Catching election influencers takes a big net
When I sat down at my computer this morning, I received an unsolicited popup from Bill Gates about President Trump’s cabinet members and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani being accused of influencing an election. Hmmm, I pondered this for a moment and wondered if I should expect the men in black to show up at MY door. Since this may be the only time I can get my side of the story out to the public, I confess, I too am guilty of trying to influence an election! I was a political slug most of my life but what woke me up (pardon my use of that word) is that in 1989 I decided to take some classes at Houston Community College. I was married, working fulltime and my youngest was entering high school. It was now or never and at age 42, I became the model student! Five years later, life happened and school ended, but I never forgot those classes. I’d taken government during the 1992 presidential primary, and it was those very classes which helped me determine which political party’s policies and values I most aligned with. Most of my instructors at HCC and Wharton County Junior College had Ph.D.s, the classes were mostly adults and I never saw or felt their influence toward one candidate or the other. From that point on, I started paying a lot more attention to elections and campaign rhetoric.
Fast forward to 2013 after my husband died, you could say that’s when I went rogue. I started attending political meetings. It wasn’t like you had to have a secret code to get in the door but politics was definitely a different world. As with any habit, my foray into influencing elections started small. First the monthly meetings and sharing comments with co-workers about what I learned, then those candidate meet and greets, and before I knew it, I was sticking campaign signs in my yard! By the 2018 primary, I was in deep. By that, I mean I was block walking, phone banking, sending emails and newsletters and posting on social media. I even organized a multi newspaper letter writing campaign for my favorite candidate for the district House seat. On top of that, I co-hosted his fundraiser and financed the dessert! As they say, ignorantia juris non excusat, in other words, ignorance of the law is no excuse. I can’t speak to what Trump’s staff or Rudy is alleged to have done but I think “influencing an election” is a term which applies to anyone who shares their opinion about a candidate or ballot item. I propose that anyone who puts up yard signs or wears a candidate bubba cap or T-shirt is “guilty” of influencing an election. But take heart, there aren’t enough jails for all of us - at least I don’t think there are!
This is all tongue-incheek because I know there are lawful and unlawful ways to influence elections and I’ve committed no crime but just in case… please let the matron know orange is not in my color palette and I need my stripes to go up and down, not around!
The column represents the thoughts and opinions of Connie Clements. Opinion columns are NOT the opinion of the Navasota Examiner. Clements is a freelance reporter for the Navasota Examiner and an award-winning columnist.
Connie’s Corner
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