The so-called fact checkers over at PolitiFact twisted and contorted themselves much like you’d expect in a pretzel to downplay or otherwise excuse Democrats from objecting to election results, this coming in the face of an ongoing media feeding frenzy condemning Donald Trump and his Republican base as insurrectionists for doing the same thing.
Politifact declared that it’s “mostly true” that Democrats have objected to presidential elections but was quick to note that they did so “under different circumstances,” adding that the objections were “mostly symbolic measures.”
The justification for such rank partisanship? According to the fact checking service first started by the Tampa Bay Times and now owned by the Poynter Institute, the losing Democratic candidates had already conceded the race.
“Democrats made objections to election results during election certifications in 2001, 2005 and 2017,” Politifact noted. “In all three of those years, the losing candidate had already conceded the race. In 2021, 147 Republicans objected to the results, and Trump was actively trying to stay in office.”
U.S. House Democrats made objections to election results in 2001, 2005 and 2017, when the losing candidate had already conceded. They were mostly symbolic measures. https://t.co/BevtbzCTCS
— PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) September 26, 2022
The words “actively trying to stay in office” carry heavy weight, but this effort by Trump equated to the former president lawfully challenging the election results in court.
The fact-checking analysis was in response to Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., calling attention to Democrats challenging election results, but also comes on the heels of a 12-minute Republican National Committee video detailing one Democrat after another talking about stolen elections.
But they were not “trying to overturn the election,” we’re told.
“Some Democrats filed objections in 2001, 2005, and in 2017, following elections that Republicans won. But the circumstances were different from those in 2021. In the earlier years, the losing candidate had already conceded,” Politifact wrote. “After the 2020 election, Trump was trying to overturn the election, and he had met with some House Republicans to further that goal. In the previous years, not even the losing candidates were seeking to overturn the results. The objections were more symbolic than the 2021 effort to block the election results. In 2021, the objections could have overturned the presidential election.”
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story from Twitter:
“It’s different when they do it.” –@PolitiFact https://t.co/fHvi9hZd5F
— Sister Toldjah 🌻 (@sistertoldjah) September 26, 2022
“Mostly symbolic election denying?”
Is that like those “mostly peaceful protests” they’ve been telling us about?
Stop treating the American people like they’re stupid, and come out and say what you really mean,
“It’s OK if the Democrats do it. For Republicans, it’s treason.” https://t.co/lTbex0ruPd
— Kari Lake War Room (@KariLakeWarRoom) September 27, 2022
That “insurrectionists threatening the sanctity of democracy by questioning our elections” standard sure seems conveniently fluid. https://t.co/Np3m1k2Esk
— Brad Slager: Distracted at the Auto Show (@MartiniShark) September 26, 2022
And the “protests” that burned down majority minority neighborhoods and businesses were “mostly peaceful.”@PolitiFact continues to be a complete 🤡show. https://t.co/CVcj59pupx
— David Giglio (@DavidGiglioCA) September 27, 2022
If they’re “symbolic measures” it’s even worse.
They introduced the idea of opposing the election as a matter of routine political theater. https://t.co/hQQ5mUJ21f
— AmishDude (@TheAmishDude) September 26, 2022
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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