THE UNSUPPORTED belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen was behind efforts to influence election officials to chance the result (Wikipedia).

Election officials in key states faced threats and other pressure as supporters of former president Donald Trump sought to thwart the 2020 election of Joe Biden to the presidency.

According to The Associated Press, the House subcommittee on the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Tuesday said that bearing the brunt of these efforts were state and county officials – many of them Republicans – who were harried by those who wanted them to disregard the actual vote count and declare victory for Trump.

Some officials felt their lives were in danger and received deaths threats and harassing phone calls and e-mail messages.

“A handful of election officials in several key states stood between Donald Trump and the upending of American democracy,” said Rep Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chair of the committee.

Uvalde police response an “abject failure”

MEMORIALS to the slain at Ross Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas (VOA).

Texas state law enforcement officials blasted police in Uvalde for their fatal missteps in the May 24 attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

According to The New York Times, Col. Steve McGraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, denounced the officers who waited over an hour before engaging the gunman. “I don’t care if you have on flip-flops and Bermuda shorts you go in,” he said.

It also emerged that the door to the classroom where the shootings took place was unlocked, but police did not try to open it but waited for keys to be found.

Sports: Dodgers hammer the Reds 

FREDDIE FREEMAN (Dodgers photo).

Freddie Freeman drove in five runs with a triple, a double and a walk as the Los Angeles Dodgers (41-25) beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 in the Queen City Tuesday night.

Trea Turner was 4-of-5 and Will Smith 2 of 4 with two RBIs.

The Blue Crew got outstanding pitching from starter Tony Consolin (9-0), who worked five innings, giving up three hits and two runs. He struck out four batters and walked one.

The Los Angeles Angels lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 12-11 in Anaheim in 11 innings. Shohei Ohtani hit two home runs for the Halos and drove in seven runs as the Orange County team send the game into extra innings with three runs in the ninth. The Angels are 33-38 and fell into third place in the American League West.

Weather: Sunny, but watch out

This seems like a bit of an odd weather forecast for Wednesday in the West Orange County weather: “mostly sunny” with a 24 percent chance of rain. The high should be a humid 89 with an overnight low of 65. More typical sunny weather should follow on Thursday with a high of 89 (64).

Friday should be slightly cooler with sun and a high of 86 (64).