Republican Lawsuits May Hinge On Crowdsourced 'Voter Fraud' Claims
A closer look at the evidence being used to challenge the 2020 election results
In the weeks following the 2020 election, Republican lawmakers and conservative groups have filed dozens of lawsuits challenging the results. Many of these lawsuits allege that widespread voter fraud occurred, and they cite as evidence sworn affidavits from individuals who claim to have witnessed or experienced fraud.
However, a closer examination of these affidavits reveals that many of them are based on hearsay, speculation, or outright falsehoods. In one case, a witness claimed to have seen a van dropping off hundreds of pre-filled ballots at a polling place, but video footage showed that no such van was present. In another case, a witness claimed to have seen a poll worker stuffing ballots into a box, but election officials said that the witness was not present at the polling place on the day in question.
Despite the lack of credible evidence, Republican lawmakers continue to use these affidavits to support their claims of voter fraud. In a recent lawsuit, the Trump campaign cited more than 200 sworn affidavits from individuals who claimed to have witnessed fraud. However, a review of these affidavits found that many of them were based on hearsay or contained other significant flaws.
For example, one affidavit claimed that a poll worker saw a woman casting multiple ballots. However, the poll worker later admitted that she had not actually seen the woman cast any ballots. Another affidavit claimed that a group of people were seen filling out ballots at a homeless shelter, but the homeless shelter said that no one was present at the shelter on the day in question.
The use of questionable evidence in Republican lawsuits is raising concerns about the integrity of the election process. If these lawsuits are successful, they could lead to the overturning of the election results and the installation of a president who lost the popular vote.
It is important to note that these lawsuits are just one part of a larger Republican effort to undermine the legitimacy of the election. Republican lawmakers have also passed laws making it more difficult to vote, and they have supported efforts to roll back voting rights protections. These actions are part of a coordinated attack on democracy, and they represent a real threat to the future of American elections.