NAACP: 'Scant' info in records about election integrity unit

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia NAACP said Tuesday it was “deeply disappointed” after receiving “scant” information of substance in response to a wide-ranging public records request it made with the state's Republican attorney general about his new election integrity unit.

After expressing concerns that the unit could lend credence to election-fraud conspiracies, the civil rights group paid a deposit of more than $19,000 for a records request related to its organization, staffing, activities and other matters. It received documents from Attorney General Jason Miyares' office in early November and released them Tuesday.

The NAACP sought 17 detailed categories of information about the unit, according to the correspondence. While the responsive documents span hundreds of pages, scores are news clippings. In 11 of the 17 categories, including a request for “all records concerning the staffing” of the unit and another for records dealing with “procedures, policies, practices” and training materials, Miyares' office said it had no responsive documents.

The group also asked for any records identifying the number of convictions for crimes constituting “election cheating” in Virginia in each year since 2008; the attorney general's office said it had no such records.

“This unit is plainly a paper tiger, a public relations ploy to pander to the election deniers and conspiracy theorists who are the real force undermining public confidence in our elections," Robert Barnette Jr., president of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, said at a news conference.

Barnette reiterated the group's call to disband the unit.

Victoria LaCivita, Miyares' spokeswoman, said in an email that the NAACP was engaging in “groundless attacks that are offensive, ridiculous and without single...