Judge Rules in Favor of Democratic Member Suing Trump Voting Commission

A judge has ruled in favor of a member of President Donald Trump’s voting commission who sued the panel for hiding its activities from view.

The Democratic member of the voting commission who is tasked with investigating voter fraud, Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, sued the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity last month, arguing that the panel should be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The act requires commissions that they make materials available to their members and also states that commissions must be “fairly balanced” regarding the points of view they represent.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sided with Dunlap, ordering the panel to give him the requested documents, which he applauded.

“This decision sets the commission on a path of redemption. My hope is that I and the other commissioners will finally be able to participate fully,” Dunlap said.

The commission, which is led by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, has been repeatedly criticized since it was established for baseless claims that widespread voter fraud occurred in last year’s presidential election which cost President Trump the popular vote.

Last month, Dunlap claimed that the “commission is cloaking itself in secrecy” and violates federal law. Furthermore, he noted that as a member, he was not granted the same access to commission documents, requesting a court order to get access to them.

CNN reports that the judge provided Dunlap with a preliminary order backing his request for documents on the activities of the commission.

Kobach had requested over the summer that states provide the commission with information on voters and the judge maintained that prior to Kobach’s request, Dunlap should have received information.

According to the judge, he should have also received information prior to the commission’s last meeting in New Hampshire when state officials criticized Kobach for claims he made regarding election practices in the state.

The judge concluded her opinion by saying that the court expects that the commission will comply and provide Dunlap with the documents.