FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected]
07/02/25
WASHINGTON – Executive Director of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State Ariel Hayes issued the following statement on Trump’s Department of Justice exploring criminal charges against state and local election officials even without evidence or legal authority:
“Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy: a fact we’ve known for years. But today he’s gone further than before – and issued a directive to explore criminally prosecuting local election officials, all based on debunked lies about voter fraud. This isn’t about security – it’s about power, intimidation, and dismantling free elections in his favor.
“This kind of authoritarian overreach is designed to sow fear among those who safeguard our elections, forcing compliance through threats instead of truth. It’s a direct attack on the independence of election officials and the trust we place in free and fair voting – and it must be called out for what it is: a dangerous step toward authoritarianism.
“Democratic Secretaries of State refuse to bend their knee to Trump’s threats. While Trump tries to intimidate and criminalize the guardians of democracy, these leaders are doing their jobs with integrity, courage, and an unshakable commitment to the truth.”