Voto Latino and The Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans have filed for a restraining order against “Clean” Elections USA, the group organizing the sometimes-armed vigilante drop box watchers intimidating voters in Arizona.
Election integrity attorney/activist Mark E. Elias and his organization pDemocracy Docket are on the case:
“Lawsuit filed on behalf of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and Voto Latino against Clean Elections USA, Melody Jennings (the founder of Clean Elections USA) and unnamed defendants challenging Clean Elections USA’s alleged voter intimidation practices. The plaintiffs allege that the organization’s supporters “gathered at ballot drop boxes in Maricopa County with the express purpose of deterring voters—who Defendants irrationally fear are ‘ballot mules’—from depositing their ballots.” The plaintiffs argue that Clean Elections USA’s “presence has led to repeated complaints of voter intimidation,” noting that the defendants’ “organized vigilante groups have already turned away voters.” The complaint states that there were at least five instances of alleged voter intimidation during the week of Oct. 17, 2022.
The plaintiffs cite an incident from Oct.17 in which “a voter sent a complaint to the Arizona Secretary of State reporting that a group of individuals were filming and photographing voters as they approached the drop box outside of the Maricopa County’s Mesa Juvenile Court. These drop box monitors also accused these voters of being ‘a mule.’ These monitors also took photographs of the voters’ license plate, of the voters, and followed the voters into the parking lot all while continuing to film.” The plaintiffs cite another incident in which “Maricopa County [sheriff’s office] responded to complaints about two individuals stationed around the Mesa drop box in the evening with full disguises, tactical gear, and magazine clips.” The Maricopa County sheriff’s office later confirmed the cited individuals were armed.”
Yup can read the full complaint here.
But here is a pertinent excerpt:
Elias also posted on Twitter about the suit.
Marc, you do more good in a day than I can possibly do in a month… and I try.
— Diane (@realtimewithDL) October 24, 2022
Hear, hear.
Thank you & where TF is the DOJ?
— Treason Matters! (@WTF__GOP) October 24, 2022
Good question.
Thank you. If they're really at the drop boxes trying to look out for fraud, why are they armed? The guns, and the tactical vests, are for intimidation, not election security. It could not be more obvious.
— Lissa K Diamond 🌵🏜🐕🗳 (@LissaKDiamond) October 24, 2022
Yep. If security is the goal seems a camera would be sufficient.
So happy to know this. Help is arriving.
— Roseanna McArthur (@rmmcarthur97405) October 24, 2022
👍👍👍
Thank you @marceelias My son is a first time voter, we live in Mesa. I've been a little nervous to drop off our ballots.
— KMF (@kmfkmf33) October 24, 2022
No American should be made to feel this way.
👇👇👇
As an Arizona resident- pic.twitter.com/msM4zkc0Sv
— I.Can’t.Be.Quiet (@CassCantBeQuiet) October 25, 2022
Go get them, Voto Latino, Retirees and Mark Elias.
It’s past time to get these armed masked goons off the street.