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To the Editor:
Earlier this month, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, through a spokeswoman, refused to dismiss a cockamamie plan by fellow Democrat secretaries of the state to keep former President Donald Trump off the primary ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Civil War-era provision prohibits any state or U.S. representatives, senators, or officials from seeking re-election if they engaged in insurrection, rebellion or gave aid and comfort to the enemy.
Thomas may have the discretion to administer elections. She does not have the authority to eliminate the name of a qualified candidate from the ballot, thereby disenfranchising those who would support him. A reminder to all, among many of the charges leveled against Trump, insurrection is not one of them. Furthermore, chances are slim that any verdict will be issued before next April’s primary.
Thomas seems to have forgotten who calls the shots when electing leaders. It is we the voters, and we alone have the Constitutional authority to determine candidates’ worthiness for office.
Our chief elections official is just as cavalier when it comes to municipal elections. Apparently, she’s placed Republican and Bridgeport voters in the same “Whatever” file.
Surveillance tapes show a city employee and campaign operative engaging in a little pre-dawn ballot box stuffing in advance of the Bridgeport mayoral primary. In a case of déjà vu all over again, incumbent Joe Ganim lost the in-person vote, yet miraculously garnered a lopsided share of the absentee votes sufficient to edge out his opponent, John Gomes. Unfortunately for Ganim, the margin is too close this time to dismiss the suspected fraud as immaterial to the outcome.
Nevertheless, Thomas blithely dismissed the whole episode as the workings of “a few bad apples” (perhaps a whole orchard?) and ignorant voters. Excuse me, but the good people of Bridgeport know how to vote. They also know fraud when they see it on a grainy film clip.
For too many election cycles, Bridgeport citizens have seen their votes diluted if not nullified altogether by the corrupt practices of ballot harvesting and ballot box stuffing. This is a problem that transcends party allegiances. Gov. Ned Lamont, Thomas, Attorney General William Tong, and the SEEC must launch an immediate investigation into this apparent crime and prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent. Better yet, everyone knows who was in that video. Arrest her.
Likewise, Lamont, Thomas, and legislature must do everything in their power to insure the integrity of our votes, starting with securing the ballot boxes. If they can’t guarantee secure boxes, pull them entirely.
Connecticut voters should think long and hard on the wisdom of the proposed Constitutional amendment that will allow no-excuse absentee voting. Is it necessary? Is it wise? For now, we’re just two months away from Election Day. Connecticut citizens deserve leaders who take seriously the protection and preservation of our most cherished right in this state and country.
Faith Ham
Cheshire, CT