U.S. DOJ v. Arizona State Senate 6/21

 

It seems Today’s Dept. of Justice is now engaged in contradicting its own   Directive*with regard to Arizona Senate/’Cyber Ninjas’ so-called Election “Audit”:

*May 5, 2021 VIA EMAIL The Honorable Karen Fann President, Arizona State Senate 1700 West Washington Street, Room 205 Phoenix, AZ 85007

Pamela S. Karlan Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Civil Rights Division pamela.karlan@usdoj.gov :

In the letter, DOJ describes its responsibility for “Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses, Eighth Edition 2017 at 75 (noting that “[t]he detection, investigation, and proof of election crimes – and in many instances Voting Rights Act violations – often depend[s] on documentation generated during the voter registration, voting, tabulation, and election certification processes”)*2 https://www.justice.gov/criminal/file/1029066/download

Despite this Directive/ Warning, the Arizona “Audit” proceeded undeterred by Any DOJ Action. The Arizona “Audit” continued without any adherence to Policy required by Law, and notification to Arizona Authorities.

DOJ further directed Arizona Authorities to obey Election Law with regard to ‘Cyber Ninjas’ intention “to conduct an audit of voting history” *3”, and that voters may be contacted through a “combination of phone calls and physical canvassing” to “collect information of whether the individual voted in the election” in November 2020. Statement of Work at ¶ 5.1 https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/cyber-ninjas-statement-of-work/2013a82d-a2cf-48be-8e9f-a26bfd5143e5/

Such “physical canvassing” and “phone calls”, were in fact, then conducted, by ‘Cyber Ninjas’ (?), Republican Officials (?), Random Maga-lytes (?).

DOJ even goes so far as to specifically note the inherent violation of the Voting Rights Act:  “The Department enforces a number of federal statutes that prohibit intimidation of persons for voting or attempting to vote. For example, Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act”

 Further; such action could “potentially can implicate the anti-intimidation prohibitions of the Voting Rights Act. Such investigative efforts can have a significant intimidating effect on qualified voters that can deter them from seeking to vote in the future.”

Bold words, followed up with apparently, No Action.

“Democracy itself is in peril – here at home and around the world,” U.S. President Joe Biden

 

GOP      6/2021       Jos. R. Walsh   

“Democracy itself is in peril – here at home and around the world,” U.S. President Joe Biden warned Monday 5/31 in remarks to commemorate the Memorial Day holiday.  https://im-media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced/s3/2021-05/afp_biden_mem.jpg?itok=Y09W7VFy

I’m not saying Today’s Republicans are Nazis, (Close, but not quite…). Many of them are indeed neo-Nazis. And, Today’s GOP is very much behaving in Nazi ways: Racist Voter Suppression, Societal Division, Political Violence (see Washington, D.C.  1/6).

The D.C. Capitol Assault is eerily reminiscent of the 1933 Nazi burning of the Reichstag, and the November 8 / November 9, 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-reichstag-fire-and-nazis-rise-power-180962240/

In the 1933 Burning of the German Parliament, (the Reichstag), Hitler and the Nazis blamed the Left for the destruction, (sound familiar?). Before certain Q-Anon followers in Congress get to comparing COVID Vaccination to Nazi persecution of Jews, they’d do well to read up on some History. Not only did the Nazis use the Reichstag Fire as an excuse to seize power, Hitler and his gang used it a reason to enact Martial Law, and call-up Nazi Militias to enforce order.

Of course the ultimate blame for the 1933 Reichstag Fire remains a matter of controversy. In 2018 however, the German Federal Prosecutor overturned the conviction of the Dutch Communist activist prosecuted and beheaded by the Nazis, citing lack of any credibility in anything the Nazis ever charged against anyone for anything.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jan/12/secondworldwar.germany

Speaking of Militias; Oath Keepers: here we have Reporting of Self-avowed ‘Oath Keeper’, typical of Oath Keeper News -  “Newburgh tattoo artist Roberto Minuta made a remote court appearance on Tuesday” Chris McKenna The Times Herald-Record, Middletown, N.Y. (TNS)

June 3, 2021Updated: June 3, 2021 8:49 a.m ‘it quotes Minuta allegedly demanding police be ejected from the besieged Capitol as he made a video with his phone after going inside.’ “This is what's bound to happen, just get out!" Minuta yelled in the recording. "Get out! Get these cops out! It's our f---ing building! Get 'em out, get out!"

And; his wife stated - her husband went to Washington’ to provide security for Trump ally Roger Stone* and to prevent Black Lives Matter and Antifa activists from "attacking patriot crowds as they dispersed."

*A federal judge sentenced Stone, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, to 40 months in prison after a jury convicted Stone of making false statements, witness tampering, and obstruction in November. President Donald Trump officially commuted the prison sentence of Roger Stone on Friday, July 10 2020.

Trump MAGA-lytes frequently refer to political opponents as ‘Enemies’, and the free Press as “Enemies of The People”.

As Hitler and the Nazis gained popularity in Germany, ‘the Nazis denounced the Weimar Republic and the “November criminals,” politicians who signed the Treaty of Versailles.’

Proud Boys -  Easily recognizable, thanks to their  red Make America Great Again baseball caps, members are regulars at far-right demonstrations and Trump rallies. After several years of forging alliances with members of the Republican political establishment, the Proud Boys have carved out a niche for themselves as both a right-wing fight club and a volunteer security force for the GOP. https://www.adl.org/proudboys

Proud Boys Events/Fights/Riots are reminiscent of, and akin to the 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch.  https://www.history.com/topics/germany/beer-hall-putsch#section_2

Another tactic used by Hitler and the Nazis, as well as most authoritarian Regimes, is the ‘Deputizing’ of line Party Officials, with authority to selectively enforce Election Laws, Process, and Outcomes.          https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-enabling-act

 In Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan as well as many other States, so-called ‘Election Reform’ Laws are being enacted to weaken State’s Secretary of State Authority, as well as County Election Officials, and give that authority to State Legislators in Republican-held Legislatures. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-march-2021

 Demonizing all those who are not with them, persecuting those who oppose them, disenfranchising those who would vote to replace them, are hallmarks of all Oppressive Regimes. And it appears, the current Republican Party as well. Stung by the prospect that This GOP cannot endure Free and Fair Elections, This GOP is doing all it can to destroy Democracy in our Great Constitutional  Republic.