Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (“the Commission”) Kris Kobach requesting immediate termination of the harmful Commission, which is having an alarming effect on voter participation in Colorado.
Original Title
Letter Requesting Termination of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (“the Commission”) Kris Kobach requesting immediate termination of the harmful Commission, which is having an alarming effect on voter participation in Colorado.
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (“the Commission”) Kris Kobach requesting immediate termination of the harmful Commission, which is having an alarming effect on voter participation in Colorado.
MICHAEL F. BENNET WasngToN, 0;
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"AND PENSIONS
July 14, 2017
The Honorable Mike Pence ‘The Honorable Kris Kobach
Vice President Vice-Chairman
‘The White House Presidential Advisory Commission on
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Election Integrity
Washington, DC 20500 Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
Dear Vice President Pence and Secretary of State Kobach:
I write to ask you to immediately terminate the wasteful and harmful Presidential Advisory
Commission on Election Integrity (“the Commission”). This Commission was formed as the
result of delusion, conspiracy theories, and truly "fake news," but it is having a very real and
dramatically chilling effect on voter participation,
The stated purpose of the Commission is “to increase the American people's confidence in the
integrity of our election systems.” Yet, the entire premise for its origination has zero basis in any
peer-reviewed study or analysis.
Asa country, there are actual and substantial threats to our democracy that we must address.
Rather than waste taxpayer resources indulging invented claims of “serious voter fraud,” voters
being bussed into New Hampshire, and millions of “illegal” votes,’ we should take meaningful
steps to address voter suppression and increase voter participation, And we should act on the
‘unanimous assessment of our intelligence agencies that Russia undertook blatant and shocking
‘measures t0 influence the outcome of our election.
‘The Administration instead has chosen to embark on a taxpayer-funded fishing expedition,
which is further eroding trust and confidence in our democratic institutions and perpetuating fear
in communities throughout our country. In fact, the Commission is already having an alarming
effect on voter registration in my home state of Colorado, More than 3,390 people statewide in
Colorado have withdrawn their voter registrations, Voters are specifically citing the commission
as a reason for withdrawing. In Denver County, at least 472 people have withdrawn their voter
registrations since July 3, which corresponds roughly with the time the Commission's request for
voter information was made public. In contrast, only 20 people canceled their registrations in the
' Trump, Donald J. (@reaiDonaldTrump), “Serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California - so why
isn't the media reporting on this? Serious bias - big problem!” 27 Nov. 2016, 5:31 PM. Tweet.
2 Seelye, Katharine Q. “Voter Fraud in New Hampshire? Trump Has No Proof and Many Skeptics.” New York
Times. 13 Feb. 2017. Prin
* Trump, Donald J. (@reeIDonaldTrump), “In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the
popular vote ifyou deduct the millions of people who vated illegally.” 27 Nov. 2016, 1:30 PM. Tweetpreceding two weeks. In Boulder County, 329 voters canceled their registrations in the first 10
days of July. During the first 10 days of June, only 15 voters withdrew their registration.
In Colorado, we have taken great pride in expanding access for voter participation while
protecting the integrity of our elections. We have led the nation in adopting early voting, mail-in
ballots, and same-day registration. This Commission is working directly counter to those efforts
and is stifling the progress we have made,
Given the spike in these registration withdrawals, I request that you immediately end the
Commission and describe how you intend to reverse the damage that it has already caused in my
state.
Tlook forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Michael F. Bennet
United States Senator
“ Eason, Brian. “Hundreds of Colorado voters clamor to unregister in wake of Trump administration’s request for
information.” Denver Post. 11 July 2017. Print