The fraud allegations, and especially the sprawling inquiry that resulted, have left the Ninth District without representation in the House since early January, when the new Congress convened. Republicans have held the seat since 1963, and Mr. Harris defeated Representative Robert M. Pittenger in a primary last year.
Even in a state capital that has lately a hub of headspinning political debates, Monday’s hearing bordered on the surreal. Before the proceedings began, a young girl stood next to her mother in the cold and held a sign reading: “Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor’s Votes!”
Inside the State Bar of North Carolina building, which hosted the hearing, the Libertarian candidate stood in the lobby to hand out news releases and offer banana walnut bread. Outside Witness Room 2 stood Mr. Dowless, his hands in the pockets of his suit. Later, when his stepdaughter testified that she had sometimes filled in uncompleted ballots, Mr. Dowless listened from near the back of the hearing room, his head bowed and eyes closed.
Regardless of the state board’s decision, the United States House of Representatives might intervene.
The House, which has the constitutional authority to be “the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members,” was closely monitoring Monday’s proceedings. Rows ahead of Mr. Dowless, and just a few yards from Mr. Harris, a man quietly observed the proceedings.
His seat was reserved for a lawyer for the House.
Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/us/north-carolina-election-fraud.html
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