Proposed new IRS regulations are “a lawless attack on political speech” that would “destroy fair elections.” Betsy McCaughey via Human Events: The Obama administration and New York’s senior senator, Democrat Chuck Schumer, are conspiring to muzzle their political opponents before fall’s midterm elections, and to literally outlaw free speech. They are rushing through a change in IRS regulations that would prevent tea party organizations and other not-for-profits, called 501(c)(4)s, from engaging in customary pre-election activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, debates and forums, and distributing brochures that rate candidates. The regulation would even prohibit these groups from criticizing incumbent officeholders within 60 days of a general election. This regulation would destroy fair elections. It would silence 501(c)(4)s, many of which support Republican causes, while imposing no restraints on labor unions, the shadow army of the Democratic Party, which are exempt. This administration’s weaponization of government to “punish” its “enemies” has gone from covert IRS targeting of tea party groups and “off-plan” IRS rules drafting, to overt calls to regulate opposition into silence. “Schumer shows no shame over siccing the IRS on his political rivals.”
In addition to a pen and a phone, “The president has vast regulatory machinery to make a sham of the 2014 elections and all this nation stands for.” And he’s not afraid to use it.
Author Archives: J Christian Adams
The evidence clearly shows Texas voter ID dramatically improved minority turnout
Webb County has a population that is 95 percent Hispanic, and 30.6 percent of the residents are below the federal poverty level. Yet it experienced a huge jump in voter turnout amongst registered voters in 2013, after the new photo ID law was in effect: 2,223 people came out to vote in Webb County in 2009, and only 1,285 people voted in 2011. This number spiked to 10,600 voters last year—an increase of more than eight times the amount of voters from 2011.Similarly, Fort Bend County—whose population is 24 percent Hispanic, 21.4 percent black, and 18.1 percent Asian —saw nearly 13,000 more voters show up at the polls for the 2013 election, nearly doubling turnout from 2011. Whites are only 36 percent of the population. Hidalgo County, which is 91 percent Hispanic and has 35 percent of its residents living below the poverty level, saw its voter turnout increase by four times in 2013: 16,000 people voted in last year’s election, compared to just 4,000 in 2011. Cameron County, another overwhelmingly Hispanic county (35 percent poverty level), experienced a similar increase in voter turnout in 2013.
More: “Self-Appointed DOJ ‘Voting Rights Gladiator’ Battles Kansas Secretary of State Kobach”
More at PJ Media on the Voting Rights Gladiator: Either way, the Voting Rights Gladiator tweeted out his impressions on a personal Twitter account that occurred on the government dime. Mr. Kobach will certainly be paying attention to the Voting Rights Gladiator describing the blows.”
“Once upon a time, DOJ Voting Section lawyers didn’t take to personal internet accounts and reveal mental impressions about their cases. ‘Tough questions’ reveals that the Voting Rights Gladiator found the battle with Secretary of State Kobach to be difficult. Kobach landed blows. Did Kobach have a scimitar and net?
DOJ “Voting Rights Gladiator” Has Tough Time in Court
More on Bradley Heard’s day in federal court at PJ Media.
Court Doesn’t Like DOJ Argument on Citizen Check Box
From the Nut Jar: Let middle school kids vote?
Political scientist and academic-turned-blogger Jonathan Bernstein offers these “sophisticated” ideas to increase voter participation: “I’d push states to… reduce the number of things citizens must vote on (start with judges, and work from there). I’d get rid of nonpartisan elections and reduce or eliminate ballot measures. And I’d lower the voting age, hoping that getting high school or even middle school kids into the habit of voting would carry over into their adult years.”
“Distraction Time: Eric Holder Now Says States Should Really Stop Preventing Felons from Voting”
“Oklahoma Supreme Court reinstates Voter ID challenge”
Link here.
Will DOJ Prosecute Poll Worker Who Voted More Than Once for Obama in 2012?
Lex has this story about a poll worker who voted twice. Others who voted up to six times in Ohio still have not faced federal charges for their crimes of voting for President more than once.
The big take away from the story is the amount of voter fraud in only one county in Ohio:
“The Hamilton County Board of Elections spent the last year investigating voter fraud allegations in the 2012 election.
The result: Six people were charged and another 42 referred to the secretary of state, who oversees voting for Ohio.”
Voter fraud deniers always like to move the goalposts – saying voter fraud isn’t “pervasive or widespread” (leaving those terms undefined). But six charges in one county in one election with 42 other referrals sounds like a serious problem, no matter what the deniers claim.
“New Voter ID laws embraced”
In Mississippi, one of 34 states now requiring photo voter ID:
“The chairman of the DeSoto County Election Commission says there’s been a general acceptance in the county that photo identification will be needed at the polls, starting with the June primary election… The vast majority of state voters already have an accepted ID card. However, the state is now offering free cards to people who do not have a government-issued identification.”