# Deceased G.O.P. Strategist’s Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census Citizenship Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787 "2019-05-30T17:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/1 "2019-05-30T17:58:19Z")
> **[Deceased G.O.P. Strategist’s Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census...](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/us/census-citizenship-question-hofeller.html)** > > Weeks before the Supreme Court rules on the legality of the citizenship question, evidence filed in court could further erode the Trump administration’s rationale for the question. > [@](#): > > But after he died last summer, his estranged daughter discovered hard drives in her father’s home that revealed something else: Mr. Hofeller had played a crucial role in the Trump administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. > > Files on those drives showed that he wrote a study in 2015 concluding that adding a citizenship question to the census would allow Republicans to draft even more extreme gerrymandered maps to stymie Democrats. > … > he wrote the key portion of a draft Justice Department letter claiming the question was needed to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act — the rationale the administration later used to justify its decision. The documents are cited in a court filing by opponents of the citizenship question. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/2 "2019-05-30T18:02:19Z")
Isn’t it quite a coincidence that the most blatantly obvious reason for adding the question is also the actual reason? Man, Republicans just keep tripping over coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/3 "2019-05-30T18:27:49Z")
Alas it may be too little too late. From the Washington post article on the same topic > [@](#): > > It is unclear whether there is a way for lawyers challenging the citizenship question to get the new information to the Supreme Court, which will decide the case by the term’s end next month. I realize that this isn’t what is meant by this sentence, but part of me is thinking “Can’t they just leave a few copies of the New York times around the gym where RBG works out.?” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/4 "2019-05-30T20:56:27Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Alas it may be too little too late. > > From the Washington post article on the same topic > I realize that this isn’t what is meant by this sentence, but part of me is thinking “Can’t they just leave a few copies of the New York times around the gym where RBG works out.?” RBG is already going to vote against the question. Roberts is likely torn between his belief that the executive branch may behave like a bull in a china shop, and his worry about being seen as partisan. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/5 "2019-05-31T03:45:07Z")
I wasn’t talking about RBG specifically but just amused at the implication that this new information would somehow have to be smuggled in in order for the justices to become aware of it. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/6 "2019-05-31T07:02:24Z")
What would happen if the Governor of California simply announced that that question wouldn’t be asked in his state, that census workers who failed to black out the question on their forms would be charged with a misdemeanor? Would one of the GOP traitors try to arrest Newsom? If a Gopster Governor defied an immoral order he’d become a hero. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/7 "2019-05-31T15:30:52Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > What would happen if the Governor of California simply announced that that question wouldn’t be asked in his state, that census workers who failed to black out the question on their forms would be charged with a misdemeanor? > > Would one of the GOP traitors try to arrest Newsom? If a Gopster Governor defied an immoral order he’d become a hero. Census takers don’t sit down with you with a form and ask you questions. Censes forms are mailed, or in the case of places that don’t get mail, are hand delivered to the residence. And messing with, or using census data improperly imposes serious fines. I was on the hook for 100k when I was just updating address information. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/8 "2019-05-31T16:00:40Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Census takers don’t sit down with you with a form and ask you questions. Censes forms are mailed, or in the case of places that don’t get mail, are hand delivered to the residence. > > And messing with, or using census data improperly imposes serious fines. I was on the hook for 100k when I was just updating address information. In my scenario, the Governor might intercept mailings from the Census, and insert amended material. Would the DoJ arrest Newsom? Maybe — he’d become a martyr to democracy. These are serious times, folks. Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic. Don’t give me your “that would be illegal …” spiels. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/9 "2019-05-31T16:05:14Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > In my scenario, the Governor might intercept mailings from the Census, and insert amended material. Would the DoJ arrest Newsom? Maybe — he’d become a martyr to democracy. > > These are serious times, folks. Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic. Don’t give me your “that would be illegal …” spiels. The state of California doesn’t have any way to “intercept mailings.” What do you envision, stopping and search USPS trucks as they come in from Nevada and Arizona? And, yes, doing so would be illegal. I agree these are serious times and the assholes are trying to take over our country. We’ll have to find more creative and legal means to resist. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/10 "2019-05-31T16:06:37Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Isn’t it quite a coincidence that the most blatantly obvious reason for adding the question is also the actual reason? Man, Republicans just keep tripping over coincidence. Did they ever really try to dispute this? I don’t see anything new here. I didn’t know this particular guy was involved, but there was never a question about what they were trying to accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/11 "2019-05-31T16:06:51Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > In my scenario, the Governor might intercept mailings from the Census, and insert amended material. Would the DoJ arrest Newsom? Maybe — he’d become a martyr to democracy. > > These are serious times, folks. Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic. Don’t give me your “that would be illegal …” spiels. Wasn’t a ‘spiel’ Was simply a fact. And I imagine in your amended scenario, the Postal Inspector would have Newsom arrested first. Then the DOJ would get their turn I’m sure. That is of course, it intercepting all of the census mailings would be anyway feasible. Make no mistake, I would like to see Trumps entire crime syndicate in prison. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/12 "2019-05-31T16:23:20Z")
Civil disobedience could take a different form. Given that this is clearly a Republican plan, and that the Republicans in control are consistently doing nothing to stop this explicitly racist plan, folks who oppose it could choose a method to sabotage it based on where they live: -If they live in districts that are strongly Democratic, they could give false, inflated numbers to the Census bureau. -If they live in districts that are strongly Republican, they could decline to return the survey. Of course, Republicans could respond in an equal-and-opposite fashion. But the problem is that Democrats realize the census will be invalid with the racist plan in place, and can act to amplify the invalidity of the census through civil disobedience. Republicans who respond in kind will also be amplifying the census’s invalidity. I am not, of course, advocating this plan. But I am curious about how it could play out. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/13 "2019-05-31T16:27:48Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > In my scenario, the Governor might intercept mailings from the Census, and insert amended material. Would the DoJ arrest Newsom? Maybe — he’d become a martyr to democracy. > > These are serious times, folks. Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic. Don’t give me your “that would be illegal …” spiels. LOL! 1. fucking with the mail is a serious federal offense. 2. equating asking about citizenship on the census with “Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic” sounds [loony-tunes unhinged to normal people](https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-americas-thinking/441372-most-americans-support-citizenship-question-on-census-form-poll). ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/14 "2019-05-31T17:01:28Z")
If you don’t send the form in , they send someone to knock on your door to pick it up and you can fill it out while they are at your door. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/15 "2019-05-31T17:12:47Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Did they ever really try to dispute this? … Oh hell yeah. I’ve heard it implied that the reason was for simple accuracy of results, which is the opposite of what it would accomplish. Anyway, I’ll predict that you’ll see denials of the intent in this very thread. Give it, say, a week from now. If you don’t, I’ll donate $20 to the charity of your choice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/16 "2019-05-31T18:02:41Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > LOL! > > 1. fucking with the mail is a serious federal offense. > > 2. equating asking about citizenship on the census with “Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic” sounds [loony-tunes unhinged to normal people](https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-americas-thinking/441372-most-americans-support-citizenship-question-on-census-form-poll). Your quote reflects the notion that many Americans support the question. But “…loony-tunes unhinged to normal people…”, however, is _your_ interpretation, tacked on for your own purposes. Which is to say, nice try. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/17 "2019-05-31T18:08:32Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Did they ever really try to dispute this? I don’t see anything new here. I didn’t know this particular guy was involved, but there was never a question about what they were trying to accomplish. Oh yes, they were claiming up and down that this question was posed for [entirely non-partisan reasons](https://www.census.gov/acs/www/about/why-we-ask-each-question/citizenship/). That doing so would help states make districts that comply with the voting rights act protecting minorities from having a district listed as majority Hispanic actually have only a minority of the eligible voters being Hispanic. These documents reveals that the true goal was the exact opposite. (which, yes, any non-partisan with half a brain already realized.) ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/18 "2019-05-31T19:00:40Z")
In case there’s any question as to whether Hofeller was involved in the census plan: > **[GOP Redistricting Strategist Played Role In Push For Census Citizenship Question](https://www.npr.org/2019/05/30/728232221/gop-redistricting-strategist-played-role-in-push-for-census-citizenship-question)** > > A deceased redistricting specialist's documents suggest the citizenship question was added to redraw political maps to favor Republicans and non-Hispanic white people, according to a new court filing. > [@](#): > > Neuman provided an early draft of the Justice Department’s letter requesting the question. > > That draft letter includes a paragraph about using the Voting Rights Act to justify the question. It matches word for word a paragraph found in a document among Hofeller’s files. The plaintiffs’ attorneys say that shows Hofeller ghostwrote a portion of the draft letter. Paragraph from the letter A. Mark Neumann provided to John Gore: [https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=6077735-May-30-2019-Exhibit#document/p120/a504025](https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=6077735-May-30-2019-Exhibit#document/p120/a504025) Paragraph from Thomas Hofeller’s files: [https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=6077735-May-30-2019-Exhibit#document/p123/a504023](https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=6077735-May-30-2019-Exhibit#document/p123/a504023) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/19 "2019-05-31T19:18:11Z")
The ACLU has notified the Supreme Court but [this article](http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2019/05/31/aclu-notifies-us-supreme-court-of-new-evidence-in-citizenship-question-case/) says that it probably won’t matter. > [@](#): > > The ACLU’s letter states that a district court hearing in the matter is set for June 5, but it wanted to let the high court know it asked for an order to show cause whether sanctions or other appropriate relief are warranted in light of the new evidence. > … > It’s not exactly clear if the new evidence can or will have an impact on the Supreme Court’s decision, but Election law expert Rick Hasen, Professor of Law and Political Science at UC Irvine, has speculated it won’t change the conservative votes on the court. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/20 "2019-06-01T14:22:44Z")
So in a small act of civil disobedience, what would happen if a citizen said no to that question? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787.md?page=2)