EDITORIAL: False allegations of election rigging a stain on nation’s democratic tradition – Las Vegas Sun Editorial Board (Las Vegas Sun) / Nov 12 2020
Most Americans had probably never heard of Richard Pilger until he resigned this week in protest of the Trump administration’s attempt to subvert the 2020 election.
But his name is worth remembering. Pilger, the director of the election crimes branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, made a principled stand for democracy in defying Attorney General William Barr’s authorization of federal investigations into voter fraud.
As Pilger pointed out in his resignation notice, Barr’s action overturned a 40-year-old DOJ noninterference policy that banned voting investigations from being conducted after election tabulation is complete and certified. That guidance was designed to prevent a sitting administration from deciding the results of the election, and instead leave it to state and local election officials to resolve conflicts. At the minimum, the policy was aimed at forcing prosecutors to consult with Pilger’s department and other government overseers before launching any investigations.
The policy is an entirely fitting measure. Ultimately, it protects the voting power of Americans by ensuring that a sitting administration can’t snatch away the vote.
But Barr trampled it, claiming it was never a “hard and fast” rule and that prompt investigations into voter fraud were warranted.
Continue > https://lasvegassun.com/news/2020/nov/12/false-allegations-of-election-rigging-a-stain-on-n/
