Published on March 15, 2024, 1:03 am

The Biden administration is positioning itself in an influential role for the 2024 election, according to House Republicans. Observers highlight the administration’s lack of transparency in executing Biden’s executive order for federal agencies to aid in voter participation, coupled with a critical statement from Attorney General Merrick Garland. These actions have led to rising apprehension among lawmakers.

“You just saw Merrick Garland stating that voter ID disenfranchises people,” reported Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., co-chairman of the House Election Integrity Caucus. “The metrics prove otherwise. Approximately 85% of individuals across all demographics champion voter ID.”

Garland openly criticized voter ID laws and comparable election security measures earlier this month, calling them “discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary.” During a recent speech in Selma, Alabama, he boasted about doubling the number of attorneys in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division since becoming attorney general. He further called attention to their challenges against state-level restrictions on ballot access like mail-in voting procedures, drop box use, and voter ID requirements.

Contrary to Garland’s position is my book “The Myth of Voter Suppression,” which highlighted multiple studies demonstrating how voter ID regulations do not curtail voting participation. Research from 2019 by the National Bureau of Economic Research confirms based on data gathered from 2008 through 2018 that “voter ID laws do not negatively impact registration or turnout at all — not nationally or across race-, gender-, age-, or party-aligned groups.” A separate study published by The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that these laws serve as a benefit for Democrats but weakened after 2012 and overall had “insignificant average effects.”

Garland’s statements seem intended to put pressure on the looming election cycle where Trump may potentially contend again against Biden suggest observers like Rep. Tenney.

Referring to her home state New York along with other Democrat-controlled states, Tenney recounts, “We’ve had a significant number of law alterations concerning election integrity.” With her commitment to making voting sacrosanct again, she believes that Americans should trust the electoral procedure.

Almost every European nation universally accepts voter ID laws, and they apply rigorous restrictions on mail-in voting compared to U.S practices. Americans should be assured that “[their] vote counts,” as Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois points out.

Rep. Beth Van Duyne of Texas also advised her constituents about Biden’s Executive Order 14019 which mandates federal agencies partner with nonprofit organizations to augment voter participation and adds, “the Constitution clearly specifies state authorities maintain control of their respective election legislation.”

However, there has been notable resistance to sharing information from these agencies within the Biden administration. Still, public record requests reveal collaborations with prominent liberal bodies such as Demos, the Brennan Center for Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union among others.

Pointing out concerns about federal influence in elections, Rep. Carlos Giménez of Florida declared: “Federal offices should not obstruct voter registration — it’s a very slippery slope if they regulate it because bias allegations will inevitably occur.”

The Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud Database has found that most cases of fraud emerge from mail-in or absentee voting procedures. Lastly replying to this fact is Representative Glenn Grothman from Wisconsin whose assertion held that “If Putin got elected through mostly absentee ballots we’d believe it’s rigged.” He further stressed an eight in ten chance will always cast suspicion on American election results.