Election officials raise concerns over bill that would let Trump send Secret Service to polls
Source: The Hill
BY JOHN BOWDEN - 03/10/18 10:09 PM EST
More than a dozen top election officials across the country are raising concerns about a provision in a Homeland Security Department reauthorization bill that would allow President Trump to dispatch Secret Service agents to polling places.
A letter signed by 19 bipartisan secretaries of state to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) demands the Senate leave out a proposal from final legislation that would allow Secret Service agents to accompany lawmakers to polling places when they vote.
This is an alarming proposal which raises the possibility that armed federal agents will be patrolling neighborhood precincts and vote centers, reads a letter obtained by The Boston Globe.
There is no discernible need for federal secret service agents to intrude, at the direction of the president, who may also be a candidate in that election, into thousands of citadels where democracy is enshrined," the letter continues.
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/377800-election-officials-raise-concerns-over-bill-that-would-let-trump-send
Nictuku
(3,571 posts)riversedge
(69,724 posts)the land. damn!
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)"patrolling neighborhood precincts and vote centers".
When incumbent presidents go to vote they secret service agents shouldn't be allowed to accompany them into
polling places?
TomSlick
(11,034 posts)There are a limited number of Secret Service protected persons who will, or course, be accompanied by armed agents.
Kablooie
(18,571 posts)Don't rely on rational logic to save you.
DiverDave
(4,876 posts)Has there been any problems when elected officials vote?
And not prople being mean and hurting the poor little snowflakes feelings.
NOT ONCE.
So to open this up is to allow armed federal agents to enter polling places.
No, HELL NO
Sam McGee
(347 posts)Concerns are being raised about an obscure section in HR 2825, the Dept of Homeland Security Authorization Act. HR 2825 was passed by the House and now is in the Senate.
HR 2825 Section 4012, which is causing concern in some quarters, reads:
This section shall not prevent any officer or agent of the United States Secret Service from providing armed protective services authorized under section 3056 or pursuant to a Presidential memorandum at any place where a general or special election is held..
18 USC Sec 592 makes it a crime for any officer of the United States -- military or civilian -- to bring "armed men" into a polling place.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/592
Section 4012 would authorize Secret Service agents "pursuant to a Presidential memorandum" to enter a polling place. While Secret Service agents currently enter polling places when protecting the President or other official (or when voting themselves), the concern is that this change would enable the President to dispatch Secret Service agents to a polling place in an attempt to intimidate voters, especially in Hispanic or other minority areas.
Here's a link to the legislation. It's LONG, very long. Scroll down to Section 4012.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2825/text
Here's a Boston Globe article that expresses concern over this matter.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/03/09/top-elections-officials-raise-alarm-over-allowing-trump-new-authority-over-polling-places/qvdmfTe7N7AFZXl0k4CwEO/story.html
As you see, the Globe article quotes Massachusetts officials as saying this is a ploy by Trump to enable him to send Secret Service agents to polling places to intimidate voters -- for example -- federal officers showing up in a heavily-minority (or majority-minority) polling place (Hispanic, African-American, etc.) could intimidate minority voters.
I'm just suspicious enough of Trump to think this is EXACTLY what he's doing.
scipan
(2,296 posts)If it just said they're allowed to enter for the sole purpose of "providing armed protective services authorized under section 3056" period that would be ok with me. Why add that, and "at any place where a general or special election is held", not just the person's polling place?
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)But hey, ..
Trump can't read their Justice Dept of Treasury procures. FBI can,but he wouldn't want to do that.
notdarkyet
(2,226 posts)Doesnt mean it is good or right to do. So why does everyone bow down and kiss his ring and acquiesce to his every little whim that his childish mind can spew on the spur of a moment from childish impulses and emotions that most adults learn to control. Why cant we be rid of him now. The sooner the better. All we are, all we believe and all we hold dear is at stake.
TheFrenchRazor
(2,116 posts)Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)Did their russian masters put them up to this?
lark
(23,003 posts)It could be the end of our right to vote. He sends out his storm troopers to any district that's voting against hm and stops the voting, impounds the machines and refuses to release them until he can have (Russia?) manipulate them to look like theres been cheating. Russian Repugs in SCOTUS refuse to stop this and let him steal the election, going along with the traitorous complicit Russian Repug congress.
radliberal
(51 posts)deceived and being deceived...when will these fools NEVER learn?
onetexan
(12,994 posts)this is an OUTRAGE!!
A Morpheus Felinae
(41 posts)we vote by mail. Is the Boiled Ham-in-a-Wig going to send his storm troopers to minority homes to intimidate voters? Is the Fascist, loofa-faced shit-gibbon going to have his armed federal agents patrolling my neighborhood to spy on me and my neighbors to see who we vote for? Knowing his admiration for thugs and dictators I wouldn't put this past him. Fortunately, I doubt The Halfwit, Tweet-Twit has sufficient agents to pull this off ... yet.
Good god almighty. Make this shit stop!