Ranking Member Morelle Opening Remarks at Hearing on Noncitizen Voting and Other Foreign Interference in Elections

Washington, D.C. —Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) delivered the following opening remarks at hearing on noncitizen voting and other foreign interference in elections:

Watch video here.

“Good morning. Thank you, Chairman Steil. Thank you to each of our witnesses for being here this morning.

“Donald Trump’s unprecedented attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power is an appalling stain on American history.

“But it appears the lessons Republicans learned from the fiasco that the former president caused in 2020 was not ‘don’t steal an election.’ It was ‘just start earlier.’

“For all else being said here today, here is the one takeaway that you should remember, that we should all be clear-eyed about:

“MAGA extremists are laying the groundwork to overturn the 2024 election. To betray, once again, the will of the American people.

“Today’s hearing is not actually about noncitizens illegally voting in federal elections—even the conservative Cato Institute acknowledges this isn’t a problem.

“And what does Speaker Johnson have to say on the subject? Just last week, he declared that he knows ‘intuitively that a lot of noncitizens are voting in federal elections, but it’s not been something that is easily provable.’

“Not provable because there is no proof! TheWashington Post, has it right: ‘Republicans have increasingly acknowledged that their claims are all about the vibes.’

“Republicans aren’t governing based on facts. Frankly, they are not governing at all. What an embarrassment.

“This hearing is about preemptively covering Donald Trump’s lies.

“This hearing isn’t about law and order. It’s about laying the foundation for the next Big Lie. It’s about saying that illegal voting is the cause of an election defeat. And we know this is untrue because the law is already clear. And I’ll read from 18 U.S. Code 611:

‘It shall be unlawful for any alien to vote in any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives,’ or other federal offices.

“I’ll say it again: it is ‘unlawful’ for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.

“A violation of this law is punishable by up to a year in prison, followed by deportation.

“Additionally, 52 U.S. Code 20511 makes ‘the procurement or submission of voter registration applications that are known by the person to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent,’ a felony – which by the way – would result in a five-year prison term and subsequent deportation.

“These laws are already on the books, and these laws work.

“That’s why Speaker Johnson had to publicly admit he has no proof of fraud.

“Republicans know they work.

“My majority colleagues know, in their heart of hearts, that American elections are secure, fair, and free.

“They know this truth.

“Look at the parade of former Trump Administration officials who, when put under oath, when facing penalty of perjury—by Congress or other law enforcement officials—confirmed that their claims about fraud in the 2020 election were false.

“Confirmed that President Trump lied to, and by the way continues to lie every day to the American people.

“This is the public record.

“MAGA Republicans are howling about this non-issue not because they believe American elections are insecure, but because they are desperate to destroy American confidence in elections.

“They want Americans to be afraid.

“They want Americans to believe Donald Trump’s inevitable excuses, his torrent of lies about fraud when he—once again—leads the Republican Party down a path of insurrection.

“It is unconscionable that the same cast of characters that tried to steal an election four years ago are preparing to do it again, and are using this Committee—using this hearing—to begin this process.

“The coup starts here. This is where it begins.

“When the history of Donald Trump’s attempt to steal the 2024 election is written—and I assure you, I assure you, history will look closely at each of us—the Speaker’s trip to Mar-a-Lago last month will stand out.

“The Speaker’s press conference on the Capitol steps last week will stand out.

“This hearing, today, will stand out.

“It is profoundly disappointing that my Republican colleagues are comfortable with that.

“I, certainly, am not.

“With that, I yield back.”

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