Proud Boys claim they’ll be at polling places as Trump ups violent rhetoric and election fraud claims
As Trump yet again tells his supporters he can lose tomorrow only if there’s massive voter fraud and as he ramps up violent rhetoric about Democrats and other “enemies,” members of the far-right group that put more “boots on the ground” than any other at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, say they’re mobilizing.
The last time Trump tried to overturn his election loss, the Proud Boys played a critical role, jumping into action on Jan. 6 just weeks after Trump gave the group a major recruitment boost by telling it to “stand back and stand by” during a presidential debate. The group, which was “thirsting for violence and organizing for action,” sent members to the Capitol to act as “Donald Trump’s army,” federal prosecutors said later. Several Proud Boys leaders were ultimately convicted of seditious conspiracy and are still in prison, including former chairman Enrique Tarrio, who is serving 22 years, the longest sentence given to any Jan. 6 defendant.
But the decentralized all-male far-right group remains active around the country, and some of its members are openly making plans to get involved in Tuesday’s elections, as Trump closes his campaign by talking about shooting through the media; calls his political opponents “evil,” “dangerous” and “the enemy within”; and spreads more baseless predictions of election fraud.
Philly rapper Meek Mill endorses Harris in new song
Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill endorsed Harris this afternoon in a new track called “Who You Voting For.”
The rapper lays out his case for backing Harris over Trump at the start of the song: “My homie said he vote for Trump, he want that stimulus / I want it too for him, but the way he moving venomous / I work for everything I got, earn all my privileges / they give immunity to cops, they gone probably finish us.”
He later states, “I ain’t vote for Cam-a-la,” mispronouncing Kamala, then saying: “I’m a probably vote Kamala, somebody call her.”
The song appears to be a change of tune after fans had speculated that Meek Mill was supportive of Trump after he framed Trump as resilient following the first attempt to assassinate him.
Another rapper who once appeared to support Trump only to later back Harris, Sexxy Red, endorsed Harris last week.
And Will.I.Am of the Black Eyes Peas also released a record endorsing Harris, “Yes She Can,” yesterday. It has 1 million views on YouTube.
Trump and Harris face a persistent gender gap heading into Election Day
Memos on bathroom stalls. Celebrities on the trail. And supporters of Harris girding for the possibility of a secret vote from Republican women as Liz Cheney proclaims that women “will save the day.”
For the second time in a decade, a Democratic woman is running against Trump in a presidential race. And once again, Trump faces a persistent gender gap. It is unusual that both Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns are focused on the same slice of voters, but as the race narrows, both Harris and Trump have found themselves pulling out the stops to mobilize women.
Going into Election Day, female voters are much more likely to say they support Harris, with some polls showing her holding a double-digit advantage. In an outlier poll from J. Ann Selzer for the Des Moines Register, Harris has leaped ahead of Trump in Iowa, a state he won in 2016 and again in 2020. According to the survey, which does not disclose how it is weighted to party affiliation, the shift is in part driven by women voters ages 65 and over, who are breaking for Harris by a 2-to-1 ratio.
20 states have activated National Guard for election support
Twenty states have placed a total of about 250 National Guard troops on state active-duty orders or are preparing to activate orders for election support.
The troops are mostly activated for cyber support, law enforcement or general support to the election.
Ten states have active-duty orders, including swing states like Arizona and North Carolina, as well as others like Alabama, Illinois, New Mexico and Washington. Another 10 states have troops on standby. They include other battlegrounds like Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as Iowa, Oregon and Texas.
Maricopa County official says some problematic voter registration forms are tied to one group
Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder Stephen Richer said today that his office has discussed with the county attorney’s office some voter registration forms that he said were tied to a group "that we have been not wholly satisfied with the voter registration forms that have been submitted."
Richer was responding to a question from NBC News about whether thousands of voter registration forms that he had characterized as problematic were tied to the group Field+Media Corps. Richer said his office "did not have the specific number for exactly how many of those forms were from" Field+Media.
Francisco Heredia, the CEO of Field+Media Corps, said in a statement to NBC News: "We do our best to have applicants complete the entire form to turn in to the Recorder’s office, if we have incomplete forms by law we still turn them in to their office, turning in all forms we collect. At the end of the day, we take pride in our work and we believe in the power of voter registration to strengthen our elections.”
Richer said at the news conference that "any single form that is processed that puts a voter into suspense status or where the voter has incomplete information, we have to, by law, still process that form, and we have to, by law, send a letter to the affected voter at the best address that we have alerting the voter that he or she needs to take certain steps or provide certain documentation in order to be fully registered."
Examples he cited include an address or a date of birth that "got translated incorrectly on the handwritten paper registration form."
"I’ve seen just forms missing required information, and so they will provide that required information, as well," he added.
Trump set to address about 10,000 supporters at Pittsburgh rally
The upper deck at PPG Paints arena is closed off, which means Trump will speak to a crowd of 10,000 to 12,000 supporters here tonight.
It’s a lively crowd with a fair number of students and lots of folks wearing reflective vests after Trump donned one last week after Biden's "garbage" comment.
Philadelphia district attorney warns against any Election Day interference
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner warned against foul play at the city's polls tomorrow saying: "We’re not playing. Eff around and find out.”
Krasner said at a news conference that he wanted to reassure voters that city officials have been working for months to ensure there is "nothing to fear" in casting a ballot on Election Day. He also issued a particular warning to anyone seeking to "play militia" or looking "to threaten people" at the polls.
“We do have the cuffs; we do have the jail cells. We do have the Philly juries, and we have the state prisons," Krasner said. "So if you’re going to try to turn an election into some form of coercion, if you’re going to try to bully people, bully votes or voters, you’re going to try to erase votes, you’re going to try any of that nonsense — we’re not playing. Eff around and find out."
Harris' venue for her last stop in western Pennsylvania has a unique history
Harris’ last campaign stop in western Pennsylvania tonight will be at a unique venue: Carrie Blast Furnaces — a sprawling relic of Pittsburgh’s steel industry.
The blast furnace, which operated for almost a century until the 1980s, has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
Thousands are gathering in the shadow of the tall, rusted figure while a DJ plays — as they await Harris’ remarks tonight, as well as performances by Katy Perry and Andra Day.
Trump rally speaker in Pittsburgh wears rival Cleveland Browns jersey
Kimberly Brown, daughter of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, took the stage at Trump’s Pittsburgh rally to detail why she is supporting him.
Brown was wearing her father’s uniform — a Cleveland Browns jersey. The Browns, of course, are the arch-rival of the Pittsburgh Steelers.