Paxton Threatens Election Officials With Prosecution

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a letter this afternoon, addressed to "County Judges and Election Officials," threatening prosecution of anyone who counsels mail ballots for those not "physically disabled."

The letter, also distributed as a press release, presumably has been sent to officials in all 254 Texas counties. Asked to respond to the Attorney General's explicit threats of "criminal sanctions" in the letter and his interpretation of state election law, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said, "This is [Paxton's] opinion and he's stated it a couple of times previously. We are waiting to hear from the courts."

State District Court Judge Tim Sulak recently granted a temporary injunction, ruling that the risk of infection by the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 is sufficient to enable all Texas voters to apply for mail ballots for the July 14 elections (Congressional run-offs and a Senate District 14 election in Travis County, other contests elsewhere). Paxton appealed that decision to the Third Court of Appeals, and has adopted the position that while the appeal is pending, "the District Court's order is stayed and has no effect."

However, some election officials have said they are planning for a surge in voting by mail. Earlier this week, DeBeauvoir told the Chronicle that Travis County normally receives about two VBM applications a day for an interim election like the July run-off. "Right now they're running at about 200 a day," she said.

Read more: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2020-05-01/paxton-threatens-election-officials-with-prosecution/

Azzhole.