Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) criticized former President Trump’s upcoming “election integrity” event with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Friday.
In a statement distributed by the Biden administration, Thompson, the chair of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, referred to the event as a “sham.”
The press conference, scheduled for Friday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, aims to introduce legislation that aims to prevent noncitizens from voting. It is important to note that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.
According to Thompson’s statement, the recent event at Trump’s country club should serve as a reminder to the American people of a concerning reality: Donald Trump poses a threat to our democracy and jeopardizes our Constitution.
Foreign nationals are not allowed to vote in federal elections according to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. However, there are some jurisdictions that permit noncitizens to participate in local elections, such as municipal and school board elections.
According to Thompson, the 2020 election stands out as one of the most secure in the history of the country. He emphasizes that Trump’s defeat to Biden, with a margin of “over seven million votes,” was fair and legitimate.
Thompson expressed his criticism of the former president’s recent statement, in which he suggested that he would release the Jan. 6 rioters from prison if he were to be reelected. The former president referred to these individuals as “hostages.”
According to a statement from Thompson, Trump has made several alarming statements recently. He has promised to pardon violent insurrectionists and has shown support for the criminals who attacked law enforcement at the Capitol on January 6th. Additionally, he has threatened that the upcoming election in November could be our last.
On Friday, Johnson will have an opportunity to demonstrate his strong relationship with Trump and the President’s connections to House Republican leadership. This comes at a crucial time as they both handle contentious matters such as the reauthorization of the country’s warrantless surveillance powers and providing further aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
In November, Johnson made an announcement that he would release a vast amount of footage from inside the Capitol during the riot. By doing so, Johnson aimed to offer the public, media, and criminal defendants the opportunity to witness firsthand what transpired on that fateful day. This move by Johnson not only undermines Thompson’s efforts on the Jan. 6 committee but also provides an alternative means for individuals to perceive the events of that day, rather than relying solely on the panel’s findings.
According to a statement by Thompson, both Donald Trump and Mike Johnson are primarily focused on aiding Trump’s campaign and seeking revenge to regain power, rather than caring about the integrity of our elections. Thompson asserts that the American people are aware of this and will not be deceived by Trump’s false and harmful claims in the upcoming November election, just as they were not fooled four years ago.
