Standing Against Threats to Elections | House Democrats Hearing

Democrats assert that Republicans are focused on 'rigging election rules' because they lack solutions for the surging cost of living. This strategy includes making it harder for tens of millions of Americans to vote through various legislative and executive actions.

The host states, 'Because Republicans have no answers to address the surging cost of living, they join in with Donald Trump to focus on rigging the election rules.'

The Trump administration is accused of starving local election offices of resources, drastically cutting election security funding, and unraveling cybersecurity efforts and coordination between CISA, Homeland Security, and local officials, especially as AI is unleashed.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz states, 'Republicans in Congress are starving them of the resources they need, slashing last year's already insufficient allocation by 2/3 down to a measly $15 million for the whole country.' She adds, 'Trump has unravelled cybersecurity efforts and coordination between CISA, Homeland Security, and local election officials.'

Democrats allege that partisan Republicans on the Supreme Court have systematically gutted the Voting Rights Act and ignored anti-gerrymandering laws, enabling states to carve up communities and make it harder for minorities and low-income individuals to vote through unconstitutional voter ID and mail-in ballot rules.

Hakeem Jeffries notes, 'the Supreme Court recklessly gutting the Voting Rights Act and setting in motion Jim Crow-like tactics hiding in plain sight throughout the deep south.' Debbie Wasserman Schultz mentions, 'He's pushed unconstitutional voter ID, mail-in ballot, and voting system rules that are being challenged in courts.'

The administration is accused of weaponizing the Department of Justice and Homeland Security by demanding sensitive voter rolls from states and musing about deploying military or ICE at polling places, which is deemed illegal and intended to sow distrust and suppress votes.

Michael Waldman reports, 'They have demanded sensitive voter rolls from 48 of the states. And now nine courts, nine and oh, have ruled that this is illegal.' Robert Reiner states, 'We've seen teasers regarding ICE agents and military at the polls.'

Local election administrators are under immense strain due to increasing complexity of election laws, insufficient funding, growing litigation, and a nationwide challenge in recruiting and retaining poll workers amidst a scrutinized and often hostile environment.

Gretchen Reinemeyer highlights, '40% of election administrators in Connecticut have retired in the last 5 years.' She adds, 'Elections are becoming more complex and the environment more scrutinized... funding hasn't kept pace.'

Democrats consistently frame the 'SAVE Act' as a dangerous voter suppression bill that would make it harder for millions of Americans, including naturalized citizens, language minorities, low-income voters, military members, and women who changed names, to cast ballots.

Congresswoman Balint states, 'The SAVE Act is designed to suppress the vote... of American citizens who have the right to vote. Naturalized citizen, language minorities, voters who are poor or live in rural areas, like in my state, military service members, women who have changed their names after marriage. It is designed to disenfranchise them.'

Federal courts have begun to block Trump's executive orders related to elections, including one on mail-in voting and demands for voter rolls, affirming that presidents have no constitutional role in administering elections.

Michael Waldman reports, 'Earlier today a federal court blocked the most recent executive order by President Trump. This is the one on vote by mail. They made clear presidents have no role under the Constitution in administering elections.'