Election judge letter compares Nazi rise to 2020 in America
When Patsy Davis of Harmony got a letter from a local precinct's judge of election, she thought it was a request to be a poll worker.
What she actually received, however, was a hefty tome comparing 2020 America to Germany under fascist rule.
The letter, a seven-page document that wavers between modern day and 1933 and is divided into 14 chapters, an introduction and a conclusion, was sent by Jim Hulings, a Harmony resident and judge of election. In it, Hulings argues that “America's rush to socialism” closely mirrors the rise of the Nazi Party in 1930s Germany.
Davis alleged that Hulings sent it only to registered Democrats in the borough because her husband, a registered Republican, did not receive one. However, Hulings said he sent it to his neighbors regardless of their party affiliation, something he said he typically does when sending such missives to others.“I send out a lot of information to people,” he added.Hulings also said he sent out the letter as a private individual, not in his capacity as a judge of election, a member of the county Republican committee nor as any other position he holds.
Throughout the letter, Hulings elaborates on what he sees as parallels between Nazi Germany and the modern United States, including the politicization of police, suspensions of civil rights, using “the Racism Card” and ethnic cleansing through abortions. While he argued many of these restrictions came about from the “Chinese Wuhan Virus” and mass protests following the death of George Floyd, he said others have been years in the making.“Because the deep state was obsessed with overthrowing Donald Trump, we were forced to turn our national pride into national shame,” he wrote. “People began to kneel in disrespect for America' (sic) National Anthem. We accepted the new Black National Anthem, painted our streets with Black Lives Matter, renamed our streets and parks Black Lives Matter and allowed our monuments and history destroyed.”The letter more pointedly criticizes the Democratic Party in a chapter titled “Disarm and Murder.”“In 2020 America, we are one election away from being disarmed. We will be losing our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms,” it reads. “The democrats (sic) are coming. They said so.”Hulings said he knew the letter would be taken politically, and it was never his intention to remain apolitical in sending it.“It's not politically neutral. Far from it,” he said. “I would say it's anti-ANTIFA and anti-BLM. I think it's pro-American.”His goal, he said, was to inform people about what he views as the parallels between Nazi Germany and modern America, perhaps changing some voters' minds in the process. But Davis said that wasn't what he accomplished.“If he sent the letter thinking it was going to change my mind, he was off the mark,” she said.
Hulings described his role as judge of election — itself an elected position — as being responsible “for a fair and honest election.” Election judges, alongside the majority and minority inspectors, handle challenges to voters' eligibility and ensure the results are returned to the county election office.Because election judges only work for the county two days each year, Al Lindsay, county Republican committee chairman, argued Hulings' letter should not be taken as a potential indicator of bias.“The only comment I have is that Jim is expressing his political viewpoints, which he is entitled to do. It's a position he's stating strongly, and this is America,” he said. “As far as I'm concerned, I've seen this, I don't think there's any problem with Jim expressing his views. I don't know that would be the same case if he expressed this opinion in the polling place itself.”Catherine Lalonde, chairwoman of the county Democratic committee, took a more political viewpoint on the letter than did Lindsay.“I agree that he's entitled to express what he believes, but I also think the Republican Party, perhaps it's because they don't have a platform to offer, are running on fear, and, to me, that's what the letter is about,” she said.Aaron Sheasley, director of the county's Bureau of Elections, said Hulings' role as an election judge did not preclude his right to free speech, but noted he understands some in the borough may feel uneasy with Hulings' having sent that letter and asked those voters to contact his office with any concerns.“Mr. Hulings is a judge of elections two days out of every year,” Sheasley said. “Outside of those two days, he is a regular citizen with First Amendment rights. While I do not share the views in the paper, it is his constitutional right” to publish such views.
