The White House’s voter fraud commission has already damaged our democracy – Washington Post
By Wendy R. Weiser By Wendy R. Weiser July 18 at 2:55 PM
Wendy R. Weiser directs the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.
Even before the microphones are turned on, the White Houses new voter fraud commission has already done significant damage to American democracy.
By now, most are familiar with the slapstick launch of this so-called bipartisan group, which is set to have its first meeting Wednesday. It was announced in a hurry two days after the firing of FBI Director James B. Comey before half its members were selected. Its led by two Republicans and stacked with some of the nations most notorious promoters of vote suppression. Prime among them is its vice chair, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), whose ill-conceived and ill-executed request for state voter data remains a debacle.
Given the commissions fiasco-filled first weeks, its easy to dismiss it as a joke. That would be a mistake. The panel is already having a big impact, and it is in no way benign.
Much of the damage so far flows from Kobachs data request, which has overwhelmed election offices and forced them to spend an inordinate amount of time, money and energy dealing with the commission instead of doing their jobs. State officials have had to compile detailed responses to the letter, engage lawyers to make sure they dont run afoul of state laws and mobilize to reassure citizens that their personal data will be safe. One state official told the Brennan Center for Justice that his office has spent 50 percent of its time in recent weeks responding to calls from concerned constituents.
The request faces no fewer than 10 legal challenges over multiple alleged infractions. Already one commissioner has resigned. And last week, in publishing the first set of public comments, the White House publicly released the addresses and phone numbers of individuals who expressed concern over the privacy of their data.
The farce is also wasting federal resources. Taxpayers will spend at least half a million dollars on the commission, even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in February that no federal funds should go toward any examination of voter fraud.
Even more disturbing, the commission has already accomplished one of the main goals critics accuse it of harboring: making people less likely to vote.
Election administrators across the country are reporting that, in response to Kobachs request, voters are asking to be removed from the rolls. The director of elections in Denver said her office has seen more than a 2,000 percent increase in voter registration withdrawals. And the Seminole County, Fla., supervisor of elections a Republican said that in his 12 years in office, he has never had to talk so many people out of giving up their right to vote, telling them: Please dont let an action or policy you disagree with have the effect of silencing your most powerful tool to change or affirm it: your vote.
Kobach offered a callous, evidence-free response: Those who withdrew their registration could be people who are not qualified to vote or someone who is not a U.S. citizen saying, Im withdrawing my voter registration because Im not able to vote.
The commissions threat to publicize private voter information previously protected by the states has naturally caused anxiety and has deeply shaken confidence in election administration. As has its unprecedented effort to assemble a national voter registry at the White House.
The commission plans to match the voter lists it receives from states against other federal databases, such as those used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, supposedly to identify ineligible voters on the rolls. This threatens to further undermine confidence. Experts believe that any list matches using data the commission is seeking would significantly inflate the amount of improper voting, and findings could allow the commission to falsely claim it has identified widespread fraud.
The effort has thinly veiled ends: to justify President Trumps absurd claim that he lost the popular vote because of millions of illegal voters and to lay the groundwork for laws that dramatically restrict access to voting, including through strict voter-ID requirements and obstacles to voter registration such as requiring documentary proof of citizenship.
The agenda is pre-baked. According to emails made public last week, Kobach told Trumps transition team in November that he is putting together ... legislation drafts for submission to Congress and that he had started drafting amendments to the National Voter Registration Act to make clear that proof of citizenship requirements are permitted.
Every minute local officials spend dealing with this sham is time they cannot focus on pressing problems, such as the need to shore up our systems against foreign actors attempting to interfere in our elections, especially Russia.
And yet, Kobach and crew havent even gotten started. We should not underestimate the further damage they can do to the publics confidence in our election system. Its up to us to ensure this farce doesnt turn into a tragedy.
Originally posted here:
The White House's voter fraud commission has already damaged our democracy - Washington Post
- Threats to democracy in the 2nd Trump administration - Niskanen Center - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- North Carolina Supreme Court GOP Candidate Seeks to Tilt the Playing Field in His Favor - Democracy Docket - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Lessons from self-inflicted blows to democracy in South Korea and the U.S. - NPR - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Nowicki: Its a New Year. Will it be the same democracy? - Oregon Daily Emerald - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Democracy depends on obedience - America: The Jesuit Review - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- The rise and fall of Justin Trudeau Democracy and society - IPS Journal - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Not All Elections Are Created Equal - Renew Democracy Initiative - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Kamala Harris says Americas democracy stood, after certifying Trumps election victory as it happened - The Guardian US - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Democracy dies, first, in the workplace: A conversation with Hamilton Nolan and Sara Nelson - The Real News Network - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- The Militia and the Mole: Reporter Josh Kaplan on How a Freelance Vigilante Infiltrated U.S. Militias - Democracy Now! - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- U.S. DOE Selects Nine Organizations for Regional Energy Democracy Initiative in Texas and Louisiana - SolarQuarter - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Everss Direct Democracy Initiative Should Go Directly to the Waste Bin - MacIverInstitute - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Unpacking the Meta Announcement: The Future of the Information Ecosystem and Implications for Democracy - Just Security - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Harris called Trump a danger to democracy. Now she is set to certify his election win - The Independent - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- After a year of elections, whats next for democracy in 2025? - Eco-Business - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Psychological profile of Daniel Ortega and the Crisis of Democracy in Nicaragua - Robert Lansing Institute - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Southeast Asias human rights and democracy: A reflection - The Jakarta Post - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Fareed Zakaria, "The Crisis of Democracy Is Really a Crisis for the Left" / "Why Is the Left Flailing? Look at New York vs.... - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Slotkin prioritizes protection of democracy ahead of U.S. Senate swearing-in - Michigan Advance - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Before preaching democracy, political parties must lead by example: The Daily Star - asianews.network - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Liberal Democracy Shrinks in India, Turkey and the US - IDN-InDepthNews - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- What does an America without democracy look like? Were about to find out. - The Hill - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Biden says Trump is a genuine threat to democracy, scolds reporters - MSN - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Nonprofits Are at the Core of American Democracy. Now Theyre Under Threat - TIME - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- New Congress Takes Office Tomorrow What This Means for Voting Rights - Democracy Docket - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Who were the winners and losers of African democracy in 2024? - RFI English - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Commentary: 2024 saw plenty of elections, little in the way of democracy - Stocktonia News - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Opinion | The crisis of democracy is really a crisis for the left - The Washington Post - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Biden takes departing jab at Trump, says he was a genuine threat to democracy - Fox8tv - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- The Best and Worst of 2024 - Democracy Docket - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Democracy vs. bureaucracy: How populism became the handmaiden of tech - Washington Examiner - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Avery Davis-Roberts former manager of The Carter Centers democracy program gives interview on Carter's legacy - Americus Times-Recorder - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Jimmy Carter sought to expand democracy worldwide long after he left the White House - The Associated Press - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Local news organizations are vital to healthy communities and democracy | Guest Column - Port Townsend Leader - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Daily Briefing Dec. 30: Day 451 Democracy in Syria? De facto leader says not so fast - The Times of Israel - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- What I learned from talking to Atlantans about our democracy this year - Atlanta Civic Circle - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- In Trumps America, Theres Democracy Only When He Wins - Democracy Docket - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Democratic Sen. Andy Kim: 'The opposite of democracy is apathy' - CNN - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Germany, France and Poland condemn violence in Georgia, stress support for pro-democracy movement - The Associated Press - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- The Fulcrum Democracy Forum Meets Tim Shriver, Special Olympics International Board of Directors - citybiz - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- The inspiring resilience of democracy - Financial Times - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Lapid warns Israel must choose between democracy and theocracy - The Times of Israel - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- The People and Groups Who Tried to Disenfranchise Voters in 2024 - Democracy Docket - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Opinion: 2024 was a Year of Elections when democracy lost out - The Globe and Mail - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- PMs wife accuses AG of terrorizing Israeli democracy with probe into her conduct - The Times of Israel - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- South Asia In 2024: Elections, Transitions, And The Struggle For Democracy - thefridaytimes.com - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Uprising for Democracy in the Caucasus - CounterPunch - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Our Country and Democracy Demand Open Hearts and Minds - Washington Monthly - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Hes anti-democracy and pro-Trump: the obscure dark enlightenment blogger influencing the next US administration - The Guardian US - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Column | Musks dangerous, exaggerated conflation of social media and democracy - The Washington Post - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- In a year of global elections, what did we learn about the state of democracy? - NPR - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Opinion | What if Our Democracy Cant Survive Without Christianity? - The New York Times - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- The Future of Democracy and Human Rights in American Foreign Policy - Center for Strategic & International Studies - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Democrats really dont understand democracy, or why they lost the presidential election - OCRegister - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- 'The state of democracy in the world is worse than in the 1930s' - Le Monde - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Musk Shouldn't Be Allowed to Toy With Britain's Democracy - Bloomberg - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Bashar Assad is finished but Syrias fight for democracy is just beginning - POLITICO Europe - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Buying democracy: The corrupting influence of Elon Musk - Counterfire - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Democracy has a good chance of slipping away - The Gazette - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Democracy across the Americas is in crisis - The Conversation - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Human Rights Watch: Israels Extermination and Genocide in Gaza - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Another Member of NYC Mayor Eric Adamss Inner Circle Is Indicted - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Trumps Presidency Will Unleash Right-Wing Sheriffs Across America - Democracy Docket - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Amid a year of elections around the world, is democracy expanding or retreating? - KUOW News and Information - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Rape Club Prison in California: U.S. Govt to Pay Record $116M to 103 Women Who Sued over Abuse - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Donald Trump Tamed the Media. Some Even Paid for the Privilege. - Democracy Docket - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Undermining democracy: The weaponization of social media in Romanias 2024 elections - EDMO - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Rep. Barry Loudermilk pushes democracy to the brink - Baptist News Global - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- A Better World is Possible: Strengthening Civic Participation and Local Democracy Through Participatory Budgeting - Amherst Indy - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Do Not Obey in Advance: Timothy Snyder on How Corporate America Is Bending to Trump - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Opinion | Is Democracy Getting Sick of Winning? - The Wall Street Journal - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Redistricting Cases that Could Impact the 2026 Midterms - Democracy Docket - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Opinion | Why Im Not Giving Up on American Democracy - The New York Times - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- NRx: The (underground) movement that wants to destroy democracy - EL PAS USA - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- 25 Years Ago, the Battle of Seattle Showed Us What Democracy Looks Like - The Nation - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Opinion: Georgias civil society is the last line of defense for democracy - Kyiv Independent - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Inflation And Democracy Are Still Tied At The Hip - Forbes - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- The constitutional court is easy to crack: the threats to German democracy go on stage - The Guardian - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Opinion | Why American democracy will survive a second Trump term - The Washington Post - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Opinion | Taiwan Is Ready to Defend Democracy. Is Trump With Us? - The New York Times - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]