Facing the consequences

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times since the 2020 presidential election: the election was not rigged. Nevertheless, Trump loyalist groups across the country continue to peddle the election lie and sow distrust in the previous election as well as upcoming elections. With American democracy in what, at times, seems like free fall, these conspiracy theorists are not doing our nation any favors. The false claims surrounding the 2020 election sow doubt in the minds of voters and effectively disenfranchise people from showing up to vote in future elections, thinking the tired old excuse of “my vote doesn’t count” is confirmed. That’s not the case. With primary season in full swing, 2022 is a crucial election year, and your vote is needed. Don’t let the conspiracy theorists and far-right extremist agenda win by not showing up to vote. Instead, double down on democracy and make your voice heard by voting in your state’s primary and in the general election on Nov. 8. In 2020, 158 million people showed up the make their voice heard and voted to restore the soul of America. Two years later, the work is not done. Lady Liberty is counting on you to vote country over party again. —Mary Anna Mancuso, National Spokeswoman, Renew America Movement

• Biden signs bill reviving WWII lend-lease program for Ukraine —Axios

• Oath Keepers sharing with Jan. 6 investigators their efforts to find election fraud, communications with Trump allies —CNN

• Liz Cheney calls for Supreme Court leaker to be prosecuted to fullest extent of law —Washington Examiner

• Senators quickly pass bill to expand security for families of Supreme Court justices —CNN

• State AGs threaten legal action if Biden doesn't disband disinformation board —The National Desk

Fighting back against the ‘Big Lie’

Donald Trump’s false charges that the 2020 election was stolen have energized the far-right, but now, some of the groups perpetuating that lie are facing pushback—and, in at least one case, legal action. In Colorado, a lawsuit was filed by the NAACP and two other groups in March charging that the anti-voter fraud group U.S. Election Integrity Plan (USEIP) is aggressively questioning residents about their voting status, sometimes while bearing arms. USEIP is run by Shawn Smith, a retired air force colonel who also leads Cause of America, a group chiefly financed by multimillionaire Trump loyalist Mike Lindell.

• “Door-to-door intimidation.” A Colorado judge last week rejected a motion by USEIP to dismiss the lawsuit, which partly rests on a post-Civil War measure—the KKK Act—aimed at stopping white terrorists from using violence to interfere with Black voters. The lawsuit charges that USEIP has used various intimidation tactics, including taking pictures of houses in neighborhoods with a large number of minority residents. 

• Investigating EchoMail. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform has been investigating EchoMail, a subcontractor for the election audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, that has reportedly been paid by a New Mexico county to oversee a local “audit force” doing intrusive door-to-door voter canvassing. The founder of EchoMail, Shiva Ayyadurai, promotes unfounded conspiracies about the 2020 election results as well as a Senate primary in Massachusetts that he lost.

• Criticism elsewhere. Other states, including Michigan and Utah, boast groups that, under the guise of protecting voting integrity by ferreting out fraud, are being scrutinized for their questionable methods. “As Americans, we expect and demand an open and participatory democracy that welcomes all voters equally,” said Danielle Lang, senior director of voting rights at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. “Those engaging in these pressure tactics should know that voter intimidation is a crime with serious consequences.” —The Guardian

MORE: Nebraska, West Virginia primaries highlight GOP divisions over Trump and the 'Big Lie' —ABC News

Bacon: Trumpism isn’t going away

“I don’t think the radicalized GOP is destined to win over the majority of Americans. The Democrats did win in 2018 and 2020, after all. But when I look at Trump and DeSantis, I see autocratic politicians whose messages resonate deeply with huge numbers of voters. I see the business community and other institutions underestimating the Trumpist threat but also acting cautiously because they have seen how DeSantis, Trump, and other politicians of this ilk seek to use government power to punish those who cross them. I see the Democratic Party underappreciating the real appeal of this kind of politics, clinging to a self-absorbed view that the rise of Trumpism is simply because of the failings of the left.” —Perry Bacon, Jr. in The Washington Post

Perry Bacon, Jr., is a Washington Post columnist covering government and elections.

MORE: Nearly half of Republicans agree with ‘great replacement theory’ —The Washington Post

Focus on global democracy

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the former Philippines dictator, appears to have won the country’s presidential election, heralding a remarkable revival for a family once forced into exile—but raising serious questions about the future of Southeast Asia’s oldest democracy. The Marcos family was driven from office in 1986 by the “People Power” uprising, with millions of Filipinos uniting to decry deadly abuses and rampant corruption that siphoned billions of dollars from the treasury into the family’s personal bankroll. Marcos Jr. is on track to win by the biggest margin of victory in a presidential race in the Philippines since Corazon Aquino was elected in the wake of his father’s ouster. —The New York Times

• Hong Kong. On Sunday, John Lee, who oversaw and unapologetically defended the heavy-handed crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong in 2019, is set to become the city’s new chief executive through a single-candidate selection process. Like his predecessor Carrie Lam, he was among the first Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials to be sanctioned by the U.S. for their role in eroding the city’s once-guaranteed rights and freedoms. —The Guardian

• Ireland. The U.K., U.S., and Irish governments have urged rival parties in Northern Ireland to come together to revive its power-sharing government after Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein scored a historic victory to become the biggest party in Northern Ireland's Assembly. Sinn Fein, which seeks union with Ireland, won 27 seats in the 90-seat legislature, beating the Democratic Unionist Party, which secured 25 seats. It's the first time in Northern Ireland's history that an Irish nationalist party has topped the voting. —CBS News

• Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa tweeted yesterday that he has submitted his resignation, “effective immediately,” to his brother, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The powerful Rajapaksa brothers have been the focus of nationwide protests for several weeks, as demonstrators blame them for mismanaging an economic crisis in the country. Upon Mahinda Rajapaksa’s resignation, protestors chanted, “One down, one to go.” Not much subtlety there. —NPR

MORE: In wink to Ukraine, Britain, Macron suggests new European entity —Reuters

Atwood: Abortion continues to divide us

“The debate will go on, and nothing polarizes as much as an issue involving morality. Other democracies have somehow managed to avoid the personal privilege issues that only serve to aggravate tensions among the populace. Unfortunately, our politicians tend to weaponize them to divide and conquer. They do the health of our democracy no favors.” —J. Brian Atwood in The Hill

J. Brian Atwood is a visiting scholar at Brown University’s Watson Institute. He served as administrator of USAID in the Clinton Administration. 

MORE: Even most Republicans don’t want Congress to ban abortion nationwide, poll finds —Forbes

Ranked-choice voting makes strides

States and cities around the country are considering instituting ranked-choice voting for future elections. A proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot in Missouri could change the way voters select candidates, as the Better Elections campaign submitted more than 300,000 signatures on Sunday to advance its RCV initiative. Under the proposal, voters would rank their top four candidates, regardless of political party, in elections. The top four finalists in the primary would advance to the general election, when voters would again rank their preferred candidates. If passed, it would take effect for the 2024 elections. Stay tuned. —Newstalk KZRG

• Colorado. A measure asking Fort Collins voters to move city elections to RCV appears headed for the Nov. 8 special election ballot, though it hasn't received an official sign-off yet. While most seated council members have signaled they’re in favor of the measure, at least one has said they would prefer that residents gather signatures to put it on the ballot themselves. The council is expected to vote in June on referral of the ballot measure, which, if passed, would implement RCV for city elections in 2025. —Coloradoan

• Oregon. A charter commission tasked with reviewing Portland’s city charter every 10 years is considering several new proposals, one of which would change the way city residents vote to RCV. Throughout the month of May, the commission wants Portland residents to weigh in about their proposals through a series of in-person and virtual meetings. The deadline to weigh in is May 30. If you’re a Portlander, consider making your voice heard on this issue. —KATU

• Texas. El Pasoans for Fair Elections is circulating a petition that would compel the El Paso City Council to place three propositions on the November ballot that would reshape the way local candidates are financed and elected. The third proposition, Proposition C, would implement RCV for mayoral and city elections. The group aims to submit the required petition signatures to the city clerk’s office by Friday. —El Paso Matters

MORE: Rob Richie: A better presidential primary for 2024 —TribLIVE.com

Allen: What I learned when I ran for governor

“We the people are healthy, but our vehicles of political participation need some attention. We need either refurbished or new vehicles of participation to have a healthy democracy. The parties continue to own and steer our mechanisms of representation; they are the only vehicle currently available for putting forward a case for representation. Yet the majority has turned their backs on these vehicles. Our system of representation is in crisis. The good news is that we the people want to participate. [Americans] are hungry for common-sense representation and common purpose. But we need healthy parties, or alternatives, if we’re going to have the voice, choice, and representation we deserve.” —Danielle Allen in The Wall Street Journal

Danielle Allen is on leave from Harvard, where she is a university professor and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. She recently ran a campaign for governor of Massachusetts but withdrew prior to the primary election.

MORE: Americans now see both political parties as equally extreme —The Washington Post

Even though I am not pro-abortion, I believe if Roe vs. Wade is no longer the law, we will see a return of backstreet abortionists and women endangering their lives using coathangers or whatever other method they can come up with to end their pregnancy. To me, this would be tragic. —Linda S., Texas 

So if Justice Alito's opinion is adopted, then does it follow that child support, Social Security, and welfare benefits are due to the child, starting at the date abortion becomes illegal in any given state? —Ken G., Colorado

The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff, the Renew America Movement, or the Renew America Foundation.