ADVERTISEMENT

Schumer: Democrats Working to Disband 'Nasty Solution' Voter Fraud Commission

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer / Getty Images
Sen. Chuck Schumer / Getty Images
September 12, 2017

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Democrats are considering ways to disband President Donald Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

Over the August recess, Schumer pledged that Democrats would try to tie a measure to disband the commission to a must-pass bill, the Hill reported.

Democrats only hold 48 seats – less than a majority – in the Senate, and would need help from Republicans to pass a bill that would break up the commission.

"[The commission is] a nasty solution in search of a problem," Schumer said. "The election integrity commission ought to be disbanded. We will be looking for ways to do that legislatively. The real threat of election integrity comes not from voter fraud but from foreign meddling and cyberattacks."

The so-called voter fraud commission was created by executive order in May following Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 presidential election. The order, however, has been met with lawsuits and controversy, including the decision by many states not to provide the commission with voter roll data.

The broader issue of voter fraud has increasingly become a partisan issue. Republicans have argued that some voting requirements – such as voter ID laws – are "common sense." Democrats often see any such action as an effort by Republicans to restrict voting. They specifically argue Republicans true motives are to make voting more difficult for minorities and those in underserved communities who more often vote Democrat. 

Schumer made it clear he thinks the commission has nefarious motives, saying he believes the commission is using "misleading claims and controversial tactics" to make it more difficult to vote in the future, rather than being focused on rooting out potential fraud.

"I think this commission, what it’s trying to do, flies in the face of what this country is all about," Schumer said.