This might be remembered as one of the most controversial Presidential election in the history of the United States. Elections reach finality after the declaration of results but the 2020 US presidential election seems to have a longer life. President Trump’s recurring claims of fraud in the election system is not just an isolated set of reaction. It is a part of the long built strategy. A strategy to discredit elections if they don’t go in favour of Trump.
An entire team is set up to prove that the election system is a fraud. It is adamant to reaffirm Trump’s claim that only way he can lose the election is by rigged and fraudulent voting. Trump team has made this narrative as a base to station about half million poll watchers, whom Democrats view as a tool of voter intimidation. The team is also preparing to wage a legal battle against the assumed fraud in the election.
Long-built strategy, not a days game
Trump’s last week appeal to his voters to take on the role of poll watchers was a trigger to mobilise the machinery that he has been devising since last year.
This year only, he appointed Bill Stepien as his campaign manager. Bill was fired from the office of New Jersey governor, Chris Christie for his role in Bridgegate scandal. Bill further expanded his team by appointing Justin Clark as deputy campaign manager and including aggressive electoral handlers in his team. Justin Clark has made a veiled confession that Republicans will be little offensive in their approach. Clark is playing a very active role in the campaign. He doesn’t hesitate from defending offensive poll watchers and campaigners from his party.
At a legal level, Matthew Morgan was pushed to the rank of campaign counsel this year. The litigation he has passed recently seem to serve the Republican cause. He is nowhere behind Trump in attacking the prevalent use of mail-in ballots. Republicans are planning to denounce election results on grounds of fraudulent methods used in mail-in ballot system.
The operations on Election Day is to be administered by Michael Roman. He is a staunch conservative. Roman was the main protagonist of who framed a video of two members of the democratic party as an attempt to interfere in the election. The video sparked a heated debate back then.
So, Trump has a deliberately selected team who hold specialisation in and have a historical record of creating a ruckus over the election system.
Open support to conservative groups like Proud Boys
Trump’s reluctance to denounce the extremely conservative group Proud Boys during the first presidential debate stirred severe criticism in political circles. The group is a symbol of White Supremacy. Trump said that the group should ‘stand by.’ This was a clear cut message to the group to be ready with arms to intimidate voters during the election.
Several instances of interfering of the election process were found during the early phase in last month. Justin Clark dismissed the event as being normal. He justified that the groups involved were untrained and these type of shockers will happen in rallies. Clark suggested that as many as 50,000 poll watchers will be stationed across the country. They will be duly trained to follow the right approach like being polite with the opposition party.
This year, the instructions given to them surpass the traditional role of poll watchers. New York Times has reported of hidden instructions also asking poll watchers to not follow the outlined instructions.
Agencies join the party
The Republican National Committee, a poll-watching body, was banned in 1981 for its role in intimidating voters of New Jersey. The Committee will come into action this year because the ban on consent decree was lifted in 2018.
The Justice Department is a big helping hand for Republican camp. It has proliferated some small incidents this year as alarming incidents. The department framed few accidentally thrown ballots in the garbage in Pennsylvania as evidence of election fraud.
As Donald Trump is significantly trailing behind Joe Biden, he is trying to turn the tide in his favour by hook or crook.
