Kamala makes pro-McAuliffe video to be illegally played in over 300 Black churches in Virginia
CNN reports:
More than 300 Black churches across Virginia will hear from Vice President Kamala Harris between Sunday and election day in a video message that will air during morning services as part of an outreach effort aimed to boost McAuliffe.
In the video, first obtained by CNN, Harris said her time growing up in Oakland's 23rd Avenue Church of God taught her it was a "sacred responsibility" to "lift up the voices of our community."
"I believe that my friend Terry McAuliffe is the leader Virginia needs at this moment," says Harris, before praising McAuliffe's "long-track record of getting things done for the people of Virginia."
Harris implores congregants to vote following church service. The McAuliffe campaign has embraced "Souls to the Polls," block-party style events featuring top campaign surrogates after church near polling locations, to drive voter turnout.
This election is the first year Virginians will be able to vote on Sunday.
You can watch the video here:
NEW -- More than 300 Black churches across VA will hear from @KamalaHarris btwn Sun. and November 2 in video message that will air during morning services as part of outreach effort aimed to boost @TerryMcAuliffe.#VAGOV
— Eva McKend (@evamckend) October 16, 2021
Video first obtained by CNNhttps://t.co/vaefXtWqUe pic.twitter.com/l8re0KUkN1
This is blatantly illegal, crossing the line into outright advocacy of voting a certain way right after church, now that Sunday voting is legal in Virginia for the first time (emphases added):
So Virginians, you have the opportunity now to raise your voice through our vote, because it's election time. As you know, this is an important election coming up on Tuesday, November 2. And early voting is already underway.
I believe that my friend Terry McAuliffe is the leader Virginia needs at this moment. Terry McAuliffe has a long track record of getting things done for the people of Virginia. When he was governor, in the wake of the Recession, you'll remember, he brought 200,000 jobs to Virginians. Incomes went up, and unemployment went down in every city and county of the state.
And now Terry McAuliffe is stepping up again, with a clear vision about how to rebuild Virginia's economy for the future: to raise the minimum wage, to make healthcare more affordable, to give every child a world-class education. Virginians, you deserve a leader who has a vision of what is possible, and the experience to realize that vision. Terry McAuliffe is that leader.
In 2020. more Virginians voted than ever before. And because you did, you helped send President Joe Biden and me to the White House. This year, I know that you will send Terry McAuliffe back to Richmond.
So, early voting has already started. And this is the first year that you can vote on Sunday. So please, vote after today's service. And if you cannot vote today, make a plan to go vote.
Byron York tweets to IRS particulars:
From the IRS: https://t.co/ogyCuwvmCW https://t.co/OvPwnlqiu9 pic.twitter.com/cLCX0jcBdC
— Byron York (@ByronYork) October 17, 2021
As Mary Walter notes in a tweet, the Dems know and don't care because they'll get away with it.
Dems know what they're doing is illegal but they also know nothing will happen until after it's done. So they get to influence the election & no one is held accountable.
— Mary Walter (@MaryWalterRadio) October 17, 2021
Once again, where is the .@GOP?!! https://t.co/p7uq1pv5Rt
This will stop only when some Black churches lose their tax-exempt status for partisan campaign activities. How likely is Lois Lerner's successor to care about enforcing this law?
In today's racial climate, enforcing the law that would be called racist and denounced as "violence" — to be countered by real violence, most likely.
Update: As Rebecca Downs points out at Townhall:
The IRS might want to check in on the churches where Stacey Abrams is campaigning on behalf of Democratic gubernatorial candidate McAuliffe as well. As Will Weissert reported for AP, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams made appearances at three churches in Norfolk, Virginia, including Second Calvary Baptist Church and Faith Deliverance Christian Center.
Hat tip: Roger Luchs.
Photo credit: Twitter video screen grab.
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