Trump’s order also toys with innovative new abuses of power.

It directs the nonpartisan, independent Election Assistance Commission
to tighten ID measures
— a directive far beyond the scope of presidential authority.

But precedent, and the rule of law, have not often dissuaded the Trump administration.

Ominous language in the order directs states to provide voter roll information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

(The text also goes out of its way to praise the rather dystopian biometric voter ID measures in use in India.)

Later, the executive order stipulates that state voter lists must be made available for
review by the DHS and “the DOGE Administrator”
— this presumably referring to private citizen and public embarrassment Elon Musk.

In other words, the infamously intrusive DHS,
now with the infamously disruptive DOGE,
will be given some sort of authority over state voter rolls,
many of which are already subjected to baseless and illegal purges.

We can only imagine what sort of further mangling the flunkies of DOGE might have in mind.

After all, we’ve seen what kind of technical “upgrades” and other impending disasters they intend to carry out at the Social Security Administration (SSA).

(In fact, the executive order even contains a roundabout means of facilitating DOGE and Trump’s access to the SSA,
dictating that the SSA commissioner must provide SSA data for voting eligibility determinations.
This may be intended to circumvent legal barriers to DOGE intervention.)

Speaking of #security #threats,
the Trump administration has already hampered the "Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency" ( #CISA ),
placing its 17-member election security team on administrative leave
and “under review.”

CISA is tasked with addressing election threats,
from cyberattacks to violence against poll workers.

Here, it seems likely that Trump is pursuing another petty #vendetta.

The president is evidently a bit bitter about CISA’s efforts to contradict his misinformation about COVID and the 2020 election,
as comments from DHS chief Kristi Noem
(who claimed the agency has ventured “far off mission”)
have hinted.

Yet another blow to electoral integrity arrived with the defunding of the Center for Internet Security
and the subsequent closure of its subsidiary, the "Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center"
( EI-ISAC ).

EI-ISAC,
alongside the "Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center",
served as a technical support and advisory arm on internet security.

Shuttering it may now leave open possible avenues for cyberattacks,
foreign interference, and other uncertain threats, according to Politico.

Unfortunately, Trump’s recent executive order contains even more diktats:

requiring the reporting of foreign nationals to the DHS,

unsourced claims of illicit foreign contributions to direct-democracy ballot initiatives
(which the right generally does not like),

and additional stringent demands to serve up voter information to unaccountable agencies,
for purposes unknown.

The most chilling section, though, might be the one titled “Prosecuting Election Crimes.”

It defines as a #criminal anyone who
“registered or voted despite being ineligible,”
“committed election fraud,”
“provided false information [on] forms,”
“threatened voters or election officials,”
or “engaged in unlawful conduct to interfere in the election process.”

Worth noting that some of these definitions are enormously subjective.

If it comes to prosecuting activists or political opponents
— which has become an acute possibility
— the listed violations will surely provide for some generously broad legal interpretations.

Lastly, the Trump administration appears keen to ensure its threats do not ring hollow.
The order promises to penalize recalcitrant states by conditioning their funding on obedience.

The administration reserves itself the right to
“cease providing Federal funds to States that do not comply[.]”

We’ve already been treated to the ugly sight of Trump withholding funds as a cudgel.

Perhaps he’s emboldened by his success in goading elite universities to kiss the ring,
some so eager to grovel and demonstrate fealty to escape his wrath that they folded preemptively in fear
— or just complicity.

Voting rights advocates are hoping that at least some in the judiciary will not capitulate so easily.

https://truthout.org/articles/trump-assumes-unheard-of-powers-in-ordering-federal-overhaul-of-elections/