Gov. Inslee, Washington Democrats push election bills as they weigh threats to democracy
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Hypothetical scenario: A candidate for county executive loses an election, then claims there’s been fraud in the county’s election office and announces that something needs to be done about it.
“And supporters hear that and they decide, ‘Well, I’m going to go and firebomb the place,’ “ said Sen. David Frockt, D-Seattle. “And they go and firebomb the place.”
“That’s not totally dissimilar, arguably, to what took place on Jan. 6,” said Frockt. “But it’s a little more of an extreme example.”
Frockt’s hypothetical came as he explained Senate Bill 5843, the bill requested by Gov. Jay Inslee that would make it a gross misdemeanor for elected officials or candidates to lie about election results if those lies lead to violence. A gross misdemeanor in Washington can bring a fine of up to $5,000 and confinement in county jail for up 364 days.
Read more at: https://www.theolympian.com/news/politics-government/article257415652.html
