The Republican National Committee is now directing its resources towards a fresh legal challenge under its new leadership.
Ever since Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of Donald Trump, was elected co-chair of the RNC on March 8, alongside Michael Whatley, a devoted Trump supporter who was elected chair, the Republican Party’s governing body has undergone several notable transformations.
During her appearance on Fox News’ Sean Hannity show on Tuesday, Lara Trump made a commitment to redirect the resources of the Republican National Committee (RNC). In her statement, she revealed that the RNC has established an “election integrity division” tasked with overseeing elections nationwide.
In a statement to The Washington Times, RNC spokesperson John Whatley announced that the RNC has filed a voter-roll lawsuit against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The lawsuit is a result of the Secretary of State’s office failing to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter rolls.
Under the National Voter Registration Act, states are required to keep an up-to-date and precise voter registration roll for federal elections. The RNC has claimed that in Michigan, 76 out of 83 counties have exaggerated voter rolls. Additionally, they have stated that 53 counties have a higher number of active registered voters compared to the adult citizens over the age of 18.
According to Whatley, Jocelyn Benson has not adhered to the National Voter Registration Act, resulting in Michigan having inflated and inaccurate voter rolls in preparation for the 2024 election.
According to Benson, who spoke to Newsweek, Michigan has made significant progress in the past five years in removing deceased voters and ineligible citizens from its voting rolls, surpassing the efforts of the previous two decades. In fact, federal data reveals that Michigan is the fifth most active state in the country when it comes to removing registrations of deceased voters. Since assuming office, over 700,000 voter registrations have been cancelled, with an additional 520,000 registrations slated for cancellation in 2025 to further ensure the accuracy of the voter rolls.
This is nothing more than a public relations campaign posing as a lawsuit devoid of any merit. It is riddled with unfounded accusations aimed at undermining people’s trust in the integrity of our elections. It is truly disheartening to witness individuals who exploit the legal system to cast doubt on the foundations of our democracy.
In a previous instance, Whatley demonstrated his inclination to employ lawyers for contesting elections. During his address at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference, he shared his experience of utilizing law firms in North Carolina during his tenure as the Republican Party chairman in the state.
“Our legal budget accounted for 75% of our annual operating budget,” he emphasized, highlighting the Democrats’ efforts to contest elections in the state. Furthermore, he emphasized, “It is an investment that is truly valuable.”
“We need to incorporate this into the Republican establishment moving forward,” he said, urging the broader RNC to bolster its legal capabilities for contesting elections.
According to Professor Christopher Phelps, an expert in modern American history at the University of Nottingham, there is a possibility of an increase in lawsuits if Whatley assumes the role of Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC).
According to the anonymous source, Whatley’s belief in election fraud, influenced by Trump’s unproven allegations, is the primary reason for Trump’s endorsement of him as RNC chair. The source also suggests that Whatley’s background as a lawyer, coupled with his inclination towards legal expenditures, could potentially lead to the filing of more groundless lawsuits. It is worth noting that Trump’s campaign faced numerous legal defeats following the 2020 election in their pursuit of similar claims.
The RNC is currently dealing with financial challenges in addition to its legal actions. According to the Federal Election Commission, the GOP governing body disclosed its lowest bank balance at the end of November, the lowest it has been since 2016. At that time, the RNC had $9.96 million in spending money, which is less than half of the $21.35 million it had in 2016 after Donald Trump’s presidential victory.
There have been reports circulating about layoffs at the RNC following the election of Lara Trump and Whatley.
“After being elected as co-chair, Lara Trump expressed her unwavering commitment to the committee’s main objective: ensuring the re-election of Donald Trump, flipping the Senate, and expanding the House in the upcoming November elections.”
