Abuse of Power

Congress is finally listening to the growing demands for reform from the American people. That H.R. 1 will be a sweeping set of pro-democracy reforms is an encouraging sign that the new Congress has its priorities in line with the will of the people. On Election Day, voters from coast-to-coast sent a clear message that we are ready for bold, comprehensive democracy reforms. Tired of the status quo, Americans passed nearly two dozen ballot initiatives across the nation ranging from redistricting reforms, ethics, same day and automatic voter registration to citizen-funded elections measures to ensure that the people have a voice in their democracy. These passed in red states, blue states, and purple states alike with strong support from Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

The irony is richer than Ivanka Trump herself. The president's daughter routinely conducted government business from her personal email in violation of federal rules, according to The Washington Post. All the while chants of "lock her up" still reverberate at President Donald Trump's rallies, even after he made Hillary Clinton's email use a central issue of his 2016 campaign. Just last week, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he would further investigate the FBI's handling of Clinton's emails if he chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee next year.

“The number of people who cast provisional ballots,” says Sara Henderson, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, “doesn’t even come close to the number of people who were disenfranchised.” The Abrams campaign heard from 25,000 people who had problems voting. Henderson helped oversee election protection efforts for nonpartisan voting rights groups and said “our phones in the command center were ringing off the hook.”

“Today’s ruling is a victory for the voters of Georgia. We are all stronger when every eligible voter is allowed to participate in our elections,” said Sara Henderson, executive director of Common Cause Georgia said in a statement. “This victory helps achieve greater voter confidence in our elections.”

A separate suit by the League of Women Voters and the nonprofit watchdog group Common Cause Florida asks to bar Scott from using “the power of his office in any manner related to Florida’s 2018 Senate race as long as he remains a candidate.” Scott’s “misuse of his official powers in favor of his own candidacy demonstrates the truth of the axiom that no man may be the judge in his own cause,” the lawsuit stated.