By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s Congressman for the 2nd District, Eli Crane, definitively and vociferously professed his support this week for the SAVE Act, stating in a post to X that “American citizens are the only ones who should be voting in American elections.”
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, would require that voters provide “documentary proof of United States citizenship” to vote in federal elections, and that the states “shall remove an individual who is not a citizen of the United States from the official list of eligible voters.”
Essentially the law would federalize and answer in broad scope the controversy across the states which has seen illegal immigrants suspected of voting illegally in federal elections, by providing a common, overarching standard each state must meet.
Despite it’s straightforward and obviously constitutional construction, the SAVE Act has been met with unremitted hostility and vehement opposition from both the Biden White House and Congressional Democrats. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) sent voting instructions to her House Caucus telling them they are “urged to VOTE NO” on the bill, according to a report by Axios. Clark’s office claimed that the bill would “prevent Americans from registering to vote with their drivers’ license alone,” would make a passport the “only acceptable standalone form of identification,” and suggested it would create what they called an “extreme burden for countless Americans” and “further intimidate election officials and overburden states’ abilities to enroll new voters.”
But the Democrats have drawn open scorn and rebuke from a broad host of prominent Americans who see the bill as a much needed step to rebuild faith in the American electoral system.
Responding to a report by Axios that “House Democratic leadership is bringing out the big guns against a Republican bill set to be voted on next week that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections,” Tim Pool of Timcast News commented in a post to X, “What? Why? Who disagrees with this?”
Mr. Pool, a prominent, classically liberal voice in American politics drew responses from Elon Musk who replied directly, “Because they want to cheat.”
The Redheaded Libertarian observed, “Every voting amendment is clear. Blocking the SAFE Act is shirking their oath to defend the Constitution,” and provided basis for this in the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments citing their use of the words “citizens of the United States.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) also noted in a video posted to X, “Biden let in millions of illegal aliens. Now he’s opposing the SAVE Act, which would prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections. Tell your members of Congress: pass the SAVE Act!”
The Libs of TikTok commentary account of Chaya Raichik responded matter-of-factly, “Only traitors are against the SAVE Act!”
At the end of June, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) released a report making the case for the SAVE Act.
The report points out: “There is ample evidence that noncitizens are voting in U.S. elections:
- A 2014 study that analyzed the 2008 and 2010 elections concluded that not only had noncitizens illegally voted in U.S. elections but also that the votes of noncitizens likely determined the outcome in certain races.
- In states like Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia, noncitizens have recently been removed from the voting rolls – and many of those noncitizens had voted.
- The Arizona Secretary of State website is currently falsely promoting the idea that individuals who fail to present proof of citizenship when registering will ‘be eligible to vote in federal elections.'”
The report calling for the passage of the SAVE Act concludes, “The evidence is overwhelming. Many noncitizens are able to obtain a Social Security Number. Over the past three years, the Biden Administration’s policies have encouraged illegal immigration and aided a large number of noncitizens in obtaining an SSN. Loopholes in federal law could allow noncitizens to register to vote. An SSN alone is ineffective to prevent noncitizen registration and noncitizen voting. Noncitizens have been illegally voting in federal elections and have, according to one study, even affected the outcome of elections. Noncitizen voting is a threat to election integrity. Congress must pass the SAVE Act to close the loopholes that have allowed noncitizen voting, to enhance election security, to reduce the risk of foreign election interference, and to restore Americans’ confidence in U.S. elections.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
