Trump's conspiracies pose 'existential' threat to electronic voting industry -Smartmatic

[webfact]

Trump's conspiracies pose 'existential' threat to electronic voting industry -Smartmatic

By Raphael Satter

 

Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic, poses near the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, December 11, 2020. Picture taken December 11, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Conspiracy theories alleging that voting machines were used to steal the election from President Donald Trump pose a major threat to the worldwide market for electronic voting systems, the CEO of Smartmatic, a leading provider of such systems, told Reuters.

 

Antonio Mugica, chief executive of Florida-based Smartmatic, said the baseless claims circulated by Trump and his allies about Smartmatic and one of its competitors, Dominion Voting Systems, were having a knock-on effect outside the United States. Officials in other countries were either reluctant to sign deals or were reassessing their contracts.

 

"I don't think there is one customer in the world that has not come back to us to tell us either that this is a problem and this could endanger our future relationship – for existing customers – or that this could endanger a potential new contract," Mugica said in an interview last week.

 

He added that the industry was "collateral damage" in a wider attack on democratic institutions.

 

Mugica stopped short of putting a figure on the cost to his business. But he noted that in the case of Colombia, where his company had spent years trying to get its foot in the door, "we are dead in the water because of this situation."

 

Colombia's election registrar said it had not opened negotiations with Smartmatic.

 

Mugica said the company was doing what it could to beat the disinformation.

 

It recently hired Chicago-based defamation lawyer J. Erik Connolly, and on Friday it wrote to Fox News Channel demanding the network retract allegations leveled by its guests, including pro-Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, and hosts Lou Dobbs and Maria Bartiromo.

 

Smartmatic said on Monday its letter had also gone to Trump loyalist outlets One America News Network and Newsmax.

None of the outlets responded to Reuters requests for comment by late Monday afternoon.

 

Machine-assisted voting - either via voter-facing touch screens or behind-the-scenes ballot tabulation software and digital poll books - has for years been the subject of persistent worries over security and reliability.

 

But there is no sign that the 2020 U.S. election was affected by any significant or wide-ranging problems, according to elections officials from both parties, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and recounts in two swing states.

 

Officials in Trump's own administration described the vote as "the most secure in American history."

 

Smartmatic, which has provided voting machines, vote tallying software and election management systems to more than two dozen countries, has featured in several of the conspiracy theories pushed by the president and his allies.

 

Among those claims are that Smartmatic, acting at the behest of billionaire investor George Soros or late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, reprogrammed machines provided by Canada's Dominion Voting Systems to transfer votes to President-elect Joe Biden from Trump.

 

Smartmatic, however, has no current relationship with Dominion and had almost nothing to do with November's election. Smartmatic helped tally votes only in left-leaning Los Angeles County, where Biden's victory was never in doubt.

 

Versions of the Smartmatic conspiracy have since seeped into other countries where the company has worked, such as Brazil https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2020/11/empresa-que-forneceu-urnas-para-venezuela-nunca-vendeu-aparelhos-para-brasil.shtml and the Philippines, Mugica said.

 

He said the impact of the Trump camp's allegations would be felt well beyond his company.

 

"This, for us, is existential," Mugica said. "But it's very big for the entire industry, and ultimately it's very big for democracy itself."

 

(Reporting by Raphael Satter; Additional reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb in Bogota, Colombia; Editing by Chris Sanders, Daniel Wallis and Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-15

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[simple1]

*Deleted post edited out*

 

Biden has won the election - confirmed by the Electoral College - move along - trump's conspiracy stuff to try and steal the election is passé and exceedingly boring.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Scott

[J Town]

I would think if banks have been operating successfully for decades then emulate their process in voting. Money is much more a target for theft than votes.

[TopDeadSenter]

2 minutes ago, J Town said:

I would think if banks have been operating successfully for decades then emulate their process in voting. Money is much more a target for theft than votes.

Exactly. That is why banks require ID and matching signatures. Just imagine the fraud if people decided because of the pandemic you did not need valid ID any more to do banking, you can just assign anybody to withdraw your money for you - based on trust. Right!

[candide]

2 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Exactly. That is why banks require ID and matching signatures. Just imagine the fraud if people decided because of the pandemic you did not need valid ID any more to do banking, you can just assign anybody to withdraw your money for you - based on trust. Right!

I must be stupid! I did not know one could withdraw money while voting! ????

[J Town]

4 minutes ago, candide said:

I must be stupid! I did not know one could withdraw money while voting! ????

Maybe in a perfect world we could!

[Sujo]

10 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Exactly. That is why banks require ID and matching signatures. Just imagine the fraud if people decided because of the pandemic you did not need valid ID any more to do banking, you can just assign anybody to withdraw your money for you - based on trust. Right!

I dont recall having to provide id when i withdraw my money.

[J Town]

2 minutes ago, Sujo said:

I dont recall having to provide id when i withdraw my money.

You have to initially to create any bank account, and that's fair. And fair is what we ALL want. This current voting process is sickening.

[Scott]

Reply to removed post deleted.

 

 

[Sujo]

32 minutes ago, J Town said:

You have to initially to create any bank account, and that's fair. And fair is what we ALL want. This current voting process is sickening.

You dont provide id when you register to vote?

[tonray]

48 minutes ago, candide said:

I must be stupid! I did not know one could withdraw money while voting! ????

Apparently Trump has found a way to extract some after the vote too !

[J Town]

7 minutes ago, Sujo said:

You don't provide id when you register to vote?

I can only speak from personal experience, and yes, I did. I believe everyone has to provide it initially, but some processes are ridiculously difficult. Voter suppression was part of this election, predominantly aimed at blacks. Many times Republicans (including 45) have publicly admitted if elections were fair they'd never win an election again.

 

The New Voter Suppression | Brennan Center for Justice

[vandeventer]

In a perfect world why can't we just do the election all over again with no mail in ballets except for those living over seas and the military, and nursing homes. Also hand ballets would add time but less problems in the end. And than if Joe Biden wins we must all have to except it, and move on.

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply removed.   Please stay on topic.  

 

[J Town]

4 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

In a perfect world why can't we just do the election all over again with no mail in ballets except for those living over seas and the military, and nursing homes. Also hand ballets would add time but less problems in the end. And than if Joe Biden wins we must all have to except it, and move on.

What are the odds you're a 45 supporter?
 

45 just signed his latest legal challenge to the election results.
It starts - 'Dear Santa'

[riclag]

 "On Monday morning, Circuit Court Judge Kevin Elsenheimer allowed supporters of President Donald Trump to publicly release and discuss information they've collected through a forensic analysis of tabulators and data in the 23,000-person Northern Michigan county".

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/14/michigan-judge-allows-release-report-antrim-county-voting/6537394002/

 

This was under protective order  before and this judge decided to release it!

[J Town]

2 minutes ago, riclag said:

 "On Monday morning, Circuit Court Judge Kevin Elsenheimer allowed supporters of President Donald Trump to publicly release and discuss information they've collected through a forensic analysis of tabulators and data in the 23,000-person Northern Michigan county".

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/14/michigan-judge-allows-release-report-antrim-county-voting/6537394002/

 

This was under protective order  before and this judge decided to release it!

From your own posted website:

 

"Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a joint statement calling the report 'another in a long stream of misguided, vague and dubious assertions designed to erode public confidence in the November presidential election.'"

 

Fewer and fewer straws to grasp, and those straws are, to date, 100% decried.

[Credo]

3 minutes ago, riclag said:

 "On Monday morning, Circuit Court Judge Kevin Elsenheimer allowed supporters of President Donald Trump to publicly release and discuss information they've collected through a forensic analysis of tabulators and data in the 23,000-person Northern Michigan county".

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/14/michigan-judge-allows-release-report-antrim-county-voting/6537394002/

 

This was under protective order  before and this judge decided to release it!

It seems that the Michigan government doesn't agree with you:

 

Misinformation campaign concerning Antrim County expected to continue

 

https://www.michigan.gov/som/0,4669,7-192-47796-546936--,00.html

[Fat is a type of crazy]

23 minutes ago, riclag said:

 "On Monday morning, Circuit Court Judge Kevin Elsenheimer allowed supporters of President Donald Trump to publicly release and discuss information they've collected through a forensic analysis of tabulators and data in the 23,000-person Northern Michigan county".

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/14/michigan-judge-allows-release-report-antrim-county-voting/6537394002/

 

This was under protective order  before and this judge decided to release it!

Trump's Official Election Defense Fund has raised 100's of millions to fight such battles and I urge Trump supporters on this site to donate more. I am sure it is not a scam and your money will be used well. Your Leader would not lie to you. 

[Lacessit]

Every time we switch on a computer of any kind we are placing our trust in an electronic system. Billions of people shop, bank and communicate that way. What makes an electronic voting system any different, apart from conspiracy theory?

While Trump may rail against electronic voting systems, I'll bet he loved the hundreds of electronic poker machines in the casinos he formerly owned. All set at a 15% return to the house. Which does raise the question, how the hell do you go broke owning a casino?

[Credo]

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Every time we switch on a computer of any kind we are placing our trust in an electronic system. Billions of people shop, bank and communicate that way. What makes an electronic voting system any different, apart from conspiracy theory?

While Trump may rail against electronic voting systems, I'll bet he loved the hundreds of electronic poker machines in the casinos he formerly owned. All set at a 15% return to the house. Which does raise the question, how the hell do you go broke owning a casino?

You do know that every vote is done on a paper ballot, don't you?  The paper ballots are then fed into the tabulating machines.  When they do a hand recount, it is of the paper ballots.   

 

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

 "On Monday morning, Circuit Court Judge Kevin Elsenheimer allowed supporters of President Donald Trump to publicly release and discuss information they've collected through a forensic analysis of tabulators and data in the 23,000-person Northern Michigan county".

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/14/michigan-judge-allows-release-report-antrim-county-voting/6537394002/

 

This was under protective order  before and this judge decided to release it!

Amazing you're still falling for this stuff! Incredible.  Give it up.  It's over.  Please, for the sake of our nation.

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

In a perfect world why can't we just do the election all over again with no mail in ballets except for those living over seas and the military, and nursing homes. Also hand ballets would add time but less problems in the end. And than if Joe Biden wins we must all have to except it, and move on.

The US has been doing mail in ballots for a few hundred years.  The process works.  Don't fall for the fake news that says it doesn't.  But seems you have.

 

P.S. Biden won.

[Credo]

2 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Amazing you're still falling for this stuff! Incredible.  Give it up.  It's over.  Please, for the sake of our nation.

What's even more amazing is that it is a county that Trump won!

 

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

In a perfect world why can't we just do the election all over again with no mail in ballets except for those living over seas and the military, and nursing homes. Also hand ballets would add time but less problems in the end. And than if Joe Biden wins we must all have to except it, and move on.

In a perfect world why dont you just accept trump lost.

[Jeffr2]

Some interesting polls.  Seems Trump's supporters are starting to let go, and embrace Biden.  Not all, but more than a few months ago.  At least his cult members feel embarrassed by how they handled this.  Great news.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-two-thirds-of-voters-feel-hopeful

No surprise, Democrats are most likely to describe their post-election feelings as hopeful (90 percent), relieved (87 percent), and excited (79 percent).  For Republicans, the top responses are angry (67 percent), scared (60 percent), and embarrassed (59 percent). 

[Jeffr2]

2 minutes ago, Sujo said:

In a perfect world why dont you just accept trump lost.

Trump's cult members live in an alternate reality.  They have for years.

[mtls2005]

Have they found the Kraken they released yet?

 

Maybe that "all you can eat" calmari promotion at Red Lobster is explained?

 

 

[Eric Loh]

15 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Some interesting polls.  Seems Trump's supporters are starting to let go, and embrace Biden.  Not all, but more than a few months ago.  At least his cult members feel embarrassed by how they handled this.  Great news.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-two-thirds-of-voters-feel-hopeful

No surprise, Democrats are most likely to describe their post-election feelings as hopeful (90 percent), relieved (87 percent), and excited (79 percent).  For Republicans, the top responses are angry (67 percent), scared (60 percent), and embarrassed (59 percent). 

Good link mate. Trump's supporters will eventually come around. The same phenomenon when covid pandemic hit US in the initial stage. There was an initial surge of approval for Trump when supporters "rally round the flag". Then the gradual decline in approval rating started after a number of controversial statement like advocating unproven drug, injecting disinfectant and neglecting expert opinions. His constant celebration of the stock market and disregard of CDC policies like masking in the midst of surging infections and deaths piled in on his decline culminating with his election lost. I see the same effect now. Supporters are rallying round him after his lost but will wear off when lawsuits thrown out, inept lawyers bordering on silliness and Trump's continuous broken promises of election turn around. Supporters in general will grow tire and lose hope and will move on. 

[onthedarkside]

Posts commenting on other forum members, along with replies, have been removed. Such posts are in violation of forum rules:

 

25) No public discussion is allowed with regard to other forum members...