President Trump removed the remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission. One Republican appointee resigned, while two Democratic appointees received an email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office detailing their terminations.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” the email, seen by Reuters, read.
According to a statement obtained by The Hill, the White House said of the terminations, “The President, and head of the Executive Branch, 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.”
“The Slaughter decision gives the President precedence to do so,” the official said, referring to the Supreme Court decision that concluded the president has the authority to remove members of the Federal Trade Commission. “The Administration from the start has been working across all agencies and local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse, and investing in a strong infrastructure to sustain that mission especially in the midterm elections,” the official added.
According to the Election Assistance Commission’s website, the entity is an “independent, bipartisan commission whose mission is to help election officials improve the administration of elections and help Americans participate in the voting process.”
Last year, President Trump signed an executive order that directed the EAC to require proof of citizenship in its national mail voter registration form. A judge blocked that portion of the order.
