GOP says Republicans on NC elections board duped into accepting deal on absentee ballot rules
ABLE TO
SOUTH A SHAKE-UP AT THE STATE
BOARD OF LEAKS IS TRACTS
NATIONAL TENSION TONIGHT.
EMA KATHRYN BROWN.
>> I'M DAVID CRABTREE IN FOR
GERALD OWENS.
THIS AFTERNOON, THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN ASKED A WAKE COUNTY
JUDGE TO ALLOW IT TO INTERVENE
IN A CONTROVERSIAL LEGAL
SETTLEMENT.
WRAL'S CAPITAL BUREAU CHIEF,
LAURA LESLIE, JOINING US
COUNSEL UP DOWNTOWN AT THE
BOARD OF ELECTION HEADQUARTERS
WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.
>> Reporter: DAVID, STATE
REPUBLICAN LEADERS ARE ACCUSING
DEMOCRATS OF ENGAGING IN
PARTISAN COLLUSION WITH A
VOTING RIGHTS GROUP THAT FILED
THAT SUIT AGAINST THE BOARD AND
REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING THAT THE
SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE BOARD
AND THAT GROUP WILL THREATEN
ELECTION SECURITY.
BUT DEMOCRATS ON THE BOARD ARE
SAYING THAT THE CHANGES THAT
WERE MADE ARE A COMPROMISE TO
HELP VOTERS STAY SAFE DURING
COVID-19.
THE PROPOSED CONSENT ORDER
WOULD ALLOW MAIL-IN BALLOTS
POSTMARKED BY ELECTION DAY TO
BE COUNTED UNTIL NOVEMBER 12th.
CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE TO ARRIVE
BY NOVEMBER 6th.
AND IT WOULD ALLOW VOTERS WHO
DON'T SUBMIT ALL OF THE
REQUIRED WITNESS INFORMATION TO
FOE BACK AN CORRECT THE MAIL-IN
BALLOTS.
THE STATE ELECTIONS BOARD
CHAIRMAN, A DEMOCRAT, SAY THE
DEAL WAS A COMPROMISE WORKED
OUT IT AVOIDED POSSIBILITY THAT
A JUDGE COULD APPROVE MORE
EXTREME CHANGES.
THE BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO
ACCEPT THE DEAL AT A MEETING
LAST WEEK.
HOWEVER, AFTER GOP LEADERS
DENOUNCED THE DEAL, THE TWO
REPUBLICANS ON THE BOARD
RESIGNED LAST NIGHT.
REPUBLICAN KEN RAYMOND CLAIM IN
HIS RESIGNATION LETTER HE HAD
BEEN MISLED OR MISINFORMED BY
THE BOARD'S ATTORNEYS WHILE
REPUBLICAN DAVID BLACK SAID HE
HAD NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE
AGREEMENT.
>> I BELIEVE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
NOT TRUE.
WE WERE GIVEN PLENTY OF
BRIEFING BEFORE THE MEETING.
WE DELIBERATED FOR ALMOST THREE
HOURS OVER ALL OF THE POINTS OF
SETTLEMENT.
AND WHILE I YOU AM DISAPPOINTED
THAT THEY HAVE COME TO REGRET
THAT DECISION BEING I STILL
BELIEVE THE ASKING WE MEDICINE
AS A UNANIMOUS BOARD WAS BEST
FOR WHAT NORTH CAROLINIANS
NEED.
>> WE HAVE DEMOCRAT GROUPS THAT
ARE SUE A DEMOCRAT YOU RUN
BOARD OF ELECTIONS AN THEY
COULD NOT GET THE CHANGES
IMTHED IN THE LAW WILL YOU THE
LEGISLATURE SO THEY ARE USING A
SUE AN SETTLE PATTERN AND THIS
IS EXACTLY THAT.
THEY SUE, THE BOARD OF ELECTS
ON A PARTISAN BOARD DECIDES TO
SETTLE.
>> Reporter: SATURDAY GOP
CHAIRMAN MICHAEL WATLEY ACCUSED
DEMOCRATS ON THE BOARD OF
COLEWDING WITH THE PLAINTIFFS
IN A SECRET BACK ROOM DEAL AND
THEN DECEIVING RAYMOND AND
BLACK INTO VOTING FOR IT.
THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WON'T
BE FINAL UNTIL A JUDGE SIGNS
OFF ON IT.
THAT JUMP IS WAKE COUNTY
JUDGEBURY APPEAR COLLIN.
HE IS ALSO THE JUDGE WHO IS
MAKING THE DECISION RIGHT NOW
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN AND A NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN GROUP SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO INTERVENE.
WE ARE EXPECTING THAT DECISION
ANY MINUTE.
IN THE MEANTIME, DEMOCRATS ARE
ACCUSING THE GOP OF TRYING TO