President Donald Trump is likely to try to derail the electoral process this year — but just as likely to hit hard opposition every step of the way, Michael Waldman of the Brennan Center for Justice told MS NOW's Nicolle Wallace on Thursday's edition of "Deadline: White House."
This follows reporting that Trump just received a 17-page memo from his allies outlining how he could declare a state of emergency to seize election equipment.
"I mean, Michael, it seemsthat the immunity decisionprotects him from beingcriminally prosecuted for doingthat, but it doesn't make thatwhich is unconstitutionallawful," said Wallace. "What is in the system? What remains in the system as anantibody to protect against hisunconstitutional conduct?"
"Well, you're exactly right," said Waldman. "The Constitution is very clear. States runelections. Congress has alegitimate role in passingnational legislation.Presidents have no role."
"Andalready this year, as we'veseen, this campaign, to try toundermine the midterms, courtshave stepped up," said Waldman. "He had anexecutive order last yearpurporting to take personalcontrol of elections andrequire people to produce apassport, not even a birthcertificate, but a passport.And it was blocked by thecourts, which said it wasillegal. There's no legal basisfor any of these things thatare being reported, and thisnotional executive actionclaiming Chinese influence in2020, it seems to be based onsort of whackadoodle theories byelection deniers with no basisin reality."
"Courts are willingto step up and states have a role as well. They run theelections," Waldman added. "So I do think thatif we are aware, if we'recalling out these efforts andif we all do what we need to do,we can have secure and free andfair and hopefully uneventful,uneventful elections inNovember."