The Nevada Secretary of State, the Nevada GOP, and the Cruz Campaign have all responded.
“We note the affirmations of both the Nevada Republican Party and the Nevada Secretary of State late today of our position and understanding of the law,” said Cruz Counsel Chris Gober. “The Nevada Republican Party, for example, affirmed that ‘members of the general public may observe the caucusing process and encourages any individual who observes any suspicious conduct to immediately notify precinct and/or party leaders,’ but that ‘no member of the general public shall be permitted to photograph, film or otherwise record the caucusing process…’ Indeed, this was precisely the spirit of our note to supporters, and we will instruct them accordingly.”
The letter continues, “As to the misleading allegations leveled by Mr. Trump’s counsel, the Cruz campaign was simply urging its supporters to do nothing more than observe, report, and document, if possible, questionable behavior at caucus sites. Rather than welcoming such vigilance, especially in light of the history of the Nevada caucuses, Mr. Trump has instead chosen to tout an Obama Administration dictate issued on the eve of the 2012 election. No doubt, the authors of this order are the same group of leftist lawyers in Obama’s Justice Department who dismissed intimidation charges against the pro‐Obama New Black Panther Party members accused of threatening voters and the same lawyers who have been fighting common‐sense voter identification rules. Counsel’s reliance on the Obama Administration’s so‐called voter protection mandates to level an underhanded political attack is a telling indication of how low Mr. Trump is willing to sink to make baseless allegations in exchange for headlines.”
The Trump campaign is doing everything it can to ensure there’s no foul play ahead of tonight’s Nevada caucuses.
Thus, Don McGahn, a lawyer for Trump’s campaign, is raising concern about a message from Ted Cruz’s campaign telling supporters to have their phones ready to videotape anything suspicious at caucus sites.
“The recording of citizens engaged in voting is especially concerning because of its potential intimidating effects on voters,”McGahn said in a letter to Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald. “Such activities could violate state law and the Voting Rights Act.”
In the letter, Mr. McGahn cites official guidance from the Justice Department, including a 2012 press release issued ahead of Election Day that warns that photographing or videotaping voters to uncover illegal voting “may violate federal law.”
The Trump lawyers asks Mr. McDonald for guidance ahead of the caucuses about whether taping other voters “is permissible at the caucuses, given that it appears potentially to be in contravention of federal and state law.”
Mr. McGahn urges the party to take steps to ensure all registered voters will be able to cast votes in the caucuses “and make clear that voter intimidation tactics will not be tolerated.”
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Cruz’s campaign has been dogged recently for what critics say are questionable campaign tactics, including allegedly spreading rumors that Carson was dropping out just before the Iowa caucuses began, and, recently, for circulating a video that falsely claims Sen. Rubio was mocking the Bible.
Cruz’s campaign has not yet commented on McGahn’s letter, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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