Memo to libs: There have been complaints about mail-in ballots in the #NC09 for years

With accusations of Republican-led election fraud and calls for a new election to settle the race for North Carolina’s 9th congressional district…

Charlotte Observer editorial board calls for a new election in the 9th Congressional District. https://t.co/bCUKe3deZk

— The Charlotte Observer (@theobserver) December 5, 2018

…we should at least point out that these types of (possibly illegal) shenanigans have been going on for quite some time in these precincts by both Democrats and Republicans.

THREAD (She’s responding to this thread from Jedd Legum) ==>

Here's what the Judd Legums of the world, in all their "investigative reporting" about #NC09, won't tell you: That there have been complaints about ballot milling in counties in that district that pre-date 2018, and even 2016. Sit back for a bit let me tell you a story. #ncpol 1/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

In the fall of 2010, Wilmington-based WWAY TV station did a series on "GOTV" activities in Bladen County – the county which is in the center of the *current* #NC09 storm. Here's the link to that story, which I'll be quoting from extensively: https://t.co/BMtunJboK7 #ncpol 2/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

From that 2010 story: 'We received a number of calls in response to [our series] saying we never mentioned the biggest player of all in the Bladen GOTV arena. It’s called the Bladen County Improvement Association, and it’s been operating for at least 30 years.' #NC09 #ncpol 3/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

'The donors to this political action committee include some very high profile politicians, including Sen. Kay Hagan [D], state Sen. R.C. Soles, former state Sen. Tony Rand and DA Rex Gore. But who exactly runs this organization is a mystery to many residents.' #NC09 #ncpol 4/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

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'…the only thing [resident Benny] Callihan sees this grp do is work to influence the outcome of elections. A copy of a sample ballot committee workers handed out during the last election was already filled out for some of its regular contributors, like Gore [D]' #NC09 #ncpol 5/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

Rex Gore, BTW, is a Dem & former DA who was indicted in 2012: "Gore was indicted on felonious conspiracy to obtain property by false pretenses." https://t.co/1wvEZ6KDWW He ultimately copped a plea deal to avoid jail time, surrendered law license for 6 months. #NC09 #ncpol 6/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

Back to the 2010 WWAY story on the Bladen County Improvement Association (a Dem Party PAC): In some cases, the people in charge of the Bladen County Improvement Association and the people they endorse are one in the same. Neill is the president of the PAC …' #ncpol #NC09 7/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

'While it appears what they’re doing is legal, more & more ppl are starting to question the motives & tactics of the BCIA. Callihan thinks the group …literally controls who gets elected through a group of 100s of residents who vote exactly the way they’re told.' #ncpol #NC09 8/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

Fast fwd to 2012, when an election protest form was filed against members of this Democratic PAC by… another Democrat: 'In 2012, a … protest was filed by Democrat Robert Brooks, a candidate for the Bladen County Commission in District 1. Brooks’ complaint….' #ncpol #NC09 9/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

'…entered on the May 8th [2012 Democratic] primary races & questioned multiple witness signatures on absentee ballots.' These next series of quotes are from my friend @APDillon_, who did fantastic work on this story back in 2016 (link: https://t.co/rCoILxM3fg) #ncpol #NC09 10/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

'That complaint questions [these signatures]: Carol Graham (21 ballots), Lola Wooten (16 ballots), Horace Munn (5 ballots)'-At the time of the 2012 complaint by Brooks, Munn [D] was the President of the BCIA PAC. Wooten was also named in the 2016 Dowless filing.' #ncpol #NC09 11/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

[Me]: You may not think that small number matters, but in county commission races where you don't see the types of large vote numbers you do in bigger races, every vote really does matter. Ppl have literally won by 1 or 2 votes before. Back to the story … #ncpol #NC09 12/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

'The 2012 complaint also described a situation where a person named Leon Johnson was overheard saying he was, “promised wine” for his vote by a man named Mike Cogdell. Johnson was seen leaving a polling place with Cogdell. ' #ncpol #NC09 13/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

'Mr. Cogdell currently is a member of the Bladen County Board of Commissioners [and a Democrat]. It is unclear if the woman named Deborah Cogdell mentioned in the 2016 Dowless filing is a relative of Michael Cogdell.' #ncpol #NC09 14/

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

Of note, the man at the center of the Republican controversy this year — McRae Dowless — was a Dem until 2016:

Fascinating how we're finding out how "everybody knew"' about the "ballot milling" that has gone on "for years" in #NC09. Dem members on the elections board have said this. Convenient that it only matters now, but didn't in 2016 when a GOP governor made the allegations. #ncpol

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

What did @NCDemParty know and when did they know it? #ncpol #NC09

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

What we've learned in a nutshell: Dowless has been a player in #NC09 political circles going back 20 yrs. He was a Dem who voted Dem until 2016. His clients include Republicans AND Dems. It's unclear if said clients knew about any ballot milling. That said… (ctd) #ncpol

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

..it appears he's not so much a partisan as much as he is someone in "the game" solely for the money, who will work indirectly with EITHER party's candidates as long as they pay up. It's also clear that Dems are more in on this game then they'd like voters to know. #ncpol #NC09

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

…And if you sat on the elections board for years and you KNEW about it "for years" but downplayed it or scoffed at the idea for years until it benefited your side to speak out, then YOU SHARE IN THE COMPLICITY. #ncpol #NC09

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) December 5, 2018

Sounds like whatever happened needs to end (and possibly a new election):

There’s tightrope walking, and then there’s trying to keep the Bladen County “ballot milling” that people have complained about for *years* to be hermetically sealed as just a 2018 GOP problem.
To everyone else it’s a clear bipartisan sign to fix a broken system together.

— Jon Sanders (@jonpsanders) December 5, 2018

FWIW, there’s an open criminal investigation for the election and primary this year and the election in 2016:

DA Lorrin Freeman told @AllisonWSOC9 her office has an open criminal investigation that's zeroed in on absentee ballots in Bladen County in three separate election cycles; last month's general election, the May 2018 primary and in 2016’s election. https://t.co/rcLedsozFx

— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) December 5, 2018

***

Related:

AP retracts call for Republican Mark Harris in the NC-09 as state investigates possible voter fraud https://t.co/JIs7JFCKm6

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 1, 2018