{"id":2339324,"date":"2024-09-10T17:18:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T21:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/push-to-rubber-stamp-elections-invites-harassment-of-officials\/"},"modified":"2024-09-10T17:21:32","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T21:21:32","slug":"push-to-rubber-stamp-elections-invites-harassment-of-officials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/push-to-rubber-stamp-elections-invites-harassment-of-officials\/","title":{"rendered":"Push To Rubber-Stamp Elections Invites Harassment Of Officials"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpush-to-rubber-stamp-elections-invites-harassment-of-officials%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2339324&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Robert Froman,\u2063 a 73-year-old \u2063elections canvasser from\u200c Kalamazoo County, Michigan, faced legal threats from\u200d the ACLU after\u200c he stated he might not certify the\u200c 2024 election results if they mirrored alleged problems from the 2020 election. The ACLU argued that Michigan law, strengthened by\u200b a 2022 constitutional\u200d amendment, restricts canvassers like Froman from questioning\u200d electoral \u2063outcomes based on speculation or \u200cevidence of wrongdoing. This \u2062amendment categorizes certification duties as purely clerical \u200band non-discretionary. \u2064The ACLU sent him a letter warning of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/monday-november-1st-2021\/\" title=\"Monday | November 1st, 2021\">potential legal action<\/a> if he did not comply. In response, Froman maintained that he would\u2063 only refuse certification if legitimate issues arose and ultimately signed an affidavit agreeing to certify based solely on the official returns, leading to the ACLU dropping its lawsuit. Froman\u2019s situation\u200b highlights the pressure \u2062canvassers in Michigan\u200b face \u200bto conform to \u2064state mandates\u200d regarding election certification, amid broader tensions regarding election integrity and oversight.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>After 73-year-old Robert Froman, a Kalamazoo County elections canvasser, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2024\/08\/05\/michigan-election-county-canvassers-boards-vote-certification-donald-trump-kamala-harris\/74610733007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> The Detroit News he would not certify the 2024 election if he saw problems reminiscent of what occurred in 2020, the Michigan chapter of the left-wing legal powerhouse ACLU dragged him to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2024\/09\/04\/aclu-michigan-kalamazoo-county-canvasser-robert-froman-2020-election-stolen-certify-results-gop\/75068407007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">court<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If I saw cheating that I could challenge legally as a canvasser, I would,&rdquo; Froman explained to The Federalist. &ldquo;It was not a blanket statement that I was going to not certify the election.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>County canvassers are tasked with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Laws\/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-24a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reviewing<\/a> and signing off on the results of each election. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eac.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/eac_assets\/1\/6\/EMG_chapt_13_august_26_2010.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According<\/a> to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, &ldquo;The canvass enables an election official to resolve discrepancies, correct errors, and take any remedial actions necessary to ensure completeness and accuracy before certifying the election.&rdquo; But since 2020, leftists have launched a pressure campaign to force canvassers to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-threaten-gop-officials-into-certifying-elections-or-else\/\" title=\"Dems Threaten GOP Officials Into Certifying Elections Or Else\">rubber-stamp election results<\/a> rather than exercise meaningful oversight. <\/p>\n<p>In Michigan, they successfully passed a law changing the state constitution to neutralize canvassers&rsquo; ability to investigate potential wrongdoing. Proposal 2, <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Michigan_Proposal_2,_Voting_Policies_in_Constitution_Amendment_(2022)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed<\/a> by voters in 2022, makes canvassers&rsquo; certification duties purely &ldquo;ministerial, clerical, [and] nondiscretionary,&rdquo; according to Ballotpedia &mdash; in other words, requiring them to sign off on results no matter what concerns they may believe are unresolved.<\/p>\n<p>Armed with that law, ACLU Michigan sent Froman a letter threatening to sue him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The law does not authorize members of boards of canvassers to withhold certification based upon speculation, theories, or even evidence pertaining to the accuracy of the reported returns,&rdquo; the letter, obtained by The Federalist, warns.<\/p>\n<p>Froman argues that Michigan election law &ndash; specifically <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Laws\/MCL?objectName=MCL-168-823\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&sect;168.823<\/a> &ndash; protects canvassers&rsquo; ability to investigate potential issues in ballot returns. That statute says in part that if &ldquo;the returns from any of the boards of election inspectors of the several election precincts are missing, incomplete, or incorrect, or for any other reason it is found necessary, then the board of county canvassers shall have power to adjourn from day to day until the returns shall have been procured or corrected.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;re suing me not for what I did, they&rsquo;re suing me for what they think I might do,&rdquo; Froman told The Federalist. &ldquo;I just cannot fathom that in the United States of America that I grew up in, that wasn&rsquo;t even possible.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>On Sept. 9, Froman says he signed an affidavit, obtained by The Federalist, promising to certify the election results &ldquo;based solely on the statements of returns&rdquo; in exchange for the ACLU dropping its lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I just signed an affidavit saying that I&rsquo;ll be willing to do my job as I&rsquo;ve always done,&rdquo; Froman said. &ldquo;They agreed that if I would sign this affidavit, that they would drop the case.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>ACLU Michigan dropped the lawsuit the same day, according to Froman. The Federalist asked the group whether it had dropped the lawsuit, but it did not respond by publication time.<\/p>\n<p>Froman isn&rsquo;t the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/23\/lawsuit-fulton-county-election-board-wrongfully-withholding-records-from-gop-member\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first<\/a> canvasser the left has threatened or maligned for refusing to commit to the rubber-stamp approach, and he surely won&rsquo;t be the last.<\/p>\n<h2>A &lsquo;Direct Threat&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p>Froman says he was sitting at the table playing a game with his granddaughter when he answered a phone call from a reporter from The Detroit News, who asked about his role as a Kalamazoo County elections canvasser.<\/p>\n<p>The Detroit News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2024\/08\/05\/michigan-election-county-canvassers-boards-vote-certification-donald-trump-kamala-harris\/74610733007\/\">reported<\/a> in August that Froman &ldquo;said he &lsquo;most definitely&rsquo; believes the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Asked if he would certify the 2024 presidential election if it unfolded the same way the 2020 one did, Froman replied, &lsquo;No. And that&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;m there,&rsquo;&rdquo; the article added.&nbsp;It also quoted Froman&rsquo;s assurance that he is &ldquo;not going to do anything that&rsquo;s illegal,&rdquo; a sentiment he repeated to The Federalist.<\/p>\n<p>Froman told The Federalist he would certify the 2024 results unless he saw cheating and said his concerns about the 2020 election were &ldquo;motivation to get involved, not to get even.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I believe the election was stolen. That does not mean I can prove it,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>In its Aug. 15 letter, ACLU Michigan threatened to &ldquo;examin[e] appropriate legal remedies&rdquo; if Froman failed to comply with its demands. The group cited Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/ag\/news\/press-releases\/2024\/05\/24\/ag-nessel-secretary-benson-on-duty-of-canvassers-to-certify-election-results\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">threats<\/a> to prosecute canvassers who fail to certify election results as reported. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has also <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/09\/05\/michigan-secretary-of-state-threatens-election-officials-again-calls-russia-hoaxer-champion-for-democracy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">threatened<\/a> &ldquo;legal consequences&rdquo; for local officials who hesitate to certify reported election results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As it is a nondiscretionary legal duty for a board of county canvassers member to certify the election based on election returns, to refuse to do so because of rumors, allegations, or even evidence of fraud would expose that member to criminal liability,&rdquo; the letter from ACLU Michigan reads.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Froman said he took the letter as a &ldquo;direct threat.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I took it as a direct threat to me, as a citizen of the United States, responsible for canvassing the votes in my county. And I took it as a direct threat to me, to canvass the way they want,&rdquo; Froman said.<\/p>\n<p>ACLU Michigan demanded Froman either ask for a retraction if he was misquoted by The Detroit News, or rescind his comments and &ldquo;issue a public statement&rdquo; about them.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you were not [misquoted], then your statements demonstrate a willingness to violate Michigan law that could subject you to legal liability both now and following the election,&rdquo; the letter warned. &ldquo;You should rescind your statements immediately.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Froman told The Federalist he did not ask the outlet to retract its reporting, which Kevin Hardy, managing editor for The Detroit News, confirmed to The Federalist.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We stand by our story,&rdquo; Hardy said.<\/p>\n<p>ACLU Michigan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2024\/09\/04\/aclu-michigan-kalamazoo-county-canvasser-robert-froman-2020-election-stolen-certify-results-gop\/75068407007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> Froman Sept. 3 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court. Froman said the controversy caused him to receive &ldquo;rotten&rdquo; and &ldquo;nasty&rdquo; emails.<\/p>\n<p>The group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/press-releases\/aclu-sues-kalamazoo-county-election-official-to-ensure-election-certification-laws-are-followed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">labeled<\/a> Froman&rsquo;s comments part of an &ldquo;anti-democratic trend of election denialism,&rdquo; according to a press release.<\/p>\n<p>Froman said he hopes to put the matter &ldquo;behind&rdquo; him and &ldquo;move forward.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Logan Washburn is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawsuit-clark-county-keeps-commercial-addresses-on-voter-rolls\/\" title=\"Lawsuit: Clark County Keeps Commercial Addresses On Voter Rolls\">staff writer covering election integrity<\/a>. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo&#8217;s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is originally from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After 73-year-old Robert Froman, an elections canvasser in Kalamazoo County, stated to The Detroit News that he would refuse to certify the 2024 election if he noticed issues similar to those from 2020, the Michigan branch of the ACLU took legal action against him. Froman clarified to The Federalist, \u201cIf I observed cheating that I could legally contest as a canvasser, I would.\u201d He emphasized that his statement was not a blanket refusal to certify the election. <\/p>\n<p>County canvassers are responsible for reviewing and approving election results. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, this process allows officials to address discrepancies and correct errors before certifying results. However, since 2020, there has been pressure from leftist groups urging canvassers to approve results without thorough oversight.<\/p>\n<p>In Michigan, they successfully enacted a law amending the state constitution which limits canvassers&#8217; ability to investigate potential misconduct. Proposal 2, approved by voters in 2022, stipulates that certification duties for canvassers are strictly \u201cministerial\u201d and \u201cnondiscretionary,\u201d meaning they must endorse results regardless of any unresolved concerns.<\/p>\n<p>With this law in hand, ACLU Michigan sent Froman a letter threatening legal action against him. The letter warned that members of boards of canvassers cannot withhold certification based on speculation or evidence regarding reported returns&#8217; accuracy.<\/p>\n<p>Froman contends that Michigan election law\u2014specifically \u00a7168.823\u2014affords canvassers the right to investigate possible issues with ballot returns. This statute states that if any returns are missing or incorrect or if further investigation is necessary for any reason, county canvassers have the authority to adjourn until corrections can be made.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey&#8217;re suing me not for my actions but for what they fear I might do,\u201d Froman remarked about his situation. He expressed disbelief at being threatened in such a manner within America.<\/p>\n<p>On September 9th, Froman signed an affidavit agreeing to certify election results solely based on reported statements in exchange for ACLU dropping its lawsuit against him. &#8220;I just signed an affidavit saying I&#8217;ll perform my job as I&#8217;ve always done,&#8221; he explained; ACLU agreed not pursue further legal action upon receiving his signature.<\/p>\n<p>The same day saw ACLU Michigan drop its lawsuit according to Froman&#8217;s account; however The Federalist did not receive confirmation from them by publication time regarding this development.<\/p>\n<p>Froman is not alone; other left-leaning groups have similarly targeted canvassers who resist adopting a rubber-stamp approach towards certification processes and likely will continue doing so moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>A \u2018Direct Threat\u2019<\/p>\n<p>While playing games with his granddaughter one day at home when contacted by The Detroit News reporter about his role as an elections canvasser in Kalamazoo County , it was reported back in August how he expressed strong beliefs surrounding alleged electoral fraud during Trump\u2019s presidency stating: &#8220;I most definitely believe [the] 2020 election was stolen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>When asked whether he&#8217;d certify another presidential race under similar circumstances as seen previously (in reference specifically towards events surrounding said prior vote), he replied firmly: &#8220;No&#8230;and that&#8217;s why I&#8217;m there.&#8221; He also reassured reporters stating clearly: &#8220;I&#8217;m not going do anything illegal,&#8221; reiterating sentiments shared earlier during discussions held with The Federalist team .<\/p>\n<p>Froman conveyed willingness towards certifying upcoming votes unless clear evidence surfaces indicating foul play while asserting motivations behind involvement stemmed more from desire seeking change rather than revengeful intentions . <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I believe [the] election was stolen but can&#8217;t prove it,&#8221; said individual reflecting complexity involved within ongoing debates around electoral integrity matters today .<\/p>\n<p>In their August correspondence ,ACLU threatened potential legal remedies should Mr.Fromans fail comply accordingly citing warnings issued previously made by both state Attorney General Dana Nessel &amp; Secretary Of State Jocelyn Benson concerning consequences faced should local officials hesitate endorsing certified outcomes post-elections . <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Refusing fulfill nondiscretionary duty could expose member criminal liability&#8221; read part letter sent out detailing implications tied noncompliance . <\/p>\n<p>Taking these threats seriously ,Fromman interpreted them directly aimed at undermining responsibilities held overseeing voting processes locally adding :\u201cIt felt like direct threat me personally\u201d emphasizing importance maintaining integrity throughout entire system .<\/p>\n<p>They demanded either retraction request be made if misquoted otherwise public statement rescinding previous remarks needed issue forth immediately warning failure comply may lead future liabilities arising thereafter too . <\/p>\n<p>Despite pressures mounting around him ,he chose refrain asking media outlet retract story published confirming stance taken publicly instead opting focus moving ahead positively despite backlash received via emails following incident described feeling quite unpleasant overall due nature responses encountered thus far .<\/p>\n<p>Labeling comments part broader trend undermining democracy itself according press release issued shortly after events transpired leading up court case filed September third within Kalamazoo Circuit Court ultimately resulting fallout stemming initial statements given earlier interviews conducted subsequently leading scrutiny placed upon individual involved here today still hoping find resolution soon enough allowing return normalcy once again amidst turbulent times faced currently across nation alike<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2339325,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Gavel.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[6571,17643,3638,32793,34811],"class_list":["post-2339324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-elections","tag-harassment","tag-officials","tag-political-accountability","tag-rubber-stamp"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Gavel.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2339324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2339324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2339324\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2339325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2339324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2339324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2339324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}