Donald Trump’s recent attempts to convince his base, successfully in some instances, that mail-in voting is rife with fraud and shouldn’t be expanded during the coronavirus epidemic has, at times, reached drama level. Swearing that Democrats will rig the election, stuff ballot boxes, and have their dogs and dead grandmothers voting, Trump has denounced mail-in voting…in blue states.
Mitt Romney slams politicians attacking mail-in voting – once more the only decent Republican inside the Beltway https://t.co/t0653zQf6k
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) August 14, 2020
On Friday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) criticized politicians who have spread misinformation about mail-in voting, but stopped short of calling Trump out by his name. As a senator from a district that doesn’t lean toward Trump, Romney doesn’t risk much by criticizing him, but on this issue he spoke passionately.
In an interview with the Sutherland Institute, Romney said:
‘I don’t know of any evidence that voting by mail would increase voter fraud. My biggest concern, frankly, with regards to voting fraud has been that there would be some kind of hacking of our voting electronic systems, and that voting machines or tabulating equipment would be hacked.’
Mail-In Voting, unless changed by the courts, will lead to the most CORRUPT ELECTION in our Nation’s History! #RIGGEDELECTION
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2020
Romney said that attempts to thwart mail-in voting is “threatening global democracy,” and there is an increasing number of Republican lawmakers joining Trump in the practice. His most recent attempts, which include withholding needed funds, and assisted by a postmaster general he appointed who owns financial stock in a USPS competitor, is currently under review by the New Jersey attorney general.
According to PBS:
‘Trump has suggested that increased mail-in voting because of the coronavirus pandemic could result in fraud and cost him reelection. This week he acknowledged that he’s starving the U.S. Postal Service of money to make it harder to process the expected flood of ballots from voters who are seeking to avoid polling places.’
Romney breaks with Trump's criticism of mail-in voting: "I don't know of any evidence that voting by mail would increase voter fraud." https://t.co/04nqJxddcb pic.twitter.com/KVWEE4GHSk
— The Hill (@thehill) August 15, 2020
Romney said that the most important thing that lawmakers should do is protect the right of American citizens to vote, and that every citizen who wishes to cast a ballot should do so. It was a far cry from the recent attacks on democracy by the current occupant of the White House.
‘That’s more important than even the outcome of the vote. We have got to preserve the principle of democracy or the trend we’re on is going to continue to get worse. When politicians attack a judicial system, attack a voting system, attack a free press, these things threaten the foundation upon which not only our own democracy rests but democracies around the world rest.’
Where is the rest of the GOP??Mitt Romney slams politicians attacking mail-in voting – ABC News – https://t.co/yR0abX2rb6 via @ABC
— Sherri (@SHERRIMAMA) August 15, 2020
Featured image screenshot via YouTube