The 9 discarded ballots were tossed because Republicans won their lawsuit requiring them to not be counted

The 9 discarded ballots were tossed because Republicans won their lawsuit requiring them to not be counted

“Because these ballots were returned in envelopes similar to absentee ballot requests, elections officials opened them,” The Washington Post reports. “If the ballots weren’t then enclosed in another envelope which shielded the actual vote being cast, they may have been considered ‘naked ballots,’ a term used to describe mail ballots returned without the voter’s intent being protected.

The Trump campaign and the Pennsylvania GOP in a lawsuit argued that “naked ballots” should not be counted. They won that lawsuit. These nine ballots appear to be “naked ballots,” and that appears to be the reason they were thrown out.

Related:

Voting by mail in Pa.? Don’t forget to use the secrecy envelope to avoid ‘electoral chaos,’ official warns

The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, supported the Democratic Party’s effort in court. But Republicans, including President Donald Trump’s campaign, the state Republican Party and Republican legislative leaders, have argued in court that the law requires mail-in ballots without secrecy envelopes to be invalidated.

Barr Personally Briefed Trump on DOJ Investigation Into 9 Discarded Ballots

It is generally not regular practice for an attorney general to brief a president about a small situation. It is almost unheard of for the DOJ to issue a press release or comment on an investigation in progress, especially to reveal major details about the case.

[2018] Where Did Donald Trump Go to College? 5 Fast Facts

Where did presidential candidate Donald Trump go to college, and what were his grades like?
— Read on heavy.com/news/2016/05/where-did-donald-trump-go-to-college-education-young-biography-news/

“Though Trump rarely mentions Fordham, he often flaunts his degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; he graduated from the prestigious Ivy League school in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. According to The Daily Pennsylvanian, he said in a speech back in July, “I went to the Wharton School of Finance. I’m, like, a really smart person.” He also told Meet the Press, that Wharton is “probably the hardest [school] there is to get into.” 

According to Salon, though, Gwenda Blair wrote in her biography that Trump was admitted into Wharton mainly due to an interview with an admissions officer who was friends with Freddy, Donald’s older brother. Many have also speculated that his father’s prestigious status played a major part in Trump’s acceptance into the university.”