Former Special Forces Are Being Recruited To “Guard” Minn. Polling Places Against “The Antifas”

From the Minnesota Reformer:

By Max Nesterak

October 9, 2020

A Tennessee-based security firm is recruiting former U.S. Special Operations personnel to guard polling places in Minnesota on Election Day against “the Antifas.”

The Washington Post reported on Friday that the private security company Atlas Aegis posted an ad this week on a defense industry job site for “security positions in Minnesota during the November Election and beyond to protect election polls, local businesses and residences from looting and destruction.”

Atlas Aegis Co-founder and Chairman Anthony Caudle told the Post that the effort is being paid for by a consortium of business owners and citizens in Minnesota who are worried about looting and arson like that which happened following the police killing of George Floyd in May.

Armed military veterans patrolling polling locations would most certainly violate Minnesota laws against voter intimidation and alarmed Minnesota’s top election official Steve Simon.

“It’s not a good use of people’s time and money to arm themselves or others at or near a polling place,” Simon told the Post. “It’s not helping … Law enforcement on the state and federal level, with whom we are in constant touch, have a good handle on the situation.”

Minnesota law doesn’t permit any political activity besides voting within 100 feet of a polling location. Minnesota does allow poll challengers, but has detailed rules about who may contest another voter’s ballot and how. Poll challengers must be Minnesota residents and may only contest a voter’s ballot if they have personal knowledge of that voter’s ineligibility.

President Donald Trump has raised the spectre of military personnel guarding polling locations to prevent fraud despite there being virtually no reason to suspect it and not having the authority to do so.

Antifa is short for “anti-fascists” and refers to an unorganized political movement of people who believe in violently confronting right-wing extremists. It’s unclear why the reported “consortium” would fear antifa attacks on the election.

The Department of Homeland Security considers white supremacists — not antifa — the deadliest domestic terror threat in the United States.

The Minnesota Reformer is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to keeping Minnesotans informed and unearthing stories other outlets can’t or won’t tell..