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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#341551: Nov 27th 2020 at 11:28:15 PM

Man sues for refund of $2.5m he donated to Trump election challenge group

A man who donated $2.5m to help Donald Trump's crusade to overturn the elections is asking for his money back.

Fred Eshelman, the donor, is suing Houston-based "True the Vote Inc" for what he claims are "empty promises," Bloomberg reported.

True The Vote claimed it had a multi-part plan to "investigate, litigate and expose suspected illegal balloting and fraud in the 2020 general election," the lawsuit said.

The group claimed it also collected whistle blower complaints, supported GOP legislative fights in swing states and conducted "sophisticated data modeling and statistical analysis to identify potential illegal or fraudulent balloting."

In the weeks after the election, True the Vote filed four lawsuits, but dropped them all last week.

“While we stand by the voters’ testimony that was brought forth, barriers to advancing our arguments, coupled with constraints on time, made it necessary for us to pursue a different path,” the group wrote on its website on 17 Nov.

Mr Eshelman supported the group under the pretense that they would find evidence of voter fraud. However, as their lawsuits failed - as have almost all of the lawsuits filed by supporters of Mr Trump in attempts to overturn the election - Mr Eshelman has decided he wants a refund.

He claimed that he "regularly and repeatedly" asked True the Vote Inc for updates on their initiatives, but was given "vague responses, platitudes, and empty promises."

According to Mr Eshelman, True the Vote offered to give him $1m to drop his lawsuit.

True the Vote has not responded to press requests for contact.

The Trump campaign has yet to produce convincing evidence of widespread voter fraud having any notable impact on the election. Of at least 38 lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign, 26 have failed to gain traction in the courts

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
Perseus Since: Nov, 2009
#341552: Nov 28th 2020 at 12:08:02 AM

Man sues leopards for eating his face.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#341553: Nov 28th 2020 at 12:08:37 AM

A fool and his money and a fascist with his money are one in the same sometimes.

I wonder if having 2 million stolen from you makes you realize that you tried to steal democracy for a monster.

Probably not.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#341554: Nov 28th 2020 at 12:16:38 AM

Asking for a refund for a donation?

That's...that's not how donations work.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Perseus Since: Nov, 2009
#341555: Nov 28th 2020 at 12:22:27 AM

You think someone like that understands what a donation is? Or the concept of giving, as opposed to paying?

Edited by Perseus on Nov 29th 2020 at 7:23:37 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#341556: Nov 28th 2020 at 12:28:26 AM

You can't even say the money was stolen from this idiot. He gave his money away to this group.

Disgusted, but not surprised
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#341557: Nov 28th 2020 at 12:29:09 AM

Well, he's not wrong that the Trump administration misrepresented what their "charity" was all about.

But you also need to note: TRUMP IS BARRED FROM CHARITIES DUE TO STEALING FROM THEM.

So...

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#341558: Nov 28th 2020 at 1:02:07 AM

The case isn't about the Trump administration, it's about a different lobby group that worked already in 2012 or 2016. Also, I am pretty certain that charities who misuse their funds - say by using them in patently ineffective methods - might have to refund them, but I am not familiar with charity law.

Republicans ready to become deficit hawks again under a President Biden

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
djoki996 Since: Dec, 2018
#341559: Nov 28th 2020 at 1:42:30 AM

[up] Even while talking about obstructing Biden, they don't have the guts to say "Biden won".

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#341560: Nov 28th 2020 at 3:57:55 AM

Man sues for refund of $2.5m he donated to Trump election challenge group

What irks me the most is that someone this stupid had 2.5 million to piss away in the first place.

Steven (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#341561: Nov 28th 2020 at 4:11:53 AM

People with tons of money always spend stupid amounts on it on stupid things.

Remember, these idiots drive, fuck, and vote. Not always in that order.
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#341562: Nov 28th 2020 at 4:13:46 AM

@eagleoftheninth posted an interesting article in the Race- Privilege, Relations, Racism, etc. thread that I think is also a good fit here.

Vox: The challenge of combating fake news in Asian American communities

Asian American communities were hit with massive waves of disinformation ahead of the 2020 election. (I remember similar stories were reported about Latino/Hispanic communities as well.)

Progressive Asian American organizers say online misinformation, specifically regarding the Democrats and the president-elect, played a role in exposing Asian American voters to more radical right-wing views since 2016. First-generation immigrants who have a contentious history with China and communist governments - such as those from Cambodia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Laos - are more susceptible to the false claims Trump has made about China and its supposed impact on the election and the Democratic Party's "socialist" tendencies.

Nonpartisan organizations, like APIAVote, are also concerned about how voters with limited English proficiency are vulnerable to disinformation about the voting process. Some fretted over the reliability of mail-in ballots, voter safety at the polls, and if their ballot would be counted if they voted for certain candidates.

This disinformation is hard to combat, partly due to the diverse nature of AAPI communities and the different platforms/media outlets they use to receive news.

Different ethnic groups communicate and receive news on different chat and social media platforms beyond the tech behemoths of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, popular among English-language voters. Since the AAPI umbrella represents voters from more than 30 different ethnic groups and languages, misinformation campaigns within these communities are challenging to track.

While grassroots organizer have been working to counteract the flow of false information, they also need the support of the Democratic Party.

While the potential for misinformation on these platforms is known, the effort to stanch the spread has primarily fallen to the hands of grassroots organizers from within these ethnic communities. These efforts also vary by ethnic group. Community members are tasked with not just finding and reporting fake news but actively debunking these claims and becoming an accurate, neutral news source - often with little manpower and financial support.

...

This grassroots work isn't sufficient, nor is it sustainable. Organizers say Democrats need to commit to outreach and budget in translation services to reach these historically overlooked communities. "The Democratic Party needs to recognize that there are certain political sensitivities within the Asian American umbrella," said Wang of Taiwanese Americans for Progress. "For Taiwanese Americans, it's crucial that candidates express their backing for Taiwan. ... Since Trump has been so vocal about China, many believe that he will take action to support Taiwan."

It's also good electoral politics. Asian Americans as a whole are the fastest-growing electorate in the country, many of them living in swing states/districts.

In late October, Bloomberg reported that Asian American voters could "play a decisive role" in turning Georgia blue, with Indian Americans as the state's largest Asian ethnic group. With Georgia's upcoming Senate runoff race in January, the AAPI vote is similarly coveted. These voters could be crucial in swaying elections in races that have thin margins, Pan added, and politicians - at the regional, state, and national levels - should be focused on investing and distributing more resources.

...

It’s also a matter of trust. About half of AAPI voters in the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey have not been contacted by a major party, a huge missed opportunity, according to Shao, the researcher from AAPI Data. Pockets of Asian American voters live in battleground states and can be a deciding factor in congressional or state legislature races.

There are both cultural and language barriers that prevent people from breaking through the misinformation trap. For example, many first-generation immigrants lack the civic knowledge about how elections work, thus relying on community-driven translated content that might not always be true. A direct approach from political parties and candidates, then, could make a difference in how these voters perceive certain policies and elections. On-the-ground regional or state-level work is required to disaggregate and disentangle the myth of the "AAPI voter" and their varying interests.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#341563: Nov 28th 2020 at 4:42:06 AM

> What irks me the most is that someone this stupid had 2.5 million to piss away in the first place.

Which makes me question if the 2.5 million was even theirs to begin with,and why they're suing to get it back

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#341564: Nov 28th 2020 at 8:32:24 AM

Cannot wait for Biden to be inaugurated. We could use a relative silence like this morning every day, instead of waiting for something bad to happen with Mr. Twitterfingers.

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#341565: Nov 28th 2020 at 9:29:55 AM

I propose we ban Trump as a topic after the inauguration, by way of collective political detox. Temporary or otherwise.

Edited by Redmess on Nov 28th 2020 at 6:30:16 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#341566: Nov 28th 2020 at 9:31:29 AM

That might not be wise or possible given the continued influence he's likely to have after he's gone.

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#341567: Nov 28th 2020 at 9:32:18 AM

It depends on what Trump does tbh, somethings could be very important.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#341568: Nov 28th 2020 at 9:43:12 AM

Rumor is that he's preparing to announce his 2024 candidacy while Biden is being inaugurated.

Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#341569: Nov 28th 2020 at 9:54:44 AM

Watch him not acknowledge that he lost this election even as he says he'll present himself in 2024.

fredhot16 Don't want to leave but cannot pretend from Baton Rogue, Louisiana. Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: Too sexy for my shirt
Don't want to leave but cannot pretend
#341570: Nov 28th 2020 at 10:04:43 AM

@Redmess...Why? That seems like a overreaction.

Trans rights are human rights. TV Tropes is not a place for bigotry, cruelty, or dickishness, no matter who or their position.
Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#341571: Nov 28th 2020 at 10:07:43 AM

[up]Because honestly, the best thing to do with someone like T**** is to ignore them. He thrives on attention, and anything we do to deny him that attention, no matter how minor, is a middle finger to his face.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#341572: Nov 28th 2020 at 10:10:47 AM

I propose we ban Trump as a topic after the inauguration,

Why?

collective political detox. Temporary or otherwise.

The answer was literally in the same sentence. I'm all for ignoring Trump to oblivion, but if he does something newsworthy then we're going to have to talk about it. Or laugh at it if it's even more pathetic than usual.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#341573: Nov 28th 2020 at 10:17:13 AM

The latter would be its own form of detox.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#341574: Nov 28th 2020 at 10:18:46 AM

Forgetting about Trump isn't an option. He and his base provide a lesson that must be learned if we are to avoid populist authoritarians in the future.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#341575: Nov 28th 2020 at 10:29:22 AM

Qanon is stretching the limits of child abuse services with their nonsense.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/28/politics/qanon-child-welfare/index.html

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

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