Updated 12:07 p.m. 11/7/23
New Jersey Democrats are pulling out all of the stops to save their skins this year, Save Jerseyans. Phantom candidates. Sleazy attacks. Shadowy “independent expenditure” operations.
Utilizing non-citizen canvassers?
LD38 is one of this cycle’s most hotly contested districts. The outcome could determine control of the State Assembly. Democrats are working to hold off an aggressive challenge from the Republican ticket.
“Make the Road New Jersey” is a subsidiary of Make the Road States, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating for far-Left immigration-related policies.
According to the group’s director (see below), Make the Road Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, is posting via @MakeRoadActNJ about GOTV activities in the run-up to Election Day 2023 (as many interests groups have), and one post in particular over on X – out of the 38th legislative district (Bergen County) – brags that the group is using “temp worker members” to help turn out the vote for Democrat Senate Senator Joe Lagana. Temporary workers are in the United States on visas but aren’t citizens.
Yes, foreign nationals handing out literature is probably legal.
“Although foreign nationals may not make contributions or expenditures (including advances of personal funds) in connection with any federal, state or local election, an individual who is a foreign national may participate in campaign activities as an uncompensated volunteer,” the FEC explains on its website. “In doing so, the volunteer must be careful not to participate in the decision-making process of the campaign.”
So it’s fine unless they’re running a campaign. But legality aside, isn’t it still distasteful to have non-citizens (if that’s what’s happening here) influencing a domestic election by telling citizens how to vote?
And isn’t it more than a little hypocritical for Democrats who’ve complained endlessly about democracy and “foreign interference” to employ non-citizen volunteer labor to boost their campaigns?
The same group, by the way, is working in other active districts including LD11 and LD16…
Update: I received an email from the New Jersey chapter’s director on Tuesday clarifying that Make the Road Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, is conducting and posting about GOTV activities.
#GOTV in Bergenfield for @JoeLaganaNJ for Senate in #LD38!
Temp worker members of @MakeRoadActNJ knocked on hundreds of doors in the rain to remind voters to come out to vote!
Early voting is open in @NJGov pic.twitter.com/6opyZA73rM
— Make the Road Action NJ (@MakeRoadActNJ) October 29, 2023
https://twitter.com/MakeRoadActNJ/status/1720851441533763744
https://twitter.com/MakeRoadActNJ/status/1718366653791015368
