An ultra-conservative Texas politician who believes seniors would rather die from Covid-19 than permit the pandemic to hurt the financial system is pushing one other baseless principle, and dangling a million-dollar bounty for proof that Donald Trump is being cheated of victory within the presidential election.
Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of the lone star state, says he’s providing the cash to “incentivize, encourage and reward” residents who can present proof of voter fraud, despite the fact that the president beat Joe Biden in Texas by nearly 650,000 votes.
“I assist President Trump’s efforts to establish voter fraud within the presidential election and his dedication to creating positive that each authorized vote is counted and each unlawful vote is disqualified,” Patrick mentioned in an announcement, reported by ABC13 in Austin.
“The delays in counting mail-in ballots in different states raises extra questions on voter fraud and potential errors.”
To that finish, Patrick is providing the payout in chunks of at the least $25,000 to each one that offers info that results in a conviction. The cash will come from Patrick’s marketing campaign funds, in response to a spokesperson.
There isn’t any proof of widespread voter fraud or malfeasance in Texas or some other state, regardless of the repeated efforts of Trump and his supporters to forged doubt over the integrity of the three November election.
Patrick’s press launch additionally contained no proof of mass voter fraud, and as a substitute cited a single episode wherein a care house social employee was arrested for allegedly making an attempt to register 67 of its residents to vote, apparently with out their information.
By comparability, Trump’s lead in Texas over Biden was 647,076 votes on Wednesday afternoon, with greater than 99% of the state’s ballots counted.
Patrick created controversy in March for his feedback on retaining the financial system open through the coronavirus pandemic, which on Wednesday noticed Texas develop into the primary US state to surpass 1m infections.
“Nobody reached out to me and mentioned, ‘As a senior citizen, are you prepared to take an opportunity in your survival in trade for retaining the America that every one America loves on your youngsters and grandchildren?’” Patrick mentioned.
“And if that’s the trade, I’m all in. That doesn’t make me noble or courageous or something like that. I simply suppose there are many grandparents on the market on this nation like me.”