this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2026

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'Beyond Crazy': FBI Summons State Election Officials to Secretive Meeting After Trump Threat to ‘Nationalize’ Midterms (www.commondreams.org)

submitted 1 month ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/news@lemmy.world

20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

State election officials were left unnerved after being summoned by the FBI to a mysterious conference to discuss “preparations” for this year’s midterm elections, which President Donald Trump has recently called for Republicans to “nationalize” in violation of the Constitution.

On Tuesday, election officials in all 50 states received an email from Kellie M. Hardiman, who identified herself as an “FBI Election Executive.”

Hardiman said the officials were invited to a call on February 25 with “your election partners” at the FBI, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Election Assistance Commission (EAC).

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[–] garth@sh.itjust.works 67 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Per the Constitution, the executive branch of the federal government has no fucking business being involved in elections. We can only hope our state elections offices hold to that.

Article I, Section 4, Clause 1:

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

By its terms, Article I, Section 4, Clause 1, referred to as the Elections Clause, contemplates that state legislatures will establish the times, places, and manner of holding elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate, subject to Congress making or altering such state regulations (except as to the place of choosing Senators).1 The Supreme Court has interpreted the Elections Clause expansively, enabling states "to provide a complete code for congressional elections, not only as to times and places, but in relation to notices, registration, supervision of voting, protection of voters, prevention of fraud and corrupt practices, counting of votes, duties of inspectors and canvassers, and making and publication of election returns."

https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S4-C1-2/ALDE_00013577/

[–] stylusmobilus@aussie.zone 24 points 1 month ago (2 children)

hope

They aren’t and Americans need to stop hoping.

They need to go on general shutdown. The sooner, the better and easier.

They’re not getting fair midterm elections or any other fair election.

Just do the right thing. All other options are exhausted.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I think all that needs to happen is make ballot drop offs easier and common in states targeted. They can try whatever they want but you can block off ICE from accessing ballot boxes fairly easily by locating them in places where a warrant would be needed to get inside. We will see if its possible to get feds to simultaneously rig 20-30 elections so they'll need to find enough people to participate in state crimes that carry multi year penalties and generally are prosecuted.

The big fix is going to be they'll probably try to "update" all the voting machines for "security reasons" before the election so states need to be ready to do immediate hand recounts.

[–] stylusmobilus@aussie.zone 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

ICE won’t care about warrants. They’ll go in without them. They have Trumps blessing and that’s enough.

The voting machines will absolutely be or already have been fucked with. Using those alone is insane enough. Of course privately owned voting machines in the US will be tampered with, that’s part of the point of using them with the other part being money.

The best solution might in fact be a reboot. The only thing that will fix this is public action because it won’t shrivel and die over time. I think that’s what their citizens are hoping for while hoping their military go pick on other countries for a while, leaving them alone.

God I’m sick of their shit, I really am. Just do the right fucking thing.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What do you mean "reboot"?

[–] stylusmobilus@aussie.zone -2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Splitting into more than one nation. Societal breakdown then a rebuilding of the current one.

They seem intent on repeatedly doing the hardest, worst things in its current status.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Can you point to a historical situation that resolved like that?

Like that seems like what will happen if they are unnopposed entirely. That is the goal of the billionaire class right now: rebuild everything according to their vision. That is all in line with the billionaire worldview.

Historically, things can and will absolutely get worse.

[–] stylusmobilus@aussie.zone 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Can you point to…

I suppose Slovakia and the Czech Republic might be an example, if you’re talking about splitting and going forward.

Not really though, because this set of circumstances is unique. The US is where it’s at because of indulgence, laziness and selfishness. Germany isn’t a suitable comparison because it was oppressed and downtrodden by outside forces and breakdown from a war. The US is where it’s at because its people haven’t wanted, over a period of time to do certain things like vote.

I agree, things will get worse because what Churchill said is spot on…Americans will exhaust every option before doing the right thing. Right now the right and easiest thing is to go peaceful shutdown. It’s price is far higher than voting, but lower than civil war, demonstrating Churchill words in action. The sooner it’s done, the lower the cost.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Thats a fairly thoughtful analysis. The collapse of the USSR might also be a model, but none of those are 'good' outcomes

[–] hector@lemmy.today 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

The drop boxes are already curtailed in a lot of red controlled states, be they battleground or no, like GA, WI, and AZ. Some of them also have given the ability to hand electors for president to the loser of the popular vote as their state legislatures determine by the way, per 2021 voter laws that got almost zero coverage in the media.

Remember when the media told you they made it illegal to hand out water or food to voters waiting in line in GA? That same bill cancelled the supremacy of the popular vote, and media didn't tell us, it would be hard even finding the information on the enshitified search engines now I'm sure, but it will come up again in 2028 if democrats get anywhere close to winning the popular votes in battleground states.

Anyway though, they are already reduced to like 1 per county in some places, the drop boxes. Plus they are susceptible to being like seized and not counted, as the republicans have made clear to their voters to vote in person. Plus they just don't count as many as possible from blue districts, it's a numbers game.

Drop boxes will not get us out of this mess, even if they were kept safe, and not guarded by dudes with guns hassling people dropping off ballots and filming them.

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Raise the red flag

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

By its terms, Article I, Section 4, Clause 1, referred to as the Elections Clause, contemplates that state legislatures will establish

That word "contemplates" bothers me. That's the kind of weasely word that someone like Stephen "PeeWee Himmler" Miller would seize on and parse all the way to Hell, with every mouthpiece in the Conservative Propaganda Machine trailing right behind him.

MAGA will claim that it means we should think about and consider allowing states to establish their own election systems, but it doesn't necessarily say that the decision is made. Contemplates means to think about, meditate on, consider deeply, etc. It doesn't sound like a certainty. At least, MAGA isn't going to think so.

And MAGA will be willing to fight that fight for as many elections as you want to fight them on it. Until we crush MAGA mercilessly, and purge them from our government and our society.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 month ago

That word “contemplates” bothers me.

It's not in the Constitution, it's in that person's summary.

[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 25 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It will get worse unless Americans are going to take direct action. No elected official cares.

[–] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'm curious, have you been to America since January 2025?

[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I live there, so you could say that

[–] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Get involved more. You'll be surprised how much direct action is going on.

[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 1 points 1 month ago

Oh no theres a lot. Its still too toned down with what is actually happening, and what we are finding in those files.

[–] santa@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I hope they refuse.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

They should send their AI notetakers.

Or better yet, attend with a bot that Livestreams it publicly.