President Trump has abruptly cleared out the Democratic presence on the independent bipartisan panel that helps oversee how Americans vote. The White House confirmed on Thursday that Trump removed the two remaining Democratic commissioners on the Election Assistance Commission, Benjamin Hovland and Thomas Hicks, reports the Hill. The lone Republican commissioner, Christy McCormick, resigned. A White House official said the president is entitled to oust officials "not ... totally aligned" with what he says are his election security priorities, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling expanding presidential removal power over independent agencies.
The AP notes that the affected members had pushed back at Trump over his attempts to get potential voters to prove US citizenship ahead of registering to vote. Votebeat, which first reported on the news, notes that Hovland and Hicks were informed of their immediate termination by email. Another GOP commissioner, Donald Palmer, left on his own accord earlier this year. The EAC, created after the 2000 election debacle, advises states on voting systems and administers the national mail-voter registration form.
The group's empty roster now raises questions about how it will function and whether Trump will nominate replacements, who would need Senate approval. Democrats denounced the move as a partisan power play, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowing to oppose it "at every turn" and Sen. Mark Warner warning it "should concern every American." The shake-up comes as Trump and his allies intensify criticism of mail voting, and as the Postal Service signals it won't handle ballots from states that refuse to share certain voter data with the federal government. MS Now's Steve Benen has more on why Americans should care about this move.
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