COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Democrats are accusing Republicans and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign of conspiring to intimidate voters in at least four states just days ahead of the election.
In each lawsuit, the state’s Democratic party is seeking court action to preemptively block potential voter harassment or intimidation from Republican poll watchers or other observers.
The lawsuits were filed beginning Sunday in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Arizona against Trump’s campaign, each state’s Republican party and GOP operative Roger Stone, who runs the group “Stop the Steal.”
Trump has called on his supporters to act as “election observers” in certain areas of the country to help prevent fraud. That has stirred fears of voter intimidation and confrontations at the polls.
In a federal lawsuit filed in Cleveland, the Ohio Democratic Party accused Trump and Republicans of conspiring to threaten, intimidate and prevent minority voters from casting ballots in the perennial battleground state. The complaint cited comments Trump has made at rallies in Ohio and elsewhere.