Last week, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., joined U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., and more than 15 Republican colleagues in the Senate in sending a letter to President Joe Biden reiterating concerns over the White House’s refusal to respond to the senators’ previous demands for transparency regarding the use of American taxpayer dollars to implement Executive Order 14019.
“The Executive Order instructed federal agencies to engage in voter mobilization and submit to the White House a plan for doing so, and is a potential violation of the Antideficiency Act that prohibits agencies from expending federal funds without congressional authorization,” Scott’s office noted.
The senators wrote, “We are concerned by your failure to respond to our previous inquiry on May 10, 2023, regarding Executive Order 14019 on ‘Promoting Access to Voting.’ This policy directive merits congressional oversight both as a general matter and under the Antideficiency Act. Accordingly, we write to reiterate our request for information regarding the implementation of this executive order, including copies of the plans submitted to the White House.”
The senators continued, “Federal agencies should be focused on their defined missions in a nonpartisan manner, not using taxpayer funds for voter mobilization efforts with potentially partisan impacts. In other words, it’s not the job of the federal government to drive voter turnout.”
“In order to determine the voter mobilization and electioneering activities to which the Biden administration has devoted taxpayer resources, the senators once again requested that the Biden Administration provide the American people the following basic information,” Scott’s office noted. “1. Copies of all federal agency “strategic plans” required under the Order and a list of which agencies have not yet submitted a strategic plan; 2. The strategic plan required by the General Services Administration under the Order; 3. The recommendations provided by the Office of Personnel Management under the Order; and 4. All procedures established by the Attorney General under the Order.”
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