Thread by @WendyRWeiser

1/ This morning, President Trump threatened to withhold funds from Michigan and Nevada because he doesn’t like that they are allowing citizens to vote by mail during the pandemic. This is so wrong on so many fronts.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1263074783673102337

2/ First, like most states, MI and NV are rightfully preparing for an expansion of mail ballots this November. This is absolutely necessary to protect public health and to ensure a safe and fair election. (Safe polling places will be needed too!)
brennancenter.org/our-work/polic…

3/ There is broad bipartisan support for these options for safe voting—among voters, election officials, leaders and health professionals. (Indeed, the NV secretary of state is an R too.) This should be a no-brainer.
brennancenter.org/our-work/resea…

4/ Second, this isn’t even an accurate description of what happened. In MI, voters were sent absentee ballot applications, not ballots. When so many are stuck at home, every state should send either applications or ballots to each voter. There is no justification for more hurdles

5/ In fact, as MI Secretary @jocelynbenson points out, many other states and counties are doing the same thing, like GA, IA, NE, WV.

https://twitter.com/JocelynBenson/status/1263089382690631680

6/ Third, the president may NOT withhold lawfully appropriated funds to a state b/c he doesn’t like their policy choices or b/c he wants to help his reelection campaign. This is like what he did in the Ukraine, and that didn’t turn out so well for him. #impeachment. #RuleOfLaw

7/ Fourth, absentee/mail voting is secure. Period. There are lots of safeguards in place against misconduct. It is a lie to claim there is widespread fraud.
brennancenter.org/our-work/analy…

8/ The voter fraud lie is often used to justify efforts to restrict voting. This intimidation campaign is a case in point. Here are other lies and myths that can threaten our elections from my @brennancenter colleague @maxfeldman14:
brennancenter.org/our-work/resea…

UPDATE: Trump deleted and changed his tweet to correct one mistake. But it is still wrong, wrong, wrong--a threat to public health, to a safe, secure & fair election, and to the #RuleOfLaw.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1263170880298942464

Here is a more comprehensive list of the many states that sent out ballot applications like MI and ballots like NV in their primaries: ballotpedia.org/Changes_to_ele…