Republicans have revealed their last-ditch effort to ensure election integrity before former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris face off in November. Illegally cast votes are widely believed by Republicans to be responsible for Trump’s loss in 2020. Now, Republicans are considering drastic measures to ensure that only U.S. citizens vote and only legally cast votes are counted in the coming high-stakes election, linking the controversial SAVE Act to a funding bill. The congressional tactic will offer Democrats with a hard choice between election integrity and a government shutdown.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy’s (R-Texas) SAVE Act requires anyone registering to vote to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, demands that all states remove non-citizens from their voter rolls, and creates criminal penalties for election officials who ignore the law. Vehement opposition to the bill from Democrats has only added to GOP concerns. If, as left-wing critics have claimed for years, illegal votes aren’t being cast and aren’t being cast mostly in favor of Democratic politicians, then why are Democratic Party officials so opposed to the proposed law?
The outspoken protests from the left continue to stoke conservatives’ suspicions that the upcoming election may not be on the level. The bill passed in the GOP-controlled House in a July vote but was not taken up by the Democrat-controlled Senate. The high-stakes approach of anchoring the election integrity measure to a must-pass budget bill is an approach Trump has urged House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to take since earlier this summer.
“I would shut down the government in a heartbeat if they don’t get it,” said Trump on the Monica Crowley Podcast. “It should be in the bill.”
The pressure from high-profile Republicans seems to be influencing Johnson, who earned the Speaker job less than one year ago after pressure from the conservative wing of the GOP forced out Calif. Rep. Kevin McCarthy. A recent report from Punchbowl News suggested that Johnson is planning to introduce a temporary budget next week to fund the government through March. That budget is rumored to include the SAVE Act. You can find more details from the Punchbowl report here.
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) seemed to confirm that the SAVE Act will be attached to the budget with an X post in response to the Punchbowl report.
“Hats off to @SpeakerJohnson for attaching the SAVE Act to the September spending bill. If it’s a ‘nonstarter’ with Democrats to deter noncitizens from voting, they’re going to have to explain that,” said Sen. Lee on X.
Johnson has not yet confirmed the reports of his plan.
Republicans believe that the hardball tactic will place Democrats in a lose-lose situation, forcing them to either defund the government or support election integrity measures. However, government shutdowns are political blades that can cut both ways, and history has shown that Republican lawmakers usually end up shouldering most of the blame for shutdown politics — regardless of the end result.
The Pine Tree Pulse
The Bangor Daily News has the latest information on the ongoing saga of a toxic chemical spill in Brunswick. Last month, a malfunction at the Brunswick Executive Airport allowed the release of 1,400 gallons of PFAS-laden firefighting foam into the environment. The fire retardant foam—which is comprised mostly of so-called “forever chemcials”— threatened to contaminate local sources of drinking water. The Brunswick Town Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to demand that the Brunswick airport safely dispose of all remaining PFAS firefighting foam in its possession. No word yet on how future airplane fires will be extinguished at the former Brunswick Naval Airbase.
The Bangor International Airport is following suit, removing all remaining PFAS foam systems. The Bangor paper reported that the removal took place Wednesday. The decision was made in compliance with a law establishing a deadline for the removal of the toxic foam. The PFAS firefighting foam will be replaced with a non-toxic variety.
News Center Maine finally got around to covering a ballot access controversy in Sanford — first reported on extensively by The Maine Wire nearly a month ago. You can read our report on the situation here.
Sanford once had three locations for residents to cast their ballots. Now, the town will have only one, promising longer lines for voters. The reduction in locations is a likely boon for Democrats. Historically, Democrats are far more likely to turn out for early mail-in voting, while Republicans brave the lines and show up in greater numbers on Election Day.
The Portland Press Herald has an update on its parent company, the Maine Trust for Local News. No, the left-wing news website operator is not disclosing who financed the acquisition of the Maine Today Media brands, as it said it would more than one year ago. Instead, the paper is announcing a staffing change-up at the paper, which has seen a considerable decline is readership and influence over the last decade.
Astute consumers of Maine news will recall that the “National Trust for Local News” promised readers on Aug. 1 that it would reveal more information about the big money players who now control the conglomeration of newspapers.
In a story by reporter Rachel Ohm, a spokesperson for the Trust said it “looks forward to sharing more about the funders who support this acquisition when we constitute our local board in September.”
The board has been constituted, but no information has been shared. Ohm, oddly, has yet to follow up on her report or question where her source — who is now also her boss — may have lied to her, and therefore the rest of the state.
The Maine Wire emailed Lisa DeSisto, the CEO of the new media outfit, on Dec. 2023 asking why the National Trust either lied to Ohm or forgot that it had promised financial transparency. While DeSisto initially said she would answer questions about the financial muscle behind the newspapers’ acquisition, that appears to have been a lie as well. DeSisto has since ignored follow-up inquiries, and the media outlet appears to have no interest in making good on the original commitment to honesty and transparency.
But just because the Maine Trust for Local News is led by liars who pretend to offer transparency and then don’t doesn’t mean we don’t have some good guesses as to who’s paying their bills. For one, the national organization associated with the takeover has been funded by left-wing billionaires George Soros, Pierre Omidyar, and other left-wing foundations. Plus, Semafor reported last year that George Soros partnered with Hansjorg Wyss to facilitate the purchase. If you want to know more about Wyss, check out this handy explainer Maine Wire EIC Steve Robinson wrote about the bond villain medical device manufacturer who has discovered a new fondness for meddling in Maine’s politics.
With the passing of Labor Day comes a return to government-run schools for thousands of Maine children. Although the devastating COVID Era restrictions imposed by Democratic politicians and teachers unions are in the rearview mirror, the teachers unions still exist. That means our schools exist primarily for the benefit for middle aged gym teachers rather than our state’s youth.
Despite Maine’s public schools ranking near the bottom of almost every national metric, the cost of operating the failing schools continues to climb. In communities across Maine, residents are opening their mailboxes to unwelcome surprises: higher property tax bills. Rates are going up, valuations are increasing, and exemptions are decreasing. Read The Maine Wire’s reporting on the increasing property tax burden here.
Around The World
Read: Elon Musk reluctantly said that Starlink will comply with Brazil’s new ban on his social media site X. The news comes shortly after Musk warned that Harris would censor speech on X if she is elected. Brazil’s crackdown on free speech is part of an international effort to use government pressure to abolish free speech online. Britain’s new far-left government has already started arresting 11-year-old boys for protesting and posting memes, and threatening to extradite Americans whose speech offends Britain.
Read: Kim Jong-un ordered the deaths of roughly 30 officials after a devastating flood struck North Korea. Is this the fate that awaits Maine’s officials if they fail to stop the weather with their renewables and regulations?
Read: School shooting strikes Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The shooting left four people dead and nine injured. The suspect is in custody, but his identity has not yet been released.
Read: Coors has become the latest company to scrap its DEI initiatives, fearing a repeat of Bud Light’s fate. The announcement came as conservative activist Robby Starbuck continues to reveal the woke practices of once-beloved brands.
Read: Most agents guarding Trump on the day of the failed assassination attempt were untrained Homeland Security agents. The new information is just the latest in a series of shocking revelations, which have led many to believe that someone in the administration wanted the would-be assassin to succeed.
Read: The Department of Justice has announced criminal charges for six Hamas leaders following the execution of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The charges are largely symbolic, and three of the six leaders are already dead. The Biden-Harris administration has not yet committed to any concrete action in response to the murder.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="30615 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=30615">6 Comments
How many “ heat pumps “ can you fit on the side of your house ?
Probably not as many as you’ll need to “ heat “ it in the dead of winter.
In just “ a few “ years people will understand that these things ARE NOT as efficient and cost saving as they are being advertised . A chicken in every pot .
A heat pump on every house . Let the misinformation begin . Ask the owners who have been fooled into buying this scheme. Somebody is getting rich and there are now “ heat pump installers “ everywhere . Buyer beware . Maine will have the HIGHEST electricity costs in the country . Augusta could care less .
Highest Property Taxes and Fourth Highest Tax Burden IN THE COUNTRY .
NOW add your new electricity costs . You are getting screwed while Chellie Pingree wants more illegals living in your back yard . BYE bye wood stove !
You are next .
It’s about time Republicans tried playing hardball. I’m just afraid it’s too little, too late. Dems play three-dimensional chess, while Reps are still playing checkers.
re: Election “Integrity”: SNORT! VOTER fraud is nil; ELECTION fraud is our problem. Vote-counting has been completely rigged via “electronic vote-flipping” for the past 20 years, at least. This is what the computers, running on software which, by law, is protected from scrutiny by the public–especially the part of the public which CAN read computer code–have been doing for the past 20+ years. TPTB get whoever THEY like “elected”, regardless of who everyone votes for. When voters complain, the talking heads say “voters are so stupid they vote against their own best interests”. Even if the ballots get counted accurately in the local polling places, the state-wide tally thereof can be easily “adjusted”. https://www.thepolemicist.net/2016/09/strike-vote.html.
I don’t believe for one single minute , that the last presidential election we had was honest .
The numbers were rigged once and they got away with it so they can do it again .
Counting mail votes for FIVE days after the election ???
Let’s see how many of the “ democracy saving “ democrats will vote for the upcoming SAVE Act sponsored by the majority of the House .
Nancy and Chuck sing “ Let the Illegals Vote “ while dancing around their midnight bonfires .
I fear they will fuck us again .
Zoplux is a service provider dedicated to offering a wide range of solutions to meet the diverse needs of its clients. From reliable and efficient logistics to personalized customer support, Zoplux ensures that every aspect of its service is tailored to deliver high-quality results.
The Cracker Barrell Menu has many classic American foods in a cozy setting. You can enjoy breakfast all day with options like pancakes, eggs, and biscuits. For lunch and dinner, there are favorites like fried chicken, meatloaf, and country steak, served with sides such as mashed potatoes, green beans, and mac and cheese.