EXPLOSIVE: Trump's secret executive order LEAKED

Reporters at Democracy Docket obtained a draft executive order, dated April 12th, 2025, from Peter Tictton, a lawyer connected to former President Trump. This order is described as 'sweeping' and aims to redefine how voting occurs in the U.S., covering voter registration, proof of citizenship, voter ID, ballot design, ballot counting, and absentee ballot procedures. It invokes emergency powers under various acts, which the hosts argue are unrelated to elections.

The draft order, provided by Peter Tictton, is dated April 12th, 2025, and covers aspects like voter registration, proof of citizenship, voter ID, ballot design, ballot counting, and absentee ballots. It cites the Defense Production Act and other emergency acts.

Mark Elias, the guest, emphatically states that the executive order would be a 'completely illegal and unconstitutional power grab.' He argues that the President of the United States has no constitutional authority over federal elections and that the invocation of emergency powers under unrelated acts is baseless. The host, Brian Tyler Cohen, also highlights the potential for Republican officials and sympathetic judges to attempt to enforce such an order despite its illegality.

Elias states, 'it would be a massive massive voter suppression operation and also Brian a completely illegal and unconstitutional power grab by the president of the United States who has no authority under the Constitution to do anything with respect to federal elections.'

The hosts connect the leaked executive order's content to former President Trump's public statements on social media. Trump explicitly stated there would be voter ID for midterm elections and restrictions on mail-in ballots, 'whether approved by Congress or not.' This suggests an intent to implement these changes via executive action, aligning with the leaked draft.

Trump's social media post stated: 'There will be voter ID for the midterm elections whether approved by Congress or not. Also, the people of this country are insisting on citizenship and no mail-in ballots with exception for military disability illness or travel.'

Mark Elias predicts that if such an executive order is attempted, the legal response will not be a single, orderly lawsuit but rather a fragmented 'whack-a-mole' scenario. This involves numerous lawsuits against individual states, counties, and local election deniers who might attempt to enforce the order, creating a complex and resource-intensive legal challenge.

Elias states, 'This is going to be playing whack-a-mole with crazy election deniers all around the country.' He emphasizes the need to 'sue a lot of places' if red states or local officials adopt Trump's directives.

The hosts cite research demonstrating the extreme rarity of voter fraud, particularly impersonation fraud. This evidence suggests that the focus on 'voter integrity' and measures like strict voter ID are not solutions to a widespread problem but rather a 'Trojan horse' designed to suppress votes from demographics less likely to support Republicans.

Justin Levit's book, 'The Truth About Voter Fraud,' reviewed a billion ballots from 2000-2014 and found only 31 credible instances of impersonation fraud. A Utah review for non-citizens on voter rolls found only one, who had never voted.