Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Governor Tate Reeves, and Secretary of State Michael Watson have filed a lawsuit challenging an executive order issued by the Biden administration that directs federal agencies to engage in a widespread voter registration effort led by the White House.
While the Mississippi leaders support efforts to encourage voter registration, they argue that the executive order oversteps legal boundaries by allowing federal agencies to act in a partisan manner without proper oversight.
“The law does not allow it. Mississippi will not stand for it. The people deserve answers, and we demand accountability here with this suit,” Attorney General Fitch stated.
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Governor Reeves criticized the administration, calling the executive order “a prime example” of how the Biden-Harris administration prioritizes political goals over their core responsibilities. “Federal agencies should be prioritizing their core duties, not acting as an extension of the Democratic National Committee,” Reeves added.
Secretary of State Michael Watson noted that his office, along with other state officials, had expressed concerns to the Biden administration in 2022 and requested them to halt the voter registration initiative. However, the federal government proceeded with the program, which Watson described as a misuse of taxpayer dollars.
Executive Order 14019 mandates federal agencies to develop strategies to expand voter registration efforts and submit their plans to the White House. These plans did not go through the traditional notice-and-comment procedures required by the Administrative Procedure Act, raising concerns about transparency. Efforts by watchdog groups to obtain the plans have been obstructed, with the Department of Justice citing presidential communications privilege.
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The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, argues that the executive order promotes partisan interests rather than serving a neutral public good.
In addition to Mississippi, the complaint was joined by Montana, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and South Dakota.
The Mississippi officials, who serve as the State Board of Election Commissioners, seek to stop the executive order’s implementation and ensure that election laws are enforced according to the state’s standards.
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