[Athos]

A new report accuses Pennsylvania Guv Tom Wolf and Sec State Kathy Boockvar of steering Zuck bucks exclusively to Dem leaning counties

A judge ruled otherwise.

Pa. judge throws out lawsuit over $13M in election funds from Zuckerberg group


A federal judge has dismissed without prejudice the bid of a group of Republican lawmakers and candidates who sued Philadelphia County, Delaware County and Centre County, alleging both GOP candidates and voters are being hurt by the use of nonprofit grant funds from the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL).

“Plaintiffs assert three theories of standing. First, they argue that the CTCL grants disadvantage the plaintiffs because they provide an advantage to progressive and Democrat candidates in the counties where plaintiffs live and vote,” Brann said.
“Second, they argue that, without injunctive relief, the CTCL grants will delegitimize and thus invalidate the elections, consequently resulting in plaintiffs lacking political representation until the election can be re-done. Third, plaintiffs offer the novel theory that they have suffered an injury as a third-party beneficiary to the ‘social contract’ between the federal government and the individual states.”


Brann was not persuaded by any of the three arguments, saying they relied on a “highly attenuated causal chain of events”, and that there was no guarantee that increased voter participating would only be in support of progressive candidates, let alone be enough to decide the outcome of the election.


“Plaintiffs’ appear to allege only that their right to vote has been infringed because it now might be more difficult for them to elect their preferred candidate,” Brann said, adding that the plaintiffs’ case was more accurately termed as a “generalized grievance.”


“Though plaintiffs have done a valiant job of disguising it, the only interest they have identified is of a general nature – that plaintiffs’ ability to influence state and federal elections will be diluted if (Centre County and others) take steps that might result in increased voter turnout,” Brann stated.


“The implication that increased voter turnout is inherently beneficial to progressive candidates is dubious at best,” Brann wrote. “And the court finds this assumption far too dependent on the actions of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of voters to premise standing.”


Brann then dismissed the plaintiffs’ case.

[tomder55]

What Judge Brann (an appointee of the emperor ) decided is irrelevant to the charge that a corrupt Guv steered Zuck bucks to Democrat counties and excluded Republican counties . What Judge Brann did was refuse to block the use of the grants . He made no judgement on the distribution of the grants .

[Athos]

What Judge Brann (an appointee of the emperor ) decided is irrelevant to the charge that a corrupt Guv steered Zuck bucks to Democrat counties and excluded Republican counties . What Judge Brann did was refuse to block the use of the grants . He made no judgement on the distribution of the grants .

The plaintiffs failed to make their case.

[tomder55]

and again that has nothing to do with the accusation here . It is a fact that Wolf and Bookvar directed Zuckerberg's election donations exclusively to Dem districts .

[jlisenbe]

Tom, you are completely missing the point. TRUMP was not the one who did it. It is only when TRUMP does, or is alleged to have done, something questionable that the liberal dems on this site get excited. Otherwise, it's just business as usual. So when Trump put kids in "cages", they were apoplectic. Now that Biden has actually increased the number of such kids, it's time to sleep in late.

[Athos]

and again that has nothing to do with the accusation here . It is a fact that Wolf and Bookvar directed Zuckerberg's election donations exclusively to Dem districts .

If the plaintiffs believed your accusation to be factual, why didn't they advance that argument to the court? Apparently, it is not true. Funding was received by 23 counties, 13 of which voted for Trump.

Here's a link to the actual lawsuit. PA-PVA-20201021-dismiss-1.pdf

[tomder55]

They did not have access to the emails . This information is in a recent report after open records requests were able to obtain the emails

An honest analysis shows that where Repub counties got any of the Zuck bucks it was pennies on the dollar compared to Dem counties . Mifflin and Mercer got 66 cents and 73 cents per voter, respectively, while Democratic counties like Philadelphia and Centre received $8.87 per voter and $7.70 per vote
CTCL grant$-per-voter analysis - Google Sheets

The record is indisputable that counties like Bucks County were invited by the state offices to apply for the grant – but no equivalent emails to Republican counties were sent .

[Athos]

T Mifflin and Mercer got 66 cents and 73 cents per voter, respectively, while Democratic counties like Philadelphia and Centre received $8.87 per voter and $7.70 per vote

The record is indisputable that counties like Bucks County were invited by the state offices to apply for the grant – but no equivalent emails to Republican counties were sent .

According to CTCL, every county was contacted to apply for a grant. That some counties received more than others on a per voter basis depends on what was asked for.

As the Judge said, none of this amounted to a drastic change in voter choices. If the CTCL is a Democrat-leaning outfit, I'm surprised they even offered to Republican counties. That was very nice of them.

As usual, the Democrats are a happy bunch of generous grab-bag sorts while the Republicans are sitting in the Pennsylvania woods minding their corn-mash stills with shotguns in their laps. You could look it up!

[tomder55]

yep them thar gun and bible totin hayseeds . That is the contempt that is shown people in flyover country .

Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) is: “a Chicago, Illinois-based center-left election reform advocacy group formed in 2012. The organization pushes for left-of-center voting policies and election administration. It has a wide reach into local elections offices across the nation and is funded by many left-of-center funding organizations

[Athos]

yep them thar gun and bible totin hayseeds . That is the contempt that is shown people in flyover country .

Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) is: “a Chicago, Illinois-based center-left election reform advocacy group formed in 2012. The organization pushes for left-of-center voting policies and election administration. It has a wide reach into local elections offices across the nation and is funded by many left-of-center funding organizations

You got THAT right.

[Wondergirl]

yep them thar gun and bible totin hayseeds . That is the contempt that is shown people in flyover country .

I grew up in such very conservative counties -- in two different states. Yup, guns, the sound of moonshiners traveling at night on mountain roads, homes were wooden shacks, and yup, Bible totin' believers.

[tomder55]

yes I did ;a lefty organization distorting the facts .

WG then you know the contempt the ruling class elites have for your kind .

[Wondergirl]

WG then you know the contempt the ruling class elites have for your kind .

They aren't "my kind". I just happened to be living amongst them and know what they believe and how they think.

[Athos]

yes I did ;a lefty organization distorting the facts .

Wanna have a fact distortion contest re that lefty organization?

[tomder55]

ok I admit it the Dems stole the 2020 election fair and square . I see in NJ they are "finding " the ballots necessary to put Murphy over the top .

[tomder55]

there is hope yet in New York Ballot proposals to give NY the same insane system that is plaguing America ;same day registration ;universal mail in ballots and a 3rd one that would've changed the process for redistricting were crushed by NY voters .

The voters in NYC chose the right mayor . As much as I admire Curtis Sliwa he would not have been a good mayor and Eric Adams is at least going to give NYPD the respect and backing they deserve .....I think

[tomder55]

In Seattle the commie defund the police candidate that was running was defeated by a pro -police candidate . The voters had already sent the moron CHOP /CHAZ summer of love mayor Jenny Durkan packing . Voters across the nation rejected 'defund police ..... except in Boston where Michelle Wu who supports slashing the police budget was elected . In Minneapolis they rejected the absurd idea of replacing the entire police dept with a Department of Public Safety .


India Walton running to abolish the police in Buffalo NY was soundly defeated . She's a socialist who called herself a police abolitionist believing police came from slave catchers . The mayor was not even on the ballot . He won a write in campaign