This morning, President Trump tweeted that “numerous states are refusing to give information to the very distinguishedVOTER FRAUD PANEL.” In May, Trump created a so-called “Election Integrity Commission” to produce evidence in support of his baseless claim of widespread voter fraud. Led by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, that commission recently asked all 50 states to turn over the personal voting data of their citizens. DNC Chair Tom Perez and Vice Chair of Civic Engagement and Voter Participation Karen Carter Peterson released the following statement:

“The Trump administration’s sweeping effort to collect the personal voting data of every voter is deeply troubling. Study after study has proven that in-person voter fraud is virtually non-existent, but Republicans like Kris Kobach, whom Trump hand-picked to run this voter suppression commission, have spent years lying about voter fraud in order to keep African American and Latino voters from the polls. Now, Trump and Kobach are pressuring states to help them turn the presidency into a propaganda factory for inflating their baseless voter-fraud claims and propping up their voter suppression efforts.”

“This is an abuse of the office of the president. Simply put, President Trump is trying to use voter data to intimidate eligible voters and suppress voter turnout. Leaders in every state should reject this attack on our democracy. Democrats believe that voting is a fundamental right in America, and that our democracy is stronger when more people participate in our elections, not fewer. We will fight this, and every effort to disenfranchise voters.”