that election-denying activists were frequently in touch with those involved in the Arizona effort. #FoiaFriday
In June, “audit” spokesman Randy Pullen received a text message from William “Sparky” Smith, who is from a group called the Election Integrity Project. documentcloud.org/documents/2105…
“We would like for our 4-6 member team to meet with Az Audit officials who can give details of the logistics of a major audit,” Smith wrote. Smith wanted help setting up an “audit” of counties in California. Pullen responded by asking how he could help.
A few days later, a reporter texted Pullen to ask, “Do you know if your folks have been in touch with Sen. Dave Argall from PA? He says he wants to do an audit too.” Pullen replied, “I think so.”
A calendar entry for an “Election Integrity Call” on July 3 includes Wisconsin Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who has tried to start an investigation in Wisconsin (separate from the one undertaken by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos).
Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem and Catherine Engelbrecht, the founder of voting-restriction organization True the Vote, were also invited to participate in the call.
The agenda includes updates on 13 states, with Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin listed as “Tier 1.” It’s unclear whose calendar this appears on, but a similar invitation for an earlier call was sent to Arizona Sen. Sonny Borelli.
On Oct. 28, 2020 — less than a week before the election — Ginni Thomas sent more than a dozen links to a Google Group called “20024.” “[Redacted] asked me for links we have all been sharing about the coming insurrection, chaos, and violence,” she wrote.
“It is not random. It appears very organized if you have the eyes to see and read and hear,” she continued. Thomas asked recipients to add more links and to organize the articles.
An individual (name redacted) created a Google document that organized the various links.
The “constitutional sheriffs” movement is a fringe theory that holds that sheriffs have more law enforcement power in their home counties than any other government body or individual. The movement has brought its work to the election denial space. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/a…
“Nothing is more dangerous to our democracy than a movement based on election lies promoted by radical law enforcement officials who falsely believe they are the ultimate authority, including on matters of election administration,” our Chioma Chukwu told the Guardian.
We’ve been investigating “constitutional sheriffs,” obtaining the schedule and list of participating fellows at the Claremont Institute’s Sheriffs Fellowship — a November 2022 gathering of some of the most controversial sheriffs in the country. americanoversight.org/investigation/…
It’s #SunshineWeek, a week that celebrates & promotes access to information and open government nationwide.
Today, we’re highlighting the power of #FOIA with a thread about its past, present, and future.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed FOIA into law on July 4, 1966. Records show LBJ personally removed strong language supporting open government from the press statement. He only agreed to sign it after DOJ suggested he include a signing statement. nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/…
In his signing statement, LBJ praised the importance of openness for democracy and said the legislation affirmed American principles. But he also wrote that he felt some documents shouldn’t be available to the public. nsarchive2.gwu.edu//nsa/foia/FOIA…
Yesterday, D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments on presidential immunity in Trump’s election interference case.
Judges questioned both sides about our amicus brief arguing the D.C. Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear Trump’s appeal on his immunity claims. Here’s what that’s about:
In Trump’s federal election interference case, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that Trump is not entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump appealed the ruling, hoping to delay the trial set for March.
Late last month, we filed an amicus brief that argues that the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear Trump’s immunity appeal until after he is tried by a jury, convicted, and sentenced. americanoversight.org/american-overs…
As we approach the anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, former President Trump faces criminal charges for attempting to subvert the election. An amicus brief we filed in this case could thwart his effort to delay his trial until after this year’s election. latimes.com/opinion/story/…
In the election interference case, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that Trump is not entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump appealed that ruling, hoping to delay the trial set for March.
Last week, we filed an amicus brief arguing that the D.C. Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear Trump’s appeal on his immunity claims until after he is tried by a jury, convicted, and sentenced. americanoversight.org/american-overs…
For more than a year, we’ve been investigating how the election denial movement led several states to leave ERIC, a nonpartisan organization that helps maintain up-to-date voting lists.
The same people who tried to overturn the 2020 election worked behind the scenes to influence the ERIC exodus by promoting false claims and conspiracy theories — priming states for post-election chaos that could be used to deny election results in 2024. americanoversight.org/the-right-wing…
The records we obtained also show that states have scrambled to find viable replacements — none of which provide ERIC’s security, reliability, or effectiveness.