Republican Congressman Busted Trying To Intimidate FEC Chair Because She Criticized Trump

Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) is accused of launching an intimidation campaign against the chair of the Federal Election Commission because she criticized Trump.

Read: Kristi Noem Is Banned From 20% of South Dakota.

WGLT reported:
The chair of the Federal Election Commission said Tuesday that U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis was trying to “intimidate” her by asking for an ethics investigation into her public criticism of President Trump.

Last week Davis asked the FEC’s inspector general to investigate FEC chair Ellen Weintraub. Davis, a Taylorville Republican who is an honorary chair of Trump’s re-election campaign in Illinois, said it is inappropriate for Weintraub to use FEC resources to “publish her personal opinions on political matters.” He also said Weintraub should recuse herself from any FEC matters under review involving Trump, given her public criticisms of him.

“He wants somebody to tell me to stop talking,” Weintraub told WGLT. “That is inappropriate for a member of Congress to be telling the head of an independent agency—particularly the one that regulates Congress—that she should just sit down and shut up.”

Republicans already tried this stunt in 2017, and Weintraub was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Chairperson Weintraub recently published the entire FEC weekly digest on Twitter after Republicans on the commission blocked the digest’s publication because it contained an updated rule on foreign election interference. Republicans can’t defend what Trump is doing, so they are trying to silence government officials from speaking out about the law, and informing the American people.

Republicans on the Federal Election Commission have gone so far as to block the Commission from calling the FBI for information on their investigation into NRA Russian money laundering for the Trump campaign.

In this climate, whistleblowers and public servants who are willing to speak out and even testify to Congress about what they are witnessing this president do are heroes and patriots.

Weintraub is standing up for the law and protecting US elections, which is why Republicans are trying so hard to silence her.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association