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Knox County Republicans' page pushes unsupported election fraud narrative
The Knox County Republican Committee is spreading the unsupported claim that there was massive election fraud in the November election.
The Knox County Maine Republicans Facebook page has a graphic of an upside-down U.S. flag on its cover. The words "election fraud" fill in where the red and white stripes of the flag would be located.
On Jan. 15, Knox County Republican Committee Chair Victoria Bucklin said she did not know about the graphic. But she maintained there was fraud in the most recent election.
When asked if she meant fraud in local elections, she said she was not aware of any fraud in Knox County.
"But we do know there was election fraud," Bucklin claimed.
When asked to explain where fraud occurred and what supporting evidence there was, she ended the telephone conversation.
Administrators of the page include Bucklin, Maynard Stanley Jr. and former State Rep. Paula Sutton. The party's page has 513 members, but it is a private group, and the general public is not able to view posts unless they are granted privilege by the administrators.
In the 2020 presidential election, Knox County overwhelmingly backed Biden 15,019 to 9,995, with third-party candidates collecting slightly more than 500 votes.
No Republican candidate won a legislative seat in Knox County. This is the first time in at least 40 years where there are no Republicans representing at least one community in Knox County. The seats are held by six Democrats and two independents.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed since the Nov. 3 election that he won the election, but that it was stolen from him due to massive fraud in several swing states such as Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
His efforts to overturn the election included numerous lawsuits to state and federal courts that were all rejected, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. There was both an audit and a full hand recount in Georgia that did not change the outcome. A Washington Post article details the claims and results of challenges.
Bucklin has shared posts on her Facebook page, which allege the presidential election was stolen.
Trump continued his claims about the election being stolen from him at a rally in Washington, D.C. Jan. 6, where Congress convened to count the electoral votes. He urged his followers to fight for his election and asked them to march to the U.S. Capitol.
That march ultimately led to mobs storming the Capitol, killing a Capitol police officer and causing Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress to hide until peace was restored.
A Rockland resident, Cathy Cooper, attended the Trump rally in Washington, D.C. Jan. 6, according to a Facebook post on her page. She posted a photo of herself at the Trump rally, "before the staged Capitol building event."
That evening of the Capitol siege, she posted, "OK cry, cry about people storming the capital what are they ANTIFA? But more importantly if they are Trump supporters we’ve been ignored for four years now and now you want us to cry about people storming the capital when you won’t listen you just won’t listen."
Congress ultimately approved confirming the electoral college vote.
Democrat Joseph Biden is scheduled to be sworn in as the next president Wednesday, Jan. 20.
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If you think back to those commercials of a guy popping out of a washing machine it makes it easy to understand the Santa Claus theory.
Evidence please. Not theories or Santa Claus fantasies or fairy tales. Evidence of voter fraud? Post it... make us believers. You won't, because you can't.
Steve Betts in writing this story is correct in his assertion that "massive election fraud" is an unsupported claim. Although massive fraud cannot be proven {at this time} many millions of Americans including myself believe this to be true. Party leaders, main stream media, and social media platforms, continue to tell believers they are wrong, this is just not true and you should go home and be quiet. No one has been able to prove the existance of "Santa Claus" yet many millions believe in his existence. Should a judge denigh he exists (well you have all seen the movie) many people who believe would be very angry. American citizens have the right to their beliefs, proven or unproven and government cannot and should not attempt to change that. We have seen what happens and it is not pretty
My guess is the fake news you watch hasn’t shown you any of he wide spread fraud evidence at all.
Which means you didn’t watch any if the televised hearings or see a y of the video recordings from within the buildings where the counting was being done.
rude awakening!
With all the attention given to bullying, anti-bullying campaigns to get our kids to respect each other, why would adults think it is the answer to all of their problems now?
It's bullying, no matter which way you want to legitimize your actions.
Claire Adam's. Good point. As of January 15th, Trump's court efforts claiming election fraud are now 1 win, 64 losses.
From Marc Elias lead election lawyer in these cases:
NEW: After a string of defeats and motions for sanctions, the Kraken have dismissed their Michigan lawsuit.
Trump and his allies remain 1-64 in post-election litigation.
https://t.co/DGLdq4cLo1
Gosh, their Facebook Page just makes them look bad. Don't they understand how it undermines their credibility?
The GOP has given up on the truth!
I’m all for healing between the factions but this concept that Betts should not publish this important news article or that our senators should not impeach in order “not to get folks upset” would be a abandonment of their duties. This is not the way to heal. If we want to heal this country we have to stop name-calling and demonizing voters on the other side. Stop “unfriending” people you don’t agree with and when the quarantine is over have them over for dinner and a game of cards (no politics). If we continue to call people evil and dehumanize each other this will not get better but continue to get worse.
Thanks Steve: This is an important story for one reason especially -- there are no Republicans representing Knox County residents for the first time in 40 years!!! That is a sad state of affairs even for a hard-core Democrat like myself. It cannot be that many of these long-time Republican strongholds have flipped -- was it a lack of good candidates? Maybe some new voices not angrily spouting conspiracy and fraud would attract some of these voters back to the party. We need two parties ... maybe just not the one that is calling the shots for Republicans in Knox County right now.
Don't think the divisive rhetoric is causing serious problems? Locally some services will not be held tomorrow because of the threats .
Maine Council of Churches - Posts | Facebook
It does look a bit like Steve Betts is practicing to be a reporter for the Washington Post, but I think the story is a good one. There is a clear failure of leadership in the Republican Party. Sad, because the Democrats could use some competition from a party that would better represent the American people. What is needed is a movement that would bring people together instead of setting us against each other. Those who are now crowing with glee at the pathetic state of the Republicans might chew a bit on Dale Hayward's sarcastic comment.
We should have one political party, the know-it-alls. That way everyone would be correct.
Can the Republican party flag designers please post their evidence of election fraud below their newly created flag? Take all the space needed. Of course not, since none exists.
Dangerous 'stuff' continues as Franklin Graham calls Republicans who voted for impeachment like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Franklin Graham Compares 10 Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Trump to Betrayal of Christ (newsweek.com)
WE need to remember that it was these people that almost got Trump reelected. Sad days for Christianity. :(
Makes me want to vote for a republican. Not!
If they have proof of fraud they should get it to the courts ASAP!
Of course if you lie in court you go to jail or the lawyers loose their license- so that’s some proof and hard evidence of their treasonous lies.
People need to remember God’s laws: Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Those trump terrorists in the capitol committed the worst violation of God’s laws: Thou shall not kill.
Love thy neighbor and be kind to all God’s children.
Steve this reminds me of your "almost plane crash" story you ran the other day. This piece serves no other purpose than to fuel the flames of division in this country. How can you say a claim is fraudulent if their is not overwhelming evidence to prove such a claim. Just because a judge refuses to hear a case that does not make the case irrelevant. At this moment in time there is much tension and unrest between those that support Trump & those that don't, so much so that 20,000 troops have been sent to the capitol. Think you should put the lighter down and walk away.
Time for our press--that portion that pursues truth, that is--to adopt what we can title the Chicken Little Rule?
The sentence "When asked to explain where the fraud occurred and what supporting evidence there was, she ended the telephone conversation" says it all.
If Chicken Little still lived among us today, and claimed that the sky was falling, I doubt that our local press would cover such an assertion. (Though I would not bet that the Knox County Maine Republicans Facebook page would exercise such editorial responsibility if it thought Chicken Little could bring even just a vote or two to the next Polls....)
My point? Though I read this well-reported article Steve Betts wrote on these dear people stuck in the claim that election fraud was widespread, I doubt I learned much about, or even want in the slightest to know how so many people find voices that can speak louder than whatever common sense would say to them. Though, what do I know. Common sense seems less and less available these days....
Bless their hearts...
OH, GIVE IT UP!