The New Stochastic Terrorists

Trump, Elder’s campaign falsely claimed fraud before California votes were counted — a growing GOP tactic
By Elise Viebeck and Tom Hamburger
Washington Post

SAN FRANCISCO — Former president Donald Trump’s false voter fraud claims found new life in California’s biggest election this year.

The top Republican seeking to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in Tuesday’s recall declined before the election to say whether he could accept the results. A website affiliated with his campaign invites visitors to “sign a petition to stop the fraud of the California recall election.” And a previous version of the site — published before the election took place — blamed voter fraud for Newsom being “reinstated” as governor.

There is no evidence for these claims, which have nonetheless been amplified repeatedly this week by former president Donald Trump. But their arrival in the country’s largest blue state offered proof of their currency within the Republican Party, where some leaders have increasingly sought to undermine public confidence in Democratic victories by baselessly alleging that elections are vulnerable to manipulation.

TFG’s denialism was a planned tactic from long before the election of 2020.

If you doubt that, consider Larry Elder’s pre-election claims that the election was/is rigged. And recall that, at the beginning of his “run” for California Recall Governor, he said that the2020 election was fair and square — until Trumpanzees started flinging poo and he then recanted.

I am writing this presuming that the election turns out as expected. Because the threat is REAL, no matter the outcome.