President Donald Trump and Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey. | Doug Mills / The New York Times / Swimming Pool / Getty Images
New Jersey’s Phil Murphy on Wednesday accused President Donald Trump’s campaign of ‘full-propagated propaganda’ for filing a lawsuit against the state’s plan to hold a general election in November.
Murphy said during a press conference in Trenton that the state will fight the lawsuit.
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“If the president and his team try to delegitimize our elections and affect the health and safety of millions of New Jerseyans, we will vigorously defend our rights, and we will not back down,” Murphy said. “So as they say, ‘Bring it up.'”
The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit Tuesday night, arguing that the plan – which largely repeats how New Jersey’s primary July 7 was celebrated – is in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s election and election clauses, such as also the 14th Amendment. It also claims that only the state Legislature can introduce weekend changes in elections, and that Murphy will continue to do so through an executive mandate.
The lawsuit cites several cases of voter fraud conducted through post-voting in New Jersey over the years, most notably in Paterson’s May municipal election.
“The governor’s inconsistencies, coupled with the timing of the Order amid national Democratic pressure for the same measures, revealed that the Order is less concerned with protecting the health of New Jerseyans and more about protecting the election prospects of the Governor’s political party, “the lawsuit states.
Murphy, citing the coronavirus pandemic, signed an executive order last week under which 6.2 million registered New Jersey voters will send ballots. Voters will also be able to go to polling stations to issue preliminary ballots in person as employees of the already filled out e-mails.
The lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign challenges Murphy’s health care justification for the election plans, noting that he has re-authorized retail stores, hair salons and swimming pools.
Murphy said his plans “will move forward,” referring to the president’s own vote by post-a vote in Florida.
“If voting by e-mail is good enough for our president, it’s good enough for all of us,” said Murphy, a Democrat who has been reluctant in recent months to criticize the Republican president.
Context: The lawsuit comes because Republicans, led by Trump, have tried to push for universal post-vote voting, and because the president has fought against additional funding for the U.S. Postal Service in an effort to stop states from doing so. expanding post-in elections.
Although there have been several cases of e-mail ballot in New Jersey, it is not known that it is widespread. The lawsuit and an accompanying Wall Street Journal op-ed of a Trump campaign official also cite an Asbury Park Press story about dead voters still on the ballot, with some having balloons after their deaths .
However, it leads the part of the article that found that these copies were ecclesiastical errors.
New Jersey is not a fighting state for Trump because it has a million more registered Democrats than Republicans and since 1992 has voted blue in every presidential election. However, there are several competitive congressional elections, and it is expected that the fortunes of the Republican nominees will be tied to the president’s performance.
Impact: With the election less than three months away, a reversal of the governor’s plans could lead to election officials rushing to polling stations. Many questioners are older, making them more susceptible to Covid-19. Some Republicans have called for personal early voting, but Murphy administration officials have said it would be difficult or impossible to implement at this late stage.
What comes next? Since the lawsuit seeking clarification has just been filed, the Murphy administration has not responded. But the courts will be under pressure to act hard to give the state as much time as possible to prepare as the elections.
