Somewhere in hell, Bill Rehnquist is smiling

Polling booth goons in Arizona, a deeply rooted Republican tradition:

A federal judge on Friday declined to ban an activist group from gathering near ballot boxes in Arizona, arguing that the members’ actions did not appear to constitute a “true threat” or intimidation and that their right to assemble in public spaces is constitutionally protected.

In his 14-page ruling, Judge Michael T. Liburdi found that while “many voters are legitimately alarmed by the observers filming” at ballot boxes in Maricopa County, there was no proof that the group, Clean Elections USA, had encouraged acts of violence or posted personal or identifying information online.

“While this case certainly presents serious questions,” Judge Liburdi wrote, “the court cannot craft an injunction without violating the First Amendment.”

In denying the request, the judge said he would keep the case open and agreed to hear new evidence that the group has “engaged in unlawful voter intimidation.”

Clean Elections USA, whose founder is a purveyor of election and QAnon theories, has said it is trying to prevent voter fraud by organizing activists across the country to station themselves near drop boxes set up to receive mail ballots. The aim, the organizers say, is to observe voters and document possible instances of voter fraud or misconduct.

This has been a really bad week for American democracy:

ok, so just to review: paramilitary group shows up to violently beat and mace students. someone breaks into pelosi's house and beats her husband (luckily she's not home). wealthy rightwing megalomaniac buys up the public square. violent intimidation at the polls in AZ (1)— Kathleen Belew (@kathleen_belew) October 28, 2022