Judge Blocks EO's Citizenship Proof Provisions

 

On March 25, the delusional would-be dictator Malignant Fascist signed one of his unconstitutional Executive Orders -- which he thinks are royal proclamations -- that would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote, proof which many U.S. citizens would have difficulty in producing. Yesterday, senior U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly blocked key provisions of the Executive Order, pompously and cynically titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections," on the grounds that the Malignant Fascist lacked the Constitutional authority to require such proof:

"Kollar-Kotelly blocked a part of Trump’s order that would change a federal voter registration form to indicate that proof of citizenship is required to register. She also blocked another provision that instructs federal agencies not to assist individuals with registering unless they can assess that those people are U.S. citizens. But the judge left in place a portion of the order that instructs the Department of Homeland Security to share data with states seeking to verify citizenship of people who are seeking to register or already on their voter rolls.

The judge said the provisions she blocked were “incompatible with the expressed or implied will of Congress.” She said Trump’s demands were at odds with two different statutes: the National Voter Registration, passed in 1993, and the Help America Vote Act, passed in 2002.

Voters are not required to use the federal form to register, but many do, and states and localities are required to accept it." (our emphasis)

Of course the MF's Executive Order was all about voter suppression not "election integrity," and has been a favorite tactic of the corrupt Republican Party -- along with gerrymandering Congressional districts -- to skew elections in their favor. Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance observes:

"Apparently, Trump wasn’t kidding when he told people 2024 was the last election they’d ever have to vote in if he won.

On March 25, 2025, he issued an executive order—“PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS”—that is a vehicle for making it more difficult for people the Republican Party apparently thinks won’t vote for them to vote. [snip]

Today, a federal judge put substantial portions of that executive order on pause in League of Women Voters et.al. v. Trump. The rationale: presidents don't have the authority to regulate federal elections." [snip]

The reason our elections, which are held in all 50 states and over 3,100 counties, as well as in some territories and for military members and citizens abroad, are not consigned to the control of the president is fairly obvious. The decentralization makes it more difficult for a president or his party to manipulate outcomes in national elections. Trump is nothing if not transparent in this regard." (our emphasis] 

Vance notes that the Judge was deliberate in spelling out the reasons for denying specific provisions, which will make it very difficult for the MF to successfully appeal. So far the dam is holding.

(photo: the MF shows his unconstitutional voter restriction order.  Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)