Chaos: Michigan court rules recount must end, as Federal court rules it must continue

So now what? On the same evening in which Michigan’s Republican Attorney General was publicly celebrating the seeming end of the statewide recount thanks to a ruling from a Michigan state appeals court, those in favor of the recount were celebrating a ruling from a federal appeals court which ruled that the recount must continue. The initially conflicting headlines have now been resolved, as the two courts issued opposite rulings in near simultaneous fashion and created a wave of confusion.

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http://www.palmerreport.com/?p=408

Michigan recount: officials admit 87 vote counting machines broke in Detroit on Election Day

There’s nothing like a good court-mandated statewide recount to get officials to start admitting to their initial failures before it all comes out in the wash. Just one day into the Michigan recount, a state where the election results were wildly out of line with polls and demographic projections – particularly in Detroit and the surrounding Wayne County – officials are now admitting that a whopping eighty-seven vote counting machines broke on Election Day in Detroit alone.

Daniel Baxter, the elections director for the city of Detroit, made the admission to the local newspaper, the Detroit News. He blamed aging equipment and summed up the station by saying that “It’s not good.” This revelation should serve to further demonstrate the need for a recount, and help justify why a federal judge ordered over the weekend that a recount immediately began.

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http://www.palmerreport.com/?p=405

Michigan recount: officials admit majority of Detroit precincts have incorrect ballot totals

Just one day after a federal judge ordered that the state of Michigan recount its ballots in the 2016 presidential election to check for accuracy, officials are now claiming they can’t recount the ballots in the most pivotal city, because they screwed up the process too thoroughly the first time around. In fact, by their own admission, the majority of precincts in Detroit had ballot totals in the precinct poll books which didn’t match those of the voting machines.

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http://www.palmerreport.com/?p=404

Just one day into the court-ordered Michigan statewide recount, and it’s already become clear why Michigan’s state officials had fought so hard against a recount to begin with. From mysterious holes torn in ballot containers, to mismatched ballot tracking numbers, it’s quickly become apparent that Michigan’s original vote counting effort – which narrowly named Donald Trump the winner in a shockingly unrealistic result – was either extraordinarily sloppy or extraordinarily suspicious.


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http://www.palmerreport.com/?p=402

Current MI Vote Total as of November 28 (Donald Trump leads by 10,704 votes)
Donald J. Trump (R) 2,279,543 (47.6%)

Hillary Clinton (D) 2,268,839 (47.3%)

Fiona Apple releases a new hit tune for Christmas: 'Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire'

"Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire" Full Lyrics

Trump's nuts roasting on an open fire As he keeps nipping at his foes. You'll cry creepy uncle
Every time he arrives
For he keeps clawing at your clothes

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http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/6/1607979/-Fiona-Apple-releases-a-new-hit-tune-for-Christmas-Trump-s-Nuts-Roasting-on-an-Open-Fire

WE CAN STOP TRUMP

Yesterday, for the first time, a Republican Elector publicly declared he will not be voting for Trump!

Christopher Suprun, a firefighter who was one of the first responders at the Pentagon on 9-11, wrote an op-ed in the NY TIMES declaring his intent.

Our thanks to Mr. Suprun for his courage and patriotism!

This is a dramatic breakthrough. Our country will never think of the Electoral College in the same way, and you helped make it possible!

Now, it’s time to redouble our efforts. Our strategy is working and it will work even better now that there is a breach in the wall.

If you use Twitter, we need you to start tweeting today!

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https://electoralcollegepetition.com/stop-trump-now/#gs._NPDUyI

New post on Palmer Report


Corrupt Pennsylvania officials caught illegally turning away recount affidavits
by Bill Palmer
Even as Wisconsin and Michigan continue with statewide recounts of the 2016 presidential election voting totals, third party candidate Jill Stein's effort to get a similar recount underway in Pennsylvania has been met with one state level roadblock after another. Even as she files in federal court to force the state to agree to a recount, reports continue to come in from residents across Pennsylvania who say local officials have been trying to deny their legal right to file recount affidavits.

Yesterday we reported on wildly the fluctuating prices officials in Northampton County were charging. One recount affidavit filer would be charged a mere twenty-five cents, and then without explanation the next person in line would be charged $150. And now another Pennsylvania resident, Shelley Renee of Butler County, has shared an even more troubling story with Palmer Report about how she was turned away entirely:

I had called in the morning to make sure that they hadnt finished their final computations and they said they hadn't, so I knew I had a 5 day window to get the affidavits in. Went there with my son, to the election board in the courthouse. Two women told me the solicitor told them not to accept them. I asked for a superviser who they said was in the commissioner's office but they would get her. I waited ten minutes and asked again why they werent accepting them when I had called a few hours earlier and the computations weren't done. I had the statute paperwork with in addition to the affidavits and notarized signatures. Again they said no.

I asked for a timestamp and they refused and called for the superviser again. She finally came in and was immediately uncooperative and nasty. We went through the whole thing again and she told me to get a lawyer because the court can settle it. We argued and I left. When I got home someone from Jill Stein's group suggested that I go back up and go to commissioner's office. I was rung in from the doorbell and a woman took my affidavits and a few minutes later a man came out who I thought was the commissioner.

He was rude as well and told me his board of elections superviser was right in telling me they werent accepting them and wanted to know who told me to come to his office. I explained. He then said it can go through the courts or I could try the prothonotary's office – they dont handle election matters,but i went anyway. When I got down there she was on the phone with the man I had just talked to. She said they dont handle election matters but that she would take my affidavits for a fee of $171 for each one and $50 additonally for each signature I had.

I have since learned that they called in the supervisor at the board of elections who was to be on vacation all week to hurry and get the final count in before we all came with the affidavits. And it was actually that very solicitor who directed me to the prothonotary's office when I was in the commissioner's office. So they called this woman in from vacation and had many meetings between the two of them on how to handle (lie) to people that came there with them. As I said I also learned the next day that there were many many people that called and were told no so they didnt come in, but there was another woman and myself that had many affidavits and they turned us both away. Mine was in Butler County. My son still tells people the story of how mean they were and what a goose chase it was and ended with nothing.

The above story, shared with Palmer Report by Pennsylvania resident Shelley Renee, documents blatantly illegal attempts on the part of local officials to deny citizens their legal rights — and therefore demonstrates corruption by definition. If you're a Pennsylvania resident and you've experienced any troubles filing recount affidavits, or you've been met with improper resistance from state or local officials while pursuing recount efforts, please contact us.

FYI - from a FB feed)

MONDAY in under one hour:
Today at 6:00 pm EST there will be a conference call to discuss trying to get a million people in 20 different cities to come together for a afternoon of letting the electoral college know that we expect them to save the nation on December 19th.
If you wish to call in the number is 515-604-9356 the pass code is 645457
This is the chance to make our voices heard regarding the electoral college. Heat and light equals attention.
Save in your agenda and Please share .

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OK, I have been pushing for petitions, etc, but here is an action item which really can make a difference if we push hard to get the AGs in states Clinton won to get on board.

Lawrence Lessig, from Harvard Law, has a really great post up about how one can argue that the “majority rules” approach most states use to choose electors is in fact unconstitutional and violates the equal protection clause of the constitution. He points out that part of the Bush v Gore case in fact sets important precedent for this, and he puts forward a first draft outline of the argument written by a friend of his. The point is that state Attornies General in states Clinton won would have to file to the supreme court for an immediate injunction against the electoral college until this is remedied. Lessig’s friends provides a helpful spreadsheet showing scenarios that could pass the equal protection clause. They essentially mimic the popular vote.

Lessig points out that he is not bringing up the small state vs. big state impact that is baked into the constitution. That would require a full on change to the constitution.

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http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/5/1607581/-A-Plausible-Action-Item-via-Lawrence-Lessig-call-your-AG-in-Clinton-states