Overview of Marc Elias: Election Recounts, Steele Dossier, Mail-In Voting Advocacy, and Project 2025

What is Democracy Forward; Who is Marc Elias?

Marc Elias is deeply involved with Democracy Forward, serving as the chair of its board. Democracy Forward is a legal organization focused on combating policies and practices they consider harmful or unlawful, particularly those from the Trump administration. Elias has played a significant role in guiding the organization’s strategy and expanding its influence in legal battles across the country.

Democracy Forward has been active in reversing Trump-era policies, challenging state actions that undermine democratic processes, and advocating for progressive causes. Elias's leadership and legal expertise have been central to these efforts, making him a prominent figure in the organization's operations and its fight against what it views as far-right extremism and anti-democratic actions.

"Project 2025" is presented by Democracy Forward, a group known for its progressive stance. The initiative is a coordinated effort by the same individuals who were involved in the Steele dossier and the Russian interference investigation, particularly Marc Elias and Democracy Forward, to undermine Donald Trump.

Here are four key points about Marc Elias, a prominent Democrat election lawyer:

1. Flipping Elections: Elias has a history of litigating contested elections, notably helping Al Franken and other Democrats secure victories through recounts and legal challenges.
2. Russia Collusion Narrative: Elias hired Fusion GPS, leading to the creation of the Steele dossier, which fueled the Trump-Russia collusion allegations.
3. Mail-In Voting Lawsuits: In 2020, he led numerous lawsuits to expand mail-in voting and ballot harvesting.
4. Federal Court Sanction: Elias was sanctioned by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court for filing a redundant and misleading motion in a Texas case.

For more details, you can visit the original article here.

Here's an explanation of why some might view Project 2025 as propaganda against Trump:

1. Connection to Previous Controversies: Marc Elias and Democracy Forward are associated with Democratic causes and were involved in the controversies surrounding the Steele dossier and the Russian interference investigation. Critics argue that these efforts were part of a broader campaign to discredit Trump.

2. Reputation and Intentions: Given the prior involvement of these figures in efforts that were seen as attempts to delegitimize Trump, their association with Project 2025 could be perceived as a continuation of these efforts. Supporters of Trump may view this as a deliberate attempt to damage his political standing.

3. Political Bias: Democracy Forward's progressive leanings suggest an ideological opposition to Trump and his policies. This political bias may lead to the perception that Project 2025 is not an objective initiative but rather a politically motivated attack.

4. Narrative Framing: The content and messaging of Project 2025 may be seen as framing Trump and his potential policies in a negative light, aiming to influence public opinion against him. This can be interpreted as a strategic move to shape the political landscape ahead of future elections.

However, it's important to note that the interpretation of Project 2025 as propaganda is subjective and depends on one's political perspective. Those who support Trump are more likely to view it as a politically motivated smear campaign, while others may see it as a legitimate effort to address and critique policy proposals.

For a balanced understanding, examining the actual content and objectives of Project 2025, along with the evidence and arguments presented by both supporters and critics, is essential.

The 'Project 2025' Propaganda blitz, Marc Elias and Democracy Forward

Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic election lawyer, has been the subject of various conspiracy theories. Here are some of the notable ones:

1. Election Rigging Allegations: Some conspiracy theories allege that Marc Elias was involved in orchestrating widespread election fraud during the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election to ensure Joe Biden's victory. These theories often lack credible evidence and have been debunked by multiple sources.

2. Perkins Coie and Fusion GPS: Elias, as a partner at Perkins Coie, is connected to the funding of Fusion GPS, the firm that produced the Steele dossier. This dossier, which contained unverified claims about Donald Trump's ties to Russia, has led to conspiracy theories suggesting that Elias and Perkins Coie were part of a larger scheme to undermine Trump's presidency through the Russian collusion narrative.

3. Suppression of Conservative Votes: Another theory posits that Elias has been involved in legal efforts designed to suppress conservative votes. This includes challenging voter ID laws and advocating for mail-in voting, which some conspiracy theorists argue are tactics to create opportunities for voter fraud.

4. Funding and Influence: Some theories claim that Elias and his legal strategies are heavily funded by wealthy Democratic donors and organizations with the goal of manipulating electoral outcomes in favor of the Democratic Party. This includes allegations that he coordinates with tech companies and social media platforms to censor conservative viewpoints.

5. Role in Redistricting: Elias has been involved in numerous lawsuits regarding gerrymandering and redistricting. Conspiracy theories suggest that his efforts are part of a deliberate attempt to redraw electoral districts to benefit Democratic candidates unfairly.

6. 2022 Midterm Elections: Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, conspiracy theorists speculated that Elias was planning to use similar tactics as in 2020 to influence the outcomes, particularly in swing states and contentious districts.

These theories often circulate in partisan media and online forums but generally lack substantiation from credible sources.

Claims About Trump Initially Dismissed as False That Ended Up Being True

1. Trump-Russia Connections: Initially, many dismissed the idea of any collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. However, the Mueller Report, while not establishing a criminal conspiracy, did detail numerous contacts between Trump's campaign and Russian operatives.

2. Stormy Daniels Affair: Trump and his team initially denied the affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Later, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen admitted to paying hush money to Daniels on Trump's behalf, and Trump reimbursed Cohen.

3. Obstruction of Justice: Early in his presidency, claims that Trump obstructed justice were often downplayed. However, the Mueller Report documented multiple instances where Trump may have attempted to obstruct justice, though it did not result in charges.

4. Trump's Finances and Taxes: Trump long maintained that his finances were above board. However, investigations, including those by the New York Times, revealed that he paid little to no federal income taxes in several years and engaged in questionable tax practices.

5. COVID-19 Severity: Trump downplayed the severity of COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic. However, it was later revealed through recordings with journalist Bob Woodward that Trump knew it was more dangerous than he publicly admitted.

6. Campaign Finance Violations: Allegations of campaign finance violations were initially brushed off. However, Michael Cohen's guilty plea implicated Trump in directing him to make illegal payments to silence women alleging affairs.

7. Ukrainian Pressure Campaign: The initial claims that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter were dismissed by many. However, the impeachment inquiry revealed substantial evidence supporting these claims.