In a recent episode of "Defending Democracy with Marc Elias," Democratic Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett put forth an unsubstantiated theory regarding the potential manipulation of the 2026 midterm elections by Republicans.
Her claims centered around the acquisition of Dominion Voting Systems by Scott Leiendecker, a former GOP election reform advocate and the founder and chairman of Liberty Vote. Crockett suggested that Leiendecker, allegedly a friend of President Donald Trump, might have purchased Dominion with the intent to tamper with its voting machines to favor Republican candidates in the upcoming elections.
Crockett expressed her concerns on the podcast, stating, "We do know that one of his friends has purchased Dominion. So, its going to be really important for us to educate all states that we can to make sure that their secretary of states are like, We dont want the Dominion machines.'"
She further speculated, "Because I personally believe that that ally purchased Dominion so that he could potentially play with the machines, because we know that theyre trying to cheat by changing the lines for the midterms. And I think that theyre trying to solidify their cheat potentially with the voting machines."
According to the Daily Caller, Leiendecker's acquisition of Dominion was contingent upon the dismissal of several lawsuits against prominent conservatives and One America News Network (OANN).
In response to these allegations, Leiendecker emphasized the integrity of Liberty Vote's operations. "Every legacy system is under review. Liberty Vote will be 100 percent American-owned, American-built and independently audited," he assured the Daily Caller in October.
He further elaborated in a press release, "Liberty Vote signals a new chapter for American elections one where trust is rebuilt from the ground up. Liberty Vote is committed to delivering election technology that prioritizes paper-based transparency, security, and simplicity so that voters can be assured that every ballot is filled-in accurately and fairly counted."
The backdrop to these developments includes Dominion's legal battles following the 2020 presidential election. The company launched several defamation lawsuits after being implicated in claims regarding President Trump's electoral defeat. Notably, Dominion reached a $787.5 million settlement with Fox News in April 2023. Additionally, Newsmax Media Inc. settled with Dominion, agreeing to pay $67 million over three fiscal years due to their allegedly defamatory coverage of the 2020 election.
The discourse surrounding election integrity has been further fueled by left-wing media figures, including Democratic strategist James Carville, former MSNBC host Joy Reid, and radio host Charlamagne tha God. In July, they suggested that the midterms could be skewed in favor of the Republican Party, referencing a reconciliation bill signed by President Trump.
Reid commented, "[Republicans are] not actually worried about getting reelected. If they feared being reelected, they would not vote for this bill because they know its going to devastate their states." The legislation in question extended Trump's 2017 tax cuts, eliminated taxes on tips and overtime pay, and permanently increased the child tax credit to $2,200.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the integrity of the electoral process remains a focal point of debate. With accusations and counterclaims from both sides of the aisle, the upcoming midterms are poised to be a critical test of the nation's democratic principles.
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