NC-09: Democrat Dan McCready withdraws his concession as subpoenas fly and even Republicans smell scandal

WaPo reports:

Democrat Dan McCready withdrew his concession Thursday in a North Carolina congressional race that has been roiled by accusations of fraud.

In an interview with Charlotte-area TV station WSOC, McCready also called on Republican rival Mark Harris “to tell the American people exactly what he knew and when he knew it.”

“Over the last week, we have seen the criminal activity come to light, and we have seen that my opponent, Mark Harris, has bankrolled this criminal activity,” McCready said. “And so, as of today, I am withdrawing my concession to Mark Harris.”

I didn’t serve overseas in the Marines to come home to NC and watch a criminal, bankrolled by my opponent, take away people’s very right to vote. Today I withdraw my concession and call on Mark Harris to end his silence and tell us exactly what he knew, and when. pic.twitter.com/2hcT00DVhQ

— Dan McCready for NC (@McCreadyForNC) December 6, 2018

The Charlotte Observer adds:

Unofficial totals have Republican Mark Harris leading McCready by 905 votes. But the state elections board refused to certify the results last week because of allegations of “irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities” involving mail-in ballots in the district. The board is meeting later this month to hear evidence, but it’s unclear whether the race will be settled then. The board could order a new election.

McCready, an Iraq War veteran who outraised Harris in the campaign, initially conceded the day after the election, when Harris’ lead was less than 1,900 votes. The margin was cut by half the next week, but he declined to seek a recount. He changed his mind with the arrival of the allegations, some of which have been linked to a man who worked for Harris’ chief strategist.

And — what a surprise! — subpoenas are on the wing!

The State Board of Elections confirmed to ABC11 on Wednesday that it has issued subpoenas to Mark Harris’s campaign, Red Dome Group, and Jim McVicker’s campaign as part of an ongoing investigation into election fraud. McVicker is the Sheriff of Bladen County.

Last week, the NCBOE declined to certify the election results in a 7-2 vote. Republican Harris is currently leading Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes, but the BOE is set to hold an evidentiary hearing to review over “claims of numerous irregularities” and “concerted fraudulent activities related to absentee mail ballots.”

That hearing must take place by December 21.

“There is no study of wide-scale election fraud like this, because certainly in recent times it’s not something that happens,” said Dr. Steven Greene, a political science professor at North Carolina State University.

Much of the investigation focuses on McCrae Dowless, a Bladen County political operative contracted by Red Dome Group, a North Carolina-based political consultancy group. According to WSOC-TV, records show the Harris campaign paid Red Dome more than $428,000 for its work.

Witnesses say Dowless paid them to illegally collect absentee ballots in the 9th District.

Yeah, that could be a problem.