Editorial: 'Claimed, without any evidence' is Trump's catchphrase

Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 -- It has practically become a cliché. "President Donald Trump, claimed, with out any evidence, that ..." During this presidential term, truth has been the first casualty. The toll on the American people continues to mount.

Posted 9:00 a.m. Sep 25, 2020 — Updated 9:00 a.m. Sep 25, 2020

CBC Editorial: Friday, Sept. 25, 2020; Editorial #8590

The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.

It has practically become a cliché. “President Donald Trump, claimed, with out any evidence, that ...” What’s his excuse for refusing to commit to accepting the outcome of the voting in the upcoming election? “You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster.”

Trump has repeatedly assailed mail-in voting as widely fraudulent, but he and his campaign have released no evidence to prove it. Even though the president and first lady Melania Trump have voted by mail and his campaign and Republicans have encouraged voters in key swing states to request ballots, his campaign is suing multiple states over mail-in voting rules.

IN FACT, FBI director Christopher Wray told Congress yesterday that his agency has not seen “any kind of coordinated national voter fraud efforts in a majority election” including mail-in voting.

In recent days, Trump, without evidence, has:

-- Accused Democrats of fabricating Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying request that her vacancy be filled by the next president.
-- Stated the COVID-19 virus affects only elderly people with heart problems, nobody young, below the age of 18.
-- Said the FDA has delayed COVID-19 vaccine trials.
-- Claimed that alleged Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse acted in self-defense when he shot and killed two people.

During this presidential term, truth has been the first casualty. The toll on the American people continues to mount.

It was in North Carolina that Trump said voters who use mail-in ballots should also go vote in person – a serious violation of the law – to see if the system works.

This week the State Board of Elections, which had been acting with remarkable unanimity, providing critical stability in the conduct of the campaign and elections, was tossed into turmoil.

The board, on a unanimous vote with the three Democrats and two Republicans in full agreement, accepted a proposed lawsuit settlement to give more time to the post office to deliver mail-in ballots while also simplifying ways for voters to correct mistakes in completing ballot paperwork. After the unanimous agreement was announced, Republican leaders exploded. “slow-motion mugging of North Carolina’s election integrity” declared Republican state Senate Election Committee chair Ralph Hise in a release from Senate Leader Phil Berger’s office.

Before the day was out, the two Republicans on the State Board of Elections resigned, claiming that during a discussion that lasted more than three hours, they were denied “vital information needed to make the right decisions.” The board’s nonpartisan staff said it provided full and complete information and answered any questions.

What all this is really about is raising dust to cast a cloud over the election process – in North Carolina and the nation. It is their self-fulfilling effort to prove government institutions don’t work

Rather than sabotaging critical public services – particularly our most sacred civic obligation to vote, national and state top leaders should provide citizens with clear and honest information and ensure the integrity of the most basic pillar of democracy.

NOTE: State Board of Elections Chairman Damon Circosta is executive director of the A.J Fletcher Foundation. James Goodmon, chairman and CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company is the chairman of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation.