Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) criticized the upcoming “election integrity” event hosted by former President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
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.”
A press conference has been scheduled at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday to introduce legislation aimed at preventing 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 staged event at Trump’s country club serves as a stark reminder of a troubling reality: Donald Trump poses a significant threat to our democracy and poses a risk to our Constitution.
Foreign nationals are not permitted to vote in federal elections according to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. However, in some jurisdictions, they are allowed to participate in local elections, including municipal and school board elections.
According to Thompson, the 2020 election stands out as one of the most secure elections in the history of the country. He points out that Trump lost to Biden by a significant margin of over seven million votes, emphasizing that the outcome was fair and just.
Thompson expressed criticism towards the former president for his recent statement, in which he stated that if he were to be reelected, one of his initial actions would be to release the individuals involved in the January 6th riots, referring to them as “hostages.”
“In recent days, Trump made the disturbing pledge to grant pardons to violent insurrectionists. He even went as far as to show support for the criminals who launched an attack on the courageous law enforcement officers safeguarding the Capitol on January 6. Additionally, he issued a menacing warning, suggesting that the upcoming November election could potentially be our final one,” Thompson’s statement expressed concern.
On Friday, Johnson will have an opportunity to demonstrate his strong relationship with Trump and Trump’s association with House Republican leadership. This comes at a time when both of them are handling contentious matters, such as the reauthorization of the country’s warrantless surveillance powers and providing further assistance to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
In November, Johnson made the announcement that he would release a vast amount of footage from inside the Capitol during the riot. He aimed to provide the public, media, and criminal defendants with the opportunity to witness firsthand what occurred on that day, rather than relying solely on the findings of the Jan. 6 committee led by Thompson. This move by Johnson undermines Thompson’s efforts in the committee.
According to Thompson’s statement, Donald Trump and Mike Johnson are not concerned about ensuring the integrity of our elections. Instead, their focus is solely on aiding Trump’s campaign and seeking revenge to regain power, regardless of the consequences. Thompson emphasizes that the American people are aware of this motive and, just like in the previous election, they will not be deceived by Trump’s deceitful lies come November.
