WASHINGTON, DC (May 12, 2017) – National Urban League President and CEO, Marc H. Morial, issued the following statement today on President Trump’s executive order creating a Commission on Election Integrity:
“President Trump’s executive order to create a Commission on Election Integrity to investigate the non-issue of voter fraud is very troubling. Despite impartial campaign experts and congressional leaders from his own political party debunking Trump’s claim that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 presidential election, the President still saw it necessary to authorize tax dollars on a pointless commission.
“The appointment of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as the Commission’s Vice-Chair is equally troubling and sends warning flags about the true underlying intent of the Commission – to use it as a front for promoting voter suppression and discriminatory voting tactics that especially impact voters of color, the elderly, the disabled and the young. Kobach is renowned for perpetuating the myths of voter fraud and would bring to the Commission his own agenda to weaken voter protection, not strengthen it.
“Instead of pursuing this dead-end street, we call on President Trump to seek concrete solutions to ensure that no voter is denied the right to vote through oppressive voter ID laws, proof of citizenship requirements, limited early voting periods, changes to polling precincts without adequate notification to voters, or through gerrymandered congressional districts.
“Anything short of this shows an intentionality by the President to deceive the public for the purpose of self and political interests.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
K. Kim Atterbury | katterbury@nul.org | (202) 629-5750
