Trump accused of trying to ‘rig’ elections after firing federal commissioners

With no commissioners, the Election Assistance Commission cannot vote to take formal action to assist states in election administration. Photograph: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images View image in fullscreen With no commissioners, the Election Assistance Commission cannot vote to take formal action to assist states in election administration. Photograph: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images Trump accused of trying to ‘rig’ elections after firing federal commissioners President’s dismemberment of Election Assistance Commission called a ‘brazen attempt’ to control elections US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump has been accused of trying to “rig” the upcoming US midterm elections after he fired the last three members of an independent federal commission. Trump’s extraordinary move to paralyze the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) wipes out the only federal agency devoted solely to election administration months before the US midterm elections. Critics, including senior Democrats , vowed to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to increase the federal government’s involvement in elections. Trump continues to push the Save America Act , a rightwing makeover of elections that would impose new restrictions on voting. Trump fires last members of election commission, inciting fears of midterm ‘chaos’ Read more Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP civil rights organization, said: “Donald Trump knows that in November voters will reject everything he stands for. The economy is devastating, he’s starting endless wars resulting in Americans dying, and his paramilitary ICE police force is terrorizing our communities. Trump is terrified of the sacred power we all hold as voters, and that’s why he wants to rig this election. “Mr President, your plan will fail miserably. If you think the American people will allow fascism, you are gravely mistaken. The NAACP will do everything in our power to send people to the polls and make their voices heard.” Chuck Schumer, the Democratic US Senate minority leader, said the move followed Trump’s own suggestion that Republicans should “take over the voting” and called the dismissals a “brazen attempt” to grab control of elections “before a single ballot is cast”. “Firing every remaining member of the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission months before the midterms is a brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast,” Schumer wrote on social media. “He is gutting the independent agency that certifies voting systems and helps election officials run secure elections.” He added: “Senate Democrats will fight this power grab at every turn. The American people – not Donald Trump – will decide the 2026 election.” The commission’s two Democrats, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were told by email on Thursday that they were terminated effective immediately, according to people familiar with the matter. Its sole remaining Republican, Christy McCormick, was pushed to resign rather th