2024 Election Shenanigans, Part Deux

NBC's Campaign Violation, DNC Voter Intimidation, and more. Exposing and/or debunking the chicanery surrounding the 2024 election.

Kamala on SNL:

Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on SNL last Saturday. It was such a surprise, that the SNL writers literally just rehashed Donald Trump’s 2015 bit and jokes from Hillary’s 2015 appearance. 

The appearance was especially eye-brow-raising because just a month ago, SNL said they would BAN any cameos from the presidential hopefuls so as not to run afoul of election law. Lorne Michaels actually said, “You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions. You can’t have the main candidates without having all the candidates, and there are lots of minor candidates that are only on the ballot in, like, three states and that becomes really complicated.”

Lorne was not wrong; this is a massive campaign violation. To make it right, NBC gave Trump free commercial time during NASCAR or Sunday Night Football. There’s just one problem - most people don’t watch the commercials. Personally, I chase-play football games specifically to skip the political ads! I know many others do as well. Brendan Carr, FCC Commissioner and friend of the show, called out SNL and NBC for the violation Sunday afternoon. He talked to Dana on air yesterday to explain.

Creepy, Mildly Threatening Letters:

A bunch of creepy mailers have landed in mailboxes nationwide. The self-proclaimed “Voter Report Card” lists the addressee’s voting record - not how they voted, just IF they voted - in the last several elections, along with the voting records of a few neighbors. The letter goes on to "encourage” the reader to go out and vote. The creepy part is when it says that the organization sending the letter “will be reviewing the records after the election to determine whether or not you joined your neighbors in voting.” While there is no explicit threat, it comes off as threatening and stalker-ish. Several states have had to release statements reassuring voters that no one knows how they voted. The Maryland AG took it a step further than most and sent the company a Cease-And-Desist. 

The group responsible for the disquieting mailings is the Center for Voter Information. Despite the fact that they claim to be non-partisan, the CEO, Tom Lopach, is a long-time Democrat operative, and the Board Chair, Gail Kitch, has ties to Netroots, a progressive organization.