Submitted by Matt DesChamps, RTM, D6
Over the past several days, there has been much written and shared about two items that will come before the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) this coming Tuesday.
The essential question is whether to accept a $500,000 grant in recognition of the Town’s election excellence.
I would like to offer a few important considerations that have not been fully addressed to date.
Financial Stewardship
As a member of the RTM’s Budget Overview Committee, I have a responsibility to consider the budgetary impacts of all decisions that come before us. In this case, we are considering accepting $500,000 over a two-year period to support certain expenditures by the Registrars of Voters (ROV). While the grant cannot reduce the budget, it can provide budget relief by funding future expenditures that would otherwise be required to be paid out of town funds.
In addition, the rejection of the $500,000 grant will have a significant negative signaling effect to the philanthropic and private sectors that may be detrimental to Greenwich taxpayers.
Sources of grant money are important for the town and RTM to understand, and we have a responsibility to conduct proper due diligence before accepting it. The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) is a nationally recognized, non-partisan nonprofit with support from many of our country’s most prestigious endowments and foundations and I have reviewed their Form 990’s. It should be noted that the ROV first established a relationship with CTCL in 2017, and this is NOT the first time the Town received a grant from the CTCL. The RTM approved a grant requested by the Town Clerk for certain expenses associated with absentee ballot processing in 2020. There was no requirement beyond safe and secure elections as to how the money was spent. The current grant does not have any ballot process related connectivity, and the CTCL is not determining the use of the funds—Greenwich is. Furthermore, the CTCL must maintain its nonpartisanship to maintain its nonprofit 501(c)(3) status.
Local Control
For those who have concerns about the management of the organization and political leaning of their leadership, it’s important to understand the Town has robust internal controls surrounding this grant providing confidence surrounding the use of the funds and ensuring that no single party will be favored:
-The grant was forwarded to the RTM for approval by the bipartisan ROV
-The grant was reviewed and approved by Town Attorney
-The grant must be approved by the RTM
-Bipartisan registrars must approve all future expenditures
-The Republican-controlled BET must approve the appropriations
-All expenditures are subject to town procurement procedures and state laws
This is the definition of local control.
False Election Narratives
There has been a significant amount of inaccurate rhetoric shared about the CTCL. Much of this criticism is a continuance of false and misleading claims about the CTCL’s influence on the 2020 election and that the CTCL was part of a big tech effort to rig the election. This false narrative was identified by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism as the #1 election myth promulgated by conspiracy theorists whose efforts have lingered in the public discourse and bolstered by the far-right to this day.
“A nonprofit called the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) has been targeted thanks to funding they received in 2020 from Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. CTCL helped election offices ensure accessible, secure conditions for voters in 2020, but conspiracy theorists have taken this to mean that Facebook has secretly been trying to influence elections… Misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories create a perceived threat where no such threat exists – in this case, the alleged threat of powerful, bad actors committing widespread election fraud… These narratives can also dissuade people from participating in the electoral process, as they may avoid voting due to fear of surveillance, and a range of election workers have quit their jobs since 2020 in the face of persistent threats. Most of all, these narratives prime voters to believe that if their candidate of choice loses, the election must have been rigged.”
–Anti-Defamation League, Center on Extremism (published 10.21.22)
Please do not be influenced by bogus accusations and false narratives. Our bipartisan ROV, designed by state law to protect Republican and Democratic party interests, combined with numerous controls will assure the grant money is spent to improve our town’s election infrastructure and integrity, not undermine it.
I will support Items 10 and 11 to approve the grant money because it’s financially prudent and, more importantly, supports and enhances democracy, voter accessibility and freedom for all our citizenry! I encourage you to write to your local RTM representatives and encourage them to support the grant.
Matt DesChamps
RTM, D6