An executive order issued by President Joe Biden that directed federal agencies to coordinate with outside groups on sprawling voter turnout is being used as a tool to “weaponize” the federal government, according to a top GOP lawmaker.
“What they have done is weaponize all federal agencies on behalf of President Biden’s reelection campaign,” House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) said during a Thursday hearing on noncitizen voting and foreign influence in elections.
“Our federal agencies should be focused on serving the American people, not focused on reelecting President Biden,” Steil said in the hearing. “As we see the actions taken by this administration to leverage taxpayer dollars for political purposes, that should be concerning to all citizens.”
Steil’s comments on Thursday come after multiple reports from the Washington Examiner on how groups linked to the planning and implementation of Biden’s executive order, which was issued in March 2021, appear to be overwhelmingly of the progressive Left. The order calls for agencies to register voters with the help of “approved, nonpartisan third-party organizations and state officials.”
A Washington Examiner investigation found that staffers from one group called Vot-ER listed as having been on a 2021 planning call with groups for the executive order is funded by Democratic dark money groups and led by left-wing activists. Some legal experts have raised concerns over whether Vot-ER and its partners in taxpayer-funded public health centers are acting nonpartisan in accordance with federal rules.
Documents show that other groups with staffers on that call were from the George Soros-backed Open Society Policy Center, End Citizens United, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s Democracy Fund, the Brennan Center for Justice, and other left-wing activist hubs.
On Wednesday, Steil sent a letter to the Transportation Department asking for information about its plans to implement Biden’s executive order on voter turnout.
“We are certain you agree with us that every eligible U.S. citizen who chooses to register to vote must have the opportunity to do so; furthermore, every lawful vote must count. Increased voter registration and participation is a goal all Americans share. At the same time, our system requires that our actions must always comply with the Constitution and federal law,” Steil wrote in the letter, echoing concerns from other lawmakers that the order appears to skirt several laws and is unconstitutional.
During the Thursday hearing, Steil said he looked forward to the government swiftly replying and said the order is a “real concern.” Much of the hearing focused on tightening laws to stop foreign nationals from exerting influence over elections in the United States and concerns from the GOP about noncitizens voting — the latter of which Democrats said is far overblown.
“It’s not something that is easily provable,” said Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY), the committee’s ranking member. “Not provable, because there is no proof … Republicans aren’t governing based on facts. Frankly, they’re not governing at all and it’s an embarrassment.”
Unearthed documents obtained by the Washington Examiner on the 2021 executive order planning call show that some groups suggested agencies work to register undocumented immigrants to vote, among others.
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One conservative witness during the hearing urged for stricter regulations and said noncitizen voting harms the country.
“We should provide both access and secure the election process for all eligible U.S. citizens but allowing aliens to participate in the election process unfairly dilutes the votes of all citizens regardless of their race or which political party they are affiliated with,” Hans von Spakovsky, a legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, testified in the hearing.
