The League of Women Voters CEO Celina Stewart released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed two memoranda directing the Justice Department to investigate former appointee Christopher Krebs, Republican previous director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Miles Taylor, a former official in the Department of Homeland Security.
“President Trump’s decision to go after individuals who worked to protect and strengthen our elections — all because they wouldn’t lie and falsely claim that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’ — is an incredibly dangerous abuse of power. It’s a chilling move with the goal of stifling any future dissent, and it could incite violence against election officials.
“This is all part of a broader attack on our elections. CISA, which Krebs used to lead, is vital to protecting our election security, yet the Trump administration is cutting its budget. Furthermore, 80% of election officials are women; targeting Krebs puts them at risk by giving any anti-democracy actor a justification to target these hard-working officials. We must work to make our democracy safer, not weaker.
“Even amid the daily onslaught of attacks on our democracy, this act of blatant retribution cannot fly under the radar. We all have a role in protecting our democracy — no matter our party affiliation — and we must stand up, make our voices heard, and fight back.”
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Background: As it relates to the conduct of the 2020 elections, not only did Krebs vouch for the election’s integrity, but it was robustly supported in the courts. In the dozens of cases on that election, judges around the country found no evidence of significant fraud or tampering, and jurists of all ideological stripes, including the US Supreme Court, rejected claims of a fraudulent election.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. We empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education, and litigation at the local, state, and national levels.