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U.S. NEWS Thursday 10 March 2022
Lawsuit seeks to stop group’s door-to-door voter fraud hunt

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI mation from his own elec-
Associated Press tion system and gave it to
DENVER (AP) — A coali- two people not authorized
tion of civil and voting to view it. Last month, at a
rights organizations in- gathering of election con-
voked the 19th-century Ku spiracy theorists, during a
Klux Klan Act in a lawsuit discussion of Colorado’s
filed Wednesday seeking Democratic secretary of
to stop a group of Donald state, Smith said, “If you’re
Trump supporters from go- involved in election fraud,
ing door-to-door in Colora- then you deserve to hang.”
do in a search for already- In late November, Lindell
debunked voter fraud. hired Smith to run Cause of
The suit against the U.S. America. In an interview on
Election Integrity Plan al- former Trump adviser Steve
leges that the group’s ac- Bannon’s podcast, Smith
tivities include photograph- said the new organization
ing voters’ homes and would “help coordinate
“door-to-door voter intimi- the election integrity efforts
dation” in areas where a of citizens across the coun-
high number of minorities try.”
live. The group was found- Lindell did not immediately
ed after Trump lost the respond to a request for
2020 election to Democrat Supporters cheer as President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Feb. 20, 2020, in Colorado comment Wednesday.
Joe Biden and made false Springs, Colo. Associated Press The lawsuit alleges that the
claims of mass voter fraud. U.S. Election Integrity Plan
Shawn Smith, a retired Air that have been roundly cused Trump of conspir- the chief executive of MyP- targets high-density hous-
Force colonel who runs the dismissed. Repeated au- ing with far-right extremist illow and a major supporter ing that often is full of mi-
group, did not immediately dits and investigations — groups that were involved of election deniers, in its or- nority voters who are more
respond to a request for including by Trump’s own in storming the U.S. Capitol. ganizing manual. Smith at- likely to vote Democratic.
comment sent to Cause Department of Justice — The civil and voting rights tended a meeting that Lin- “Sometimes armed and
for America, a separate found no significant fraud groups allege that USEIP dell organized on election donning badges to present
“election integrity” group in the 2020 election, and members sometimes carry conspiracy theories last Au- an appearance of gov-
he runs. USEIP has no listed Trump backers lost more firearms and badges dur- gust along with Tina Peters, ernment officiality, USEIP
phone number or email. than 50 lawsuits trying to ing visits to voters’ homes, a clerk in Colorado’s west- agents interrogate vot-
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. overturn the vote. The law- even though they do not ern Mesa County who was ers about their addresses,
District Court for the District suit relies in part on the KKK work for the government. It indicted by a grand jury whether they participated
of Colorado on behalf of Act, which was passed af- cites no specific examples. Wednesday for her role in in the 2020 election, and —
the state chapter of the ter the Civil War to prevent “They’re sending a very copying confidential elec- if so — how they cast their
NAACP, the League of white vigilantes from using clear message that if you tion data that appeared vote,” the lawsuit said. “It
Women Voters and Mi Fa- violence and terror to stop vote in the future in Colo- on conspiracy websites af- is reported that multiple
milia Vota. Black people from voting. rado, you can expect an ter the event. agents have claimed to
The move represents a high- The law has recently been armed agent showing up The Colorado secretary be from ‘the county,’ and
profile push against a new cited in a lawsuit over the at your door,” said Court- of state’s office says Smith have, without any evi-
method that election de- Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. ney Hostetler, an attorney was on the telephone with dence, falsely accused the
niers have used to try to ad- Rep. Bennie Thompson, a on the suit. a clerk in a second county residents of casting fraudu-
vance claims of voter fraud Mississippi Democrat, ac- USEIP thanks Mike Lindell, as he made copies of infor- lent ballots.”q

Indian Health Service head nominated

amid tough challenges

cy that delivers health care Jonathan Nez said Tso is bachelor’s degree in in-
to more than 2.5 million Na- “exceptionally qualified” terdisciplinary studies from
tive Americans and Alaska to lead the agency and Marylhurst University in Ore-
Natives. pointed specifically to her gon and a master’s degree
Tso, an enrolled member work during the coronavi- in organizational manage-
of the Navajo Nation, most rus pandemic, when the ment from the University of
recently served as direc- Navajo Nation had one of Phoenix.
tor of the agency’s Nava- the highest per capita in- The Indian Health Service
jo region, which stretches fection rates in the U.S. repeatedly has been the
across parts of Arizona, “Throughout the COVID-19 focus of congressional
This photo provided by Jared Touchin shows Navajo Nation New Mexico and Utah. She pandemic, her leadership, hearings and scathing
health director Jill Jim, left, Navajo-area Indian Health Service began her career with the expertise and compassion government reports that
director Roselyn Tso and Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez
in Albuquerque, N.M., on July 29, 2019. Indian Health Service in have helped to reduce the seek reform. The agency
Associated Press 1984 and held various roles spread of this modern-day runs two dozen hospitals
in the agency’s Portland, monster and save lives,” and about 90 other health
By FELICIA FONSECA Asso- nounced Wednesday he is Oregon, area and at its Nez said in a statement. care facilities around the
ciated Press nominating veteran health headquarters in Maryland, Tso’s nomination is subject country, most of which are
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — administrator Roselyn Tso to the White House said. to confirmation from the small and on or near Native
President Joe Biden an- oversee the federal agen- Navajo Nation President U.S. Senate. She holds a American reservations.q