President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally on October 18, 2020 in Carson City, Nevada.
In his systematic evisceration of the Trump campaign-backed election contest in Nevada, a district judge in Carson City provided a handy guide for every conspiracy theory that fell flat. Judge James T. Russell wrote that Trump’s would-be electors “did not prove under any standard of proof” their baseless claims 25 times in his ruling.
Here is a guide to the campaign’s hypotheses, suppositions, allegations, rumors and all manner of lies that never got traction in Russell’s court.
The Agilis Machine
In Nevada, many Trump supporters have blamed their candidate’s loss on the Agilis machine, which automates the counting of the ballots. But the judge found that the Trump electors “did not prove under any standard of proof” that the machine malfunctioned, let alone in a way that would raise reasonable doubt in the outcome of the election.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that Clark County’s use of the Agilis machines constitutes malfeasance,” the judge wrote.
The judge shot down three separate theories offered by the Trump campaign about these machines, none of which succeeded under any standard of proof.
Electronic Voting Machines
The Trump electors “did not prove under any standard of proof” that electronic voting machines malfunctioned in a way to raise reasonable doubt about the outcome of the election, nor did they prove that any state or county election officials misused the machines or any voting equipment.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that any election officials knowingly committed any misconduct relating to the operation of electronic voting machines, nor that election officials acted with nefarious intent in doing so,” the judge found.
These were the three accusations of voting-machine shenanigans the judge shot down.
Voter Fraud
The judge found Trump’s electors “did not prove under any standard of proof” that illegal votes were cast and counted or legal votes were not counted due to voter fraud.
He added this was also true of provisional ballots, which Trump electors also challenged.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that illegal votes were cast and counted that should have been rejected during the signature verification process, or legal votes were not counted that should have been accepted during the signature verification process at all, nor in an amount equal to or greater than 33,596, or otherwise in an amount sufficient to raise reasonable doubt as to the outcome of the election,” the ruling states.
The order also rules out the possibilities of illegal votes being cast due to issues with in-person voting technology, through ineligible voters, or via ballots with irregularities.
Trump electors also “did not prove under any standard of proof” the existence of any dead voters, decoy voters, or voters casting ballots after deadlines.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that any illegal votes were cast and counted, or legal votes were not counted at all, for any other improper or illegal reason, nor in an amount equaĊ to or greater than 33,596, or otherwise in an amount sufficient to raise reasonable doubt as to the outcome of the election,” Judge Russell affirmed.
“Reasonable doubt is one based on reason, not mere possibility,” he added.
At least 10 variations of voter fraud theories were shot down in this manner.
Shenanigans by Election Officials
In his desperate efforts to cling onto a dying presidency, President Donald Trump’s supporters have cast aspersions on election workers across the country, and reports of death threats against them continue to propagate.
Despite smears by Trump electors, Judge Russell upheld that they did their jobs.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that any of Nevada’s election officials committed malfeasance,” the order states.
He found that Nevada election workers did not violate anyone’s right to observe ballot counting or intended to violate any law with respect to observation of ballot processing and counting.
Shenanigans by the Biden-Harris Campaign
Outgoing President Trump has flagrantly courted the support of state officials across the country in order overturn the election in his favor. In one case, Michigan state officials were photographed popping open Dom Perignon inside Trump International Hotel.
Nevada’s would-be Trump electors, on the other hand, could not show any funny business on the part of the soon-to-be 46th president and vice president.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that Defendants, the Biden Harris Campaign, or anyone acting on their behalf gave or offered to give to any person anything of value for the purpose of manipulating or altering the outcome of the election,” the order states.
The electors tried to the marshal the testimony of the anonymous “Doe 3,” but that mysterious person “did not prove under any standard of proof” any improper dealings with the POTUS-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris.
Nevada Native Vote Project
Far-right corners of the internet crowed about the Nevada Native Vote Project, which The Federalist labeled a “corrupt cash-for-vote” scheme and the Washington Examiner vilified in an opinion column.
What passes muster in certain conservative newsrooms and editorial boards does not necessarily do the same in court.
“Contestants did not prove under any standard of proof that NNVP gave or offered to give to any person anything of value for the purpose of manipulating or altering the outcome of the election,” the order states.
The Trump electors also “did not prove under any standard of proof” the the group had an agency relationship with either the Biden-Harris campaign or Nevada officials.
Read the order below:
[image via Stephen Lam/Getty Images]
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