Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump announced Friday from behind a podium in a Detroit suburb that she and the RNC are working to raise a veritable army of “over 100,000 poll watchers and over 500 lawyers” to “deploy” at election sites across the country in November.
These volunteers will have three missions: Watch people vote, watch people count votes, and sue anybody who gets in the way.
“I believe if we have a free, fair and transparent election that there’s no question we’ll all be going to bed early on November 5,” she said.
“And we’ll go to bed knowing Donald Trump is our next president.”
Lara Trump’s vision is to have people “in the room” whenever votes are being counted or cast.
The former president’s daughter-in-law also envisions teams upon teams of (surprisingly free) volunteer lawyers that can respond to any resistance from poll officials on the ground with “quick and effective” litigation.
Following her remarks — which were full of militaristic language such as “deploy” and “battleground” — the assembled volunteers (around 75 in total) began “training” as potential poll watchers.
The press was not allowed to view the training, The Post’s request to view training materials was declined.
“Our people will be taught to be respectful and non-threateninng, but to also follow the law,” said RNC co-chair Michael Whatley.
“Our biggest goals this year with the Trump campaign are to get out the vote and protect the ballot.”
“I’m convinced that the election was stolen in 2020 . . . and I genuinely think if Joe Biden wins this one we will be heading towards World War Three,” one attendee told The Post.
“This isn’t just about protecting our votes, it’s about protecting our families.”
Matthew, another potential poll watcher, identified himself as a member of Trump Force — a local group that tries to register voters and increase awareness of voter fraud.
He spoke a similar refrain: “I’m forced to be here.”
The wheels are now in motion for what could end up becoming one of the largest-ever voter-engagement campaigns.
It may also cause trouble.
When asked after the event if these efforts could discourage people from voting at all or lead to violence at polling sites, Trump was unconcerned.
“Anyone who comes to these trainings will see and hear the lengths we are going to to ensure freedom, fairness and safety,” she told reporters.
Studies have shown that voter fraud in the United States is extremely rare.
A comprehensive Brennan Center for Justice study found incident rates of voter fraud between 0.00004% and 0.0009% in various sample elections.
