(It’s been bugging me for a while – when you see a picture of Youngkin that doesn’t ID him do you think maybe you’re looking at Brewski Brett Kavanaugh?)
It took some hunting to find the title picture I wound up using, but given the topic I thought this one with that sign at the bottom right corner that says “Kids For Youngkin” was perfect.  I wonder how many “kids” like his son managed to, in friendly enough precincts under GOP control (given how they’ve been threatening Democrats and Independents into quitting) managed to get away with casting a vote for the Gov. Elect?  Given his margin of victory I doubt it was enough to make the difference.  Not even close but it’s hard not to wonder just how widespread it was, especially in rural/small town VA where everyone knows everyone and plenty goes on with a wink and a nod.  When I was that age it was my dad (and other’s) who never drank at home but would leave a six pack of beer in the fridge for us on a weekend.  Enough for most who wanted one to have ONE beer.  There was an understanding – don’t call attention to it (and behave!) and things were cool.
In any case, as the article in the link ( Glenn Youngkin’s underage son was turned away from a voting precinct on Election Day, top county election official says (msn.com) ) indicates the seventeen year old son of Virginia Gov. Elect Glenn Youngkin tried to vote not once but TWICE for his dad.  From the article:
Canty wrote in her notes that at 9:30 a.m. on Election Day, a “17 yo voter came in requested ballot” but was “told he had to be 18 yo to vote today.” Canty writes that she offered him a voter registration but “he declined.”
Canty goes on to write that the “same 17 yo voter… came back to request a ballot” around 10:00 a.m. It was here that Canty writes down Youngkin’s name. “Again offered opportunity to register. He declined if he wouldn’t be able to vote today,” she wrote.
The Washington Post, which first broke the story, spoke to the precinct head, who told the paper that Youngkin’s son believe he could vote because “a friend who was also 17 had been allowed to cast a ballot.”
Take note of that last paragraph.  I’ll get to it in a minute.  What had me howling when I read this earlier was that according to Scott Konopasek, the Fairfax County (Virginia) General Registrar Youngkin’s son provided ID and asked for a ballot, was told he was too young and didn’t cause any disruptions.  So, based on that this teenager hadn’t “really” done anything wrong I gather the reasoning went.  Well, I’ve got some issues with Konopasek’s interpretation of the law.  As with many crimes and especially felonies Intent matters.  And pretending this kid didn’t know damn well he was too young to vote and tried to slide one by the election judges at that precinct is a gigantic pile of warm, brown organic matter.  Dinosaur sized in fact.
This is a child of privilege, growing up with every advantage including (even if he went to public school) a first class education.  Hell, in places like Fairfax County they will go into history classes (especially during any Civics instruction) and either offer to sign up 18 year olds to vote then and there, or provide them with an application and instructions on how to file it once they turn eighteen!  To playact at “He didn’t know he wasn’t old enough to vote” is insulting at best.  It’s rich, white REPUBLICAN privilege at the worst, and a felony to boot.  Ask yourself this: If an African American seventeen year old, even one from a “good” family had gone into a precinct and done what Youngkin’s son did do you think that young man would get the benefit of the doubt?  Any conservative reading this who says yes isn’t just a liar but a g-damned liar!
It gets worse however.  If you look at the part of the article I included, the notes of election worker (Jennifer) Cantlay state that after being told he was too young to vote and offering him a voter registration form he declined and left.
And came BACK a half-hour later and tried again!
What the hell?  A half-hour later he comes back to the SAME precinct and to the SAME election workers and tries again to vote?  After being told that being seventeen he was still too young?  If that’s not Intent the some lawyer please, please explain to me what the hell does actually legally prove intent!
This kid tried to pull a fast one on behalf of his daddy. The thing is, he knew and I mean KNEW there would be no consequences.  Not for someone like him.  And that doesn’t just suck.  It’s infuriating.  Yet it is REPUBLICANS who scream about fraud and people illegally voting.  Why is it in the relative handful of cases where people have been proven to illegally cast ballots the majority are Republicans?
According to Konopasek the kid didn’t technically violate Section 10 of the Virginia Code regarding elections – because he didn’t actually cast a ballot I guess.  Well, I’ve addressed the intent part and it sure as hell wasn’t for lack of trying!  While it’s not much, I’d bet everything I have that if the son or daughter of a Democrat running for state office had done the same thing, and especially someone not well connected to the most powerful people in the state they’d have been arrested.  And have to hire a lawyer and go through some significant (and expensive) legal stuff to get the charges dropped.
Sadly, it’s not news that different standards apply to certain people and that if you’re white but especially white and connected you get away with all kinds of stuff us regular folks would get hammered for.
Well, I mentioned that last paragraph and I want to address something important in it.  The Precinct Head told the reporter that Youngkin’s son said a friend of his who was also seventeen had been allowed to cast a vote, and that’s why he thought he could too.  Leaving aside what I’ve said about that being a flat-out LIE, complete and utter b.s. it poses (to me at least) an interesting question:  Who IS this “friend?” Either Youngkin’s son was just making Shite up or a pal of his did in fact get away with it.  If it’s true then why wasn’t Youngkin’s son taken in for questioning and required to name this person?  I mean, this is the son of a (now) pretty important GOP figure who’s in the national spotlight and who has made his own noises about voter “fraud.”  And who will I’m sure instruct his fellow electee and Republican Attorney General to go after voter fraud with a vengeance.
Except of course in THIS particular case.  I wish this had been a general election with federal races on the ballot so that the FBI could pay a visit to this little turd and ask him some questions.  Daddy’s very, very expensive lawyers would fight like hell to keep that from happening of course, but when push comes to shove and if this got the publicity it SHOULD be getting this entitled punk would either have to fess up about lying to election officials so he could brag to daddy “I voted for you today” (ask Youngkin what he’d have done if his son HAD succeeded in voting for him!) or name his friend.  Who is probably a fellow entitled GOP punk who believes laws and rules are for “little people.”
If you read the article I linked to you’ll see whining from GOP types about picking on this poor, misunderstood “naive” young man.  He “made an innocent mistake” – one for which they’d throw the book at a Democrat, especially one of color for making.
I’m angry.  I lived in northern VA (Fairfax County – and Arlington and Alexandria which is sort of Fairfax County) for almost twenty years.  So I know the area well, and this really, really angers me.  The Gov. Elect needs to be put on the hot seat about this.
So does EVERY  SINGLE  CONSERVATIVE who gets on TV and screams about voter fraud and illegal voting.  And journalists need to have the guts to call them out with questions like “Do you really expect people to believe this young man, who grew up with every advantage and the best education AND who’s dad was running for office in an time where illegal voting is a GOP talking point didn’t KNOW he wasn’t allowed to vote?  And after being told so and allowed to leave he came back to the same place a half hour later and tried again with the same election workers!  You really believe he didn’t know what he was trying to do wasn’t illegal?  Or would have been if the election workers had, when he came back and tried a second time have felt intimidated into letting him vote.  Either way, they probably knew who he was, if not at first then the second time after talking about him some.  He put them in one helluva position but they had integrity and did their jobs.
I wonder, once January rolls around and the GOP is in charge of the administration of government functions (like elections) if unlike for Youngkin’s son there will be consequences for those election workers.  I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if threats aren’t already being made by MAGA nation towards them.
The news of course won’t use this kid’s name because he’s a “minor.”  “Minor” my ass!  I’ll guarantee you if he wasn’t the son of a now powerful Republican his name would be all over the news.
But then, what do you expect when we are talking about what sure as hell looks like the brother of the sleaziest member of the highest court in the land?
I’m glad you wrote about this. I was livid when I read about this. If some relative of McAuliffe had done this, OMG, the heavens would fall.
I’ve checked a few times and it only got mentioned in a post a little while ago over on the site where we used to spend so much of our time. Since in the past year plus any “diaries” I’ve posted over there have been lucky to stay up for more than a few hours (if that) I didn’t bother cross posting. Maybe I will this weekend if the better known and liked poster’s piece doesn’t get any attention.
I think Virginia’s Democratic legislators need to get out there and use this story as a prime example of why “critical race theory” NEEDS to be taught in the state/commonwealth when the WHITE son of a WHITE GOP governor could manage to attempt to cast a ballot–not once but twice–in an election in which said WHITE GOP governor was using “critical race theory” as a wedge issue and how this very example of ATTEMPTED VOTER FRAUD (again, done by someone with GOP connections–not Democratic connections) would never have been allowed to go unanswered *IF* a person of color, associated with a prominent Democrat, had attempted the same thing.
And I think every Virginia Democrat needs to hold the Governor-elect’s feet over the proverbial fire when part of HIS campaign was to ensure “secure elections, free from voter fraud” and HIS OWN SON attempted to commit that very fraud.
Once *might* be an accident – though a 17-year-old should certainly know what legal voting age is.
Trying it a second time says it’s intentional, and should get him charged.
Oh he knew damn well he was too young to vote. He just assumed he could bluff/bluster his way into doing so – maybe to take a picture of his ballot with his cell phone or even a selfie feeding it into the scanner! He’s rich, white and has had the best education possible. He KNEW the legal voting age is 18!
What’s so infuriating is his belief that poll workers he assumed probably knew exactly who he was wouldn’t challenge him. I think the fact he came back and tried again at the same place with the same workers a half-hour after first being denied establishes that. What’s worse is that he assumed he wouldn’t get in any trouble for it. Because he turned out to be correct. Even after telling the head of the precinct that a friend of his who was 17 had been allowed to vote they let him go! They didn’t even set him aside for questioning by the authorities! Isn’t it the GOP who froths at the mouth over people illegally voting? And here is the son of someone likely to become Governor trying to do so AND claiming he knows someone who actually managed to do what he claims a friend did!
NO investigation of his claim. Apparently not even a cursory one. But boy oh boy is there plenty of anguish coming from conservatives about “persecuting” this fine young man (born and raised rich and privileged with the best education money can buy where he lives!) claiming it was all a harmless “innocent” mistake that he made. (TWICE!)
This is white (and rich) privilege personified – the very reason for CRT being a topic in LAW school and (only some) GRADUATE school courses. He knew goddamned good and well he wouldn’t be so much as detained, much less arrested. And it never entered his mind that despite his knowingly trying to ILLEGALLY vote he’d ever be formally charged. He knew goddamned good and well mommy and daddy wouldn’t have to shell out one dime for a lawyer. Not for someone like HIM!
LOCK HIM UP! LOCK HIM UP! LOCK HIM UP!
What is sort of slipping under the radar isn’t that Youngkin is glossing over the fact that Junior tried TWICE to cast an illegal vote (and you would think that a 17 year old whose father is a professional politician would KNOW the law on voting) is that Youngkin’s main complaint seems to be that the dirty rotten media actually reported it.
Had he received and marked a ballot, he perhaps could have been charged. But no ballot was issued and no ballot was cast Attempting to commit a felony is generally a lesser included offense – but apparently in Virginia the law defining the felont needs to specify that and apparently it doesn’t. Because if it did, yes, he would have committed a crime. The elements are there and backed up by evidence.
The new electees have not yet taken office, so the present attorney general is a Democrat – Mark Herring. He wold be the person to ask whether there is an attempt provision in the statute. Because, yes, intent matters. But someytimes success also matters.