The GOP has practiced a simple playbook for *years*: make up a bonkers story about massive fraud & announce an investigation. That generate breathless headlines & mistrust, & goes viral.

Later when story fizzles, that gets tiny shred of attention.

Brief thread for receipts. https://twitter.com/chrislhayes/status/1309516925081464845">https://twitter.com/chrislhay...

In November 2018, days before Georgia& #39;s elections, Brian Kemp launched an & #39;investigation& #39;: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/04/us/politics/georgia-elections-kemp-voters-hack.html

After">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/0... the election, an investigation found there was no foundation: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-news/2020/03/report-no-proof-of-dem-hacking-claim-by-georgia-gov-kemp/">https://federalnewsnetwork.com/governmen...

During 2017 #ALSen special, the Secretary of State threatened, wildly, to seek up to 10 years in prison against hundreds of Alabamans who supposedly had & #39;crossover voted& #39;. Again, sea of headlines.

List was wrong, situation was blown-up. But damage done. https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/932641331222056960">https://twitter.com/Taniel/st...

In 2017, there were incorrect reports a noncitizen mass shooting suspect had voted in past elections. Again, fed fears about fraud.

It was false: Person was a citizen.

Still, *even after debunking,* GOP SoS invoked story as a reason to change state law! https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/817137614130122752">https://twitter.com/Taniel/st...

In 2019, Texas officials triggered alarmed headlines that 95,000 noncitizens may have voted in the Texas elections. And talked up felony prosecutions.

Upon scrutiny, claims collapsed.

But the fear, & intimidating threat of criminalization, was planted. https://www.texastribune.org/2019/02/01/texas-citizenship-voter-roll-review-how-it-turned-boondoggle/">https://www.texastribune.org/2019/02/0...

I cld go on, but the big picture here is: THIS WILL LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN!

At that point it& #39;s up to the media to inject skepticism from getgo, at least until clear evidence—skepticism not out of thin air, but out of PATTERN OF RECENT YEARS.

So save & use this thread as receipts!