There’s been plenty of commentary about the former president’s “big lie” of a stolen election, for which exactly zero credible evidence has been put forth. However, what’s not as frequently commented on is the fact that Democrats have a “big lie” problem of their own. The name of that problem? Stacey Abrams.
As Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Secretary of State wrote in a recent USA Today op-Ed, both Abrams and former President Trump utilized stolen election charges early on in their campaigns, indicating that such allegations were used merely for political purposes as opposed to legitimate concerns. He notes that in Abrams’ case, discussions formed around using alleged voter suppression as a campaign tactic as early as 2014. Additionally, Mr. Raffensperger goes on to detail other similarities between the two: over-the-top rhetoric, allegations that machines changed votes, were hacked, etc.
It's important to note, that like most of Mr. Trump’s claims of voter fraud, the majority of Ms. Abrams’ claims of the 2018 election being stolen, in addition to complaints about Georgia voting laws, have been shown to be either inconclusive, without merit, or simply false. Fact-checkers have found that Abrams’ and fellow Democrats’ claims of suppression stealing the election for now-Gov. Brian Kemp were, at best, lacking evidence. More detailed analysis of these claims from the conservative-leaning news outlet National Review and Secretary Raffensperger have further showcased the misinformation contained in such. For example, one of Abrams’ citations that Kemp practiced voter suppression in his then-role as Secretary of State was the closure/reduction of voting precincts in predominantly black neighborhoods. The misinformation here is that in Georgia, such decisions are made by county elections officials, not the secretary of state. As these areas are mostly, if not entirely encompassed in heavily Democratic counties, the irony of Abrams’ accusations is too hilarious to ignore. Furthermore, it’s also important to note that a subsequent lawsuit filed in federal court by Abrams’ organization Fair Fight echoing her previously stated grievances saw many of the complaints invalidated. While some were due to provisions that were no longer relevant, Judge Steven Jones, a Democrat and appointee of President Obama, found that many of them lacked standing or merit.
What’s the point of all this? It’s that for Democrats, “anyone who will not accept the election results is a danger to our democracy” is a label that exclusively applies to Republicans. Right-wing misinformation that sows distrust in our elections is dangerous, an issue of national concern, and must be reigned in by social media companies. Trump and the GOP’s obsession with so-called “election integrity” and “forensic audits” backed by laughable conspiracy theories are the stuff that constitute an existential threat; after all, American democracy hangs in the balance.
To be clear: Democrats aren’t wrong about the menace that such misinformation poses. Where they delve into fantasy world and collectively gaslight American voters is when they pretend they’re not part of the reason this epistemological crisis exists. They act as wolves in sheep’s clothing, portraying themselves as the bulwark against a rising tsunami of authoritarianism while pushing misinformation that further swells it. One can debate the extent of either side’s responsibility in perpetrating and maintaining election distrust (to be fair, there are some differences between the comparison of Mr. Trump and Ms. Abrams’ situations), but it is undeniable that Democrats have a major role in the matter, regardless of their protestations to the contrary. And Stacey Abrams is at the forefront of it. Perhaps this is why she recently got a quasi-endorsement from Mr. Trump?