Reince Priebus won’t let go of the “widespread voter fraud” narrative. In a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, the Republican National Committee Chair made a familiar claim – that there’s been widespread voter fraud in Wisconsin elections. Priebus even said that Republican candidates need to account for fraud in their electoral calculations. “I’m always concerned about it, which is why I think we need to do a point or two better than where we think we need to be, to overcome it,” he said. “I’m always concerned about voter fraud, you know. Being from Kenosha, and quite frankly have lived through seeing some of it happen. Certainly in Milwaukee we had plenty of it, and I think it’s been documented. I reject any notion that it’s not the case.”
AUDIO: Reince Priebus (2:05)
“The allegation that there is any kind of meaningful or significant or extensive vote fraud in Milwaukee or anywhere else in Wisconsin is totally erroneous,” said Richard Saks, a Milwaukee attorney who’s challenged Wisconsin’s voter ID law. Saks responded to Priebus’ contention that GOP candidates “need to do a point or two better” to counteract fraudulent voters. “We forecast a turnout of two and a-half million votes in the election on June 5th. Two percent of that would be 50,000 votes that would be fraudulently, unlawfully cast, which is an outrageous allegation.”
“We’ve had a U.S. Attorney’s report that I think is pretty clear on it,” said Priebus. “We’ve had a police report from the Milwaukee police department that’s been pretty clear on it. We’ve had people that have been convicted. We’ve had people that have admitted vote fraud. We’ve filed numerous affidavits.”
AUDIO: Richard Saks (1:25)
Saks said he’s unaware of any official U.S. attorney’s investigation – but that there were three official investigations, in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections. “In those two elections alone, there were approximately 12 million votes cast. Out of those 12 million votes cast, these three investigations resulted in only three meaningful prosecutions. There just is not any meaningful or extensive vote fraud that occurs.” Saks believes Priebus’ continuing claims about voter fraud are attempt to “scare voters” in Milwaukee into thinking they’re doing something wrong.