This week, Republicans on the House Administration committee are holding yet another hearing on so-called election fraud. House Republicans continue to push false and unsubstantiated claims echoing Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was marred by widespread voter fraud. Half of Republicans on the committee voted against certifying the 2020 election results, and the remainder are election deniers, MAGA loyalists, and right-wing partisans who would rather push political stunts fueled by Trump’s big lie than address the real issues Americans are facing.
The House GOP Administration Committee Consists of Election Deniers, Supporters of Political Violence, and MAGA Loyalists
Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) is an election denier who has supported false claims about election fraud since the 2020 election, arguing without any evidence: “whether you agree or disagree with the many claims of election fraud, the fact is there are glaring problems with our voting processes that need to be fixed.” After taking control of the committee, Steil quickly prioritized hearings working to overhaul federal election law to protect top GOP donors and promoted new barriers to voting that would increase racial and ethnic turnout gaps. He recently joined top MAGA House Republicans in defending former president Trump after his Manhattan indictment, demanding testimony from Manhattan’s district attorney despite having very limited jurisdiction over the local prosecutor. Steil also defended Speaker McCarthy’s move to hand over unedited footage from the Jan. 6 attack to Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who then released an appalling portrayal that sparked bipartisan outrage.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) is an election denier who voted against certifying the results of the 2020 election and signed a brief supporting Texas’s lawsuit seeking to throw out the election results in Loudermilk’s own state. He has since repeatedly claimed to have hundreds of “affidavits” affirming “irregularities” that will prove the 2020 election was fraudulent. The January 6 committee asked Loudermilk to provide testimony regarding a large tour group he led through the Capitol Complex on January 5 that was spotted taking photographs and video of the tunnels underneath the Capitol. Since Republicans took charge of the House, Loudermilk has taken a leading role in attacking the January 6 committee findings and releasing his own reports on the select committee – with an agenda to clear his own name. He has also continued to allege, without evidence, that election fraud remains a top issue in elections administration, and worked towards overhauling state electoral systems.
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) is an election denier who voted against certifying the 2020 election, claiming that the election was “riddled with an unprecedented number of serious allegations of fraud and irregularities.” He also joined the Texas amicus brief seeking to throw out the votes in four key states won by Joe Biden. Since joining the committee’s majority, the MAGA loyalist has promoted new barriers to voting that would increase racial and ethnic turnout gaps and joined Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s subcommittee investigating the former Jan. 6 committee.
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) is an election denier who voted against certifying the 2020 election, alleging, “the fact that executive officials and judges in several states usurped the legislative power to rewrite election law from thin air is at best troubling and at worst seditious.” He also joined the Texas amicus brief that sought to overturn the votes of millions of Americans and, after the violence of January 6, claimed that ‘Antifa’ may have been responsible for the attack on the Capitol. Since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, the MAGA loyalist has promoted new barriers to voting that would increase racial and ethnic turnout gaps and joined Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s subcommittee investigating the former Jan. 6 committee.
Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) is an election denier who voted against certification of the 2020 election, claiming that her vote “represented my desire to ensure the security of elections across the country, not to overturn an election.” Since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, Bice has prioritized protecting Big Oil, attacking President Biden for tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to keep gas prices low for Americans amidst the war in Ukraine and pandemic-era inflation. Described by journalists in her district as a “conservative troll,” Bice has taken every opportunity to attack president Biden on issues ranging from House administration to relations with China.
Since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL) has spread conspiracy theories about voter rolls and election fraud at committee hearings. She has promoted new barriers to voting that would increase racial and ethnic turnout gaps, stating: “Ultimately, I hope more states will follow the lead of Florida, Ohio, Louisiana,” all three of which have approved electoral maps contorted by egregious gerrymandering and face some of the highest racial turnout gaps in the country.
Since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) has joined Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s subcommittee investigating the former Jan. 6 committee.