While Jill Stein tilts at windmills in Michigan and Wisconsin, for dubious purposes (having given up on Pennsylvania), North Carolina’s Governor Pat McCrory is using every weapon at his disposal to assure that the integrity of the vote in the Old North State is maintained.

On Saturday, during an emergency session of the North Carolina Board of Elections, one Republican board member, James Baker, joined with the Democrats on the board to dismiss a complaint coming out of Bladen County, NC, in regards to an absentee ballot mill believed to be perpetrated by a Democrat-funded PAC.

At issue were approximately 400 absentee ballots, all marked straight Democrat ticket, but filled out by the same hand, according to a handwriting expert who had examined the ballots.

The original complaint was brought by a candidate for Bladen County’s soil and water district supervisor spot.

Said Baker of his decision to join with Democrats:

“I don’t see how we could deprive them of their vote … for every other race because we have some pretty serious misgivings about the soil and water race,” Baker said at the close of four hours of testimony and discussion. The board’s other two Republicans voted against dismissal.

Yes. That was a supposed Republican sitting in leadership on the state Board of Elections suggesting that just because there is reason to believe there is corruption on one vote on the ballot, that doesn’t mean every other vote on that ballot isn’t on the up-and-up.

Whether Mr. Baker was just having a slow moment, or if this is the general mode of business for the NC BoE, I am not in a position to say, but I think I got a small brain bleed from reading that nonsensical statement of “logic.”

Governor McCrory isn’t actually sold, either, but he’s doing something about it, rather than the shoulder-shrugging that seems to be common with the state board when there are legitimate concerns that need addressing.

Immediately after Saturday evening’s meeting, McCrory’s office issued a statement.

Governor Pat McCrory has requested that the State Bureau of Investigation look into voting irregularities in Bladen County. This request follows the unanimous vote by the State Board of Elections to refer the matter to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District.

“We have an obligation to ensure that every vote is counted accurately and that our elections process is conducted legally,” said Governor McCrory. “Any verified instance of voter fraud or other illegal activity should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

I would just as soon see this entire election taken out of the hands of North Carolina’s Board of Elections. They have proven unwilling to devote themselves to ensuring that the integrity of this election is upheld, or simply incapable.