Republicans accuse Biden administration officials of being behind a “vote capture” operation in a critical swing state.
House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams, R-Texas, subpoenaed several Small Business Administration officials.
He says they are involved in an alleged scheme to improperly register voters in Michigan as part of an effort to boost Biden.
The committee has been investigating how the SBA is involved in voter registration efforts following a March 2021 Biden executive order aimed at increasing voting access.
It is the first time in history that the organization summons members of the SBA.
“These actions were necessary due to the agency’s refusal to comply with the Committee’s ongoing investigation into possible election activities by the SBA in connection with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) they signed with the Michigan Secretary of State to register voters,” the summons are announced in a statement. fixed.
The House Small Business Committee subpoenaed two SBA workers for additional details about how the agency is allegedly involved in election campaigns.
Republican lawmakers on the committee have said the SBA, in coordination with the Michigan Secretary of State, is working to improperly register voters in the critical swing state.
“The fact that we have to issue subpoenas to speak with SBA officials is extremely disappointing,” Williams said in a statement announcing the enforcement action.
“The committee has given these two individuals the opportunity to speak with us voluntarily, but this appears to be the only way to get them to fulfill our constitutional oversight responsibilities.”
“The American people deserve answers and transparency about the SBA’s election activities and how they have or plan to insert themselves into the upcoming federal election,” Williams continued.
“The SBA’s sole mission is to help Main Street prosper and grow, and they have repeatedly deviated from that mission to pursue outside political goals.”
The SBA under Biden announced the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Michigan Department of State in March.
The SBA program arrived the same month Biden campaigned in the important swing state.
Notably, the president beat Donald Trump in the battleground state by less than three percent in 2020.
According to a statement announcing the plan, the goal of Biden’s action was to “promote civic engagement and voter registration in Michigan,” which was called a “first-of-its-kind collaboration.”
The program will extend through 2036 and “will help connect Michiganders with vital voter registration information from the state of Michigan so more small business owners can exercise their right to vote,” said SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzmán, in a March statement.
SBA Administrator Isabella Guzmán testified that the program “will help connect Michiganders to vital voter registration.”
Republican Rep. Dan Mesuer called the SBA’s memorandum of understanding with Michigan “a blatant attempt by the Biden administration to illegally use the SBA as an extension of the president’s campaign.”
But Republicans say the collaboration is blatant election interference and that the Biden administration is targeting swing states with the program ahead of the November elections.
“It is unconscionable that during such a precarious time for our nation’s small businesses, the only federal agency created to serve as their advocate is using taxpayers’ limited time and resources to promote partisan political campaigns,” said Rep. Dan Meuser , Republican of Pennsylvania. ., he said in a statement.
“The SBA’s MOU with the Michigan Department of State is a brazen attempt by the Biden Administration to illegally use the SBA as an extension of the president’s campaign.”
‘They are working to elect Democrats, which is very clear considering registration efforts are aimed at cities like Detroit and other urban areas. And if this is being done in Michigan, we can make an educated guess that it’s happening in other swing states as well.’
The subpoenas require both SBA officials to appear for interviews on May 21.