Attorney Ivan Raiklin Plots To Overturn North Carolina Election Results For Trump In 2024
SELMA, NC — Ivan Raiklin, a lawyer previously linked to efforts to challenge the 2020 election results, has outlined a controversial plan to disrupt the 2024 presidential election results in North Carolina. During the far-right ReAwaken America Tour in Selma, NC, Raiklin proposed a strategy to challenge any unfavorable outcome for Donald Trump, aiming to pressure state lawmakers into bypassing the election results if needed.
Raiklin, a former Green Beret, has raised alarms in Congress by positioning himself as a future “Secretary of Retribution” in a new Trump administration, reportedly compiling an enemies list of more than 300 members of the supposed “Deep State.”
Known for his close association with Trump allies such as Michael Flynn, Raiklin suggested that if Trump lost in North Carolina, the state legislature should intervene to award its 16 Electoral College votes to Trump regardless of the actual vote count. His plan revolves around exploiting the GOP majorities in both the state House and Senate, calling for them to convene in an emergency session in early 2025, just before the Electoral College certification in Congress. He urged attendees to pressure legislative leaders to override any victory by the Democratic candidate.
Raiklin asserted that the impacts of Hurricane Helene could disproportionately impact GOP voters and affect the results of the 2024 election beyond the margin of a feared Democratic victory. So he called on attendees to exert pressure on the speaker of the North Carolina state House, Tim Moore, and the president of the North Carolina Senate, scandal-beleaguered Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, to be willing to subvert any vote count that favors Kamala Harris, and to transform the state’s GOP legislative majorities into a rubber stamp, awarding North Carolina’s 16 Electoral College votes to Trump.
During his speech, Raiklin cited the U.S. Constitution, claiming that state legislatures have the authority to select electors independently. While it is true that the Constitution grants states the power to decide how electors are chosen, any attempt to change the process after the election would be legally dubious. And according to the Constitution Center, Raiklin’s dream of an early 2025 emergency session by the North Carolina legislature would be far too late. The “safe harbor” date for all Electoral College disputes to be settled is Dec. 8, and federal law mandates that the results must be delivered to Congress by Dec. 25.
Despite legal constraints, Raiklin appeared unconcerned, encouraging the crowd to take whatever steps necessary to secure a Trump victory in North Carolina. His remarks, emphasizing pressure tactics and bypassing established electoral procedures, have raised alarms among election experts and advocates for fair voting practices. Critics warn that such rhetoric undermines public confidence in the electoral process and risks further dividing an already polarized electorate. Raiklin’s comments have been interpreted as an attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the vote even before it takes place, suggesting that the state legislature could override the will of the voters. This proposal threatens to erode trust in the fairness and stability of elections, a fundamental pillar of American democracy.
Raiklin’s speech, where he framed his proposal as “legal, moral, ethical, peaceful, and patriotic,” has been interpreted as an attempt to normalize the idea of contesting election results through political maneuvering rather than respecting the democratic vote. By urging his audience to “take back the state, and then take back the country,” Raiklin is stoking fears of a repeat of the kind of efforts seen in the aftermath of the 2020 election, which culminated in the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
The proposal underscores the growing trend of challenging and undermining election results when they don’t favor a particular political outcome. Such actions threaten to destabilize public trust in the democratic process, creating a dangerous precedent where election outcomes could be disregarded based on partisan interests. As the 2024 election approaches, maintaining the integrity of the electoral system will be crucial in ensuring that all voters can have faith in a fair and just process.
Feature image credit: Ivan Raiklin speaks at an election security seminar in New Hampshire in November 2021. (Brian Snyder/Reuters/File)