A new election integrity watchdog group has launched an investigation into a six-figure media campaign and the North Carolina State Election Commission after the board initially denied third-party candidates RFK Jr. and Cornel West access to the ballot, according to information first obtained by The Daily Caller.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted 3-2 on Wednesday to temporarily remove Kennedy and West from the ballot until it can further review the decision before the November election. The board's chairman justified the decision by saying the board needed time to “investigate the problematic petition-gathering members.” according to The Fair Elections Fund, which was created in May to target alleged abuses of the election system, plans to use part of its $5 million whistleblower protection program to investigate the commission's decision, a source with the watchdog group told the Caller. (RELATED: 'Vote Fraud': The Death of the American Voter | WATCH NOW)
The investigation will begin by asking whistleblowers who know of “illegal or unethical activity” by state committees, the Democratic National Committee or entities aligned with President Joe Biden to share their stories through the Fair Elections Fund. hotlineThe official said in a phone interview. The official declined to say how long the investigation would last but said updates would be provided.
“After Joe Biden's abysmal debate performance, he and his allies are scared to death and know the only way they can make a comeback in this race is to meddle in the election, as they did in North Carolina this week. If Biden's allies illegally worked with the liberal wing of the NCSBE to block Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from getting on the ballot, we will find out and expose them. We will relentlessly hold Alan Hirsch, Siobhan O'Duffy Millen and Jeff Carmon accountable for their anti-democratic actions,” a senior Fair Election Fund official told the Caller.
As part of its effort against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the Fair Election Fund will also launch a six-figure media campaign targeting the three Democrats on the state board who initially voted to bar Kennedy and West from running, according to a press release obtained by the Caller. Television and digital ads will also focus on urging the board to reverse its decision, people familiar with the matter told the Caller.
The watchdog group announced in May that it would spend millions of dollars “to expose ongoing irregularities and fraud in our election system,” according to a press release. As part of its program targeting the North Carolina state board, the group will work with election staff, election organizers and other observers to share their own stories of “corruption” in the election process, the press release said.
🚨 If you're a campaigner, election organizer, or a concerned citizen who has witnessed election corruption first-hand, we'd love to hear your story.
Anyone who reports fraud or misconduct will be eligible for a payout from our $5 million fund. pic.twitter.com/JBKdj8uzbp
— Fair Elections Fund (@FairElectFund) May 4, 2024
The state board is expected to reconsider the decision before the election after members have discussed it. NBC News report A separate NBC News report said that Republican-linked political operatives had helped West get on the ballot in an attempt to “steal votes from Joe Biden.” article Committee members also expressed concern that Kennedy's allies were trying to exploit election laws to form a new party and get a foothold on the ballot, according to the outlet.
“To correct a false premise, the commission did not summarily reject the petitions for recognition of new political parties,” state commission general counsel Paul Cox told the Caller. “The commission majority decided last week against recognition and will instead further review these petitions and determine later this month whether new political party candidates meet the requirements of state law to be officially recognized. No final decisions have been made regarding the Constitution Party, Justice for All Party or People's Party.”
My statement about Joe Biden being fit to be President and the dirty and likely illegal scheme that Democrats on the Election Commission, Roy Cooper, Josh Stein and Jeff Jackson, ran to defraud RFK Jr., Cornel West and Constitution Party supporters. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/UNbcFV4NJZ
— Dan Bishop (@danbishopnc) June 28, 2024
While ballot availability remains uncertain in North Carolina, Kennedy is expected to appear on the ballot in several states, including Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, California and Hawaii. According to Politico. West will also appear on the ballot in several states, including Colorado, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah.
“The commission's partisan decision, despite the required number of petition signatures being submitted on time, undermines the fundamental principles of our electoral system,” West spokesman Edwin DeJesus told the Caller, adding that it was an anti-democratic tactic.
