President Donald Trump has removed the last three members of the Election Assistance Commission, an independent federal agency responsible for administering election funds, just months before the midterm elections. This move has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats, who view it as an attempt to undermine the electoral process.
The dismissals included Democratic commissioners Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, who were fired via email, while Christy McComick was allowed to resign. The only remaining Republican commissioner, Donald Palmer, had already left the commission in April.
A White House official defended the terminations, citing the President's authority to remove individuals not aligned with the goal of securing elections, referencing a recent Supreme Court ruling that supports this power. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the firings, suggesting they are part of a broader strategy to control election processes ahead of the midterms.
Concerns have been raised by voting rights advocates that Trump's actions, alongside his push for strict voter identification laws and criticism of mail-in voting, could significantly impact the electoral landscape in November