President Donald Trump on Wednesday disbanded a commission that was meant to investigate his claims that voter fraud took place during the 2016 election.
The White House said the decision to eliminate the commission, called the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, came after 15 states refused to disclose residents’ voter information.
The administration created the commission in May with Vice President Mike Pence taking lead. It was intended to investigate “improper voting, fraudulent voter registrations, and fraudulent voting,” according to Business Insider.
Despite numerous investigations and reports finding otherwise, Trump claimed (without providing evidence) that millions of people voted illegally in 2016, which led to him losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton.
The voter fraud commission, which met twice, was impeded by states’ refusals to comply with information requests as well as lawsuits from liberal advocacy groups.
On Twitter, Democrat leaders celebrated the Trump administration’s move to dissolve the commission, saying it violated voters’ rights.
Fraudulent voter fraud commission is dissolved. The ugly death it deserved.
— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) January 3, 2018
The Administration’s “commission on election integrity” was always a scheme to suppress certain groups of Americans from exercising their right to vote. Good riddance https://t.co/y02pnX49Tf
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) January 4, 2018
The only fraud was @realDonaldTrump trying to convince us the election was rigged against him. Reality: he’s the ONLY one who had significant illegal help. This commission ended because of you. You cared and he folded. #StayLoud https://t.co/cTmpl2w1px
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 4, 2018
In a statement about disbanding the voter fraud commission, the administration said that the Department of Homeland Security would review the panel’s initial findings to “determine next courses of action.”
That might be a push toward Voter I.D. laws, if the president’s tweets this morning are any indication.
Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018
As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do…..except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018
H/T the Hill
This article has been updated.
