Trump removes two Democratic EAC commissioners
Donald Trump removed two Democratic members from the Electoral Assistance Commission (EAC), the federal body that supports the organization of elections in the United States.
The decision reactivated the debate about the independence of electoral institutions and the limits of presidential power.
The White House justified the measure by pointing out that the president has the power to remove officials who are not aligned with his strategy to guarantee electoral integrity.
The officials removed were Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, who were part of the bipartisan commission.
The action comes after the Supreme Court recently strengthened the president’s powers to dismiss members of independent agencies.
The Trump administration maintains that it seeks to strengthen electoral security, especially in verifying the citizenship of those who request to register to vote.
The EAC had previously rejected modifying the national voter registration form to require documents proving US citizenship. That proposal was promoted by Trump through an executive order, but a federal judge blocked it, considering that the Constitution reserves the authority to administer electoral processes to Congress and the states.
Democratic legislators accused the president of trying to politicize the electoral system months before the midterm legislative elections.
