Texas officials are proactively safeguarding election integrity with a newly formed a task force.
On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton introduced an Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team to oversee election activity and litigate any disputes, especially concerning fraud or voter suppression.
“The Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team will be equipped to enforce Texas election laws and take immediate action on any contingencies, including issues seen in previous cycles such as ballot shortages, extended polling location closures, and improper extension of voting hours,” the press release stated.
The task force will be positioned at polling places statewide, tasked with probing any accusations of election misconduct.
Paxton’s statement highlighted the state’s readiness to counter “activist groups” attempting to sway the election through legal challenges.
“There is no issue more important and more fundamental to our nation than election integrity,” he remarked.
“Our Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team will be on the frontline on November 5th. We will defend the ballot box from any bad actors seeking to unduly influence or illegally undermine Texas elections.”
Elsewhere, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner sent a stark message to those who might disrupt the election process.
On Monday night, just before the polls opened, Krasner stated, “Anybody who thinks it’s time to play militia, F around and find out.”
In 2020, two armed men from Virginia were arrested for heading to the area to “straighten out the vote.”
“Anybody who thinks it’s time to insult, to deride, to mistreat, to threaten people, F around and find out,” Krasner continued.
“We do have the cuffs, we do have the jail cells, we do have the Philly juries and we have the state prisons,” he warned.
“So if you’re going to try to turn an election into some form of coercion, if you’re going to try to bully people, bully votes or voters, you’re going to try to erase votes, you’re going to try any of that nonsense, we’re not playing. F around and find out. That’s what we’re going to do,” Krasner said.
