Trump Purges Election Watchdog, Undermining Democracy Ahead of Midterms
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President Trump ousted the last two bipartisan Election Assistance Commission members, drawing outrage from Democrats and voting-rights advocates as the midterms near.
In a brazen attack on democratic institutions, President Donald Trump has removed the final two commissioners from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) just weeks before the crucial 2024 midterm elections. This move leaves the agency, which is supposed to safeguard the integrity of American elections, without a quorum after Commissioner Christy McCormick’s earlier resignation.
The White House attempted to justify this power grab by claiming the president "reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America's elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted," referencing the Supreme Court’s controversial Slaughter decision that dangerously expands presidential authority over independent agencies.
The EAC, established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, is tasked with certifying voting equipment and providing guidelines for election officials nationwide. Its bipartisan structure—no more than two commissioners from the same party—was designed to prevent partisan manipulation.
"President Trump is trying to dismantle yet another independent guardrail of our democracy designed to keep elections fair and secure," warned Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Joe Morelle, leading Democrats on election oversight committees.
"These removals leave the agency without leadership and unable to carry out its major responsibilities," said Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice, highlighting the threat to free and fair elections.
"The EAC has operated without a quorum for much of its existence, yet these dismissals are unprecedented and a significant loss for one of the federal government's few institutions explicitly designed around bipartisan governance," added Matt Weil, vice president of governance at the Bipartisan Policy Center.
As the nation faces another election cycle, Trump’s reckless actions threaten to erode the very foundations of American democracy. The EAC declined to comment, leaving voters and advocates deeply concerned.