Newly Formed Democracy Defender Super PAC Election Coup
A newly formed Democracy Defender Super PAC has recently formed to aggressively fight any federal or state GOP election challenges before, during and after the November election.
A newly formed Democracy Defender Super PAC has recently formed to aggressively fight any federal or state GOP election challenges before, during and after the November election. The August 5, 2024, newly filed FEC filing form application states the organization is "a political committee with both contribution and non-contribution accounts (Hybrid PAC)." The headquarters is based in Washington D.C. with Custodians of Record officials Joshua and Allison Rice as treasurers.
Per multiple reporting, the PAC will be led by former president Barack Obama's 2012 campaign manager, Jim Messina, Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, chief legal advisor, and Norm Eisen as chief legal counsel. TJ Ducklo who worked on both the 2016 and 2020 Biden presidential campaign stepped down from the Harris campaign to be the chief strategist, reports NBC. What a cast of characters reminiscent of years past who started the lawfare on President Trump and his allies. The biographies of the unethical "Jack the Ripper" fierce devils should truly frighten anyone who cares about 'free and fair' elections and the rule of law in America moving into the November election cycle and beyond.
Who is Jim Messina
US President Barack Obama speaks as Organizing for Action head Jim Messina (L) looks on during an Organizing for Action dinner on March 13, 2013 at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, DC. Messina was the manager of Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Image
As deputy chief of staff for Barack Obama, Mr. Messina became known as the chief enforcer, fixer and CEO for Obama, after lead enforcer top lieutenant Rahm Emanuel left to move back to Chicago. And a life-long friend of David Plouffe who is now the senior advisor to Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential campaign. In 2013, Messina launched The Messina Group. In this role, Messina provides strategic consulting to businesses around the world. The firm has been involved in public policy campaigns on five continents. Since then Jim has led his team at The Messina Group in advising over thirteen Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents including: UK’s Theresa May and David Cameron, Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, Italy’s Matteo Renzi, and in 2016, helped Spain’s President Mariano Rajoy win a surprising re-election margin, per the Messina Group website. Mr. Messina will head up the Democracy Defender SuperPAC.
Who is Allegra Lawrence-Hardy?
Ms. Allegra is a longtime friend of former Georgian gubernatorial contender Stacy Abrams and lead counsel at the law firm which received $9.4 million from the Abrams’ group, Fair Fight Action challenging in the 2018 gubernatorial race when Ms. Abrams lost by 1.4 percentage points. Stacy Abrams repeatedly and publicly refused to concede the 2018 gubernatorial race claiming there was widespread voter suppression. Ms. Allegra will be chief legal advisor to the newly formed Democracy Defender Super PAC. Fair Fight Action is currently pushing back on two Georgia election integrity laws Senate Bill 202 and Senate Bill 189. Per Yahoo News, the bills include allowing county election board members to conduct a “reasonable inquiry“ before certifying election results in November and requiring ballots be hand-counted to ensure their totals match the number of people who voted on Election Day, a stipulation metro Atlanta election board leaders have complained may be impossible to complete within six days, as required by state law. On August 19, 2024, Fair Fight issued a press statement opposing the Georgia election integrity regulatory codes saying "The MAGA efforts to change Georgia’s election certification rules, being pushed by GA GOP and RNC operatives and approved by State Election Board members, build on other efforts by Trump allies to obstruct certification."
Who is TJ Ducklo?
Mr. Ducklo earned a bachelor of arts degree in political communications from George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs in 2011. Mr. Ducklo worked for a short period of time as the Deputy White House Press Secretary for Joe Biden in 2021. In February 2021, Mr. Ducklo threatened Tara Palmeri, a co-author of an article that was ready to print in Politico's Playbook about his unethical romantic relationship with Axios reporter Alexi McCammond. When Mr. Ducklo became aware of the soon to be released article, he then called the editor of Politico requesting the news outlet not print the article. The editor told Mr. Ducklo to contact Ms. Palmeri directly and what transpired next was truly appalling. Mr. Ducklo directly threatened Ms. Palmeri during the phone call saying "I will destroy you” according to sources, adding that he would ruin her reputation if she published it." The article was eventually printed in Puck News. Mr. Ducklo landed the Communications Director position for Nashville Democrat Mayor John Cooper in April 2022. Three years later after stepping down from Deputy Press Secretary for President Joe Biden, Mr. Ducklo rejoined the Biden re-election campaign as a Communications Advisor. He will now be the Chief Strategist for the Democracy Defender SuperPAC.
Who Is Norm Eisen?
Norm Eisen, a prominent lawyer and former Obama Administration official recruited Never Trumper Republicans and Democrats to the board of the Voter Protection Program. The Voter Protection Project (VPP) is one of the largest voting rights organizations in the country. Their charter is to fight on the frontlines to stop Republicans’ election integrity measures stating these safeguards are an attack "on our right to vote by ensuring every American has the right to cast a ballot."
VPP agenda is to ensure that every state has:
Automatic voter registration and online voter registration
Same day registration
Convenient early voting
“No excuse” absentee voting
An adequate number of polling locations, personnel, and voting booths
Restoration of voting rights to previously convicted Americans who have completed their sentences
Pre-paid postage for absentee voting
Eliminate voter ID requirements
The PAC was extremely active in the 2020 election, spending over $8 million on left-of-center candidates aligned with the PAC’s vision of removing election security laws across the country. VPP endorsed 80+ voting rights advocates in the 2022 midterm cycle including 15 House Democrats spending $5,789,678.
Mr. Eisen was part of the 100 team member staff on the infamous Transition Integrity Project (TIP). The TIP was first concocted in November 2019 by some of the most ardent Trump hating Democrats and Republicans including disgraced former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile who gave the debate questions to Hillary Clinton prior to the 2016 Presidential Trump Clinton debate. How does she still have a job? TIP was created by Georgetown law professor Rosa Brooks and historian and think tank contributor Nils Gilman “out of concern that the Trump administration may seek to manipulate, ignore, undermine or disrupt the 2020 presidential election and transition process.” The TIP predicted mail-in ballots would increase in large numbers with Donald Trump possibly objecting to the final outcome. Four tabletop wargame scenarios were drafted providing different defenses to the challenges of the November 2020 election. Other members on the team included Never Trump Republican and former Republican individuals: Reed Galen, a key organizer of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, Bill Kristol, Max Boot, David Frum, and others.
The report highlighted "The concept of “election night,” is no longer accurate and indeed is dangerous. We face a period of contestation stretching from the first day a ballot is cast in mid-September until January 20. The winner may not, and we assess likely will not, be known on “election night” as officials count mail-in ballots. This period of uncertainty provides opportunities for an unscrupulous candidate to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the process and to set up an unprecedented assault on the outcome. Campaigns, parties, the press and the public must be educated to adjust expectations starting immediately."
“Address the two biggest threats head on: lies about “voter fraud” and escalating violence. Voting fraud is virtually non-existent, but Trump lies about it to create a narrative designed to politically mobilize his base and to create the basis for contesting the results should he lose. The potential for violent conflict is high, particularly since Trump encourages his supporters to take up arms.”
The concept of the hybrid newly filed Democracy Defender Super PAC originated by former January 6th Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, to take on the MAGA extremists and the massive super PACs that 'undermine democracy' during his 2024 primary campaign. When searching for the website of Democracy Defender Super Pac, the Harry Dunn Democracy Defender Super Pac populates; thus, I assume the website hasn't been updated as of yet. Perjuring himself multiple times as a witness for the prosecution of January 6th defendants, Officer Harry Dunn than ran for the Maryland 3rd District congressional seat in 2024 amongst 22 primary candidates for which he eventually lost. The only Democracy Defender Super PAC filing (FEC-1808071) paperwork available as of yet reports only the principle treasurers and the Amalgamated Bank as the depository for the Super PAC.
The same power players from the old days have inserted themselves into the 2024 presidential campaign election cycle and is shaping up to be another highly contested election season on both sides of the aisle. Will the Republicans be ready for what they are about to face regarding the challenges, the negative media blitz' and outright shenanigans that is about to unfold?