American Politics Thread: The Hunt for Blue November

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

Just to be clear, I never stated the computer repair mess was legitimate.

I look at it this way though:

1. Can the computer repair shop story be concretely disproven? If yes, do it.

So Biden being in California at the time of this BS is not enough?

2. Are some of the emails fake and can be disproven? Do it.

The onus is not on the defense to prove their innocence, but on the prosecution to prove the guilt. If anyone needs to step up and prove the legitimacy of these emails, it is the party claiming them to be true. We've seen every media outlet with a shred of credibility turn and run the other way, because there is no way to prove them real without disclosing where the data came from and how it was acquired. The intelligence community has collectively rolled their eyes and said this has no merit.

3. Are some of the emails real? Hopefully in conjunction with point 1, go after the fact that there is another instance of illegally obtained political ammo by the same group of people.

It is irrelevant if any of the emails are real. The fact that they are in a pool of manufactured emails means the evidence holds no merit. When you poison the pool you poison everything in it. Unless you are just trying to assassinate someone's character, this holds no merit.

Sure, it's an alt-right fantasy, but like 40% of US voters buy that stuff now. If you read the right's opinion on "RussiaHoax" etc, this stuff is starting to get incredibly out of hand, and I don't think censorship is going to cause that 40% number to shrink, which should be the real goal.

Nothing is going to cause that number to shrink, so why indulge a fantasy? All it does it provide some level of legitimacy to the claim.

If nearly half your population is easily manipulated by foreign actors, you have a major, major issue. Sure the good (not as bad?) guys will win the election, but you're still going to have a mess of a country.

Yes, we have a major problem. It started when the media trust was fractured by Reagan and then Clinton deregulated ownership. We have been on a steep descent into a flaming wreck since. We have reaped what was sown and now 40% of the electorate are anti-science, conspiracy theory believing, non-thinking fools. Don't feed the trolls and poison another pool.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

The report stated the officer was at a polling location. Most jurisdictions have laws against any partisan political messaging at polling locations. Given that the officer was armed, it's not a stretch to say this is voter intimidation which absolutely is a criminal offense.

Come on now indeed.

If he were wearing a Biden mask, would you still be calling it intimidation and be calling for criminal charges?

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If he were wearing a Biden mask, would you still be calling it intimidation and be calling for criminal charges?

Yes...?

Did you think that was some kind of gotcha question?

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If he were wearing a Biden mask, would you still be calling it intimidation and be calling for criminal charges?

Absolutely.

[FlamesAddiction]

If he were wearing it while on patrol, I can see it as intimidating to voters. But just for taking a photo for private use? I don't think it is a huge deal. Not enough to be "criminal". Being a police officer doesn't mean he gives up his 2nd Amendment rights.

Internally, I am sure the police have strict uniform and social media policies against what he did, so he should definitely be punished by his employer. I would possibly even say fired given the current atmosphere surrounding the police and the events of the summer.

[Sliver]

If it was a cop wearing a Biden mask I would think it's very inappropriate. A cop wearing a Trump mask is equally inappropriate.

Should he be fired and criminally charged? Seems a bit heavy handed to me for this one offence.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Yes...?

Did you think that was some kind of gotcha question?

With all due respect, I doubt it. But sure, let's send this guy to jail.

[Dynamic]

I can’t even fathom being dumb enough to be an officer of the law wearing a mask supporting a political party. At a polling station! I just don’t get it how anyone could have a lapse of judgement that bad. Either you want to be fired/suspended or he was put up to this by someone.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I mean Biden hasn't been instructing his supporters to go harass people at polls unlike Trump, so that also matters.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

I mean how do you concretely prove that? The owner wasn't sure it was Biden that dropped it off and can't keep his story straight.

It'd be tough to prove that they're not authentic, particularly when the "evidence" is PDFs of emails without the headers. I'm not even sure how that'd be possible.

That said, no one seems to really be denying the authenticity, which is obviously going to lead people to assume that they're legitimate. It was the same with Trump's tax returns; no one actually seemed to deny the claim that he paid $750 in taxes, so people assume that it's true. I mean, that laptop story is pretty ridiculous, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if Biden's iCloud account or something like that got hacked and some or all of the materials are legitimate.

My guess is the Biden campaign figures it's not worth the risk of responding to this given their current position. And what's out there isn't all that incriminating anyway.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I mean Biden hasn't been instructing his supporters to go harass people at polls unlike Trump, so that also matters.

Did this officer harass anyone? Is Trump's idiocy a factor here? Because it shouldn't be - that's my point.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

If he were wearing it while on patrol, I can see it as intimidating to voters. But just for taking a photo for private use? I don't think it is a huge deal. Not enough to be "criminal". Being a police officer doesn't mean he gives up his 2nd Amendment rights.

Internally, I am sure the police have strict uniform and social media policies against what he did, so he should definitely be punished by his employer. I would possibly even say fired given the current atmosphere surrounding the police and the events of the summer.

The cop didn't take that photo for private use. The photo was taken by a voter while the cop was on duty at a polling station.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by opendoor

It'd be tough to prove that they're not authentic, particularly when the "evidence" is PDFs of emails without the headers. I'm not even sure how that'd be possible.

That said, no one seems to really be denying the authenticity, which is obviously going to lead people to assume that they're legitimate. It was the same with Trump's tax returns; no one actually seemed to deny the claim that he paid $750 in taxes, so people assume that it's true. I mean, that laptop story is pretty ridiculous, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if Biden's iCloud account or something like that got hacked and some or all of the materials are legitimate.

My guess is the Biden campaign figures it's not worth the risk of responding to this given their current position. And what's out there isn't all that incriminating anyway.

That's how I see it as well. It does seem to me to be very likely that it's authentic information mixed with with false information as well. It's one side versus the other on what is true or not true.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Did this officer harass anyone? Is Trump's idiocy a factor here? Because it shouldn't be - that's my point.

But the law is the law, no one is allowed to electioneer at a polling station, not even (or especially) the cops. He knew the rules, and if he didn't he should be reprimanded for that too. Trump trying to establish his own brown shirts is just another layer to this.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Did this officer harass anyone? Is Trump's idiocy a factor here? Because it shouldn't be - that's my point.

A cop wearing full uniform, with gun and badge, and a political mask inside a polling station may not be directly harassing anyone, but that is definitely intimidation.

Being paid by the taxpayers, I'm guessing he broke a law, or at least some sort of policy that will get him in hot water, as it should. And I don't care if it's Trump or Biden.....it's ridiculous.

Apparently Miami PD is having a press conference this afternoon, we'll see what they have to say about it.

[Looch City]

Can you blame the guy? He was just following his President's orders to stand back and stand by.

[SportsJunky]

Although he could be charged for wearing the Trump mask, I hope he isn't. Terrible judgement to be sure but hopefully it's a no harm no foul kind of thing. Not sure what this guy was thinking?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But the law is the law, no one is allowed to electioneer at a polling station, not even (or especially) the cops. He knew the rules, and if he didn't he should be reprimanded for that too. Trump trying to establish his own brown shirts is just another layer to this.

And he should be suspended.

And if his superiors had warned everyone about extra vigilance, because of the current temperature, then I could even see a firing.

But before I am willing to call it criminal, there would need to be behavior that is intended as intimidation. A Trump mask isn't intimidation. A Trump mask and staring down anyone that looks like they might be thinking about voting Democrat (or some other similar behavior), now that would be criminal IMO.

And he is not responsible for Trump's transgressions

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's up to the Miami PD, but he won't be fired because the union won't allow it, so it'll be a suspension and nothing more.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Who can say for sure, but if they were going to ignore it you wouldn't think they'd put out a public announcement about it:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1318579324723789825

EDIT: Also, this doesn't bode well for the guy.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1318595744962695168

Doesn't bode well... So the police union will... Suspend him, with pay?