EXCLUSIVE: Democrat Governor Wes Moore Slanders GOP Nominee For State Board Of Elections

Launch Liberty is back in the saddle today to expose the slanderous attacks of Maryland Governor Wes Moore against seasoned researcher and investigator Republican nominee for State Board of Elections William T. Newton.

After being nominated to the State Board of Elections last month by new MDGOP Chair Nicole Harris, Governor Moore issued a public statement declaring that William T. Newton was not fit to serve on the State Board of Elections because of his public questioning of elections. See that statement below…

While nobody would deny that Mr. Newton questions the validity of elections, as he did in an interview I conducted with him and Lewis Porter for MD20-20Watch.com back in 2021, isn’t the act of questioning elections exactly what that State Board of Elections is supposed to do?

If the State Board of Elections is nothing more than a rubber stamp for the results provided to them, then why exactly do they exist in the first place? On their own website, the State Board states their responsibilities as following…

The conduct of voter registration and elections in Maryland is supervised by the State Board of Elections, which directs, supports, monitors, and evaluates the activities of the local boards of elections in each county and Baltimore City. In odd-numbered years, the Board meets with the boards of elections from the counties and Baltimore City to instruct them, their employees, and counsel on their duties in the conduct of elections.

To maximize the use of technology in election administration, the State Board of Elections oversees the upgrade and standardization of voting systems and election procedures statewide (Chapter 564, Acts of 2001). The Board also administers the voter registration-by-mail program.

To regulate the financing of campaigns for State and county offices, the Board administers the Fair Election Practices Act (Code Election Law Article, secs. 13-101 through 13-604). In addition, the Board prepares and certifies ballots, administers petitions, and publishes statewide ballot questions before elections.

https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/25ind/html/30electf.html

By their own definition, the Board is responsible for supervising elections. They also review and replace election equipment. How could a review of equipment, or an update to the system ever occur if nobody is allowed to question anything?

Nicole Harris and the MDGOP released a response to this rejection by Governor Wes Moore with the following statement that can be read below…

In addition to the letter released by Moore’s office, there were additional untrue libelous attacks printed in an article released by Maryland Matters on the subject. Within the article, writer Bryan Sears claims that Moore said the following…

“I am of the opinion that Mr. Newton is not an appropriate selection for this important position of public trust,” Moore wrote in a Feb. 16 letter to Nicole Beus Harris, chair of the Maryland Republican Party. “First, I do not believe that someone who denies the legitimacy of Maryland’s elections should be able to make decisions regarding their administration. Second, Mr. Newton does not meet our internal vetting standards due to his previous conviction for a crime of moral turpitude”

Moore plainly states that Mr. Newton has been convicted for ‘moral turpitude’ in the past.

Upon review of the Maryland case data, and upon conducting an exclusive interview with Mr. Newton, Launch Liberty has not found a shred of evidence that suggests Mr. Newton has ever been convicted of any crime at all.

Moore has had no issue appointing his own controversial individuals with apparent conflicts of interest to several boards around the State, as detailed by media across Maryland.

Newton and MD20-20Watch.com conducted the research revealed in an article we published here back in 2021. It details the recipients of money from Mark Zuckerberg’s CTCL in the 2020 Election.

There are questions as to whether Moore even has the authority to reject a Party’s nominee for the State Board of Elections. The approval process is tasked to the State Senate, not Governor Moore.

In a letter Mr. Newton penned to the Governor, and posted to Facebook, he describes Maryland Election Law Section 2-101, which states that only the State Senate has the legal right to confirm or deny a nominee. See that full letter below…

It is without hesitation that I write to you and say:

A recent case in law (New York state Supreme Court in Suffolk County) and by a similar review of Maryland law regarding “appointments” BOTH states require the “consent” of the entire State Senate. The New York case held that these appointments are NOT within the authority of a select few or even one individual.

To summarize the court’s finding and, taken to it’s “common sense extreme‟,to allow a single individual to “confirm‟ or “reject‟ an appointment would subvert the powers of the rule making body, violate separation of powers and establishes a “deliberative body‟ of one.

Further the judge opined:

“Such cannot stand as a hallmark of democracy”.….and in my view, rises to the level of violating a person‟s civil rights, to do otherwise.

MARYLAND Election Law Section 2-101 provides that (specifically):

(2) Subject to subsection (e) of this section, THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT {emphasis added} as a member of the State Board an individual whose name is submitted to the Governor by the State Central Committee of the principal political party entitled to the appointment…….

“with the advice and consent of the Senate of Maryland”.

AND THAT in the course of any service on that Board: (v) be subject to removal by the Governor for incompetence, misconduct, or other good cause, upon written charges filed by the Governor with the State Board and after having been afforded notice and ample opportunity to be heard.

So should my subsequent service on the Board ever become subject to removal for “incompetence, misconduct, or other good cause”, even under those circumstances

I WOULD BE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY “TO BE HEARD”.

My civil right to serve on this Board as the Nominee/representative of my political Party is now being suppressed when that nomination is being REJECTED BY A SINGLE PERSON without the State Senate’s “advice & consent”, all while I am improperly being tried in the media by the Governor using his public “pulpit” to defame and libel me in the Press and

without the opportunity for ME TO DEFEND MYSELF AND BE HEARD by the MARYLAND STATE SENATE.

THEREFORE, I DEMAND MY RIGHT to have my NOMINATION’confirmed’ or ‘rejected’ by the FULL STATE SENATE per Maryland Election Law Section 2-101.

….and by doing so, put each of our elected officials ON THE RECORD by their vote to demonstrate if they truly resolve to address the proven irregularities and inefficiencies admitted by the State Board of Elections that have plagued our election process for many years….or whether it’s the intent of this government “of, by and forthe people” to continue business as usual; remaining in violation of Maryland Code, Election Law 1-201 by failing to “inspire public confidence and trust” in our election process.

IT IS MY belief (and of many others) that I have the qualifications and the demonstrated scholarship to serve on the Maryland State Board of Elections. I am entitled to an opportunity to defend myself and my Party’s

expressed confidence in me as its nominee. I will gladly submit to any questions prior to any confirmation and look forward to a vote by

members of the State Senate. What say you?

Sincerely,

WILLIAM NEWTON

Obviously Mr. Newton has been far too successful in exposing election fraud, and for that, he is punished with public slander.