Conspiracy theories percolating in the wingnut-o-sphere sometimes fail to catch my attention. When they do, they can produce a baroo response that demands a closer look.
Perhaps Roger Stone was simply pimping two Saturday Las Vegas events organized to raise money for his legal defense costs when he appeared on Alex Jones’ Infowars network on September 10. Nevada is not not likely a pivotal electoral prize. But Stone’s remarks on Nevada balloting raised a stir online after Media Matters published a show clip Friday afternoon in which the career ratf*cker suggested that Donald Trump have federal marshals seize ballots in Nevada on election night.
A jury convicted Stone in November on seven felony counts, including lying to Congress. The acting president commuted Stone’s 40-month prison sentence in July. A full pardon is still possible.
Media Matters reports:
Stone argued that “the ballots in Nevada on election night should be seized by federal marshalls and taken from the state” because “they are completely corrupted” and falsely said that “we can prove voter fraud in the absentees right now.” He specifically called for Trump to have absentee ballots seized in Clark County, Nevada, an area that leans Democratic. Stone went on to claim that “the votes from Nevada should not be counted; they are already flooded with illegals” and baselessly suggested that former Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) should be arrested and that Trump should consider nationalizing Nevada’s state police force.
Operation Eagle Eye revisited
“Send federal marshals to the Clark County Board of Elections, Mr. President!” Stone demanded. And if that was not enough to sell tickets for “Roger Stone Ungagged!” on Saturday, Stone had more:
Beyond Nevada, Stone recommended that Trump consider several actions to retain his power. Stone recommended that Trump appoint former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) as a special counsel “with the specific task of forming an Election Day operation using the FBI, federal marshals, and Republican state officials across the country to be prepared to file legal objections and if necessary to physically stand in the way of criminal activity.”
Operation Eagle Eye revisited, no doubt. And for the first time in decades, the RNC is allowed to launch organized “election protection” efforts without prior court consent. I have written about that 1982 consent decree multiple times,
Stone still was not done:
Stone also urged Trump to consider declaring “martial law” or invoking the Insurrection Act and then using his powers to arrest Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, “the Clintons” and “anybody else who can be proven to be involved in illegal activity.”
“Proven” being in the eye of Trump’s U.S. Attorney General. Bill Barr has already shown his willingness to throw federal officers into cities. Stone would like to see that again.
“The votes from Nevada should not be counted!” Stones announced. “They are already flooded with illegals. If Harry Reid is involved, take Harry Reid into custody and charge him,” Stone said, prefaced by saying he was not jumping to conclusions.
Listen to the clip to catch the manic tone in Stone’s voice.
Stone repeated his allegations about vote-by-mail to reporters ahead of the Las Vegas event. “It does not make sense to me to mail a ballot to every voter in Clark County who has not requested a ballot,” Stone said, “and in some cases, including in those outgoing mailings people who have not voted in six or eight years.”
Bernie Sanders voters will be a key factor in a Biden victory in Nevada, the Los Angeles Times reports. Interviews suggest they will vote for Joe Biden. Democrats have won three straight presidential votes in an “increasingly urban and suburban” Nevada:
Sanders has signaled to his backers the importance of staying in the Democratic column, more persistently than he did after losing to Clinton in 2016. He cited Biden’s support of 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave and universal childcare as the kind of policies that would come only with a Democrat in the White House.
“I am not going to sit here and tell you that Joe Biden is the most progressive guy in the world,” Sanders said on SiriusXM radio recently. “He is not, but his program is reasonably progressive.” Sanders pledged that he and other progressives would make “damn sure” Biden follows through on his promises.
The Democratic nominee also benefits from the support of the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union, which represents hotel and restaurant workers, mainly in the state’s casino industry.
One wonders how many tickets Stone sold?
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