The United States is expected to soon hit a total of 100,000 Coronavirus deaths, but President Donald Trump doesn’t seem exactly focused on that looming problem. Instead, this Wednesday, he rushed to Twitter with completely baseless conspiracy theories asserting that states like Michigan and Nevada were setting the stage for voter fraud via expanding their vote-by-mail options. In response to this entirely baselessly supposed problem, Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from the states. In response, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) pointed out the self-centered absurdity of the president’s behavior.
The President is clearly terrified of #VoteByMail.
Why?
Because #Election2020 will be the one-and-only chance at accountability for the next four years.
…Or even longer. https://t.co/DZV5snJlZK— Jonah Blank (@JonahBlank) May 20, 2020
Schiff tweeted:
‘Trump is threatening to withhold aid from states that help people vote by mail. Americans voting safely shouldn’t be a political issue. But as I’ve said: You can’t trust Donald Trump to do what’s right for the country. You can trust he will do what’s right for Donald Trump.’
Trump is threatening to withhold aid from states that help people vote by mail.
Americans voting safely shouldn’t be a political issue.
But as I’ve said:
You can’t trust Donald Trump to do what’s right for the country.
You can trust he will do what’s right for Donald Trump. https://t.co/VxFqoYs6xy
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 20, 2020
Again, to be clear — there is absolutely no evidence supporting Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud inherent in vote-by-mail arrangements. Many states already have these arrangements in place and have used them for some time. Yet, none of that stopped Trump from rushing to condemn the state officials behind the simple steps to secure the voting process. In-person voting could be dangerous if it allows for the spread of the Coronavirus, but Trump does not seem to care.
This tweet is also not true: Nevada already allows any voter to vote absentee by mail.
The state has switched to all mail in voting, but only for the upcoming primary because of coronavirus.
Trump also has no clear authority to hold up federal funding for this reason. https://t.co/GlhcmlJtc8
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) May 20, 2020
He attracted a lot of other criticism for his remarks, too. Professor Patrick Chovanec commented:
‘When Trump blocked funds to Ukraine to demand political favors, many of us asked what would stop him from trying the same here at home.’
When Trump blocked funds to Ukraine to demand political favors, many of us asked what would stop him from trying the same here at home. https://t.co/VEyf1ixBTJ
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) May 20, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to Schiff below…
@Twitter must act on @POTUS Trumps false election post. If they won't the audit committee is waiving its Sarbanes-Oxley safe harbor. https://t.co/Kv9Seu3dAC
— Tim Hogan (@TimInHonolulu) May 20, 2020
Another example to add to my "We'd like you to do us a favor though" poem https://t.co/ZAoqk8Y1dv
— WIPoetLaureate (@RozgaMargaret) May 20, 2020
Nation-WIDE protests against the CORRUPT PRESIDENT that KNOWS his ass is toast unless he can suppress the vote might be the answer. His party is toast too … AMERICAN has SEEN THE CORRUPT GOP PARTY for 4 YEARS and LONGER in the Senate. https://t.co/b4UtQjC2bI
— Tom Fields (@NickAtNyte) May 20, 2020
Expanded voting by mail is essential for public health during the age of #Covid_19 . Virginia's municipal elections demonstrated that many people LOVE safe alternatives to in-person voting. https://t.co/Ceh3vTFvdj
— Prof. Stephen Farnsworth (@drsfarnsworth) May 20, 2020
America must and WILL VOTE! #NovemberIsComing https://t.co/c1QYBA4mTF
— Rosemarie DiMatteo (@msrosetoyou) May 20, 2020