Ohio’s chief election officer is praising President Donald Trump for rescinding a Biden administration order that pushed federal agencies to register voters.
Trump signed the order Monday after being sworn in for his second term. It was among the many new executive actions put in place, including pardons for 1,500 people involved in the Jan. 6 riots, extending life for TikTok, returning federal workers to workplaces and revoking birthright citizenship.
Many of the orders – including ending birthright citizenship for children born to people in the country illegally – are currently being challenged in court. More lawsuits are expected.
“To commence the policies that will make our nation united, fair, safe, and prosperous again, it is the policy of the United States to restore common sense to the federal government and unleash the potential of the American citizen,” the White House said in a statement. “The revocations within this order will be the first of many steps the United States federal government will take to repair our institutions and our economy.”
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose applauded the order that required federal agencies, including those with no experience with elections administration, to engage in voter registration efforts.
The order also directed agencies to identify and partner with third-party organizations.
LaRose, along with other election officials from several states, had challenged the order with a federal lawsuit. That lawsuit is still pending in the Northern District of Texas.
“The Biden administration’s attempt to use federal resources for partisan election activities threatened to undermine the integrity and neutrality of our electoral processes,” LaRose said. “I was proud to fight against this federal overreach and commend President Trump’s decisive action to affirm his administration’s commitment to transparent and fair elections.”
