Swing States of Denial
1Digest
This podcast delves into the growing issue of election denialism in the United States, focusing on its impact in Arizona and Georgia. In Arizona, election officials in Maricopa County are grappling with threats and harassment from individuals who believe the 2020 election was stolen. They are working to maintain trust in the electoral process while facing pressure to perpetuate false claims about election fraud. The podcast highlights the efforts of the Maricopa County Recorder's Office to provide transparency through tours of the election facility. In Georgia, the podcast examines the rise of election deniers to influential positions on the state election board. A majority of the board is now comprised of election deniers who have implemented new rules that have been challenged in court. The podcast sheds light on the role of Heritage Action for America in promoting election denialism and influencing state legislation. The podcast also features an interview with Kamala Harris, conducted in 2013, providing insight into her history and philosophy on a range of issues. The interview covers topics such as her experience as a prosecutor, her views on gun control, and her approach to addressing the housing crisis in California. The podcast explores the challenges she faced as a rising star in California politics and her commitment to social justice.
Outlines
Election Denialism in Arizona and Georgia
This chapter explores the challenges faced by election officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, and the rise of election deniers to influential positions in Georgia. It highlights the efforts to maintain trust in the electoral process and the influence of conservative groups like Heritage Action for America.
A Conversation with Kamala Harris
This chapter features an interview with Kamala Harris, conducted in 2013, providing insight into her history and philosophy on a range of issues, including criminal justice reform, gun control, and housing affordability.
Keywords
Election Denialism
The belief that elections are rigged or fraudulent, often without evidence, and the spread of misinformation about the electoral process. This can undermine public trust in democracy and lead to political instability.
Heritage Action for America
A conservative political advocacy group that promotes policies aligned with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Heritage Action has been influential in shaping state-level legislation, particularly on issues related to voting rights and election integrity.
Maricopa County
The most populous county in Arizona, known for its role in the 2020 presidential election and the subsequent controversy surrounding election integrity.
Georgia State Election Board
The body responsible for overseeing elections in Georgia, which has become a focal point for concerns about election integrity and the influence of election deniers.
Kamala Harris
A prominent American politician who served as the 49th Vice President of the United States. She has a long history of advocating for social justice and addressing issues like criminal justice reform, gun control, and housing affordability.
Q&A
What are some of the challenges faced by election officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, in the face of election denialism?
Election officials in Maricopa County are facing threats and harassment from individuals who believe the 2020 election was stolen. They are also dealing with the pressure to maintain trust in the electoral process, which has been eroded by the spread of misinformation.
How are election deniers gaining power in Georgia?
Election deniers have been appointed to the Georgia State Election Board, giving them a majority and allowing them to implement new rules that have been challenged in court. This trend is part of a broader effort by election deniers to influence the electoral process and undermine public trust in elections.
What are some of the key issues that Kamala Harris has addressed throughout her career?
Kamala Harris has focused on issues such as criminal justice reform, gun control, and housing affordability. She has sought to balance her role as a prosecutor with a commitment to social justice and has been vocal about the need for change in areas like prison overcrowding and the availability of affordable housing.
Show Notes
In 2020, as elections officials counted votes in Phoenix, protesters swarmed outside the Maricopa County election center. Many held flags; some had AR-15s. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was there yelling into a bullhorn, “Burn in hell, Joe Biden.” They claimed the election was stolen.
Since then, dozens of court cases across the country have all found no evidence of widespread fraud. Despite that, election workers in Arizona’s Maricopa County and across the country continue to be threatened, harassed, and doxxed.
“Top election officials throughout the state have been turning over at the rate of a lunch shift at Taco Bell,” said Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County recorder. Richer, a Republican, says he voted for Donald Trump in 2020, but since taking office in 2021, he has spent a lot of his time working to dispel the election lies Trump helped create. And he’s faced ongoing death threats for steadfastly pushing back on those lies.
This week on Reveal: Mother Jones reporter Tim Murphy takes listeners inside the recently fortified election center in Maricopa County, where Richer’s staff are on a mission to demonstrate to voters that the election process is free and fair and deserving of their trust. Murphy joins a public tour, one of at least 150 that have occurred since January 2021.
Meanwhile in Georgia, new members of the State Election Board try to rewrite the rules to favor Trump. Mother Jones national voting rights correspondent Ari Berman unpacks the battle for control of the election results in the crucial swing state.
Also on this show, a Reveal exclusive from the archives: an interview with Kamala Harris that has never before been broadcast. Nina Martin sat down with Harris when she was attorney general of California. Their conversation covers an array of topics, from housing to guns—issues that remain central to the presidential election today.
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Table of contents
United States
