Enablers of Inaction on Election Integrity
Following President Trump’s public admission on ABC that he’d listen to foreign aid against his opponent in the next election, there is a renewed call for Congress to pass election integrity legislation currently in the U.S. Senate. The President’s position was met with a blunt response from the Chair of the Federal Elections Commission stating firmly that such action is illegal. Unsurprisingly, many Republican members in Congress sat quietly or whimpered “no comment” when asked their position.
It is rather obvious why accepting foreign assistance to achieve public office is a problem. Foreign governments – especially adversaries – are out for their own interests which can be at odds with interests benefiting the American public. Foreign leverage on an official can change our domestic policy. We hear outcries all the time about the perception that the United Nations is impacting our domestic policy. “Sovereignty!” they shout. That outcry should be directed to this very real situation.
Memo from Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub
The response I’ve heard from Republican, Democratic, and independent voters is they agree candidates and politicians should not seek or receive help from a foreign government. That’s good, but action is needed because we don’t hear that sentiment unanimously from those in office. If people believe that, then they should be outraged at Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans that enable inaction on election integrity. That includes North Dakota’s John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer. It is time for voters to pressure the U.S. Senate to act.
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Legislation intended to protect our elections’ integrity has been collecting dust in the Senate Majority Leader’s office. Mitch McConnell simply refuses to take the bills up for a vote. One bill in particular would, “require political campaigns to report to the FBI and federal election authorities any attempt of contact by foreign nationals offering services or information.” Others would help with election equipment.
McConnell, Hoeven, and Cramer talk a lot about national security and what they’re doing to assist. Yet, they avoid addressing this threat to our security. Why? People should contact them to find out while applying pressure to get it done. While reaching out, perhaps people will want to know if Hoeven and Cramer would accept foreign information on an opponent as the President suggested. Or, would they contact the FBI? Do they agree with the President that FBI Director Christopher Wray is wrong in this situation? Their office contact information is below.
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