1/22
the bio says i occasionally fact check
this bit of election denialism got a spotlight on another app
it's bullshit, of course
this bit of election denialism got a spotlight on another app
it's bullshit, of course
04:55 PM - May 09, 2023
2/22
let's unpack this
the Federalist article alleges Mark Zuckerberg somehow bought the 2020 election by paying operatives to infiltrate election departments in targeted states..."creat[ing] a 'shadow” election system with a built-in structural bias that systematically favored Democratic voters..."
the Federalist article alleges Mark Zuckerberg somehow bought the 2020 election by paying operatives to infiltrate election departments in targeted states..."creat[ing] a 'shadow” election system with a built-in structural bias that systematically favored Democratic voters..."
05:10 PM - May 09, 2023
3/22
problem is there's a lot of available information out there already
check one: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chen donated a buttload of money to two nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations prior to the 2020 elections
check one: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chen donated a buttload of money to two nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations prior to the 2020 elections
05:18 PM - May 09, 2023
4/22
the two orgs - The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) and The Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR) promote use of technology, information availability, access to voting, and election security
not bad in principle
search here for more information on those nonprofits:
not bad in principle
search here for more information on those nonprofits:
05:35 PM - May 09, 2023
5/22
check two: what's the context of the donations?
the 2020 elections were not just contentious but given the pandemic, running them was expensive
and Congress wasn't giving election departments across the country extra money to deal with increased absentee voting, safe voting, etc
the 2020 elections were not just contentious but given the pandemic, running them was expensive
and Congress wasn't giving election departments across the country extra money to deal with increased absentee voting, safe voting, etc
05:41 PM - May 09, 2023
6/22
(break to make dinner)
check three: were the funds used in a manner favoring Democratic candidates?
"The grant administrators deny any political bias in their 2020 actions. In all, grants totaling more than $340 million went to nearly 2,500 election offices in 49 states..."
check three: were the funds used in a manner favoring Democratic candidates?
"The grant administrators deny any political bias in their 2020 actions. In all, grants totaling more than $340 million went to nearly 2,500 election offices in 49 states..."
cnn.com
Private funding was key in some 2020 elections. Republicans have outlawed it in nearly a dozen states. | CNN Politics
States move to cut off the private funding that local officials used to help people vote during the pandemic -- as partisan battles spread to nearly every aspect of election administration.
07:01 PM - May 09, 2023
7/22
"Grants went to communities in every state except Louisiana, where the Republican attorney general asserted that using private grant funding on elections violated state law."
https://www.apmreports.org...
https://www.apmreports.org...
apmreports.org
How private money helped save the election | APM Reports
After Congress failed to aid local election offices, a nonprofit provided critical funds — including $350 million from Mark Zuckerberg — that paid for staff, ballot-scanning machines, protective gear, and rental space that helped the presidential election run surprisingly smoothly.
07:03 PM - May 09, 2023
8/22
"any county or municipality that sought a grant got one."
and the money was spent on what the election offices decided they needed - plexiglass barriers, vote tabulators, hiring more staff, etc. - to support the specific needs of their communities.
and the money was spent on what the election offices decided they needed - plexiglass barriers, vote tabulators, hiring more staff, etc. - to support the specific needs of their communities.
07:07 PM - May 09, 2023
9/22
how did that benefit Democratic candidates?
"APM Reports analysis of voter registration and voter turnout in three of the five key swing states shows the grant funding had no clear impact on who turned out to vote. Turnout increased across the U.S. from 2016."
"APM Reports analysis of voter registration and voter turnout in three of the five key swing states shows the grant funding had no clear impact on who turned out to vote. Turnout increased across the U.S. from 2016."
07:12 PM - May 09, 2023
10/22
but 2020 voter turnout overall was up for both parties, according to Census data
the Heritage article focuses on Dem turnout only
the Heritage article focuses on Dem turnout only
brookings.edu
Turnout in 2020 election spiked among both Democratic and Republican voting groups, new census data shows
Turnout in the 2020 election was exceptionally high, resulting in a victory for Joe Biden. In response, some Republican-controlled state legislatures have enacted measures that would restrict voting in future elections among groups that often vote Democratic.
07:15 PM - May 09, 2023
11/22
however, increased donor turnout tends to favor Dems
so lawsuits and complaints were filed attempting to block use of the funds
one complaint to the FEC found "the available information does not suggest a partisan motive actually existed..."
https://www.fec.gov/files/...
so lawsuits and complaints were filed attempting to block use of the funds
one complaint to the FEC found "the available information does not suggest a partisan motive actually existed..."
https://www.fec.gov/files/...
07:35 PM - May 09, 2023
12/22
and "nexus between the donations and any purpose to influence the 2020 election is speculative at best."
which brings us back to the Heritage article, which attempts to legitimize speculation through manipulation of fact
which brings us back to the Heritage article, which attempts to legitimize speculation through manipulation of fact
07:37 PM - May 09, 2023
13/22
claim: "Big CTCL and CEIR money had nothing to do with traditional campaign finance..."
true, but misleading
the donations to CTCL and CEIR - nonpartisan civic orgs - and subsequent grants to election departments were not considered campaign donations at all by the FEC
true, but misleading
the donations to CTCL and CEIR - nonpartisan civic orgs - and subsequent grants to election departments were not considered campaign donations at all by the FEC
07:45 PM - May 09, 2023
14/22
nothing listed in the paragraphs after
-universal mail-in voting
-community outreach
-expanded voting days and hours
-funding for temporary staffing and poll workers
-renting or buying equipment
-etc
are partisan in nature
unless you consider access to voting or efficient elections partisan
-universal mail-in voting
-community outreach
-expanded voting days and hours
-funding for temporary staffing and poll workers
-renting or buying equipment
-etc
are partisan in nature
unless you consider access to voting or efficient elections partisan
07:51 PM - May 09, 2023
15/22
claim: "Staggering Partisan Spending"
$419M is a lot in comparison to $479M in federal and state spending
but one estimate recommended "Congress make available at least $4 billion" (up from an earlier estimate of $2B!) for the 2020 elections
$419M is a lot in comparison to $479M in federal and state spending
but one estimate recommended "Congress make available at least $4 billion" (up from an earlier estimate of $2B!) for the 2020 elections
07:59 PM - May 09, 2023
16/22
the House passed a bill allocating another $3.6 billion but the bill failed in the Republican-led Senate.
claim: there was an "injection of structural bias" that "generated enough additional votes for Biden to secure an Electoral College victory in 2020."
claim: there was an "injection of structural bias" that "generated enough additional votes for Biden to secure an Electoral College victory in 2020."
08:05 PM - May 09, 2023
17/22
turnout was addressed earlier
to its credit, the Heritage article does go over its methodology
which leaves out differences in candidate polling between 2016 and 2020
and nationwide changes in voting patterns, not just in traditionally blue and purple locations
to its credit, the Heritage article does go over its methodology
which leaves out differences in candidate polling between 2016 and 2020
and nationwide changes in voting patterns, not just in traditionally blue and purple locations
08:17 PM - May 09, 2023
18/22
the article holds out a narrowed race in Texas as an example of the partisanship of CTCL and CEIR
but admits "more proof is needed"
claim: "Our preliminary results in Georgia and Wisconsin suggest a similar impact..."
but admits "more proof is needed"
claim: "Our preliminary results in Georgia and Wisconsin suggest a similar impact..."
08:35 PM - May 09, 2023
19/22
the insinuation is based on the same flawed methodology as the earlier Texas example
and the preliminary results are unpublished but presented as a foregone conclusion
finally, about the orgs in question
and the preliminary results are unpublished but presented as a foregone conclusion
finally, about the orgs in question
08:47 PM - May 09, 2023
20/22
(please substitute 'Federalist' for 'Heritage' in the above Spouts as i tend to get my right-wing orgs mixed)
The Federalist earns "Hyper-Partisan Right" and "Unreliable, Problematic" by adfontesmedia.com with similar ratings from mediabiasfactcheck.com
this is not considered a reliable source
The Federalist earns "Hyper-Partisan Right" and "Unreliable, Problematic" by adfontesmedia.com with similar ratings from mediabiasfactcheck.com
this is not considered a reliable source
08:58 PM - May 09, 2023
21/22
my quick Googling of 'rodneyinstitute.org'
- the one in Texas, not Delaware -
doesn't return much information beyond the site was first registered in March 2021 and touts its work appearing in various right-wing media outlets
- the one in Texas, not Delaware -
doesn't return much information beyond the site was first registered in March 2021 and touts its work appearing in various right-wing media outlets
09:21 PM - May 09, 2023
(Edited)
22/22
while its Facebook page hasn't seen an update since 2021
and the author has presented no further research on this topic, writing nothing for The Federalist since November 2022
this doesn't appear to be serious journalism or scholarship
just more right-wing conspiracy theory
and the author has presented no further research on this topic, writing nothing for The Federalist since November 2022
this doesn't appear to be serious journalism or scholarship
just more right-wing conspiracy theory
09:31 PM - May 09, 2023
