Arizona Republicans propose giving lawmakers -- not election officials -- final review of election

[TomCADem]

Source: CNN

Arizona lawmakers are debating a new set of voting bills -- including one that would allow lawmakers to review election results "if needed" and would grant the legislature the power to pick the state's presidential electors -- as Republican lawmakers around the country work to change election laws in the wake of the 2020 election.

The effort by GOP legislators in battleground states to drastically change voting laws comes after last year's elections saw record numbers of early and mail-in voters, many of them Democrats, after rules were relaxed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The high numbers triggered baseless claims of fraud by then-President Donald Trump and other Republicans that culminated with the deadly January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.

Under a new proposed amendment to the Arizona constitution, introduced by a Republican state senator, the legislature would meet in a special session the Monday after Election Day to "review or investigate, if needed" the results of the election, a provision some Republicans have said is needed after the November election.

GOP Sen. David Gowan, the bill's sponsor, said the legislation "is not meant to override the vote of the people," but provides a process for auditing the election."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/arizona-republicans-propose-giving-lawmakers-not-election-officials-final-review-of-election-results/ar-BB1dZi3v?li=BB141NW3

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Just because Biden is President does not mean that Republicans have given up their dreams of instituting a coup following a future election.

[Faux pas]

1. Kickin' with disgust!

EFFERS ALL.

[SunnyATT]

2. Is this even legal?

[rurallib]

8. I am wondering that also

Is there any notional law that states that a state must choose a slate of electors that was chosen by the popular vote?

I think there are 50 state laws that say essentially that. But if they are state laws they could be changed unless there is an overriding national law.

Anybody?

[Initech]

10. Probably setting up for a SCOTUS challenge.

And knowing which way this SCOTUS would side on...

[scarletwoman]

14. If they successfully change their state constitution, then - by definition - it will be legal.

From the article in the OP:

Under a new proposed amendment to the Arizona constitution...

[SunSeeker]

17. The Equal Protection clause of the US Constitution trumps any State Constitution.

That's how state bans against same sex marriage were voided.

I think there is a good argument to be made that putting the validity of one's vote to the arbitray partisan decision of a political body violates the Equal Protection clause for any voter not a member of the party controlling that political body.

[Keth]

3. Just wow.

To think that this would even be considered by election officials just.. wait. We're talking Republicans. Now I get up.

Just so wrong - these Arizona lawmakers need to remove their little American flag pins they wear so proudly and hide behind.

[iluvtennis]

4. Shameful to propose a bill to reduce the number of people who can vote. nt

[DBoon]

5. Arizona Republicans propose giving foxes final control of the henhouse

[KPN]

6. Wow. I dunno. Here in Oregon, this seems like

grounds for divorce — or expulsion at least.

[aggiesal]

7. We had a joke in New Mexico ...

Why is New Mexico so windy?

Because Arizona blows and Texas Sucks.

With the Texas energy issues, and this Arizona power grab, I believe the New Mexico joke hits the bulls eye.

[pazzyanne]

15. ...

[LiberalLovinLug]

9. And if a Republican wins?

And there are at least some Democrats, even if in the minority, in a position to take advantage of that new law, they can challenge that win, and use the opportunity to expose how unfair all the other voter suppression tactics are, and move to declare the results invalid.

[sandensea]

11. (Some inbred Repug) said the legislation "is not meant to override the vote of the people"

Riiight.

I bet he's the kind that, whenever his wife catches him with some young thing, swears that "this isn't what it looks like!"

[keithbvadu2]

27. "is not meant to..." but allows it.

"is not meant to..." but allows it.

To the repubs: You would not mind dems doing it?

[C Moon]

12. The GOP alt right is setting up everything for a big win in 2024.

They are chipping away at everything that stopped Putin from stealing the 2020 election.
God only knows what they'll do to California and New York after stealing the governorships there.

[turbinetree]

13. And have this coupled with this and this US Supreme Court........

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215155663

We need a Voters Rights Act 2.0 now

[SunSeeker]

16. This has got to be illegal. I hope AZ Dems immediately sue.

[machoneman]

18. This will be overturned but it may take the U.S. Supreme Court to do so. I smell a rat whereby....

..this bill is actually the first shot of many, likely, to remove voters from the equation under the idea that the Republican Party apparatchiks "know better" than even their own AZ voters. So as a stalking horse the bill may be used in a future effort to disenfranchise voters, albeit in a slightly different way, to evade a SC decision.

Watch for it.......

[DFW]

19. At SOME point there has to be a national outcry stating clearly what is going on

The more Republicans lose elections, the more they are desperate to find ways to turn those defeats into stolen victories.

Those defeats they don't manage to overturn and steal, they designate as stolen from them.

In Republican eyes, ALL elections are won by Republicans. They win the ones where they get a legitimate majority of the votes. They win the ones where they lose by a small margin, but manage to steal back by cheating. They won the ones they clearly lost because their candidate got fewer votes than their opponent because, well, the election was stolen (God was on a coffee break). Stalin was an amateur compared to these people.

Indeed, they parrot PCF (Parti Communiste Français) boss Georges Marchais. In an interview, he was asked, in case his party was ever voted into power, if he would cede power if they were voted out again. His answer was, "why would the people EVER vote us out again?" Marchais was an unapologetic Stalinist (and a millionaire who lived in a big fancy villa, of course). Never believe Republicans when they say they are against "kommanism." They are the most fawning admirers of Stalin since the Kim dynasty of North Korea.

[dalton99a]

20. +1

[Claire Oh Nette]

28. Maybe it's the party...

In Republican eyes, ALL elections are won by Republicans. They win the ones where they get a legitimate majority of the votes. They win the ones where they lose by a small margin, but manage to steal back by cheating. They won the ones they clearly lost ...because, well, the election was stolen

Only wealthy white men and those who vote with them are legitimate voters.

Twas written into the Constitution-land owning white males.
This is what they'd like to conserve.

They don't want to modify their ideas, or offer better ideas to attract voters. They like their voters. They just hate everyone else.

Twas ever thus...

[marble falls]

21. The foxes want to guard the chicken coop? What possibly could go wrong?

[mdbl]

22. what a bunch of jackasses

why bother having an election at all?

[DallasNE]

23. That Is Not A Legislative Function

So the Constitutional validity would certainly be up in the air.

[mdbl]

24. Someone please let Arizonians know their election syst is being stolen

and it might be too late to get rid of the self-serving repugs ruining their state.

[patphil]

25. So, the Republicans want to make certifying the election results as partisan as possible.

Why bother with an election. Just have the legislature pick the electors and forget about the will of the people.
Typical Republican disdain for the American People.
It's evident they are going all in for a Putin style "democracy".

[chocolatpi]

26. Now, we need a Democrat who

can run for Governor and Democrats to fill the State House and Senate.

[DENVERPOPS]

29. I have become convinced

that the RepubliCONs can't do a single fucking thing without either corruption and/or cheating......
It's in their DNA. In business, politics, corporations, or whatever, it seems they can't do much anything within the law.
And they think WE are all just "suckers" and really stupid for not doing the same.

[Martin68]

30. Right. So the party in power can revers election results at will? Sounds Republican to me.