Gov. Gavin Newsom said he and the Legislature are drafting a new bill that would make it a felony to seize ballots before state or local election officials have certified them.

“In California, we have a message for anyone considering helping Trump interfere with our election or our count. If you violate California’s laws, if you interfere with our voters, tamper with our ballots, or meddle in our election, you will be prosecuted. It does not matter who gave the order,” Newsom said in remarks given to reporters. “In this state, our vote is sacred.”

    • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      9·
      1 month ago

      It’s at least partially in response to a right wing sheriff seizing ballots; it wasn’t immediately clear whether it was illegal (he claimed it was part of an investigation, state AG said he didn’t have the authority), and the state Supreme Court had to tell him to knock it the fuck off. This makes what the sheriff did a felony, so any repeat attempts will at least land him a felony charge.

  • jaybone@lemmy.zipEnglish
    4·
    1 month ago

    It will be ICE confiscating them under trumps orders. So unless you are willing to prosecute and imprison ICE officers, this seems pretty pointless.

  • SarcasticMan@lemmy.world
    21·
    1 month ago

    A move that won’t stop anyone because no one as of yet has been held accountable for breaking the law. Case in point, 34 felony convictions and you get to he president.

    • wheezy@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      1 month ago

      Sure. I have no faith personally in Newsom. He’s not the one to do it. However, if we can get better representatives elected (DSA) these types of things are what can draw lines between states and the federal government. If there is a resistance to Fascism in any meaningful way it will be done at this point of existing law. Or moreso the destruction of this existing law.

      New York state, currently being the ground in which this fight is most likely going to our best form of resistance. Though New York will not be the first state they look to take full federal control. Unfortunately, the weak neoliberalism and lack of much motion for DSA makes California a good first target.

      It starts in States resisting the fascist government in the political process, but will be fought if the state representatives are well liked and powerful enough to rally the people of their state behind them to physically stop the fascist federal government. Whether stopping them from stealing ballots; or stopping them from abducting its people.

      The electoral system is still currently the best way to organize this resistance and legal points of contention give us more time. The fascist are not popular or powerful enough to not at least go through the motions and illusion of a democratic process. As they lose more popularity they will stop going through this motion all together and will become more dependent on violence.

      When it is clear (even to the out of touch American) that they have no intentions of even pretend to follow the processes; that is when political delays will no longer matter. But, if we haven’t built popular support before then; we will be run over with the general population still completely unaware or seeing resistance as just “antifa”. We need to gain popular support and legitimacy in the minds of the average American. That’s why the “sewer socialism” in New York is so important right now.

    • LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      1·
      1 month ago

      That’s it guys, wrap it up. Time to stop trying cause previous attempts didn’t work.

      State laws are enforced VERY differently than other crimes. And presidents (and expresidents) are (and should be) treated differently than other people.

      If someone is charged with a crime, but the people vote them into office, the election should be more important than a conviction.

      There are a lot of politicians that are currently being targeted by this administration, and if you claim that their charges (and possible convictions) disqualify them from office, then that’s just more reason to keep targeting political opponents.

      • grue@lemmy.world
        3·
        1 month ago

        And presidents (and expresidents) are (and should be) treated differently than other people.

        Only if by that you mean held to a higher standard, not a lower one.

  • MinnesotaGoddam@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    SCOTUS rules it’s too soon before any election to make any changes in laws if they don’t get six new motor coaches

  • _chris@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    Because threat of felonies have been proven to stop this current batch of Nazis.

    It’s a surprising it was not that way already.