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Democrats prepare for potential election interference in midterms – US politics live
TL;DR
As the 2024 election nears, misleading ads in swing states suggest officials can choose not to certify elections. These ads are linked to a non-profit associated with election deniers, raising concerns about potential election interference.
Key points
- Misleading ads in swing states suggest officials can skip election certification.
- Certification is mandatory after election challenges are resolved.
- Ads funded by a non-profit linked to Trump and election deniers.
- Heather Honey's role at DHS raises alarms among voting rights advocates.
Mentioned in this story
Fair Elections FundCleta MitchellHeather HoneyDonald Trump
As the 2024 election approached, advertisements began popping up in key swing states suggesting local officials had discretion not to certify elections.
The advertisements, reported at the time by ProPublica and Wisconsin Watch, were misleading. Certification is not optional, and officials are required to certify the vote once the proper process for any election challenges are complete and an official challenge is complete. The warnings, nonetheless, arrived at a moment when Donald Trump and allies seemed to be gearing up to contest the election results if he lost.
New documents reviewed by the Guardian show that the group behind the advertisements received financial support from a non-profit linked to prominent election deniers with ties to Trump. The same non-profit, the Foundation For Accountability Integrity & Research In Elections Fund (Fair Elections Fund), also paid influencers to promote an anti-voting bill in 2024.
Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer and longtime ally of Trump who assisted his efforts to overturn the 2020 race, and Heather Honey, a researcher known for misleading election analyses who now works in the Department of Homeland Security, are both listed as directors of the fund, which was incorporated in Delaware in 2023.
Honey’s appointment to an elections role at the DHS last year has caused considerable alarm among voting rights groups, who say it places an election denier in a powerful government role. Before she was in government, Honey produced misleading research that Trump has cited to undermine confidence in the 2020 election. She has falsely claimed, for example, that there were more votes in Pennsylvania in 2020 than there were voters.
Her appointment comes as Trump and his administration continue to sow doubt about the integrity of American elections, making baseless accusations of fraud without offering substantial evidence. There is still concern that Trump could deploy the powerful machinery of his justice department and other government resources to contest the result of the midterm elections this year.
Mitchell and Honey did not respond to a request for comment.
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Q&A
What do the misleading advertisements about election certification claim?
The advertisements suggest that local officials have the discretion not to certify elections, which is false as certification is mandatory after proper challenges.
Who is funding the misleading election certification ads?
The ads are funded by a non-profit linked to election deniers and Donald Trump, specifically the Fair Elections Fund.
What role does Heather Honey play in the current election landscape?
Heather Honey, a known election denier, is now in a powerful position at the Department of Homeland Security, raising concerns among voting rights groups.
How are the misleading claims about the 2020 election being perpetuated?
Misleading claims are being perpetuated through research produced by individuals like Heather Honey, which Trump has cited to undermine confidence in the election results.
