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MissMillie

(38,452 posts)
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:40 AM Jul 2021

In setback to Trump ally, Pennsylvania county will not comply with vote probe

Source: Reuters via MSN

(Reuters) - One of the three Pennsylvania counties asked to provide access to voting machines for a Republican lawmaker's probe of the 2020 election has decided it cannot comply due to a directive from the state's top election official, the county's solicitor told Reuters.

Tioga County's three Republican commissioners met on Tuesday and determined that acting Secretary of State Veronica Degraffenreid was within her authority in directing counties not to allow third parties to access their election equipment, according to the solicitor, Chris Gabriel.

The decision poses a potential hurdle for state Senator Doug Mastriano, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump. The legislator announced his "forensic investigation" into the election last week, starting with Tioga, Philadelphia and York counties. He had no immediate comment on Tuesday.


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Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-setback-to-trump-ally-pennsylvania-county-will-not-comply-with-vote-probe/ar-AAM7wIj?ocid=U483DHP&li=BBnb7Kz



Well, at least one PA county has the sense to avoid spending tax-payer dollars on a complete waste of time.
37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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In setback to Trump ally, Pennsylvania county will not comply with vote probe (Original Post) MissMillie Jul 2021 OP
Just like Arizona...... MyOwnPeace Jul 2021 #1
This push to sew doubt into our elections... Omnipresent Jul 2021 #2
They don't want to look like Maricopa County. I'm glad the Ninja's are taking so long to come ... marble falls Jul 2021 #3
"come up with something"? you mean "make something up" MissMillie Jul 2021 #9
Coming up with something however they derive it: making it up, reading tea leaves ... marble falls Jul 2021 #11
You win extra points for the creating the phrase "mirth mine". Nice! Gregory Peccary Jul 2021 #22
I cannot wait to see how SNL handles this fascist fiasco! marble falls Jul 2021 #23
You're a font of fun today! lagomorph777 Jul 2021 #24
You are on a roll malaise Jul 2021 #25
This message was self-deleted by its author malaise Jul 2021 #26
Yes, because tainting the voting machines will require the cash to replace them bucolic_frolic Jul 2021 #4
Price tag for the taxpayers of PA was estimated to be FalloutShelter Jul 2021 #6
Tioga County is Trump Country wcast Jul 2021 #5
All true. The population of the entire county is about forty thousand. twodogsbarking Jul 2021 #7
"The population of the entire county is about forty thousand." BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #21
I'm Surprised They Balked modrepub Jul 2021 #12
Spending money is a big deal to these folks, too Deminpenn Jul 2021 #32
Mastriano is doing this gab13by13 Jul 2021 #8
Mastriano still needs to be arrested for his involvement in the insurrection. Efilroft Sul Jul 2021 #10
And I know Philly most likely will not give the ass the time of day BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #13
Ahhh....sanity prevails for the moment Bayard Jul 2021 #15
You are welcome! BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #18
A Political Game toughtony Jul 2021 #14
Little Doubt That You're Correct ProfessorGAC Jul 2021 #28
Doing the right thing and blaming it on the Secretary of State. JohnnyRingo Jul 2021 #16
I say let them investigate but the money for it has to come out cstanleytech Jul 2021 #17
We already had 2 audits. BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #20
That is just it. If they are the ones going to be footing the entire bill for it without cstanleytech Jul 2021 #27
The ones spearheading this BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #29
You forget that it takes money to do anything even an audit and if they want it then they rather cstanleytech Jul 2021 #31
The state Assembly (House and Senate) is GOP-controlled BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #33
Did the Governor tell them that they could have it if they would pass a tax increase on the cstanleytech Jul 2021 #34
He's been on the road trying to get them to raise the minimum wage here BumRushDaShow Jul 2021 #35
I see his mistake "I'm calling on GOP leaders to do the right thing". He would have better odds cstanleytech Jul 2021 #36
Hmm. John Fetterman said "none" of the counties were going to comply. malthaussen Jul 2021 #19
This message was self-deleted by its author ExTex Jul 2021 #30
York county also declines Mastriano's request Deminpenn Jul 2021 #37

MyOwnPeace

(16,887 posts)
1. Just like Arizona......
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:49 AM
Jul 2021

it is amazing that some are allowing these traitors access to the very basis of a state's voting system!
It's like allowing the fox into the henhouse just because the fox wants to see if there is actually anything in there of any value.....

Omnipresent

(5,620 posts)
2. This push to sew doubt into our elections...
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:52 AM
Jul 2021

Will also fuel the fire of revolution, and an end to our democratic republic.

I would hope there are more than a few brain cells firing in the minds of our six conservative supreme court justices, that can understand where this is headed?

marble falls

(56,358 posts)
3. They don't want to look like Maricopa County. I'm glad the Ninja's are taking so long to come ...
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:54 AM
Jul 2021

... up with something. I'm glad. The GOP never, ever thought they would get access to voting information and actual ballots. They were looking for a long fight to make political hay over the issue, never expecting to get access. Their one 'victory' screwed them. An actual example of the dog chasing the bus and catching it, they didn't know what to do because they were after a fight for the bus, not the bus itself.

I bet the Cyber Ninjas wish they were miles away. Their report will be a mirth mine. They're documenting their own stupidity and will not be able to make any proven conclusions either way.

No other county wants that kind of egg on their face.

MissMillie

(38,452 posts)
9. "come up with something"? you mean "make something up"
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 08:49 AM
Jul 2021

They don't know what they're doing, and they've proven that at least once (the whole "deleted file" scenario).

And whatever it is they make up won't be able to be replicated--because they're not following any set of procedures. So it will be mute anyway.

There's not a court in this country that would accept anything they put out as "proof" of anything.


But I think the whole point is to drag it out so that the doubts of election integrity last through the midterms.

marble falls

(56,358 posts)
11. Coming up with something however they derive it: making it up, reading tea leaves ...
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 09:34 AM
Jul 2021

... searching Nostradamus, the RWer's Handbook - I see no limits to the different types of mendacity they are capable of displaying.

Their goal was to drag out the fight. That long fight would have been the rallying point. Dragging out their investigation shows their ineptitude. And no other county has decided that model is their goal.

If the GOP weren't so cheap, they'd have paid real money to consulting firms that actually understand how voting systems work and how to actually derive a conclusion regarding an election. Instead, they got Ninjas. No doubt the lowest bidder by a mile, and who -no doubt - promised a specific result.

The less that people know about a subject, the more confident they are of their expertise. My own personal downfall.

Response to marble falls (Reply #23)

bucolic_frolic

(42,663 posts)
4. Yes, because tainting the voting machines will require the cash to replace them
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:59 AM
Jul 2021

Did I read Mastriano paid for 3 busloads of insurrectionists for the Jan 6 coup attempt? Seems I read that somewhere.

wcast

(595 posts)
5. Tioga County is Trump Country
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 08:03 AM
Jul 2021

The republicans there are firmly in the cult. It surprises me that the commissioners were against this but it also surprises me that there would be a recount there. Tioga is a very small rural county that voted close to 80% for Trump.

In PA county rule is supposed to be somewhat bipartisan. Tioga is the only county that has all republicans as commissioners. They get around it by having one commissioner run as a write in and feel no shame in doing so.

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
21. "The population of the entire county is about forty thousand."
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 11:24 AM
Jul 2021

That's the size of one neighborhood here in Philly.

modrepub

(3,467 posts)
12. I'm Surprised They Balked
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 09:35 AM
Jul 2021

but maybe the cost of replacing machines to account for tampering played in their decision. Or maybe they'll be run out of office for not being true Trump supporters in the near future.

I think the strategy was to get some counties to say yes to make it harder for Philadelphia to refuse to turn over their machines. We'll see if other counties play their game. I think York County is on their list. It's also a Republican dominated county but much different than Tioga. More of a bedroom community to Baltimore. I think Trump supporters are much more vocal in York than Tioga, partly because the county has closer to half a million people.

Deminpenn

(15,246 posts)
32. Spending money is a big deal to these folks, too
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:03 PM
Jul 2021

It wouldn't be cheap to replace all the equipment and things Mastriano wants. It's likely the Sec of State would decertify everything if they did, meaning Tioga county would have to buy replacements. I think Wolf and the Sec of State gave these counties an out by ordering them not to comply and Tioga took it.

York's R country, but it's changing as the SE Pa sprawl creeps closer.

gab13by13

(20,864 posts)
8. Mastriano is doing this
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 08:36 AM
Jul 2021

because he is running for governor and wants Trump's endorsement.

John Fetterman who is running for Senate to replace Toomey is just bashing Mastriano on cable news shows. I am going to definitely contribute to Fetterman's campaign, he is the most outspoken of the Dem candidates for Senate.

Efilroft Sul

(3,573 posts)
10. Mastriano still needs to be arrested for his involvement in the insurrection.
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 09:25 AM
Jul 2021

He rented several buses to take traitors to Washington, DC on 1/6 and there is video footage of him and his wife moving past barricades to enter the Capitol. He was also there with Joe Saccone, who was defeated by Conor Lamb when Lamb was first elected to Congress.

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
13. And I know Philly most likely will not give the ass the time of day
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 09:43 AM
Jul 2021

and are probably in the process of getting all the ducks in a row.

As a note, the City Commissioners who handle elections here in Philly (there are 3 of them) are 2 (D) and 1 (R) and Al Schmidt is the (R), and is completely besides himself with the loon attacks continually being spearheaded by his party. Here is a tweet from him last week -




TEXT

Commissioner Al Schmidt
@Commish_Schmidt
Statement from the Office of the City Commissioners:
Image
7:24 PM · Jul 7, 2021




PA (D) AG (and potential gubernatorial candidate) tweeted this last Friday -




TEXT

Josh Shapiro
@JoshShapiroPA
One insurrectionist state Senator — enabled by Donald Trump’s Republican Party — is demanding almost one million Pennsylvanians’ private information, at a cost to taxpayers that could soar to over $30 million.

His “audit” is a sham, and I’m fighting it every step of the way.
The ReidOut
@thereidout
.@PAAttorneyGen Josh Shapiro on the Republican #Pennsylvania state senator seeking to conduct his own 2020 election audit. #TheReidOut #reiders
Embedded video
7:56 PM · Jul 9, 2021


Democrats in the state Senate are preparing for legal action -

Philadelphia sees $40 mln in possible costs from Trump ally's election probe

July 12, 20217:48 PM EDT Last Updated 2 days ago
United States
Nathan Layne

(snip)

After Mastriano announced his probe last week, the Pennsylvania Department of State issued a directive to the state's 67 counties warning it would decertify any equipment handed over to third parties because the chain of custody would be broken. Democratic President Joe Biden won Pennsylvania by about 81,000 votes, four years after Trump's victory there helped propel the Republican to the presidency. Republicans in Pennsylvania and other swing states won by Biden have pursued audits of the November election, repeating Trump's baseless claims that widespread fraud cost him a second White House term.

Schmidt, who has repeatedly defended the integrity of the vote count in heavily Democratic-leaning Philadelphia, said Mastriano's request for a wide array of equipment could force the city to replace some $30 million worth of voting machines and an additional $10 million in central programming and tabulation equipment. "We just got all our new voting equipment in 2019, so replacing it would be very expensive for taxpayers," Schmidt said on Monday. His estimate is higher than one by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who has said Mastriano's investigation could cost the three targeted counties - Philadelphia, York and Tioga - $30 million.

Mastriano, who has increased his profile among conservative voters in part by touting Trump's stolen-election claims, did not respond to a request for comment on the cost estimate for Philadelphia. He said in a statement earlier on Monday that the secretary of state did not have the legal authority to retire election machines after third-party access or to force counties to pay for new equipment. Mastriano has given the three counties until July 31 to respond and is threatening to issue subpoenas through the Intergovernmental Operations Committee, which he chairs and which is majority Republican. In addition to 2020, he also wants to investigate municipal elections this past May.

Jay Costa, the Pennsylvania Senate minority leader, said Democrats would likely take legal action to try to stop the subpoenas. "There could be a significant amount of state and local dollars being spent for this unnecessary sham of an audit." Pennsylvania has already conducted a so-called risk-limiting audit of the 2020 election involving the statistical sampling of ballots. The counties also audited a sample of their votes as mandated by law. Neither effort turned up widespread fraud.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/philadelphia-sees-40-mln-possible-costs-trump-allys-election-probe-2021-07-12/

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
18. You are welcome!
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 10:49 AM
Jul 2021

Philadelphia is the largest county, population wise, in the state. And we broke our previous turnout record - literally in the middle of a pandemic, surpassing the turnout and number of votes for the first Obama Presidency in 2008 by almost 10,000 votes (and surpassing the 2016 vote total by almost 20,000).



From Gov. Tom Wolf (D) about 45 minutes ago -




TEXT

Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
Pennsylvania 2020 Election:
- Most secure in our history, according to @CISAgov
- Examined by 60 judges, including SCOTUS
- Comprehensively audited twice

The findings: no widespread fraud.

A partisan sham election review would only sabotage our election process.
10:00 AM · Jul 14, 2021


and yesterday -




TEXT

Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
·
Jul 13, 2021
I'm with @POTUS in Philadelphia today to echo our commitment — our duty as public officials — to protecting the sacred right to vote.

This is a critical moment for our democracy, and we will stand against all deceptive efforts to roll back your freedom to vote.

Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
Shameful legislators in Pennsylvania and across the nation continue to spew lies for political gain.

These are the same people and lies that fueled the Capitol insurrection and who are now pushing for a sham election review.

This is unAmerican, and I will not stand for it.
3:00 PM · Jul 13, 2021





TEXT

Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
Latest Republican attempts to disrupt PA elections:

🔻
Compromising voting systems with a counting scheme
🔻
Bypassing the legislative process with a reckless constitutional amendment

When Pennsylvanians' freedom to vote is on the line, I will always stand up for our democracy.
I will protect Pennsylvanians' freedom to vote
9:30 AM · Jul 13, 2021

toughtony

(88 posts)
14. A Political Game
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 09:58 AM
Jul 2021

I think at this point, the republicans that want this stupidity are simply thinking about their political careers. By pleasing the reverend trump, they can increase a portion of reverend trump's congregation for themselves. From what I hear, the Maricopa county ballots are not even in Arizona, they're in some dude's crib. The ballots have been copied and moved by truck twice to two different states. Sidney Powell stated that its not about proving election fraud, but convincing the gullible public, specifically the united church of trump, that massive fraud exist.

JohnnyRingo

(18,581 posts)
16. Doing the right thing and blaming it on the Secretary of State.
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 10:28 AM
Jul 2021

"Nossir Mr Trump, we want to throw a wrench in voting integrity. It's that pesky SoS that won't let us". "Please don't beat us Mr Trump."

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
17. I say let them investigate but the money for it has to come out
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 10:34 AM
Jul 2021

of their own pockets and the money cannot be from any anonymous source which includes any money originating from PACs.

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
20. We already had 2 audits.
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 11:18 AM
Jul 2021
ENOUGH.

There were 15 post-election lawsuits filed by the crackpot GOP against the PA election process, both in state and federal courts (including a couple that went to the SCOTUS), the most filed against ANY "contested" state.

All but one of the 15 suits (which dealt with a SOS 3-day extension for first time voters to verify their identity for mail-in ballots) were either dropped, dismissed, or ruled against the GOP.

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
27. That is just it. If they are the ones going to be footing the entire bill for it without
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 04:59 PM
Jul 2021

any financial support or reimbursement allowed I suspect they would suddenly be singing a different tune.

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
29. The ones spearheading this
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 06:25 PM
Jul 2021

are members of the Kracken crew in elective office (they were the ones who invited Ghouliani to an infamous super-spreader event in Gettysburg). So the only tunes they would be singing would be something on the order of nails on a chalkboard.

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
31. You forget that it takes money to do anything even an audit and if they want it then they rather
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 06:44 PM
Jul 2021

than the government should be the one paying the people to do it.
Of course a penalty should be considered as well which is that if the audit does not uncover a significant amount of fraudulent votes that the ones asking for the audit have to also pay 8 times the amount that it cost to carry out the audit

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
33. The state Assembly (House and Senate) is GOP-controlled
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:15 PM
Jul 2021

and they don't care about "cost" when it comes to implementing their agenda. They tried to add money for an "Election Audit Bureau" to the state budget just a couple weeks ago and it was line-item vetoed by the (D) Governor.

I do get your entire gist but when you have a pack of dogs on a mission, it's hard to get them to unlock their jaws. I discovered that The New Yorker had an essay on Mastriano this past May and he's basically a christo-facist - https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/a-pennsylvania-lawmaker-and-the-resurgence-of-christian-nationalism

It's like these people have been incubating for years and now they have been unleashed.

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
34. Did the Governor tell them that they could have it if they would pass a tax increase on the
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:38 PM
Jul 2021

ultra wealthy to pay for it and that the taxes could never be lowered for the ultra wealthy in the future? That is probably what I would have done as it paints them in a corner LOL

BumRushDaShow

(127,288 posts)
35. He's been on the road trying to get them to raise the minimum wage here
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 07:56 PM
Jul 2021

which is still $7.25/hr while every state around us, including WV, has raised theirs.




TEXT

Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
I'm standing in the church where 15 years ago today @GovEdRendell signed into law the last minimum wage increase passed by state legislators.

Since then, all neighboring states have raised their wages — including West Virginia.

Pennsylvania is way behind. We must #RaiseTheWage.
Image of Governor speaking at podium in an auditorium
1:15 PM · Jul 9, 2021





TEXT

Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
·
Jul 9, 2021
Replying to @GovernorTomWolf
Pennsylvania's embarrassingly low minimum wage hasn't increased by a single penny in over a decade.

Despite years of advocacy and hard work from @SenTartaglione and @SenatorHughes, petty partisanship has kept a bill to #RaiseTheWage off my desk.

Workers deserve better.
Governor Tom Wolf
@GovernorTomWolf
More people struggle to afford basic needs with every year we don't increase wages — including the frontline workers that got us through the pandemic.

I'm calling on GOP leaders to do the right thing for workers, businesses, and our economy.

Let's #RaiseTheWage in Pennsylvania.
1:16 PM · Jul 9, 2021

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
36. I see his mistake "I'm calling on GOP leaders to do the right thing". He would have better odds
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 08:03 PM
Jul 2021

at winning a Megamillions jackpot of 2 billion and then a PowerBall one of the same amount just after it on the same week.

malthaussen

(17,065 posts)
19. Hmm. John Fetterman said "none" of the counties were going to comply.
Wed Jul 14, 2021, 11:01 AM
Jul 2021

Maybe they haven't made it official, yet.

-- Mal

Response to MissMillie (Original post)

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