Padilla, Slotkin Lead Bill to Block Trump from Deploying Federal Law Enforcement at Polling Places

WATCH : Padilla: “There is no place at our polling sites for federal troops or federal law enforcement” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and California’s former Secretary of State, joined U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in introducing the Protect Our Polls Act to protect the integrity of American elections from federal interference by armed military or federal law enforcement. “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy,” said Senator Padilla . “No American should have to pass a line of federal troops, ICE agents, or armed officers to exercise that right. The Protect Our Polls Act will make sure they never have to.” The Protect Our Polls Act defends free and fair elections, preserves the apolitical nature of our military, and protects servicemembers from illegal orders. The legislation strengthens existing federal law that restricts the deployment of military forces and armed federal agents to polling places. It closes any potential loophole the Trump Administration might try to create by requiring Congress to pass a Joint Resolution of Approval before the president can send troops or federal law enforcement to election sites purporting to use any exception to the blanket ban. The President must also provide Congress with intelligence, legal justification, and evidence that a state or local government cannot handle a threat on their own at least 48 hours before deploying forces. “President Trump has been saying the quiet part out loud: he wants to undermine our elections any way he can, and he refuses to rule out sending uniformed military to the polls, or to collect ballots and voting machines,” said Senator Slotkin . “Our legislation prevents President Trump from weaponizing our military and armed federal officers to interfere in our elections. From 2016 until just last week, President Trump has worked to sow doubt in our election results, and I am glad to be joined by Senators from across the country, especially states like Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota and Wisconsin which, along with Michigan, the president has targeted. All states that may very well decide who controls the House and Senate.” “Our democracy depends on Americans being able to show up to the ballot box and have their voices heard,” said Senator Baldwin . “But that’s all at risk this November as President Trump openly weighs sending in armed federal agents to our schools, churches, fire stations, and other polling locations.  President Trump has shown time and again he’s willing to use and abuse the full force of the federal government to intimidate and harm Americans, punish his enemies, and get his way. And that is just what he is trying to do this November because he is afraid accountability is coming for him. We can’t allow President Trump to come between Americans and their constitutional right to vote, and that’s why we are fighting to protect Americans’ access to the ballot box, stop President Trump from surging federal agents to our polling locations, and make sure your voice is heard.” “As a Marine, I took an oath to the Constitution, not a president. As did all troops. Using our servicemembers to intimidate Americans at the polls is disgusting, illegal, and exactly the kind of abuse this bill stops cold,” said Senator Gallego . “Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. The idea that a president would send troops or armed agents to polling places to intimidate voters is un-American and illegal,” said Senator Kelly . “Federal law has protected polling places from military interference since the Civil War for a reason. President Trump has made clear he thinks he can ignore those limits. We’re making sure he can’t.” “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and the freedom to vote is fundamental,” said Senator Klobuchar . “Yet we continue to see unprecedented attacks on our democracy and on voting rights, as well as concerns that federal officers could be deployed to polling locations to intimidate voters. This legislation reiterates that those attempts at voter intimidation are unlawful and protects Americans’ constitutional right to vote.” “Our elections have been kept safe and reliable by state and local officials during the entire history of our nation. There is absolutely no need for federal troops to be stationed outside of polls, and any such attempt is part of Donald Trump’s efforts to intimidate eligible voters,” said Senator Rosen . “Not only would this action be unlawful, it goes against the political foundation of this country and threatens every American’s right to vote. I’m proud to help introduce this critical legislation to prevent Donald Trump from sending military troops to polling locations to intimidate law-abiding Americans.” “This Administration has made clear that they will stop at nothing to prevent the American people from making their voices heard this November,” said Senator Reverend Warnock . “The attacks we are seeing on voting rights are a testament to the strength of our voices when we stand up, speak out, and participate in our democracy. We must act now to confront this threat and protect every American’s right to vote. Our democracy is on the line.” As Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight over federal elections, Padilla has consistently challenged the Trump Administration’s illegal election interference efforts. This week, Padilla convened a spotlight forum focused on state and local responses to combat efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine election administration in the upcoming midterm elections. Last week, Padilla and his Senate Colleagues demanded answers from Trump Administration officials with oversight of the intelligence community and election security efforts about their lack of election security preparation. Padilla has also introduced the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act , which would place restrictions on the Administration’s attempts to implement any unlawful voter restrictions. A one-pager of the bill is available here . Video of Padilla’s remarks is available here . Transcript of Padilla’s remarks is available below: Before I get into my prepared remarks, just two points of clarification. Number one, I’m the only member up here who was not here in the Capitol on January 6th. My appointment to succeed Vice President Harris had been announced. So, I was at home in Los Angeles working on transition, watching with my kids the developments of January 6th unfold and having to answer the question to them. “Dad, really? That’s where we’re going?” Yes. We choose to come we choose to serve because we care about our democracy and we will defend it. The other point of clarification is breaking news. California is not a swing state. But that hasn’t kept President Trump from attacking California at every turn, including but not limited to the integrity of our elections. Which brings me to the point of today. So, let’s be clear right from the start. The right to vote includes the right for citizens to be able to cast their ballot free from harassment, free from threats, and free from intimidation. There is no place at our polling sites for federal troops or federal law enforcement, including ICE. Their deployment to intimidate eligible voters is already against the law. And it’s been the law of the land for a long time now, dating back to the Civil War. The law could not be clearer. But we know that Donald Trump and his administration does not have respect or appreciation for the rule of law, which is why we need to pass the Protect Our Polls Act. So Congress can stop any attempts by the president to use federal forces to intimidate voters or interfere with our elections. And no, folks, this is not a hypothetical concern. Trump has been clear that he expects the next DNI to continue investigating the big lie. Just imagine what Bill Pulte might do with sensitive information at his fingertips. Whether it’s attacking opponents or finding new dangerous ways to advance Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories and efforts to quote “take over elections.” Now, after the 2020 election, Donald Trump did indeed want to send troops to polling places to seize voting machines. And as you’ve heard recently, he’s publicly said that he regrets not doing it. This is not a hypothetical. Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon has publicly declared, quote, “You’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November.” And every time Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Mullin are asked about sending federal troops to election sites, we hear a lot of hemming and hawing. We hear a lot of dodging and deflecting, but they leave the door open to the possibility and we need to slam it shut. Every American and every member of Congress should be concerned because it’s clear what they’re doing. They’re laying the groundwork to try to justify the presence of federal agents at polling places around the country. And let’s not pretend for a second that this has anything to do with election security because first, it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. And second, despite years of conspiracy theories from Trump and his allies, there is zero evidence of massive voter fraud. So this is not about election security. It’s about intimidation, plain and simple. And with the public support for this Administration plummeting after 18 months of the public watching the chaos, the brutality, the overreach, the grifting, and yes, skyrocketing cost of living, intimidating voters apparently is the last card they have left to play as they desperately try to hold on to power after the midterm elections. But Democrats will not allow that to happen. The right to vote is the very foundation of every other right that we hold dear and we’re going to protect it. Let’s pass the Protect Our Polls Act. ###