Yea, You Know They’re Gonna Try…

A week or so ago, Rolling Stone published
this:

To whit: 

In recent months, Trump has convened a series of in-person meetings and
conference calls to discuss laying the groundwork to challenge the 2022
midterm election results, four people familiar with the conversations tell
Rolling Stone. In these conversations, pro-Trump groups, attorneys,
Republican Party activists, and MAGA diehards often discuss the type of
scorched-earth legal tactics they could deploy. 

And they’ve gamed out scenarios for how to aggressively challenge elections,
particularly ones in which a winner is not declared on Election Night. If
there’s any hint of doubt about the winners, the teams plan to wage
aggressive court campaigns and launch a media blitz. Trump himself set the
blueprint for this on Election Night 2020, when — with the race far from
decided — he went on national television to declare: “Frankly, we did win
this election.”

Over at Elon’s place, J.J. Abbott tweeted:

What is your media outlet doing to be prepared not to amplify false,
misleading and anti-democratic narratives about Pennsylvania’s election and
results?

— J.J. Abbott 📮 (@jjabbott)
October 28, 2022

J. J. (Hey, J.J.! Do you prefer “Good Times” or “Abbot and Costello”
references? ‘Cause I got both.) follows that up with a couple of good sources
for info.

Mediamatters:

Leigh Chapman, Pennsylvania’s top election official
explained
during a Wednesday interview that because of a state law that does not allow
officials to begin counting mail-in ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day,
results for Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections might not
be available for “days” afterwards. Since Democrats are
more likely to trust
and participate in mail-in voting while Republicans are more likely to vote
in-person, early tabulations could show Republican candidates with a lead that
is then whittled down as mail-in ballots are tabulated over time.

And (as far as this non-expert can tell)
this is the law that says so.

From
Title 25 § 3146.8 

[1.1] The county board of elections shall meet no earlier than seven o’clock
A.M. on election day to pre-canvass all ballots received prior to the meeting.

And: 

[2] The county board of elections shall meet no earlier than the close of
polls on the day of the election and no later than the third day following the
election to begin canvassing absentee ballots and mail-in ballots not included
in the pre-canvass meeting.

 Something the Republican led legislature could have changed,
but they didn’t.

Negotiations between the Republican-led legislature and Gov. Tom Wolf to let
counties begin opening mail ballots in Pennsylvania before Election Day
appeared to collapse Wednesday, setting up
a potential
nightmare scenario
that some fear could leave the state counting millions of ballots for days
after Nov. 3.

The Democratic governor and legislative leaders had been negotiating behind
closed doors as recently as Tuesday to change the election code after months
of inaction. But the General Assembly adjourned Wednesday and is not
scheduled to reconvene until Nov. 10, a week after the election.

So next time you hear your crazy MAGA friends question the authenticity of the
“sudden” influx of “democrat votes” posted a day or so after election day, now
you know that this is a situation the Republicans in Harrisburg
could have changed, but simply chose not to.

They want it this way so they can wail about “election integrity.”

Abbot also posted this link.

Let’s take a look at what PA has to say about:

Ballot Security:

And remember, when our MAGA friends start in on Act 77, remind them that both the GOP led House and GOP led Senate voted for it.

Including St Sen (and right wing nut job) Doug Mastriano and St Rep (and right wing nut job) Daryl Metcalfe.

J. J. posted two good sources of info so take your pick (I’ll take the shovel.)

My profound Apologies: I could not resist the Abbott and Costello joke.