Jane Mayer describes 'The Big Money Behind the Big Lie' on MSNBC

I haven't looked at the Arizona audit since May, so it's time to look at it again. MSNBC's How Big Money Is Working To Crack Down On Voting Rights starts off with the latest news about the Arizona audit and then changes the subject to big dark money in politics.

The New Yorker's Jane Mayer discusses new reporting on the dark money behind state laws making it harder to vote.

First, listening to Jane Mayer describing the conspiracy theories about elections reminds me that "Italygate" and the "Kraken" lawsuits are also the results of people believing the conspiracy theories. Second, I share Joe Scarborough's reaction to The Heritage Foundation being one of the funders for third-party audits, election lawsuits, and other actions based on The Big Lie, surprise bordering on incredulity. I wish I could say that I saw that coming when I left the Republican Party 21 years ago. Instead, I'll add to the list of reasons why the past 21 years have validated my decision. Third, Mayer talks about more serious actions like laws restricting voting rights, which is the reason why Texas Democrats left the state for D.C. last month.  All of this reminds me why I think calling the idea that the election was stolen the Big Lie doesn't go far enough.

Personally, I'd rather call it Trump's dangerous delusion, his fixed belief that the election was stolen from him despite all evidence, which I see as related to his vulnerability to conspiracy theories, but "the Big Lie" is the established phrase used by CNBC and others, so I'm calling it that instead. It's a lie, too.

Mayer's reporting shows that Trump's delusion is not just dangerous but contagious. It's bad enough that there is one pandemic running around; we don't need another.