Brad Raffensperger's endorsement of a Georgia ballot inspection highlights GOP's election integrity conundrum
Despite his continuous dismissals of former President Donald Trump's false allegations of widespread voter fraud, Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) says he supports a new judge-approved inspection of all absentee ballots in Fulton County, despite multiple recounts and audits having already taken place. Those viewpoints may seem contradictory, but Raffensperger told The New York Times he's certain the inspection will reaffirm November's results. Allowing it, he argued, will increase transparency, "restore confidence" in the voting process, and "hopefully put this to bed."
The Washington Post's Greg Sargent, however, suggested Raffensperger is missing the point, even if his reasoning is "well-meaning." The goal of efforts like the Georgia inspection is to "cast doubt on electoral outcomes in conscious and deliberate defiance of what full transparency and the facts reveal," Sargent writes. "If the entire point here is to appropriate the power to simply declare an outcome invalid in the face of contrary facts" why would the latest affirmation of results "put this to rest?," as Raffensperger hopes, Sergeant added.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 blacked out cartoons about the Epstein file redactionsCartoons Artists take on hidden identities, a censored presidential seal, and more
-
How Democrats are turning DOJ lemons into partisan lemonadeTODAY’S BIG QUESTION As the Trump administration continues to try — and fail — at indicting its political enemies, Democratic lawmakers have begun seizing the moment for themselves
-
ICE’s new targets post-Minnesota retreatIn the Spotlight Several cities are reportedly on ICE’s list for immigration crackdowns
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
