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Trump advisor Justin Clark, pictured here in September, told an audience of influential Republicans in swing state Wisconsin that the GOP will go on offense in 2020 to monitor polls. (Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
After Admitting "It's Always Been Republicans Suppressing Votes," Trump Advisor Says Party Will Get Even More Aggressive in 2020
"It's clear there's no law Donald Trump and his right-wing machine won't bend, break, or ignore to try to win the presidency."
Dec 20, 2019
Reporting on Friday shows a top advisor for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign caught on tape in November bragging of the Republican Party's history of voter suppression--and promising to go on the offensive in 2020.
The revelation came from the Associated Press in a report Friday on comments by Trump re-election advisor Justin Clark at an event in Madison, Wisconsin.
"Traditionally it's always been Republicans suppressing votes in places," said Clark. "Let's start protecting our voters. We know where they are... Let's start playing offense a little bit. That's what you're going to see in 2020."
AP reported that Clark's remarks show the Republican Party determined to use relaxed civil rights regulations to their advantage:
The roughly 20-minute audio offers an insider's glimpse of Trump's re-election strategy, showing the campaign focusing on voting locations in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which form the the so-called "blue wall" of traditional Democratic strength that Trump broke through to win in 2016. Both parties are pouring millions of dollars into the states, anticipating they'll be just as critical in the 2020 presidential contest.
Republican officials publicly signaled plans to step up their Election Day monitoring after a judge in 2018 lifted a consent decree in place since 1982 that barred the Republican National Committee from voter verification and other "ballot security" efforts. Critics have argued the tactics amount to voter intimidation.
One Wisconsin Now deputy director Mike Browne expressed his outrage over the remarks and the alleged strategy.
"The strategy to rig the rules in elections and give themselves an unfair partisan advantage goes to Donald Trump, the highest levels of his campaign and the top Republican leadership," said Browne. "It's clear there's no law Donald Trump and his right-wing machine won't bend, break, or ignore to try to win the presidency."
Dan Froomkin, editor of Press Watch, said that Clark's comments showed that the GOP plans to go beyond suppressing the vote and "will now supplement with aggressive voter intimidation at polls."
Clark told AP that he was speaking in jest about a Republican history of voter suppression. But elections observers weren't buying it.
"This should be one of those things that Democrats never stop talking about," said Media Matters editor-at-large Parker Molloy. "This is a scandal. "
HuffPost senior enterprise editor Nick Baumann wasn't suprised at the content of the remarks but rather at the fact they were made in the first place.
"This seems like a noteworthy admission of something many people believe to be true but few people involved acknowledge," said Baumann.
Progressive advocacy group For Our Future Wisconsin treated the report as a call to action.
"Fight back by voting," the group tweeted.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Reporting on Friday shows a top advisor for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign caught on tape in November bragging of the Republican Party's history of voter suppression--and promising to go on the offensive in 2020.
The revelation came from the Associated Press in a report Friday on comments by Trump re-election advisor Justin Clark at an event in Madison, Wisconsin.
"Traditionally it's always been Republicans suppressing votes in places," said Clark. "Let's start protecting our voters. We know where they are... Let's start playing offense a little bit. That's what you're going to see in 2020."
AP reported that Clark's remarks show the Republican Party determined to use relaxed civil rights regulations to their advantage:
The roughly 20-minute audio offers an insider's glimpse of Trump's re-election strategy, showing the campaign focusing on voting locations in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which form the the so-called "blue wall" of traditional Democratic strength that Trump broke through to win in 2016. Both parties are pouring millions of dollars into the states, anticipating they'll be just as critical in the 2020 presidential contest.
Republican officials publicly signaled plans to step up their Election Day monitoring after a judge in 2018 lifted a consent decree in place since 1982 that barred the Republican National Committee from voter verification and other "ballot security" efforts. Critics have argued the tactics amount to voter intimidation.
One Wisconsin Now deputy director Mike Browne expressed his outrage over the remarks and the alleged strategy.
"The strategy to rig the rules in elections and give themselves an unfair partisan advantage goes to Donald Trump, the highest levels of his campaign and the top Republican leadership," said Browne. "It's clear there's no law Donald Trump and his right-wing machine won't bend, break, or ignore to try to win the presidency."
Dan Froomkin, editor of Press Watch, said that Clark's comments showed that the GOP plans to go beyond suppressing the vote and "will now supplement with aggressive voter intimidation at polls."
Clark told AP that he was speaking in jest about a Republican history of voter suppression. But elections observers weren't buying it.
"This should be one of those things that Democrats never stop talking about," said Media Matters editor-at-large Parker Molloy. "This is a scandal. "
HuffPost senior enterprise editor Nick Baumann wasn't suprised at the content of the remarks but rather at the fact they were made in the first place.
"This seems like a noteworthy admission of something many people believe to be true but few people involved acknowledge," said Baumann.
Progressive advocacy group For Our Future Wisconsin treated the report as a call to action.
"Fight back by voting," the group tweeted.
Reporting on Friday shows a top advisor for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign caught on tape in November bragging of the Republican Party's history of voter suppression--and promising to go on the offensive in 2020.
The revelation came from the Associated Press in a report Friday on comments by Trump re-election advisor Justin Clark at an event in Madison, Wisconsin.
"Traditionally it's always been Republicans suppressing votes in places," said Clark. "Let's start protecting our voters. We know where they are... Let's start playing offense a little bit. That's what you're going to see in 2020."
AP reported that Clark's remarks show the Republican Party determined to use relaxed civil rights regulations to their advantage:
The roughly 20-minute audio offers an insider's glimpse of Trump's re-election strategy, showing the campaign focusing on voting locations in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which form the the so-called "blue wall" of traditional Democratic strength that Trump broke through to win in 2016. Both parties are pouring millions of dollars into the states, anticipating they'll be just as critical in the 2020 presidential contest.
Republican officials publicly signaled plans to step up their Election Day monitoring after a judge in 2018 lifted a consent decree in place since 1982 that barred the Republican National Committee from voter verification and other "ballot security" efforts. Critics have argued the tactics amount to voter intimidation.
One Wisconsin Now deputy director Mike Browne expressed his outrage over the remarks and the alleged strategy.
"The strategy to rig the rules in elections and give themselves an unfair partisan advantage goes to Donald Trump, the highest levels of his campaign and the top Republican leadership," said Browne. "It's clear there's no law Donald Trump and his right-wing machine won't bend, break, or ignore to try to win the presidency."
Dan Froomkin, editor of Press Watch, said that Clark's comments showed that the GOP plans to go beyond suppressing the vote and "will now supplement with aggressive voter intimidation at polls."
Clark told AP that he was speaking in jest about a Republican history of voter suppression. But elections observers weren't buying it.
"This should be one of those things that Democrats never stop talking about," said Media Matters editor-at-large Parker Molloy. "This is a scandal. "
HuffPost senior enterprise editor Nick Baumann wasn't suprised at the content of the remarks but rather at the fact they were made in the first place.
"This seems like a noteworthy admission of something many people believe to be true but few people involved acknowledge," said Baumann.
Progressive advocacy group For Our Future Wisconsin treated the report as a call to action.
"Fight back by voting," the group tweeted.
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