Donald Trump has been accused of a direct attempt to 'rig' the upcoming US midterm elections after dismissing the final three members of an independent federal commission. The extraordinary move effectively paralyses the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the only federal agency solely focused on election administration, just months before critical nationwide votes.
Senior Democrats have strongly condemned the President's actions, vowing to resist what they describe as a 'brazen attempt' to gain control over the electoral process. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic US Senate minority leader, stated the dismissals followed Trump's own suggestion for Republicans to 'take over the voting', describing it as an effort to seize control 'before a single ballot is cast'. He added that the President is 'gutting the independent agency that certifies voting systems and helps election officials run secure elections'.
The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were informed of their immediate termination via email. The sole remaining Republican, Christy McCormick, was reportedly pressured to resign. A fourth seat had already been vacant since earlier this year, leaving the commission entirely without members. Without commissioners, the EAC is unable to vote on formal actions, effectively halting its operations.
The White House has defended the President's actions, arguing he possesses the authority to remove officials who are not fully aligned with securing elections. They have cited a recent Supreme Court ruling that expanded presidential power to fire heads of independent agencies. However, election law scholars note that the reach of this ruling into bipartisan bodies like the EAC, which was deliberately structured with an even partisan split by the US Congress, remains legally untested.
Created after the contentious 2000 election under the Help America Vote Act, the EAC does not directly run elections but plays a crucial role. Its responsibilities include distributing federal election security grants, maintaining the national mail voter registration form, certifying voting machines against federal standards, and advising state and local officials. Its current paralysis means it cannot update voting standards or the federal registration form, potentially freezing changes, including a citizenship documentation requirement that has already faced legal challenges. Any replacements would require Senate confirmation, a process that could extend well beyond the upcoming midterms.
Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP civil rights organisation, criticised the move, stating, 'Donald Trump knows that in November voters will reject everything he stands for.' He added that the President is 'terrified of the sacred power we all hold as voters, and that’s why he wants to rig this election.' Senator Mark Warner of Virginia called the purge a matter that 'should concern every American' and 'demands an immediate explanation'.
Source: The Guardian