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Roland99

(53,342 posts)
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 04:56 PM Sep 2020

Head of Pennsylvania GOP ADMITS he's spoken to trump campaign about appointing state electors!!

Report: Trump Campaign Actively Discussing Radical Measures To Bypass Election Results
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/09/23/report-trump-campaign-actively-discussing-radical-measures-to-bypass-election-results/#6fb91cc24800

A jarring new report from The Atlantic claims that the Trump campaign is discussing potential strategies to circumvent the results of the 2020 election, should Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump, by first alleging the existence of rampant fraud and then appointing electors in battleground states where Republicans maintain a legislative majority, whom Trump would ask to bypass the state’s popular vote and instead to choose electors loyal to the GOP and the sitting president.

The Atlantic report claims that sources in the Republican Party at the local and national levels confirm “the Trump campaign is discussing contingency plans to bypass election results and appoint loyal electors” in red battleground states.

“The push to appoint electors would be framed in terms of protecting the people’s will,” an unnamed Trump-campaign legal adviser tells The Atlantic, adding, “The state legislatures will say, ‘All right, we’ve been given this constitutional power. We don’t think the results of our own state are accurate, so here’s our slate of electors that we think properly reflect the results of our state.’”

The chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party says, on the record, that he has discussed appointing loyal electors with the Trump campaign: "It is one of the available legal options set forth in the Constitution.”


Unconscionable! Absolutely beyond the realm of sanity!

These cretins DO NOT CARE about democracy!
34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Head of Pennsylvania GOP ADMITS he's spoken to trump campaign about appointing state electors!! (Original Post) Roland99 Sep 2020 OP
They have never cared about democracy. NameAlreadyTaken Sep 2020 #1
C'mon... agingdem Sep 2020 #8
the wishes of the voters are denied, there will be hell to pay unless this is the end of democracy beachbumbob Sep 2020 #2
This is not even a head fake. They are just saying the silent part out loud. Zoonart Sep 2020 #3
??? Mme. Defarge Sep 2020 #4
I know PA has a Democratic governor so I'm sure that would be quite the uphill battle. Roland99 Sep 2020 #5
Is there a possibility that the Dem PA Governor could put a stop to this so called R option. ? nt 42bambi Sep 2020 #6
Abhorrent as it may be, it is probably legal. The state chooses electors, but are not told... TreasonousBastard Sep 2020 #7
and, to me, this is why state legislatures matter perhaps more than the white house! Roland99 Sep 2020 #9
Yes but they have already set the rules. yellowcanine Sep 2020 #10
This is true-- most states can't change at this point. TreasonousBastard Sep 2020 #13
Exactly. The method for selecting the electors is written as state law YessirAtsaFact Sep 2020 #14
No. No. No. Rule of Claw Sep 2020 #12
the states have LAWS as to how the electors are to be chosen Salviati Sep 2020 #25
Not legal at all. Unconstitutional. dansolo Sep 2020 #31
Florida was ready to do this in 2000 zipplewrath Sep 2020 #11
RW media has been saying for years that the USA was not founded as a Democracy. Midnight Writer Sep 2020 #15
Yes, right wingers claim the US as a republic protects the rights of the minority. Lonestarblue Sep 2020 #17
He's following the law. In PA, the party nominee picks the electors. Kaleva Sep 2020 #16
If Republicans pull this off they really should not be surprised at the consequences bucolic_frolic Sep 2020 #18
This is arcane Constitutional election law. BadgerMom Sep 2020 #19
States have laws as to how electors are chosen. Salviati Sep 2020 #26
Thanks. BadgerMom Sep 2020 #27
Didn't the Supreme Court just uphold that electors must vote the way the majority judesedit Sep 2020 #20
Faithless electors dansolo Sep 2020 #32
The Biden campaign needs to get out in front of this. Crunchy Frog Sep 2020 #21
If Dump steals the election... roamer65 Sep 2020 #22
I am not at all certain things will work out in their favor warmfeet Sep 2020 #23
Conspiracy. 2naSalit Sep 2020 #24
Read Article 2, Section 1, folks. roamer65 Sep 2020 #28
Read Article 1 Section 9 dansolo Sep 2020 #33
All for the courts to decide. roamer65 Sep 2020 #34
K & R Duppers Sep 2020 #29
K & R Duppers Sep 2020 #30

NameAlreadyTaken

(958 posts)
1. They have never cared about democracy.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 04:58 PM
Sep 2020

It's only about grabbing power and holding onto it. Even treason is inconsequential to them.

agingdem

(7,756 posts)
8. C'mon...
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:17 PM
Sep 2020

you know the Biden/Harris legal team is ten steps ahead of this...every kind of lawyer..constitutional, election protection, campaign, voting rights, criminal... former high court judges...thousands are working with the Biden campaign...Trump and Barr have been broadcasting this crap for months...they can't keep their mouths shut...focus everyone!

 

beachbumbob

(9,263 posts)
2. the wishes of the voters are denied, there will be hell to pay unless this is the end of democracy
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 04:58 PM
Sep 2020

and all elections are cancelled. I will tell you if this even attempted prices will be paid

Zoonart

(11,748 posts)
3. This is not even a head fake. They are just saying the silent part out loud.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:01 PM
Sep 2020

THEY ARE PLANNING TO NULLIFY THE ELECTION RESULTS!
Just wow...any constitutional scholars out there that know what our options are to block this?

Roland99

(53,342 posts)
5. I know PA has a Democratic governor so I'm sure that would be quite the uphill battle.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:10 PM
Sep 2020

not sure the composition of the state legislature nor court


EDIT: Republicans have a majority in the PA Senate *and* House

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
7. Abhorrent as it may be, it is probably legal. The state chooses electors, but are not told...
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:16 PM
Sep 2020

how to choose. Constitution merely says that state legislators set it all up.

So, to pull this off, they would have Red states appoint Republican electors. Entirely legal, if scummy.

But, that's not ll they are trying. They are desperate, and the pity of it all is that the public is ignorant enough to fall for it.

YessirAtsaFact

(2,064 posts)
14. Exactly. The method for selecting the electors is written as state law
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:29 PM
Sep 2020

I could see a boatload of court cases trying to invalidate individual ballots if the results are close, but the rules for selecting electors are set.

 

Rule of Claw

(500 posts)
12. No. No. No.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:26 PM
Sep 2020

If the original method of popular vote was signed off by the Governor, so too must be any adjustments to it. Otherwise why wouldn't they have done that a long time ago?

Just pass a resolution and tell them we have the power. No-rather I think any rational person would find that legislature also means Governor.

In a state with a Republican Governor however? Maybe. Still doubtful.

Salviati

(6,002 posts)
25. the states have LAWS as to how the electors are to be chosen
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:49 PM
Sep 2020

The US Constitution doesn't specify what those laws are, but the states DO.

Appointing electors that override elections results would almost undoubtedly break state laws.

dansolo

(5,376 posts)
31. Not legal at all. Unconstitutional.
Thu Sep 24, 2020, 06:43 AM
Sep 2020

Changing the electors after an election would be an ex post facto law, which is explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
11. Florida was ready to do this in 2000
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:25 PM
Sep 2020

When Bush v. Gore was working its way through the courts, the Florida Legislature had serious discussions about just appointing electors. I have no doubt that several ones in the country would do this in 2020. However, it could be the basis for Congress not accepting the results of the EC and challenging it in both houses. And this would be of the NEW congress, not the current one.

Midnight Writer

(21,546 posts)
15. RW media has been saying for years that the USA was not founded as a Democracy.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 05:56 PM
Sep 2020

They call it a Capitalist Republic. They claim the Framers never intended it to be a Democracy.

And as usual, the Hate Talk to policy pipeline is flowing strong.

Lonestarblue

(9,878 posts)
17. Yes, right wingers claim the US as a republic protects the rights of the minority.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 06:51 PM
Sep 2020

and the majority is not legally allowed to institute majority rule. That’s why they’re so against the popular vote, because they can’t game the system as easily. We have an uphill battler,,but we really need to focus on state legislatures and governorships. Let’s start with Texas!

Kaleva

(36,146 posts)
16. He's following the law. In PA, the party nominee picks the electors.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 06:03 PM
Sep 2020

"How Are Electors Chosen?

Pennsylvania: By presidential nominee

The presidential nominee for each party nominates electors to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State. The vice presidential nominee may be asked to nominate electors at the presidential nominee’s discretion."

https://electoralvotemap.com/how-are-electors-chosen/

bucolic_frolic

(42,663 posts)
18. If Republicans pull this off they really should not be surprised at the consequences
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:00 PM
Sep 2020

A democracy will not take this abuse very long. I just think people will be outraged.

BadgerMom

(2,766 posts)
19. This is arcane Constitutional election law.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:05 PM
Sep 2020

Some commenters state it’s all legal and can occur. Others feel the slate of electors is set. If state legislators can overturn the popular vote and the electoral college is not just a rubber stamp, but determinant we have never been a democracy. Those who believe their vote doesn’t matter are correct then.

Are we being told this is true? What can individuals DO? I’m usually okay at shrugging off the doom. Today, not so much.

Salviati

(6,002 posts)
26. States have laws as to how electors are chosen.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:53 PM
Sep 2020

Everyone seems to be freaking the fuck out, because the US constitution does not specify what those laws are, but instead leaves them up to the states. But the states DO have laws as to the procedure for selecting electors, and to just selecting a bunch of party hacks, regardless of the election outcome, is going to almost certainly break those laws in every case (I have not personally looked up the election laws in every state...)

judesedit

(4,437 posts)
20. Didn't the Supreme Court just uphold that electors must vote the way the majority
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:10 PM
Sep 2020

voted or they can be penalized? Just curious if that helps us.

dansolo

(5,376 posts)
32. Faithless electors
Thu Sep 24, 2020, 06:46 AM
Sep 2020

The funny thing is that the conservatives were probably more concerned about faithless electors voting against Trump.

Crunchy Frog

(26,548 posts)
21. The Biden campaign needs to get out in front of this.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:30 PM
Sep 2020

The fact that he is even thinking about such a thing needs to become a major campaign issue.

roamer65

(36,739 posts)
22. If Dump steals the election...
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:33 PM
Sep 2020

then secession by disenfranchised states should be acted upon. There are more democratic forms of governance.

warmfeet

(3,321 posts)
23. I am not at all certain things will work out in their favor
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 07:39 PM
Sep 2020

if this course of action is taken. There may be violence, for sure, but the repiggies may be on the losing end. Millions of Liberals, many millions, are gun owners with decades of training. So.......... we shall see.

roamer65

(36,739 posts)
28. Read Article 2, Section 1, folks.
Wed Sep 23, 2020, 08:38 PM
Sep 2020

The state legislatures can do it in the manner they direct. It only mentions state legislatures, not governors.

They literally could ignore any laws they have passed on elector appointment up until that point. Lawsuits would ensue, but the latitude given them by the Constitution is very wide.

https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/article/article-ii

dansolo

(5,376 posts)
33. Read Article 1 Section 9
Thu Sep 24, 2020, 06:50 AM
Sep 2020

Changing how electors are selected after an election occurs would be an ex post facto law, which the Constitution prohibits.

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