GOP committee demands answers on Biden taxpayer push to register voters in key swing state: 'Inconceivable''

Posted 24 days ago

From WWW.FOXNEWS.COM

FIRST ON FOX: A Republican-led House committee is demanding answers from the Biden administration over concerns that the Small Business Administration is funneling resources to a key swing state to register voters in a move they say could be unconstitutional.

"On March 19, 2024, the SBA announced a new voter registration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Michigan Department of State," a letter from the Republican led Committee on Small Business wrote to Biden’s Small Business Administration this week.

"The Committee is concerned about the lack of constitutional and statutory authority allowing the SBA to engage in activities beyond its mission, including voting access and registration activities. It appears that this is an attempt to improperly involve the federal government in America’s electoral processes. Elections are for the American people to engage in, not for federal agencies to interfere with during an election year."

The letter outlines concerns, following a 2021 executive order from Biden directing federal agencies to promote "access to voting," that the administration is using the government agency to register votes in a swing state that many believe will be one of the states the November election hinges upon.

In March of this year, the SBA announced a memorandum of understanding with the Michigan Department of State to "promote civic engagement and voter registration in Michigan" that it called the "first-of-its-kind collaboration" and which will run through Jan. 1, 2036.

In a press release, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman said the partnership "will help connect Michiganders to vital voter registration information from the State of Michigan so that more small business owners can exercise their right to vote."

"The SBA was created to ‘to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns; preserve free competitive enterprise; and maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation,’" the committee wrote, adding that the MOU has "nothing to do with the SBA’s mission and the legal duties its charged to fulfill. Small businesses are suffering from crippling inflation, overburdensome regulations, and U. S. small business optimism is at the lowest level in months."

"It is unacceptable for the SBA to divert resources from serving small businesses so it can register voters in Michigan."

The letter goes on to say that multiple committee members have "serious concerns" about the timing of the Biden administration’s plan and the "political nature of this MOU."

"It is inconceivable why Michigan – a state with a registered voting population above the national average – is where SBA found a need to use taxpayer resources to register more Michigan voters," the letter states. "Additionally, the timing of this MOU’s announcement is suspicious. The SBA made this announcement while President Biden’s campaign directs its attention toward Michigan, a key battleground state for his re-election efforts."

"The SBA involving itself in the election process of a battleground state during an election year is an insult to struggling small business owners across America. Perhaps this MOU is a ‘first of its kind collaboration for the SBA’ because it is inconsistent with federal law, has nothing to do with the SBA’s stated mission, and ignores the harsh realities small businesses face under the Biden Administration."

Congressman Roger Williams, R-Texas, chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, said in a statement that the SBA’s efforts could possibly violate the Constitution.... (Read more)






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