Biden’s Federal Elections Takeover Plan Is Completely Redacted

After several executive agencies in the Biden administration were sued for refusing to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests from conservative advocacy group Citizens United over the White House’s attempt to federalize elections, the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Indian Affairs finally turned over its first batch of requested documents. There’s one problem: More than half of the 54-page document is Completely redacted.

“The Biden administration is the least transparent in history, and these absurd redactions are just the latest example. What are they trying to hide from the American people?” The Federalist was informed by David Bossie, President of Citizens United.

As The Federalist has previously stated reportedIn March 2021, President Joe Biden issued this statement Executive order It directed hundreds of federal agencies that they should participate in a federal takeover. It also allowed federal agencies the ability to work with “nonpartisan” Third-party entities are used to register voters, but Demos is left-leaning dark money group. Publicly admitted it’s worked with federal agencies, “in close partnership with the ACLU and other allies,” to advance the aims of Biden’s directive.

Alarm bells rang out among Republicans and good government organizations, recalling the widespread takeover by Democratic activists and donors of government election offices in blue counties of key swing state during the 2020 presidential campaign. Democrats were able conduct partisan get out-the-vote activities by infiltrating state and local offices. You can swing the election in then-candidate Biden’s favor. This order is a taxpayer-funded version of that effort, turning federal agencies — including those that dole out federal benefits — into voter registration hubs and partisan get-out-the-vote centers.

Citizens United wanted to know more. That is why it filed FOIA requests at the DOI, State Department and DOI last June. It requested email and text messages that included both the executive order as well as the Hatch Act. This law prohibits executive branch employees participating in election activities. Citizens United was able to obtain information from the agencies when they failed to comply. sued. On Jan. 31, DOI sent its first round of documents per Citizens United’s request.

Citizens United was sent a 54-page PDF. However, Citizens United has not been able to access the PDF. The plan and implementation plan for the “Promoting Access to Voting” Executive orders are fully redacted.

The Biden administration addressed a cover letter along with the documents to defend the redactions. U.S.C. § 552(b)(5)This permits agencies to withhold data under the “Presidential Communications Privilege” (exists in order to ensure “the President’s ability to obtain candid and informed opinions from his advisors and to make decisions confidentially”) and the “Deliberative Process Privilege” (“protects the decision-making process of government agencies and encourages the frank exchange of ideas on legal or policy matters”).

But according to Jason Foster, president and founder of Empower Oversight, a transparency and government accountability group that frequently files FOIA requests, these redactions are a prime example of the federal government’s blatant over-redacting and censorship.

“Federal bureaucrats do everything in their power to conceal information from the public,” Foster spoke to The Federalist. “Whether it’s over-classification or improper redactions and stonewalling Freedom of Information Act requests, they instinctively err on the side of hiding information to avoid embarrassment, conceal misconduct, or cover up corruption. It’s up to Congress to reform the FOIA process, and in the meantime, it’s up to independent organizations to sue aggressively to force the federal government to comply with transparency laws.”

Although good government groups may sue for improper redactions of documents, it can take up to a year to find one document in a series, according to those who are familiar with the matter. The House of Representatives is now controlled by the Republicans. However, the Republicans have the power, according to a Citizens United official, to require the federal government to provide non-redacted versions of the requested documents.

Nine House Republicans were involved in writing a legislative report during the 117th Congress. Letter The White House raised concerns regarding the executive order, particularly about the fact the order overrides the state’s authority to make election laws and administer elections under the Constitution. When asked about the Biden administration’s secrecy over its elections directive, Freshman Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., who chairs the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, echoed her colleague’s sentiments.

“Everyone should have concerns about this executive order and the involvement of any federal agency in our election process,” Hageman said to The Federalist. “First and foremost, elections are the constitutional responsibility of the states, not our federal bureaucracy. This is yet another example of the federal government overstepping its authority and infringing upon states’ rights. Even if this order was well intended — and I have serious doubts that it was — it is unconstitutional.”

Hageman stressed that the White House can’t get away with so many redactions of election related processes.

“Large-scale redactions are not in the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act,” Hageman also said so. “This is one of the few tools we have to hold our government accountable. Are we to accept that the information is classified to such an extent that the document is unable to be coherently interpreted? Sunshine is the best disinfectant, and the federal government cannot be allowed to continue to obscure and obstruct.”

Of particular interest in the 54-page document is a draft letter on page 32 from Indian Affairs Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland to White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, formerly President Obama’s national security advisor and “right-hand woman” Who is best known for her participation in spying on Trump campaign in 2015. You lie about it. She also served in that capacity. spread lies about the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, helped Obama staffers target Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, and turned a blind eye to the Biden family’s foreign business affairs.

The draft letter contains one line that reads: “The plan promotes voter registration and voter participation (REDACTED) and the Department’s agency action to achieve these objectives.” According to Citizens United officials, the redacted section could indicate a violation of Hatch Act, according to The Federalist.

“These documents relating to the Biden White House’s efforts to turn the federal workforce into a partisan voter registration committee must be released to the public in their entirety,” Bossie said. “Congress must investigate this executive order to see if the Biden Administration is violating the Hatch Act on a massive scale.” 

When asked why the Interior Department isn’t being transparent with the public about Biden’s federal takeover of elections, the Bureau of Indian Affairs referred The Federalist to the U.S.C. § 552(b)(5) exemptions in the cover letter sent to Citizens United.

Victoria Marshall is a staff writer for The Federalist. Her writings have been published in the New York Post and National Review. Hillsdale College graduated her in May 2021, with a double major in journalism and politics. Follow her Twitter @vemrshll.