Months before the midterms, the only federal agency dedicated solely to election administration is now unable to do anything.

Trump fired all three remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on Thursday, abruptly disabling the only federal agency devoted solely to election administration at a moment when Trump has sought to reshape federal voting rules.

The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were notified by email. “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 said. It was signed by Morgan DeWitt Snow, deputy director of presidential personnel in the Executive Office of the President.

The third commissioner, Republican Christy McCormick, was allowed to resign, according to three sources within the agency. McCormick declined to comment when reached by phone. The agency’s fourth commissioner, Republican Donald Palmer, voluntarily departed the agency earlier this year to join the Heritage Foundation.

  • WanderWisley@lemmy.world
    261·
    1 day ago

    This was the plan from the beginning. Don’t act surprised now or when there are armed men at polling stations on Election Day.

    • orbitz@lemmy.ca
      12·
      1 day ago

      Yeah that’s for countries that don’t respect democracy, not… Oh nevermind.

      I’m not sure the last time I saw the phrase international observers offhand (I am sure it’s happened but just missed it) but they are definitely needed in that country. They seem to be degrading themselves to third world, in function if not by cold war meaning.

      • irish_link@lemmy.world
        1·
        8 hours ago

        Umm excuse me. Who the hell do you think you are calling us a third world. That label belongs to shit whole countries didn’t you hear our lord and DT say so about another country. How dare you accuse us of being like THEM.

        Okay I can only act like that so much before I start to vomit. All jokes aside we are more in line with a 4th world (even if there is no such thing) instead of a 3rd world. I still can believe this motherfucker got elected TWICE.

  • DarkFuture@lemmy.worldEnglish
    732·
    2 days ago

    Welp.

    We lived long enough to see America become a 3rd world shithole.

    Edit: Don’t care if I get banned. This traitor’s head needs to be on a pike.

  • jaykrown@lemmy.world
    15·
    1 day ago

    Drump is one of the most hated presidents in US history, seriously none of this will work out in the favor of the Republican party. Fuel shortages start soon, all thanks to Trump’s economy.

  • brezel@piefed.socialEnglish
    851·
    2 days ago

    i think it’s so funny how americans think they live in a democracy while one guy just fires whomever he wants.

    • smeenz@lemmy.nz
      1·
      15 hours ago

      To be fair, a democracy is normally a system where the people elect a smaller group of representives to make decisions for them.

      I don’t think any country has implemented a full direct democracy where the entire population votes on everything.

    • Lenggo@lemmy.world
      4·
      23 hours ago

      But not just anyone… The court said he couldn’t fire that guy from the fed, cause that’s clearly the only important thing that the president needs oversight on /s. Despite the fact that he’s destroying the economy other ways. It’s all fucking ridiculous

    • Trilogy3452@lemmy.worldEnglish
      81·
      2 days ago

      Was there always a lack of repercussions to illegal actions or were administrations playing nice for the most part?

      I’m guessing like with other actions some federal judge will ask to reinstate them when it’s far too late

      • monotremata@lemmy.caEnglish
        12·
        1 day ago

        There was a supreme court decision during the current administration that basically said the president can’t be held accountable. It’s completely insane.

      • VindictiveJudge@lemmy.worldEnglish
        8·
        1 day ago

        There were repurcussions most of the time until Nixon got pardoned. Grant got a speeding ticket on a horse from a beat cop who knew exactly who he was, and Grant paid the ticket. But after Nixon, all bets were off.

      • almost_genocide@lemmy.world
        2·
        1 day ago

        Was there always a lack of repercussions to illegal actions or were administrations playing nice for the most part?

        Oh my god how much more evidence do you need to acknowledge they’re in on it?

        • Trilogy3452@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          18 hours ago

          I’m not following, are you saying the judges are? This administration? All previous administrations and this one?

          • almost_genocide@lemmy.world
            1·
            12 hours ago

            Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden along with Ginsberg, Schumer, Pelosi, McConnell and more.

            They serve corporations, billionaires and Israel. They don’t give a fuck about you.

    • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
      10·
      2 days ago

      i think it’s so funny how americans think they live in a democracy

      Not just any 'ol democracy, but the bestest one ever!!1!!

    • DarkFuture@lemmy.worldEnglish
      103·
      2 days ago

      It would be incredible and one hell of a historic moment if the Orange Pedophile’s reign, which has exposed all our system’s flaws, actually resulted in us plugging those holes and updating our political machine to prevent this all from happening again.

      But the bottom line is that would require voter action and Americans are dogshit stupid.

    • Napster153@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 day ago

      Democracy requires public commitment, but people will always choose what benefits them in the shortest expanse at the cost of long term benefits.

      When the ancient greeks who layed the groundwork can pinpoint the cycle to a fault, isn’t that a sign of a system that is dubious at best in its performance?

    • badgermurphy@lemmy.world
      1·
      13 hours ago

      As long as he does the coup really fast, he can turn around and claim that it was all executive actions for which he has immunity from any potential crimes.

  • flop_leash_973@lemmy.world
    31·
    2 days ago

    Fired the Democrat, but “allowed the Republican to resign”. That is some petty shit. Not that it surprises me coming from Trump and the hairs he has hanging on to his balls like DeWitt.

    Can’t wait to see how much phantom voter fraud his administration uncovers exclusively in states run by people Trump personally doesn’t like. With no mention of how they know there is any fraud to begin with since it seems like they have fired everyone on the Federal side that had any direct insight into elections with this announcement.

    I’m sure someone in the media will get right on that line of thought when the time comes. /s

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      5·
      2 days ago

      Well they haven’t found fraud yet, have they? They need to be replaced with people who will find “fraud”, who will get the necessary votes, and disregard votes where there were “illegal immigrants” …… you can tell because they speak Spanish

    • GlendatheGayWitch@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 day ago

      Seems petty on the surface, but doesnt that leave the democrats able to apply for unemployment, while the Republicans can’t because they resigned?

  • melsaskca@lemmy.ca
    56·
    2 days ago

    This is it. His big move. It’s all out in the open now and the endgame is midterms. C’mon citizens of all stripes, choose neighbourhood reps to watch and video all the polling booths on election day. You’ll need that insurance.

  • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
    452·
    2 days ago

    Dude is trying to steal the next election and install himself as king, amd we’re all just shrugging our shoulders. Let’s see how that works out for us.

    • Mediocre_Bard_Redeux@lemmy.world
      5·
      22 hours ago

      If anyone has the chance to kill him, they should absolutely kill him.

      I know that probably violates some terms of use or whatever, but it is my political opinion and is based on established American political thoery.

      “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” - Thomas Jefferson

    • DarkFuture@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      2 days ago

      Probably how it’s working out for Russian citizens.

      We’re a pretty stupid and servile society of people. I don’t see that going well for us going forward.

      • postmateDumbass@lemmy.world
        71·
        2 days ago

        Plot twist: one drop law passed so only 100% white people can run

        Plot delay: 1 year lost arguing how white italians and irish are

        Plot double cross: everybody is disqualified

        • Forester@pawb.socialEnglish
          2·
          22 hours ago

          Plot triple twist USSupreme Court rules that only Asians descended from the Caucus mountains are white and can run so Madami wins.

        • GutterRat42@lemmy.world
          3·
          2 days ago

          Hey, people have been betting on Kalshi using insider knowledge. I was hoping that somebody in his inner circle is placing bets that gives us any indication on his cardiovascular fitness.

    • redsand@infosec.pub
      91·
      2 days ago

      Just a reminder billionaires and private equity bought the voting machine companies like Dominion. All of them.

      • SeeMarkFly@lemmy.mlEnglish
        31·
        2 days ago

        “People turned their voting over to voting machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only let other men with voting machine keys enslave them.”

        -SeeMarkFly-

    • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
      18·
      2 days ago

      It’s okay, the states do that part. I don’t know what exactly a federal election commissioner does, but the states still run their own elections.

      Terminating them is still blatantly corrupt and alarming, and no one should be okay with it, but this isn’t a deathblow to the democratic process. Still cast your votes in November.

      • dreamkeeper@literature.cafe
        1·
        23 hours ago

        They control federal money that’s used to fund some election-related activities. It’s not the biggest deal in practical terms. As I understand it is not a huge amount of money.

        I just hope we get a mean president next time. We can’t afford another corpo Dem like Biden who plays nice with rethuglicans. Fire all of Trump’s appointments day one and test that scotus ruling. Let’s see how they like the unitary executive when we use it against them in every way possible.

        No more GOP AGs and FBI directors. I can’t believe Dems actually respected the fake “tradition” of only having conservative FBI directors. Fuck that shit. I want someone who goes after these fascist FBI agents targeting Trump’s political opponents and makes their lives a living hell.

        Make those fucks quit or just fire them and replace them with people who actually respect the law.

        • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
          1·
          23 hours ago

          Yeah, agreed. We need someone who will use the fullness of the corruption precedent the GOP has set against them instead of pretending the precedent isn’t already set. No more playing by different rulebooks.

          It’s a sad thing for the democratic processes, but that’s already out the window and it was the GOP who tossed it. Pretending the moral high ground will save us is not enough to pull us out of this death spiral.

          The gloves need to come off and we need a hardcore demagafication period. Only then can we reform the system to patch these holes that have been blown in the democratic order.

    • SeeMarkFly@lemmy.mlEnglish
      32·
      2 days ago

      They can count???

      They don’t count as politicians because they don’t count the voters. They are something else.

  • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
    45·
    2 days ago

    Thanks SCOTUS!

    This right here is the final straw. Cancelling the independence of federal agencies will turn this nation into a capitalist MAGA shithole faster than anything else he’s done.

    I used to believe that we needed to add 4 seats to SCOTUS, but I no longer believe that. Now I believe that we need to add at least 20 seats to SCOTUS, with rolling term limits. The count shouldn’t be so close that one bad faith president can negatively manipulate policy for the next century. It should include rolling term limits, so every president gets to appoint a few, but not enough to steer the direction of the court.

    We have to strengthen the independence of the three branches of government, and this is how we do it for SCOTUS.

    • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
      5·
      2 days ago

      This right here is the final straw.

      LOL.

      I’ll believe that when I see the majority of americans stand up and fight back in any meaningful way.

       

      I would be so happy for my cynicism to be proven wrong - to see Trump, his lackeys and his puppeteers stopped.

      But I don’t expect that to happen.

      • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
        5·
        1 day ago

        YOU are the reason that the Democratic party keeps fucking us over. Every time you, and other cynical defeatists, post your edgy take that the Dems won’t do anything, you send them the message that you’ll accept their failure - AGAIN!

        ALL politicians are lazy and greedy at their core, and if you give them permission to do nothing, that is exactly what they’ll do, and go back to their favorite hobby, insider trading.

        As we head into a Midterm election that is likely to be a bloodbath, it is vitally important that we clearly tell the new Democratic Congress that we expect SERIOUS action this time. No more dithering and slow-walking like last time. EVERY committee will be dedicated to investigating corruption, with a thousand tentacles.

        We all want to know that MAGA Criminals WILL be punished this time, and not just Donald Trump, and we’d all appreciate it if you would STOP sending the message that we expect them to fail us, and we’ll accept it.

        They need to hear that they’d better NOT fail us this time, or they’ll end up in the same position as MAGAs. Get on board with THAT message, and be part of the solution. Stop surrendering in advance, and giving the permission to fail.

        • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
          3·
          21 hours ago

          YOU are the reason that the Democratic party keeps fucking us over

          I’m not even an American.

          I’m one of those foreigners that the USA keeps fucking over.

          I’ve been watching gbthe USA shoot itself in the foot for decades without seeming to care to fix their problems.

          I want the Americans to fix their shit, but I seriously doubt that they have the character to do the hard work is needed.

          We all want to know that MAGA Criminals WILL be punished this time, and not just Donald Trump

          As I said, I want to believe that it’s possible, but from what I’ve seen so far, Americans won’t rise to the challenge.

          Prove me wrong. Fix your own fucking country.

    • SabinStargem@lemmy.todayEnglish
      6·
      2 days ago

      I think the nation as a whole should be divided up into four regional blocs, each with their own judiciary, executive, legislative, military branches, and a regional president. They submit personnel to the national body, including National Justices. This keeps any single territory, person, or party from dominating the ideology of the national court.

      What I am thinking, is something like…

      • 3 executive justices, chosen by the executive without presidential input.
      • 3 judiciary justices, required to have served a long time as a judge.
      • 3 legislative justices, chosen by the elected representatives.
      • 3 military justices, chosen by rank and file soldiers by popular election.
      • 1 presidential justice. When the president who picked the justice leaves office, so does their pick.

      If we have 4 regions, and including the National President’s single justice…

      • 53 national justices, total.

      0000

      Also, add in…

      • 10 year term limit total, that can’t be renewed nor extended. Presidential justices also are subjected to this restriction.

      • An age limit of 60. A justice has to have a sound mind, and reasonably modern understanding of the nation’s people and a grasp of technology.

      • Elimination of the shadow docket, and limits on the amount of vacation time that justices can have in a year. We want them to do their job.

      • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
        1·
        1 day ago

        Right now there are two transparently corrupt MAGA dipshits running for Congress in my area who are both claiming they want term limits, and I laugh every time they say it. In 50 years of voting, I have heard so many Right Wingers claim they are going to force Congress to impose term limits, and I yet I have NEVER seen a single one ever pursue that issue once elected. Not a single time. Any time a MAGA claims they want term limits, they are lying, and you can assume that the rest of their campaign promises are lies as well.

        Both also say they’ll end insider trading, another MAGA lie. In fact, by bringing that up, it only illustrates that it’s on their minds, and likely the primary reason they’re running. After all, they can see how much money these MAGA politicians are making, and that gravy train can’t run forever. They got to jump on while it’s still careening down the tracks, and grab as much cash as possible before the inevitable crash.