In a closed-door meeting last week between Republican Congressional leaders and Vice President Mike Pence, Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks vowed to support the Trump Administration’s efforts to clean up voter rolls.
Secretly-recorded audio caught a moment in the meeting when Brooks addressed Pence, recalling incidents of voter fraud in his district. He also reminded his colleagues of a court decision from 2016 that restricts Alabama and two other states from requiring I.D. on mail-in voter registration forms, which he believes “opened a huge floodgate for illegals and others to register to vote.”
“I pledge to support you in any way I can,” he told the Vice President.
“I perceive that the president may be spot on, as he is identifying this voter fraud problem, although he can’t really itemize the magnitude,” Brooks said.
The Vice President responded by saying that the Administration is readying actions to ensure the integrity of U.S. elections.
“We have an obligation to preserve democratic institutions and the democratic process, Pence responded. “What I can tell you is that I would anticipate that the Administration is going to initiate a full evaluation of voting rolls in the country, the overall integrity of our voting system in the wake of this past election.”
Another Alabama Congressman, Gary Palmer, addressed Pence about the “exposure and risks” that some elected officials are confronting in a Trump-hostile media environment.
“All I’m asking, for the members here who are a little concerned about the risks they may be exposed to, will this administration have our back?” Palmer asked.
“The short answer is ‘you bet,'” Pence responded.
“As we talk about this very aggressive agenda, and frankly ask the Congress to do a lot of things- a lot of hard things- and do them very quickly, I promise you the president’s gonna be on the road in your states and in your districts,” he added.
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