Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s recent executive order regarding voter turnout has raised concerns among conservative lawmakers, who argue that the order is being used to politicize and weaponize federal agencies. House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, a Republican from Wisconsin, expressed his worries during a hearing, stating that federal agencies should be focused on serving the American people, rather than being used to bolster President Biden’s reelection campaign.
Accusations have been made that the groups involved in planning and implementing Biden’s executive order are predominantly left-leaning, raising questions about the order’s impartiality. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the involvement of organizations with progressive agendas, such as Vot-ER, which is funded by Democratic dark money groups and has ties to left-wing activists. Legal experts have also questioned whether these groups are complying with federal rules on nonpartisanship.
Biden voter turnout executive order will ‘weaponize’ agencies for his campaign, top lawmaker says https://t.co/HKby2AOA1R
— Frank Stephens ~ Constitutionalist (@FrankStephens5) May 16, 2024
Republican lawmaker Bryan Steil has taken action by requesting information from the Transportation Department about its plans to carry out Biden’s executive order. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that all actions align with the Constitution and federal law. Steil and other conservative lawmakers have expressed skepticism about the order, leading them to believe that it may be skirting several laws and acting unconstitutionally.
During the hearing, concerns were raised about potential foreign influence in U.S. elections, as well as the contentious issue of noncitizen voting. While Republicans emphasized the need for tighter regulations to prevent noncitizen voting, Democrats downplayed the significance of the issue, dismissing it as a mere exaggeration. The clash of opinions between the two parties underscored the partisan divide on the matter.
Notably, documents obtained by the Washington Examiner revealed suggestions from certain groups involved in the planning call for agencies to facilitate voter registration for undocumented immigrants. This revelation further fueled conservative apprehension about the potential consequences of Biden’s executive order.
In response to these worries, a conservative witness at the hearing, Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation, called for stricter regulations and argued that allowing noncitizen voting would unfairly diminish the voices of lawful citizens. The conservative viewpoint on the matter emphasized the need to balance access to the voting process with the necessity of safeguarding the integrity of U.S. elections.
