Article without the misty paywall:

Some state election officials say they no longer trust their federal partners.

The email that federal law enforcement sent this week to the nation’s top election administrators would have been routine just a few years ago. “Your election partners,” the Tuesday missive from FBI Election Executive Kellie Hardiman read, “would like to invite you to a call where we can discuss preparations for the cycle.”

But multiple secretaries of state who received the document told us they viewed it as a threat, given recent events. The FBI had just seized 2020 election materials in Georgia, and President Trump had announced his desire to “nationalize” elections, a state responsibility under the U.S. Constitution. The Department of Justice has sued more than 20 states to obtain their election rolls, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is conducting an investigation of U.S. voting technology. The upshot is that a yearslong partnership between state and federal authorities—in which the feds have provided assistance on election security and protected state and local voting systems from threats—is now in danger of falling apart. Instead of “partners,” some state authorities now view federal officials involved in election efforts with deep suspicion.

“The trust,” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told us, “has been absolutely destroyed.” The sentiment is not confined to Democrats. Some state-level Republican election officials, who, like others interviewed for this story, requested anonymity to speak freely, said that federal officials’ activities involving elections have become so unusual that they are starting to question the federal officials’ competency and motives. These state officials wonder whether the feds are trying to do what Trump has accused others of doing: rig an election._

Really leaning into their snuff films now instead of looking for public views.

FBI agents have really hit the bottom of the barrel in recruitment.

Heh. Renting with extra steps … 😉

Wouldn’t, speaking from a non US perspective, bylaws handle that though. Noise, trash, unwanted cold calling, I’m looking at you Jehovahs, to enforce that action. Or does this work as a front line against that ?

It is such a strange concept. I’ve never really cottened on to why they exist or what the benefits are to them only the bad news about what they do. I had a gaming colleague in Wales that lived in an area where they had to get permission on what colour to paint their house. Just unfathomably comedic about the whole concept really.

They’ve killed in captivity, had one ruled a homicide by an examiner, publicly executed 2 in front of cameras and so far they’ve managed to at least have their budget increased. At some point something will break.

Edit Removed ‘We’ from the initial start sentence as I’m dumb and can’t type.

I’m sure they’ve taken Tim’s stern criticism on board and will begin withdrawing ICE from the state any day now.

I think people over there are going to need bigger placards to march with. The current ones don’t appear to be getting the lefts current message across.

“They would rather be right, than effective”. Which is why we are where we are.

Can’t have them reading up on laws and rights when put in prison. The innocent might get out.