DEMOCRACY DOCKET: Georgia’s election rule controversy escalates

 

Friday, September 27 The controversy in Georgia over recent rules passed by MAGA Republican members of the state election board continues with a Democrat-led complaint against Gov. Brian Kemp (R). Pennsylvania proves to be the center of the election as the high court weighs cases that could impact voting access. Once known as “America’s Mayor,” Rudy Giuliani is dealt his second disbarment in Washington, D.C., over 2020. Tomorrow morning Marc will recap the most important news you may have missed in his exclusive weekend reading list. Plus, we are announcing an exciting event soon, and members will be the first to hear about it this weekend — sign up to become a premium member today to ensure you’re in the loop. The election board controversy in Georgia — and why it matters As Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump remain neck-and-neck in Georgia, a courtroom battle over the conduct of election officials could spell trouble for Election Day. This week, Georgia Democrats who are pursuing ethics charges against MAGA Republican members of the Georgia State Election Board are suing GOP Gov. Brian Kemp to compel him to hold a hearing on three respective complaints filed to Kemp in August. One plaintiff, Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes (D), said Kemp is abdicating his responsibility under the law. “Georgia's Election Board has been hijacked by extreme MAGA operatives, changing election rules to help Trump,” Parkes said on X. She’s referring to three controversial new rules the board — spearheaded by its three GOP members — passed in August and September that could severely prolong the certification process. The ethics complaints accuse the three board members of trying to aid Trump in winning the state. The members have faced backlash from both Democrats and Republicans, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), who recently told the Christian Science Monitor he believes they’re undermining the electoral process. “Everything that they’ve done with their rules and regulations slows down the process,” he said. “We’re serious when we say ‘free, fair and fast.’ And what they’re doing is just throwing a wrench into the works.” Read Kemp’s response to Tuesday’s lawsuit. Tuesday’s complaint is among over a dozen active voting-related lawsuits pending in the Peach State. In addition to Tuesday’s lawsuit, another case was brought by civil rights advocates against Raffensperger (R) over portions of a Georgia election law that challengers say could make it harder for eligible voters who are transient or unhoused to vote. Read more on the case. A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR End Citizens United Action Fund is leading the charge to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These bills would protect everyone’s access and ability to vote, end gerrymandering, limit big money in our politics, shine a light on dark money, and restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Help us by supporting our cause. Pennsylvania is teeming with election lawsuits ahead of November The 2024 stakes are just as high in Pennsylvania, with more active voting-related lawsuits than nearly every other battleground state, according to Democracy Docket’s case tracker. The state’s highest court has been particularly busy in recent weeks. In one case filed Wednesday, a coalition of ten voting rights organizations are asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to stop enforcement of a state law that requires voters to include a handwritten date on the return envelope of their mail-in ballots. Last week, the Republican National Committee filed a petition in the high court to prevent voters who make mistakes on mail-in ballots from being allowed to cure their ballots or vote using a provisional ballot on Election Day. The court also dismissed a legal bid from two Republican state legislators to alter existing rules about where voters can return their completed absentee ballots for tabulation. While that decision wasn’t issued on the merits, it effectively upheld a state law mandating that voters return their completed absentee ballots to their county board of elections office for canvassing. Pennsylvania was a focal point of Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him. His campaign unsuccessfully challenged the election results in various Democratic counties in an attempt to stop certification without any credible evidence of fraud. Read more about that case. As Election Day nears, it's important to stay current on voting rights in the courts. Share this newsletter with a friend, family member or colleague to help everyone stay engaged. If you received this email from someone else, you can subscribe here. Former Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is disbarred in DC and NYC One of the chief purveyors of “The Big Lie,” Rudy Giuliani lost his license to practice law in Washington, D.C. over his conduct as Trump’s attorney during the 2020 race. Giuliani was disbarred Thursday in D.C. — his second disbarment. In July, Giuliani was disbarred in New York, a particularly bruising outcome given Giuliani’s former prominence in the state. He also faces a pending Arizona indictment in connection with his 2020 falsehoods. His D.C. discipline stemmed from his involvement in the aforementioned Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Boockvar. A disciplinary committee said Giuliani made frivolous arguments that sought to disenfranchise Pennsylvania voters, and was part of an effort to undermine the integrity of the 2020 election. Giuliani testified before the board’s committee that he did the best he could do “under the circumstances.” Meanwhile, Trump is blazing forward with his 2024 campaign and a team of lawyers fighting the current criminal indictments against him. Read more about Giuliani’s disbarment.  OPINION: The Legitimacy of the Supreme Court is at Stake in November This election could have serious implications for the U.S. Supreme Court — and the nation — should the next president appoint a justice to the bench. Democracy Docket guest author Tiffany Muller explains why. “We are facing a true crisis in the Supreme Court,” she writes. “And voters across the country have noticed.” Read more here. A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR End Citizens United Action Fund knows that American democracy is under threat. That’s why we’re committed to helping pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act next Congress to strengthen and protect it. What We’re Doing The team at Democracy Docket is excited to announce they have interests outside of elections, voting rights and democracy (though those are deeply important). Senior Writer Matt Cohen unmasks right-wing election deniers by day, and jams with his heavy metal band called Witch’s Mirror by night. Fellow writer Courtney Cohn leads coverage on some of the top election issues animating the 2024 race. But at home, she unwinds with seasons of the hit television show Scandal. Kerry Washington would probably approve. NEW EPISODE: Sen. Richard Blumenthal on the Fall of the Supreme Court Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D), a former state attorney general, United States attorney and Supreme Court clerk, maps out the transformation of the Supreme Court from a revered institution to one facing immense distrust and credibility issues. Senator Blumenthal speaks with Marc Elias about the reforms needed to restore the Court's reputation. Watch on YouTube here.

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