Here We Go: In LA, Police Investigate the Possible Arson That Burned up a Ballot Box

AP featured image — AP Photo/Noah Berger

Well, this just seems about right.

In Los Angeles, a ballot drop box has been set ablaze.

Call it a metaphor…or a sign of the times. Hopefully, it isn’t the first of many.

2020 appears to be a year of heat — burning cities, California wildfires.

Globing warming’s being scrutinized — not in the oceans, but above our brows: Get out much, and enjoy a headshot from a fever gun to see if you’ve caught the corona.

On society’s spit: society itself, in too many ways to list here.

And now, the burning of a box representing — dare I say it? — democracy itself.

As reported by Fox News, police have opened an investigation into arson.

The fire — just outside the city library — was begun around 8:30 p.m. in the east-of-LA area of Baldwin Park.

VOTING BALLOTS SET ABLAZE: Authorities are investigating after a ballot box was set on fire Sunday night in Baldwin Park. The fire may have compromised dozens of votes. https://t.co/ZIqh6IdCS6

— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) October 19, 2020

The Los Angeles Fire Department came to the rescue, but not before ballots were baked.

From Fox:

A number of ballots were reportedly inside the box. Investigators say they believe the ballot box was set on fire on purpose.

…

No arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified. Sgt. Juan Serrato told the paper that authorities took custody of the damaged ballots and they will be transferred to the county’s registrar-recorder’s office later Monday.

As you well know, this election’s seeing a surge in mail-in ballots ahead of November 3rd.

And both sides of the aisle have expressed distrust of what may transpire; what might cause a less-than-accurate count?

Arson’s a start. So is — as covered by RedState’s Brandon Morse Sunday — a Kentucky postal worker throwing away over 100 votes last week.

Brandon wrote thusly:

This is hardly an isolated story. News continues to surface of mistakes, fraud, and abuse of mail-in systems happening daily. My colleague Scott Hounsell reported that 400,000 ballots in California alone have been sent to people who either moved or died, opening the door for immense amounts of fraud to occur.

We’re presently in a very strange place — and not in a good way.

As for California drop boxes, there’s been a dust-up over collection and the GOP.

Back to FNC:

California’s ballot boxes gained national attention after state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla accused the California Republican Party of collecting ballots via unofficial ballot boxes in multiple counties.

The state Republican Party has removed their unstaffed, unofficial ballot drop boxes that state officials deemed illegal, California’s secretary of state said Friday, and subpoenas are being issued to get more information about them as the state attorney general looks into possible election law violations.

And if you’re wondering who’s voting this election, consider the curious case of constituent Cody Tims.

In July, Cody received his voter registration form in the mail.

That’s all well and good, but the Atlanta resident may have a hard time filling it out — he’s dead.

And not recently — Mr. Tims passed, regrettably, 12 years ago.

Still, even if he were up and around, he likely’d care little whether Trump triumphs or Joe ends up jubilant.

Cody, after all, was — and, out of respect, I’ll say is — a cat.

Still, if the feline had managed enfranchisement, it’d be nice to think his vote wouldn’t have gone up in smoke.

And hopefully, no others will.

Let’s hope all those wanting to bring more fierce fire to 2020…all those activist, anti-democracy hot heads — like Cody — remain cool cats.

-ALEX

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