WATCH: Padilla, Schumer, Senate Democrats Convene Election Security Experts to Respond to Trump 2.0 Chaos

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California's former Secretary of State, and Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) convened a Rules Committee Democrats and Senate Democrats' Election Protection Task Force spotlight hearing titled "Protecting the Future of American Democracy: State and Local Election Security in the Face of Trump Administration Chaos." The forum follows recent remarks by President Trump that he expects his next Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to continue to "investigate" the Big Lie and called on Congress to attach his unpopular, anti-voter SAVE Act to any Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reauthorization. Trump's DNI nominee, Jay Clayton, last week spread baseless conspiracy theories about California's primary elections.

As the Trump Administration escalates its attacks on our free and fair elections, Senate Democrats unveiled the most expansive election protection effort the caucus has ever undertaken- the new Election Protection Task Force. Through the Task Force, Senate Democrats are working with top election experts to identify and mitigate threats to upcoming U.S. elections. The Task Force will continue meeting over the coming months to ensure that every American has fair access to the ballot box this November.

Today's forum focused on state and local responses to combat efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine election administration in the upcoming midterm elections. Members heard from prominent election administration and security experts regarding state and local efforts to protect election workers, voters' data, and secure elections from cyberattacks. The panel also included a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official, who provided firsthand insight into how the Trump Administration's decimation of election security activities is leaving upcoming elections more exposed to mounting threats.

"Since our last forum four months ago, Trump has called on Republicans to force through his sweeping, anti-voter bill. He issued another illegal executive order attacking vote-by-mail. And he continues using the weight of the federal government to advance his Big Lie conspiracy," said Senator Padilla. "But no matter how many times he repeats that lie or tries to insert the Executive Branch into election administration, he will always be met with the same result: States administer elections, not the President. And our elections are, and will continue to be, safe and secure thanks to the election officials preparing as we speak, even in the face of a federal government actively erecting roadblocks in their way, for this fall's upcoming election."

"Trump has made clear his intentions to suppress votes and rig the rules in November, and Republicans have made clear they will do nothing to stop him," said Leader Schumer. "Senate Democrats are fighting like hell to stand up for our democracy, for the American people, and for our free and fair elections. We are ready for any attempt to intimidate, interfere, or influence state and local officials because our elections belong to the people-not a president."

The panel included the former DHS official, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Executive Director and Founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research David Becker, Texas Civil Rights Attorney and Co-Founder of Marziani, Stevens, and Gonzalez PLLC Mimi Marziani, and Vice President on Elections & Government Program at the Brennan Center for Justice Lawrence Norden.

"There is no doubt that foreign actors will take advantage of this diminished federal effort, augmented by new technologies, to undermine U.S. national security, including in the elections space," said the former DHS official. "It's more important than ever to maintain and deploy a coherent and well-resourced federal effort to confront this threat."

"While we will continue to meet any array of challenges with state and local resources, because we must, there is no substitute for a coordinated federal effort against determined adversaries," said Secretary Fontes. "Without it, the likelihood of disruption increases, and those same adversaries will seek to weaponize even routine recovery efforts to further erode public confidence in the electoral process."

"Election officials find themselves surfing on quicksand. Constant attempts at federal interference and the threat of frivolous yet troubling investigations infect every element of their work," said Becker. "As I speak with election officials of both parties, all over the country, they are worried, exhausted, and at times fearful. They face constant harassment from a federal government that has previously been their partner and abuse from those infected with conspiracy theories about our elections, sometimes amplified by that same federal government."

"Do not take your eyes off of Texas in these months leading up to Election Day. In Texas, state leaders have proven that they will disregard democratic principles in furtherance of President Trump's political goals," said Marziani. "Attempts at manipulating election rules for political gain will be done in cooperation with President Trump and his loyalists, and it will largely happen behind closed doors."

"Americans must not be afraid to vote and should participate in democracy every way they can," said Norden. "A broad array of civic engagement organizations, voting and immigrant groups, faith groups, veterans' groups and others across the country are coming together now to ensure that happens this fall. Democracy fundamentally depends on people - showing up, mobilizing their communities, and believing in the right to vote, the importance of free and fair elections, and the principle of self-governance."

The spotlight forum is the fourth in the "Protecting the Future of American Democracy" series focused on the dangers of the Trump Administration's unprecedented attacks on elections.

In addition to Padilla and Schumer, the Senate Democrats' forum was joined by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

"Since President Trump took office for a second term, his Administration has worked to systematically disenfranchise Americans and make it much harder to exercise the precious right to vote. At the same time, Trump and some congressional Republicans continue to push the SAVE America Act, which would upend how states register voters and maintain voting data-and disenfranchise women, young people, and communities of color," said Senator Durbin. "Today's spotlight forum calls out these assaults on our fundamental right to vote and highlights Senate Democrats' efforts to push back on these attacks."

"The ballot box is the beating heart of American democracy. As Trump and Republicans attack our free and fair elections, we must fight back against their authoritarian push to purge eligible voters, suppress their votes, and gut vote by mail," said Senator Merkley. "In Oregon, vote by mail has been a cornerstone of holding secure, accessible elections for decades. I'm doing all I can to support Oregon's efforts to stand up to Trump's attacks on our democracy, protect the integrity of our elections, and ensure every eligible voter can make their voice heard."

"We are talking about a constitutional right given to the citizens of this country, and whether we are going to fight to uphold that and protect that," said Senator Cantwell.

"The American people are tired of the Trump regime's chaos, corruption, and confusion and Republicans know their agenda-gutting Medicaid, slashing SNAP, taxing us through illegal tariffs, and dragging us into an illegal war-is deeply unpopular with the American people. But instead of addressing the affordability crisis and helping the American people, Republicans are pedaling false narratives about election security and making it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote," said Senator Hirono. "That's why Senate Democrats are here speaking out and fighting back. We know what's at stake, and we refuse to stand by while Republicans undermine our democracy and our sacred right to vote."

As Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight over federal elections and California's former Secretary of State and chief election officer, Padilla has championed election security and voting rights issues. Last week, Padilla joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to introduce legislation to protect voters in the face of misuse of artificial intelligence to suppress voting and voter purges amid recent attacks on the right to vote and election conspiracy theories spread by the Trump Administration. Padilla and his Senate colleagues also demanded answers from Trump Administration officials about their lack of election security preparation, insufficient coordination with Congress and election officials, and unsupported public claims about voting system vulnerabilities. Last year, Padilla and Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), sent multiple letters demanding answers from senior officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on the status of their election-related work, including a copy of CISA's review of its election security work.

The full spotlight forum is available here.

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