Klobuchar, Feinstein, Whitehouse, Peters, Senators Question the Integrity of Trump Election Integrity Commission, Demand Transparency

Press Release

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Gary Peters (D-MI), and 12 other senators today requested details of the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity's compliance with the Federal Advisory Commission Act (FACA). Numerous election administrators and voting rights advocates have dismissed unsupported claims of voter fraud. In a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, the Chairman of the Commission, and Vice Chairman Kris Kobach, the senators demand that if the Commission is going to proceed, it do so with an open and honest process that follows all applicable laws, and that details on procedures and protocols of the Commission are provided to ensure covered records are properly preserved and made accessible.

"President Trump established the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity to "study vulnerabilities in voting systems used for federal elections that could lead to improper voter registrations, improper voting, fraudulent voter registrations, and fraudulent voting.' The establishment of the Commission came after President Trump called into question the integrity of our country's elections on multiple occasions," the senators wrote.

The senators continued, "In order to help the American people best understand the Commission's work and findings, we seek to ensure the Commission's compliance with the Federal Advisory Commission Act (FACA), the law that governs the establishment of federal advisory commissions as well as a commission's obligations under the law."

The letter was also signed by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The FACA was established to promote transparency and accountability in government and sets certain openness and transparency requirements that govern the Commission's work. These requirements include holding meetings open to the public with timely advance notice; allowing interested persons to attend and file statements; maintaining minutes of any meetings; and making all records, drafts, and documents available to the public. FACA also imposes requirements related to the composition of the Commission to ensure objectivity.

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