Deadline: White House "What this is really all about"
Feb 18, 2026
Aisha Gomez, Minnesota state representative who survived political violence and speaks on civic aftermath. Angelo Carasone, Media Matters president who analyzes right-wing media tactics. Nick Corsonetti, elections reporter tracking midterm and redistricting moves. Mark Elias, voting-rights lawyer who litigates high-profile election cases. They discuss election lies, manufactured narratives, federalization of vote counting, and targeted suppression.
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ICE Focus Despite Little Evidence
- The White House directed DHS/ICE to review immigrant-related voter registrations despite scant evidence of widespread noncitizen voting.
- Officials found the problem extremely rare, yet the administration amplified it politically.
Don't Hide From The Threats
- Recognize and respond to threats openly rather than hiding from them.
- Mark Elias counsels legal and public pushback, noting his firm is litigating in more than 80 places.
Narrative Lays Ground For Federal Takeover
- The immigration-voting narrative serves to demonize migrants and justify federal takeover of state vote counting.
- Mark Elias warns Trump aims to seize counting authority to manufacture nonexistent votes if needed.