Electoral College Members Face Death Threats And Harassment, Silence From The Usual Suspects
[guest post by Dana]
Today is the day that the duty-bound 538 members of the Electoral College convene in their state capitols to cast their votes for their home state’s presidential vote winner. As you are aware, there has been a widespread push by Democrats for Electoral College members to break their pledge to represent their state’s will, and instead cast their vote for anyone but Trump.
This from Michigan elector Michael Banerian:
“I’ve had death wishes, people just saying ‘I hope you die. Do society a favor, throw yourself in front of a bus.’ And just recently, I was reading a blog about me, and unfortunately these people not only called for the burning of myself, but my family, which is completely out of line.”
Electoral College member Ashley McMillan Hutchinson of Kansas described what it has been like for her in the period between Trump’s election victory to today’s vote:
Election Night left me in awe. There were many reasons to be pleased. Those blue-collar, fly-over, working-class voters who showed up in droves and put Mr. Trump over the edge in several swing states? Those are my people. They weren’t motivated by hate or race. They were disappointed in the current administration and lack of economic progress. The assumptions about this group of voters by the media and ivory-tower elite only motivated them to victory.
I was excited because I was an Electoral College member and I was casting my vote for the winner in a historic election. Then things got a little strange.
It started with a couple of emails three days after the election. Since Hillary Clinton had won the popular vote, former electors warned me that I would probably receive hundreds of emails urging me to change my vote to prevent Mr. Trump from getting to the White House. I answered the first few back and had some polite—and some not-so-polite—exchanges with folks urging me to vote for Mrs. Clinton. Grassroots groups such as Ask the Electors had found my work email and spread it to their email lists. They also published my work address, home address, cell phone and work phone.
I had intended on answering everyone who emailed me. Then the flood started. At its peak, I was receiving 500 emails an hour. At least 20 letters arrived at my office daily, and the calls came in 24 hours a day.
The majority of the notes called for the elimination of the Electoral College because it was undemocratic. As an elector, I can’t do anything about this, but I still don’t buy the argument. There are many provisions in our constitutional republic that allow for a departure from direct democracy. The Electoral College ensures that Americans from throughout the country can be represented.
Others told me to act as a faithless elector and vote my conscience to stop Mr. Trump from taking the presidency. Only 157 electors in history have broken their pledge and voted for an alternate candidate or abstained from voting, according to FairVote. There is a reason this tactic has never been successful: It assumes the worst of Americans. These letter writers are asking me to disavow my own people, because they are supposedly racist and easily fooled. I don’t buy it. I won’t violate the will of the people of Kansas simply because coastal elites think Mr. Trump tweets too much.
Electors in Pennsylvania have now been given police protection as a result of the increasing threats:
Thousands of emails land in their inboxes every day. Copies of the Federalist Papers and other books urging political courage are being mailed to their homes. They are even getting phone calls in the middle of the night.
Such has been the life of Pennsylvania’s 20 electors for President-elect Donald Trump since the Nov. 8 election.
One elector, Ash Khare, said he and each of the 19 others have been assigned a plainclothes state police trooper for protection.
“I’m a big boy,” said Khare, an India-born engineer and a longtime Republican from Warren County, who estimates he receives 3,000 to 5,000 emails, letters, and phone calls a day from as far away as France, Germany, and Australia. “But this is stupid. Nobody is standing up and telling these people, ‘Enough, knock it off.’ “
Mary Barket, an elector in Pennsylvania said that “she had avoided engaging with risk by refusing to open most of the letters, but she conceded that she feels “very uncomfortable in my environment”.” She also said that she is concerned with the impact of this on her family.
And proving that a promise to “report America and the world honestly, without fear or favor” is meaningless claptrap, there has been a shameful silence from The New York Times regarding the death threats and harassment.
Further, in a display of rank hypocrisy, and in what must be seen as tacit encouragement and support by the Democratic leadership, there has been no effort from President Obama to condemn members of his party for this egregious and unacceptable behavior against fellow Americans charged with fulfilling a pledged duty on behalf of their states. And as far as we know, no calls for have been made for the FBI to get involved with regard to death threats. Why not?? Remember, this is the same president who made a point to publicly warn Trump about the “dangerous rhetoric” of not accepting election results (when he believed Hillary was going to win):
That is not a joking matter. No, no, no. I want everyone to pay attention here. That is dangerous.
[W]hen you try to sow the seeds of doubt in people’s minds about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy.
Well, how much more dangerous and unacceptable are threats of physical violence to Americans intent on fulfilling their patriotic duty, and how much more do these threats undermine our democracy, President Obama? Are we to assume that death threats are now subjectively judged by whom they target??
Hillary Clinton has remained silent as well. The same Clinton who famously berated Trump , saying that challenging election results was a “horrifying” thing, as well as being a “threat to our democracy.” Obviously, if the woman who expected to become the next president truly cared about any threats to our democracy and had any recognition of what the public sees as horrifying, she would immediately hold a press conference and call off the attack dogs.
Electorate Hutchinson of Kansas sharply summed up the situation:
I noticed another theme in the thousands of missives I’ve received. They don’t seek to understand or persuade—only to insist. Most of these people want it their way and they want it now. As a mother of two small children, I know how to handle that.
Yet, while Hutchinson and other electorates will follow through with their duties, it does not negate the responsibility of the President of the United States to, at the very least, publicly draw a red line in the Democratic party, condemning this completely unacceptable behavior, and warning that if it continues, there will be “unspecified consequences”. Sadly, though, as we’ve seen many times over, conviction of his words and a demonstrable follow-through has never been this president’s strong suit.
–Dana
We only like and play by the rules when they benefit us is the lesson here.
Dana (d17a61) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:11 amThe voting is underway in the state capitols.. LOL. One of Hillary’s electors is
elissa (14ecec) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:33 amgoing roguevoting his conscience and announced he’s voting for Bernie.Between these unglued proggies – who’ve seen their dreams for world domination crumble – and #NeverTrump, it will be a long four years of dealing with their bed-wetting and hissy fits.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:37 amHuff Po had a You Gov poll showing that 52% of those polled wanted voting delayed in order for electorate to be fully briefed on Russia’s involvement in election.
Dana (d17a61) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:39 amLet the Democrat Party crybullies whine, bluster, yelp, chase their own tails, and display an utter lack of commitment to American constitutional values.
They reveal just exactly how unfit the left prepared to lead the nation.
ropelight (78afaa) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:46 amThe only way to make sure this never happens again is to prosecute over death threats and put people in prison. Is there no federal law concerning this?
Kevin M (25bbee) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:47 amI would wish that some of Hillary’s electors will show solidarity and vote for Trump. Or at least vote for Bernie “as their conscience dictates.”
Kevin M (25bbee) — 12/19/2016 @ 9:51 amshouldn’t fat-ass harvardtrash Loretta waddle to a microphone and say something insipid
happyfeet (a037ad) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:04 amI wage a lonely but I believe valiant war on polls. Last week I went on a rant on another thread about bad/misleading poll questions which then inexorably lead to faulty or questionable poll results. I think this is the poll to which Dana referred above.
https://avaazimages.avaaz.org/AVAZ+Electorate+Study_Toplines+121616.pdf
Gee wouldn’t it be nice to define what “these intelligence reports” are that people are being asked to opine on? (I am faulting the pollster not Dana here, just to be clear.)
elissa (14ecec) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:05 amMost failmericans believe the Electoral College lost to Notre Dame in basketball last week.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:10 amZero reports on the death threats in the LAT for the past month.
Kudos to the Washington Post for calling out this hypocrisy.
Dana (d17a61) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:10 amTalk of threats is also misisng from the Wall Street Journal story – only about Electord receiving mail and one from Wisconsin, Brian Westrate is quoted as saying the correspondence he ahd received from 600 people was overwhelmingly “respectful and heartfekllt.”
But it is mentioned a little in both the New York Post and the New York Daily News.
The main headline story in the New York Times today was about how vote fraud had been miniscule despite claims. No state – and they got answers from every satte except Kansas – reported widespread fraud. I guess that means it is not acknowledged in Michigan. They talk about a loot of sattes, but not Michigan.
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:11 amMeanwhile if you search the Internet you can find breaking ness like this:
http://clinton.einnews.com/article__detail/358675858-clinton-wins-nh-vt-electoral-votes-total-of-7
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:11 amElissa @2. is that the Elector from Washington State who announced this before November 8?
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:13 amIt is by definition un-American to be hostile to the Electoral College.
What part of United STATES of America don’t the leftards understand? There had to be compromises. The big states got the House. The small states got the Senate. The Electoral College is a blend of the two. Without such compromises there would have been no union.
Of course, it’s not a matter of understanding, is it? As far as the left is concerned it’s a matter of eliminating hurdles that interfere with their all-consuming will to power. While making their will to power look legitimate.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:16 am13. I cut short the link. This works better:
http://clinton.einnews.com/article__detail/358675858-clinton-wins-nh-vt-electoral-votes-total-of-7?vcode=XIbw
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:16 amThe other issue that is noticeably absent in the hullabaloo about “Russian interference” is the actual content of the emails, which seem to suggest conspiracy/criminality by the Democratic Party and the Clinton campaign. I am especially interested in the nature of the Clinton campaign’s blackmailing of Bernie Sanders.
If we’re going to investigate the source of the leaks, shouldn’t we also investigate the content of the leaked messages?
ThOR (c9324e) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:17 amNo Sammy. Maine. Announcement confirmed today.
elissa (14ecec) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:18 amWhoever these DNC minions are making threats, they are cagones compared to a certain gentleman from Turkey.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/19/russian-ambassador-gunned-down-in-ankara-seriously-wounded.html
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:31 amExcellent point. It’s delusional to claim that the hacks, allegedly by the Russians, had any influence on the elections. The content of the emails simply confirmed what everyone already believed to be true.
The remarkable thing is that people on both the right and left, from Bernie Sanders supporters toTed Cruz supporters, already believed the DNC was a nest of conniving pit vipers. And Hillary! supporters couldn’t have cared less how many of their daughters had to be sacrificed to Billy Jeff’s volcanic carnal lusts. They had already concluded that getting away with lying was THE main qualification for winning the presidency, and essentially had since the too-honest Dukakis campaign. The hacks didn’t change anyone’s mind.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:32 amThreats of violence against the electors will appear in the LA Times as “Voters and electors square off as vote nears.”
LAT’s political editor, Ms. Decker, will run another howler titled “Analysis,” noting: “Mr. Trump’s election rhetoric has again triggered the possibility of violence, this time against electors, something unheard of prior to Mr. Trump’s candidacy.”
LAT will note the “rise” of the Russian threat, assuring readers that there was no threat from Russia for 70 years, “although Trump’s cozy relationship with the Dictator has perhaps encouraged Russian moves against the US.”
LAT has already run an Op Ed from a clueless law professor (OK, I am redundant), insisting that “just because the Electoral College is in the Constitution, doesn’t mean its constitutional.”
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (5e0a82) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:34 amI meant no disrespect to pit vipers.
I actually like rattlesnakes. No, I don’t handle them. But I’ll leave them alone if they leave me alone. And I think it’s awfully polite of them to rattle so I have fair warning to leave them alone. Not that you can’t surprise them. That’s why you first step on the log and don’t just step over the log.
The bad thing about comparing leftists to animals is I always have to end up apologizing to the animals, who compared to Nancy Pelosi and Dingy Harry Reid are only trying to make an honest living. Sorry, vultures, hyenas, snakes, insects, and jackals, for every analogy I ever made.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:41 am17… the top post of December award goes to Thor!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:43 amI enjoy visiting this blog, but one of the downsides is I’m informed the LAT continues to exist. I am happily ignorant of that information otherwise. Does this unfortunate artifact of a bygone era have any influence outside of smogapalooza?
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:45 amThe decision by Democrat propaganda organs not to highlight these particular acts of progressive futile stupidity may reflect dawning awareness of the net effect of their coverage of the Wisconsin Recall, Occupy Wall Street and the fantastically successful (for the GOP) Black Lives Matter. The propaganda organs are also suffering from lack of central direction due to total incoherence in party structure. The vacuum at the top will be filled but ‘better’ won’t necessarily be an accurate descriptor of the replacement.
I really wouldn’t want to discourage progressives from further acts of futile stupidity. They need to stick to the types of efforts which have earned them the place they hold today.
Rick Ballard (835ba0) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:49 amRick Ballard (835ba0) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:49 am ==The propaganda organs are also suffering from lack of central direction ==
This is spot on. There is no Democrat Central Command right now. There is a total void of organization and message and anyone who speaks for the Democrats is essentially on their own and winging it. That the Sunday morning shows could pretty much only get Donna Brazile and John Podesta on to speak yesterday spoke volumes.
elissa (14ecec) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:56 amLooking back over the last eight years, the Obama era should be remembered for race riots and cop killing. With the help of the media, American has become a Third World, banana republic.
AZ Bob (f7a491) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:01 amThe Dems have no shame. The protests after the Trump win included a Hillary supporter holding a sign saying, “Rape Melania,” outside the current NY residence of the future First Lady.
AZ Bob (f7a491) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:03 amPoor Media Mutters is searching for an identity–another pivot and cry for relevancy as it were, after having positioned itself at the center of a group of public relations and advocacy outfits whose mission was to put Clinton in the White House.
https://newrepublic.com/article/139385/happens-media-matters-post-hillary-world
elissa (14ecec) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:04 amMr. Trump’s winning a super large amount of elector votes cause he’s so good
we’re about half done and so far none of them are doing faithless
this is because of how good Mr. Trump is
happyfeet (a037ad) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:21 amJohn Podesta is a creepy looking guy.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:25 amDon’t forget about the Muslim invasion of Europe via what used to Libya before these idiots helped assassinate Ghaddaffi with no part two to plan A, forget about having a plan B. Oh, and Russia annexing the Crimea, and China building and fortifying artificial islands in the SCS.
Really, is their a “best” way to remember the Obama era?
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:32 amYes, that is a proper assessment of the Obama participation in world affairs.
AZ Bob (f7a491) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:40 amwell isn’t this special
https://twitter.com/simonwjohns/status/810918883670523904
narciso (d1f714) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:44 amdoes anyone sprechen
http://www.morgenpost.de/bezirke/charlottenburg-wilmersdorf/article209035059/Lkw-rast-auf-Weihnachtsmarkt-am-Breitscheidplatz.html?__pwh=kEiL48nz1X%2FOyaNR3kFYkw%3D%3D
narciso (d1f714) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:51 ameven more votes for Mr. Trump!
Hillary needs a goddamn miracle if she wants to turn this taco truck around
not looking good for piggy
happyfeet (a037ad) — 12/19/2016 @ 11:52 amOh Hell no! I look at my phone, I missed a call from Searchlight, NV.
Colonel Haiku (39d859) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:02 pm17. ThOR (c9324e) — 12/19/2016 @ 10:17 am
Which they avoided saying anything about.
It was exemplified by Paul Krugman’s column in the New York Times on Friday:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/16/opinion/useful-idiots-galore.html
In today’s column he went further, and claimed that Trump asked the Russians to “smear” Hillary Clinton. He didn’t. Trump asked the Russians to tell the truth about Hillary Clinton.
Here’s what Krugman wrote today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/opinion/how-republics-end.html
That, of course, is not true.
Trump said on July 27, 2016:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/28/us/politics/trump-conference-highlights.html
The New York TImes seems a bit inaccurate actually there, and it’s only excerpts. The Washington Post has the full transcript of that press conference. They make sure to tell you in he headline that he’s telling lies.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/07/27/donald-trumps-falsehood-laden-press-conference-annotated/
Trump was going back and forth between different theories, but his final one, about them “finding” it (but not having it yet) is virtually impossible, because Hillary’s email server was taken offline, but he was asking them to release it, if they had it, and he clearly meant authenitic emails.
He wasn’t asking them to release anything that wasn’t true (and, after all, most fakes can be easily detected by content, and the absence of corroboration etc.)
Sammy Finkelman (7d0f6e) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:14 pmNext moves for the Left:
a) Sue to have the Electoral College subverted in some way
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:15 pmb) Think pieces telling the Dems in Congress to vote against accepting the Electoral College votes
Rush Limbaugh said today we had three weeks of fake news (about the possibility Electoral college defections)
Sammy Finkelman (7d0f6e) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:17 pmSeems to me that there is a universal law against electioneering. Usually that’s interpreted as not wearing your campaign swag within the polling station in order to not influence other/intimidate other voters, but after the election is over tampering with ballot boxes, sending threatening telegram, phonecalls, and mail to electors, that’s electioneering also.
Highly illegal. God damned right they can be proscecuted.
Sounds like they could fill up a tent city with perpetrators. President Trump could tap Sheriff Joe and make him a US Marshall.
Each and every offender upon conviction their stupidity is forever removed from the voter rolls never to be a burden via referendum
papertiger (c8116c) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:18 pmred queen lost four electors in Washington,
narciso (d1f714) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:33 pmNip the rotters in the bud. Leave no rock unturned.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:51 pmThey could have a special section of tent city for the Hollywood dweebs. Hot lips and BJ have fourteen years of living on M*A*S*H sets to ease their acclimation.
papertiger (c8116c) — 12/19/2016 @ 12:52 pmI had read that there might be a second Elector in Washington State and that there was some attempt to get some more. Bernie Sanders won the Democratic primary overwhelmingly in Washington State, but some superdelegates were committed to Hillary. A lot of sdemocrats didn’t like that.
Sammy Finkelman (7d0f6e) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:07 pmThe electors from the heartland of America don’t seem to be afraid of the death threats. The are showing up and voting. The libs once again have underestimated the character of those living in the fly-over states. They called them stupid and all it did was make them more determined to stand up and be counted.
AZ Bob (f7a491) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:08 pmThis is one place where the United States has an “unwritten constitution” which they say is only in the United Kingdon.
Sammy Finkelman (7d0f6e) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:09 pmNur ein bisschen.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:38 pm@narciso:red queen lost four electors in Washington,
Yeah, 3 to Colin Powell (?) and one to Faith Spotted Eagle (!?).
If the point was a compromise candidate, that didn’t go well.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:46 pmThe election was rigged. Donald Trump said it first. And said it often. For weeks before the election. Therefore, the results cannot be trusted. I don’t know how this is a hard concept to grasp.
nk (dbc370) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:46 pm@nk: Donald Trump said it first. And said it often. For weeks before the election.
I thought we couldn’t believe anything he said. Make up your mind.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:51 pmJohn Kasich says we need love and unity
Love for Mr. Trump!
And unity to where we all smile a lot and just enjoy not having a pig all up in it.
It’s like a cereal commercial
happyfeet (a037ad) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:53 pmThat nasty Hillary woman sure is nasty.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 12/19/2016 @ 1:55 pmCalifornia, Illinois, Taxachusetts, and New York may want her, but the rest of America said, “Go back to Chappaqua, you nasty lying lawyer Wellesley Yale trash woman!“
One blog post re Krugman’s latest rant, shows how isolated red queen, it was like waterworld.
narciso (d1f714) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:02 pm#53 Mr happyfeet, even Mikie likes it! … and Trix are for Hillary!
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:06 pmthese are moments to cherish
and it’s all cause of Mr. Trump
we are very blessed
happyfeet (a037ad) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:10 pmHeh. Fox News reporting it was Texas that put Trump over the line. That has to burn Dems who tried to convince us Texas was turning purple.
Dana (d17a61) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:14 pmYou can’t tell people the cow peed in the milk and then wonder why they won’t eat the cheese.This has been a horses*** election, and the biggest and stinkiest lump of it is Trump. Don’t expect the smell of roses.
nk (dbc370) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:17 pmthese people have some very very unique imaginings about how the whirl works
happyfeet (a037ad) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:18 pmAnd let’s look at your own “consistency”, “free-market-small-governmenter”s. What’s wrong with having a delegitimatized weak President who can’t make laws with the stroke of a pen?
nk (dbc370) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:22 pmI’m so thrilled that the nasty Chicago Hillary lawyer woman won’t be our next President. She would have left a lump of coal in our Christmas stockings.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:27 pmGeorge Washington: The father of our country.
nk (dbc370) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:33 pmAbraham Lincoln: Abolished slavery and preserved the union.
Donald Trump: He’s not Hillary.
Bathe in teh crazy! https://youtu.be/VbDiqPUe4h8
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:33 pm@nk:George Washington: The father of our country.
Abraham Lincoln: Abolished slavery and preserved the union.
Donald Trump: He’s not Hillary.
That’s about the size of it. They certainly were not all Lincoln and Washington. Don’t see Martin van Buren or Millard Fillmore on your list. Trump might compare favorably to them.
Or, you never know, he might be the Republican FDR and your great-grandkids will go to schools named after him. To my principles, that would be a total disaster, but you might approve.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:40 pmEarly today one Elector from maine announced he was defecting from Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders – also (before the election?) one anti-Trump Texas Elector resigned.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/443175/electoral-college-faithless-electors-threaten-system
It is El;ectords defecting today that fits Paul Krugman’s description of breaking seemingly unbreakable rules – not its opposite. I am afraid now you couldn’t be confidenmt of a victory if it was closer than 10 to 15 Electoral votes. This is not an imoprovement.
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:44 pmWhat I think is hilarious is that the Democrats, for once, are Wiley Coyote. They agitate for a recount, Trump’s lead goes up; they agitate for faithless electors and Trump’s electoral college lead goes up.
At this rate, by Inauguration Day Trump will be a lock for 2020 and by 2020 he’ll be a lock for Pope. Or perhaps Holy Roman Emperor.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:51 pmOne Texas elector went Ron Paul, another went John Kasich.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 12/19/2016 @ 2:51 pm24. Steve.
Influence, no. Its clumsy efforts to promote bikes, taxes, the end of the death penalty, and the bullet train are not influential, just in sync with some uninformed voters.
But it provides hours of laughter each year. Especially this year! Watching Decker, and some over-the-hill guy living in MD named McManus pontificate, as if they work for a real newspaper and are qualified journalists, has been hilarious.
I regret reminding you of it. they just make me laugh.
The “paper” ran a projection of Clinton’s win at 85%, with 352 EV, while ignoring (and seemingly never wondering about or investigating) its own polling, which put Trump much closer to Clinton than anyone else.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (5e0a82) — 12/19/2016 @ 6:26 pmNarciso (#35): Ich kann Deutsch. The link confirms what I said in my previous post. German police now doubt that the man being held is the perpetrator.
Golden Eagle (0aed02) — 12/20/2016 @ 5:55 amThe main Wall Street Journal editorial today seems to say that some Democratic electors had attempted to vote for someone else (would that include the one in Maine?) – in fact it says they actually did – but they were replaced by state officials under state law as a result, so only the four Washington State Electors defected from Hillary Clinton.
I am not sure that removing Electors for voting the wrong way is constitutional, since the Electors are supposed to be appointed on November 8, but there is a long tradition actually of being able to replace Electors with alternates (like if they were disqualified, like for instance they worked for the Post Office, because you can’t hold any office in the federal government and be an Elector) So they are maybe not even always selected on Election Day.
I think state law in these cases like the ones here deems a vote by an Elector for someone other than the erson for whom they are pledged to, to be a resignation. I don’t know if you can do that.
This replacement of an Elector could be challenged in Congress, but who is going to challenge a vote cast for the proper person, at least not when it won’t affect the outcome? When it will, anything is possible.
But what we have now is that the law is unclear and that keeps the number of faithless electors down.
Sammy Finkelman (7d0f6e) — 12/20/2016 @ 8:06 am