Letters from an American

February 4, 2026

37 snips
Feb 5, 2026
Discussion of a push to seize federal control of elections after a surprising Texas state Senate flip. Revelations from Epstein files about Steve Bannon's influence and image laundering. Tracing long-running GOP myths about immigrant voting and the origins of 'Stop the Steal.' Historical parallels to the 1898 Wilmington coup and how racial politics shape modern fraud claims.
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INSIGHT

Longstanding Falsehood About Noncitizen Voting

  • Trump allies amplify claims that undocumented immigrants corrupt elections despite no evidence.
  • Heather Cox Richardson traces this rhetoric back to Republican attacks after the Motor Voter Act in 1994.
INSIGHT

Evidence Shows Tiny Incidence Of Noncitizen Votes

  • Investigations and fact-checks repeatedly failed to find widespread noncitizen voting.
  • Brennan Center outreach found only about 30 possible incidents out of 23.5 million votes in reviewed jurisdictions.
INSIGHT

'Stop The Steal' Became A Perpetual Narrativ

  • 'Stop the Steal' began during the 2016 GOP primaries and evolved into a broader tool to delegitimize Democratic wins.
  • Heather Cox Richardson shows how the tactic reframes any loss as fraud to sustain support.
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