Senator Marshall: H.R. 1 is an Unconstitutional Power Grab

(Washington, D.C., March 24, 2021) – Today, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined his colleagues at a press conference and railed against H.R.1/S.1, the Democrats’ unconstitutional election bill saying in part that the bill “uses tax-payer dollars to fund campaigns. That’s going to result in more political attack ads, and when Americans find out they are going to have more attack ads their heads are going to explode… As I think about this legislation, I think it’s an unconstitutional power grab by Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer.” You may click HERE or on the image below to watch Senator Marshall’s remarks from today’s press conference.

Background:

• The law bans states from requiring people to verify their identity to vote;
• Requires all states to automatically register anyone in their databases to vote which could include illegal immigrants, and non-citizens;
• Gives felons the right to vote; and restricts every states’ ability to verify the accuracy of their voter registration rolls.
• There’s no limit as to the number of ballots third-party groups can return on behalf of voters. That means partisan operatives can go door to door amassing thousands of ballots.
• Mail-in ballots will be counted up to 10 days after Election Day ensuring elections drag on and results are subject to change almost two weeks after Election Day.
• Violates Americans’ right to privacy by requiring that “all organizations involved in political activity” must disclose their donors if that person “gives” more than $10,000 and the donor does not indicate they don’t want the money to be used for campaign-ads.
• Makes it impossible for voters to hold election officials accountable for tampering with ballots and mishandling elections. Under HR1,voters can only challenge HR1 in the federal District Court in Washington, D.C. and would allow the court to order all plaintiffs and intervenors, regardless of their number (such as all 50 states), “to file joint papers or to be represented by a single attorney at oral argument,” severely limiting the legal representation and due process rights of challengers.
• Lets the IRS investigate and consider the political and policy positions of nonprofit organizations before they are granted tax-exempt status, thus enabling IRS officials to target organizations engaging in First Amendment activity with disfavored views.

Excerpt of Senator Marshall’s remarks:

I want to start this morning by talking about why almost every American will dislike this bill. It uses tax-payers’ dollars to fund campaigns. That’s going to result in more political attack ads, and when Americans find out they are going to have more attack ads their heads are going to explode… I think about the sanctity of the election booth when you walk in there and make your one vote, it counts as one vote. One per person, one vote. Meanwhile, an operative is being paid for the last 30 to 60 days to go out and collect ballots. Ballots that may have belonged to a dead person, or people that don’t even live in the state yet… As I think about this legislation, I think it’s an unconstitutional power grab by Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer… Just because you can grab power doesn’t mean you have to. One of the best tests of leadership is, do you turn down power when you have opportunity to gain more. This legislation will end up with a one party system. This is exactly what President Washington did not want, was a monarchy, a one party system. And I believe Americans will remember this in 2022 and 2024.

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