[ad_1]
The latest face on the Roanoke Metropolis Electoral Board mentioned throughout a Jan. 28, 2021 podcast that he believed Donald Trump “truly” gained the 2020 presidential election, and doubtless “by thousands and thousands of votes.”
Throughout a distinct episode in March 2021, Al Bedrosian additionally steered Democrats had deserted policymaking to draw votes — and as an alternative have been counting on election fraud to win elections.
Bedrosian supplied no proof within the podcasts to assist both assertion. And he’s not speaking about them now.
The ex-Roanoke County supervisor joined the Roanoke Metropolis Electoral Board Jan. 1. He made the above feedback throughout separate episodes of a short-lived 2021 podcast, “U Can’t Say That!” The reveals function Bedrosian and Greg Aldridge, who as soon as led the now-defunct Roanoke Tea Occasion.
Twelve episodes, together with an in any other case undated 2020 model labeled “pilot,” are nonetheless accessible for viewing on the News Guardians YouTube channel. No less than one episode has been taken down and made “personal.”
Individuals are additionally studying…
I’ve watched all of the still-public ones. For essentially the most half, Bedrosian comes throughout because the better-grounded speaker, as they bandy over a variety of various subjects. General, they spend a tiny fraction of present time discussing the 2020 election or election fraud.
The primary occasion was during a January 26, 2021 episode, at 14:36, when Bedrosian mentioned:
“In years previous, I believe there have been lots of elections which have been frauded elections. They simply put [in] the individual they need. By no means earlier than within the historical past of America do I bear in mind seeing one million folks come to Washington as a result of they don’t seem to be joyful in regards to the fraud.
“Not that something was carried out, as a result of it simply appeared, like pushed over,” Bedrosian mentioned. “However we’re not dumb anymore. Our eyes are open to an extent.”
When requested about that remark final week, Bedrosian claimed he was referring to historical election fraud. As of Monday morning, that episode had garnered 58 views on YouTube.
A subsequent evaluate of the opposite “U Can’t Say That!” episodes revealed that shortly after President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Bedrosian mentioned he believed Trump “truly” gained the 2020 race.
That occurred during the Jan. 28, 2021 podcast, starting across the 12:14 mark. Bedrosian’s feedback adopted a suggestion by Aldridge that Democrats had roughly scapegoated Trump into dropping the election. Bedrosian disagreed.
“I’m not going with the truth that, uh, that he [Trump] was the explanation he misplaced. I believe he gained, truly. Can I say that? I can say that, proper? I can say that on this present,” Bedrosian mentioned.
“I believe, I believe he most likely gained by thousands and thousands of votes,” Bedrosian mentioned, including emphasis to “thousands and thousands.” So I believe it’s a ru-, I believe we’re seeing stuff not clearly.”
At that time, Aldridge interjects: “Oh, positive, and we’re by no means gonna know what the precise, authorized, authentic end result of final yr’s election is.”
Bedrosian agrees and provides: “We gained’t know.”
Moments later in that dialog, at 13:10, Bedrosian mused about getting concerned in native election-administration.
“I’d be very on this complete registrar’s workplace factor and the way you actually keep extra on prime of that even in a spot like Roanoke Metropolis, Roanoke County, Salem,” Bedrosian mentioned. (As of Monday, that episode had garnered 126 views on YouTube.)
On the March 9 podcast, Bedrosian steered Democrats had deserted attempting to draw votes by way of policymaking, and have been as an alternative counting on election fraud to keep up political energy. Listed here are his phrases, which start at 39:06 within the YouTube video:
“I suppose, there was a time once you wanted some type of coverage on the finish of the day that was good for the typical individual, as a result of when it comes time to vote, that individual appears at his pocketbook and begins voting for the one which helped them essentially the most.
“But it surely appears now, if additionally mixed with what you’re saying, you additionally repair the elections, and you’ve got, uh, sketchy if not whole fraud in elections, you don’t even want any of your insurance policies to actually work anymore. You simply do them, and when election time comes round you continue to win, as a result of who is aware of if the votes have been actual or not?
“And the Democrat wins once more and everyone says ‘Oh, I suppose they have been doing job,’ despite the fact that everybody begins affected by the insurance policies.” (As of Monday, that episode had 28 views.)
Bedrosian has not returned cellphone calls, texts or an e-mail from this newspaper concerning the Jan. 28 and March 9 podcasts. In addition to detailing quotes from the podcasts, the e-mail included hyperlinks to the movies and time stamps for the remarks in query.
Among the many questions I posed within the e-mail was whether or not Bedrosian presently believes Trump gained the 2020 election, and in that case, by what number of thousands and thousands of votes. I additionally requested Bedrosian whether or not his views on the 2020 end result fueled his need to serve on the board.
Every county and unbiased metropolis in Virginia has its personal three-person electoral board. Appointed members serve staggered three-year phrases, in order that one member’s time period concludes annually. Beneath state legislation, the boards are organized in keeping with which political celebration holds the governor’s workplace.
When it’s a Democrat, Democrats occupy two of the three seats on every electoral board. When the governor’s a Republican, Republicans get two of the board seats.
However the changeover doesn’t sometimes happen till the January following a brand new governor’s inauguration. It often occurs after one board member’s time period expires on the finish of the inaugural yr. The alternative should be from the identical political celebration because the governor.
Management of electoral boards throughout the state flipped from Democrats to Republicans on Jan. 1, when Democrats rotating off the boards have been changed by Republican appointees.
Earlier than the flip, the Roanoke City Electoral Board was composed of Chair Sharon Lazar, a Democrat, Anna Goltz, additionally a Democrat, and Charles Shell, a Republican. Goltz’s time period expired Dec. 31, and due to Youngkin’s election, state legislation required she get replaced by a Republican.
Charlie Nave, who chairs Roanoke’s Republican Committee, nominated three Republicans to fill the seat in a Dec. 15 letter to the judges of Roanoke’s Circuit Court docket. The primary nominee was Bedrosian. “I extremely advocate Al Bedrosian,” Nave wrote.
The opposite two Republican nominees have been Maynard Keller, who ran for The Roanoke Metropolis Council in November (however misplaced) and Paulette Lawson. “I’m additionally happy to advocate Maynard Keller and Paulette Lawson on your consideration,” Nave wrote in that letter.
Chief Circuit Choose Chris Clemens appointed Bedrosian Dec. 20. It’s customary for the chief choose to observe celebration leaders’ suggestions.
Additionally in December, Lazar introduced her resignation with one yr left in her time period. She mentioned she resigned as a result of it was getting tougher for her to do the bodily work a seat on the board requires.
Her husband, Roanoke Democratic Chair Mark Lazar, really helpful in a letter to the courtroom that Goltz be appointed to fill the yr remaining on his spouse’s time period. Clemens made that appointment as nicely.
It’s unclear whether or not Nave knew of Bedrosian’s views about election fraud and the 2020 end result on the time Nave nominated Bedrosian. Nave hasn’t responded to a voice message left at his legislation workplace, or two emails despatched there.
Amongst questions I posed within the emails have been why Nave promoted Bedrosian’s appointment over Keller and Lawson, and whether or not Nave was conscious of Bedrosian’s 2020 election views on the time he really helpful the appointment.
Though the all-Democrat Roanoke Metropolis Council has no energy to change Electoral Board appointments, its members have taken discover of Bedrosian’s.
Final week I learn the above Bedrosian quotes to Mayor Sherman Lea, who sounded shocked. Lea puzzled whether or not Bedrosian nonetheless believes Trump gained the election, or if he’s since modified his thoughts.
“The details concerning the 2020 election are well-known,” Lee mentioned. “Is he nonetheless caught up on this election-theft fiasco, when it’s been confirmed there was nothing improper with that election? With the Jan. 6 Committee, there was testimony from Trump’s personal workers that even Trump knew he misplaced the election.”
Furthermore, “lots of the Republicans who misplaced in 2022 believed that Trump gained,” Lea added. “Simply to maintain pushing that reveals they haven’t realized their lesson.”
Metropolis Councilman Luke Priddy suspects extra Republican election deniers have not too long ago been appointed to electoral boards throughout the commonwealth, as Democratic appointees rotated off and have been changed by Republicans.
“I doubt that is distinctive simply to the town of Roanoke, with the shift to 2 Republicans on every board,” he mentioned.
Priddy additionally famous Bedrosian took an oath of workplace, which is a critical matter.
“He’s nonetheless charged with following the legislation and carrying it out,” Priddy mentioned. “Whereas Al has somewhat excessive views, I do wish to suppose deep down [fair elections are] what he actually desires.”
The Roanoke Metropolis Electoral Board final met Dec. 19. It hasn’t but scheduled its first assembly of 2023. However the first assembly of the yr may show attention-grabbing.
Maybe we’ll discover out then if Al Bedrosian nonetheless believes Trump gained the 2020 election.
Contact metro columnist Dan Casey at 981-3423 or [email protected]. Comply with him on Twitter:@dancaseysblog.
Contact metro columnist Dan Casey at 981-3423 or [email protected]. Comply with him on Twitter:@dancaseysblog.
[ad_2]
Source link