Leaked video reveals a GOP plan to intimidate Black and brown voters in Houston

[dajoki]

Leaked video reveals a GOP plan to intimidate Black and brown voters in Houston
Republicans propose "Election Integrity Brigade" specifically targeting Black and brown neighborhoods in Houston
https://www.salon.com/2021/04/12/leaked-video-reveals-a-gop-plan-to-intimidate-black-and-brown-voters-in-houston/

snip//

Today's Jim Crow Republicans have mated white supremacy and neofascism, in search of creating something like Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin's "managed democracy." The result is a horrible mixture of right-wing racial authoritarianism and anti-democratic fervor. In their attempt to create a new type of American apartheid, the Republicans and their agents are willing to use all means available, legal, quasi-legal or illegal.

As revealed Thursday by Common Cause Texas, the Republican Party in Harris County — which contains Houston and is the third most-populous county in the nation — is planning to organize what is described as an "Election Integrity Brigade" of thousands of pro-GOP election workers and poll watchers. This group of Republican operatives will be sent into predominantly Black and brown communities to engage in de facto acts of voter intimidation and harassment under the pretext of stopping "voter fraud.

This "Election Integrity Brigade" will be a permanent group, not just a list of volunteers called out during election season. As explained by the Republican official who conducted the briefing obtained by Common Cause Texas, the goal is to also recruit poll watchers and other volunteers through "military partnerships." Such a plan is especially troubling given Donald Trump's coup attempt and his followers' attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 and the prominent role played by retired or active members of the military and law enforcement.

In an evident nod to racist fears and bigotry, Harris County Republican leaders explains that these poll watchers must have "courage" and "confidence" to do such work in Houston's Black and Latino communities.

snip//

I offer a thought experiment. What if Black and brown people who support the Democratic Party started going into majority-white suburban neighborhoods where many people vote Republican, and acted as poll watchers who were trying to stop voter fraud? Given that there is much more reason to monitor Republicans for efforts to undermine, steal or nullify elections, there might actually be a legitimate need for such vigilance in white neighborhoods.

But how would white people react to that idea? Moreover, what if the Democrats were to take power across the country on the state and local level and then impose the same kinds of limitations, in an obvious attempt to interfere with conservative white people's right to vote? What do you suppose would happen then? At the barest minimum, many of the same voices now trying to minimize the danger represented by the Jim Crow Republicans' attack on voting rights would howl in outrage.

[MagickMuffin]

1. YES, let's go into the republican precincts and Poll Watch them

I think this will be the next logical step, as this is how the TXGQP wants to operate than we can do this as well.

Shoe meet other foot!

[Karadeniz]

9. Might not work. Many of our voters have learned to avoid trouble at all costs...just go along to

Keep safe. BUT, the GOP voters wouldn't put up with any even subtle intimidation because they're the ones entitled. The law works for them. Hopefully, we're becoming more self aware and resistant to their tactics!

[BelieveCassandra]

2. Even better, show up in rural Texas precincts

They might get some great poll-watcher videos of white, rural, Republicans having a fit over showing their voter id, because "everyone knows them".

[Mister Ed]

3. Fair's fair, and it would be great to send Black and Brown poll watchers to white precints. BUT:

They would have to go into it with their eyes open, and with the understanding that some of them would be killed, and many more would be harassed by police.

The voter harassment and intimidation being planned by this "Election Integrity Brigade" is something you can only get away with if you're white. And that is the cruel, ugly, naked truth of life in the USA 2021.

[renate]

4. yep. So entitled in every way

Entitled to win despite the majority of people feeling differently than they do, entitled to win because they're white and conservative, entitled to barge into neighborhoods where they aren't wanted without feeling unsafe. So revoltingly entitled. It really is nauseating.

[RVN VET71]

5. Sad and true.

The only advantage would be the ability to contrast the treatment of white poll-watching racist dirtbags and what is meted out to black poll watchers. I imagine, in black districts, would-be voters will be arrested for resisting the over-the-shoulder intimidation of the racists. In white districts, black poll watchers would be physically subdued and at least some would be accidentally murdered by police if they crossed over the watching-line by so much as an inch.

[erronis]

10. No! That is playing into their race-based narrative. Send watchers of all colors

and don't make this a brown vs. white contest.

The repuglicons are trying to foment divisiveness using labels.

Democrats and liberals should try to destroy the (r)'s through discussion and reason. Maybe offer vaccine jabs? Maybe offer science and history lessons?

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Sunshine is the universal disinfectant

Democrats should invade and engage and open the process to public scrutiny.

[Crunchy Frog]

7. Somebody needs to tell Joe Manchin that...

if he continues to obstruct the passage of voting rights legislation, he will be personally responsible for sinking this country into a state of civil war.

[Jay25]

12. Precisely! It's an all out attack on people of color from every direction. I'm not sure everyone

understands just how dangerous, oppressing and demeaning these political games and acts republicans are playing, and getting away with, are for minorities.

[Pepsidog]

8. Then our election integrity brigade must be much larger and extensive.

[Deacon Blue]

11. What's Good for the Goose

I’ve worked almost every Texas election since 2002, as a clerk and later as a judge.

Pollwatcher rules are pretty strict: training, credentials, disclosing which candidate sent them, rules for how long you have to stay if you enter a polling site, and absolutely no contact with voters and very limited contact with election workers.

And NEVER photography within an open polling site.

I cannot imagine the mayhem likely from allowing unrestricted access by anyone, at anytime, without training or credentials to waltz into a voting site, get within inches of voters and workers and eavesdrop. And WORSE, to deputize these twits to gather video evidence in the poll of voters and workers. And one’s vote is absolutely privileged from disclosure under any circumstances by the Texas Rules of Evidence, but you know the snoopers will be getting in everyones’ business to find out who they voted for. Sick.

If anything like this is passed, I think POC (and even people of no color) should be prepared to crowd traditionally white polling sites, armed with video and plenty of questions for the election workers. Ideally, at every traditionally white poll site, there should be enough ‘watchers’ to have every single voter individually shadowed from entrance, through qualification and voting, then out the door.

I think this ‘what’s good for the goose’ approach may be the only way to drive home to the comfortable and smug just how intrusive this conduct is, and maybe (yeah right), they will complain to their legislators and this ‘reform’ will be rolled back.

And maybe the sheer awkwardness of trying to do this, the animosity and the inevitable breaches of the peace, dignity and order of the election will force legislators to reconsider.

[SoonerPride]

13. Go carrying large weapons, as it is an open carry heaven

A bunch of POC showing up heavily armed at primarily white polling stations sounds like a good time to me.

[yellowdogintexas]

14. looks good on paper, but firearms are not allowed in the voting area.

Currently cell phones can't even be out; if voters tell us they are researching on line we either ask them to take it outside or give them a sample ballot.

I have not seen any changes about firearms in these atrocious bills,so far.

This bs about "poll watchers" is ridiculous. Previous poster upthread described our current process on poll watchers beautifully. You know, I have worked elections around 10 years now and have never ONCE had a poll watcher!

Actually, all of this is ridiculous.

[summer_in_TX]

16. HB 6 and SB 7 specifically would allow poll watchers appointed

the parties to carry recording devices, use them in the polling location to record pretty much anything except an actual voter filling out and casting their ballot. They can move around at will and if an election judge tries to obscure their view or get them out of there, they'll be entitled to injunctive relief.

The bills treat all voters and election officials as at least potential criminals.

There's not a word in the bill to prevent the watcher from talking to voters, maybe challenging their credentials, record anyone who gets help voting, perhaps because of a language barrier, and immediately email their photos or videos to the Secretary of State's office.

Every civil rights group in the state is working hard, but unless businesses get involved in taking a stand before it's the law I fear it will go through.

Know any businesses that would like to take a stand? They can find out how and sign up here: Democracy is Good for Business

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. We will be ready

In 2012 I ran the poll watcher operation in my county and we had true the vote assholes out trying to intimidate voters. First we made sure the election administrator covered poll watchers with the election judges and then I had poll watchers are our key voting sites to keep an eye on the true the vote lowlifes

We will have to be prepared to do something similar next cycle

[pecosbob]

17. I can just see some ass from Katy or Kingwood going into the 4th or 5th Ward

They better have confidence and courage...and good health insurance.