Senator Baldwin Talks SCOTUS Mail Ballot Decision

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin praised the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision in rejecting President Donald Trump's bid to restrict mail ballots this week.

In an interview on Wednesday, Senator Baldwin said the Supreme Court was right to reject the Trump administration's unconstitutional attempt to change the rules and stop Americans from voting by mail. She also called the administration's focus on mail ballots a misplaced priority, highlighting the issues she's been hearing most from constituents across the state over recent weeks.

"I've had the opportunity over these past few weeks to be traveling the state of Wisconsin and everywhere I went I heard the same thing," she said. "Families and shop owners and businesses concerned about the cost of healthcare and housing and groceries and fuel. And instead of tackling these issues head on, Trump is trying to tip the scales in the midterm election."

While the decision released this week will protect current mail-in voting access, some advocacy groups have also expressed concerns about potential voter intimidation efforts if federal agents are deployed in the vicinity of polling sites in November. Senator Baldwin noted that it is already illegal to send federal agents to election sites, and that communication between local election officials, state election boards, and state attorneys general will be critical in protecting against that potential voter intimidation.

"We need to make sure that all of us have eyes on the execution of a fair, just, and efficient election," she said. "Again, we have had a system in the United States with local elected officials, local clerks conducting fair elections, and that has to remain the case. And we can not abide by voter intimidation by federal agents lurking around for no reason at all."

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas released a public dissent to the decision, arguing that the United States Postal Service has broad authority to regulate the mail and thus likely does have the power to enforce the restrictions. Justice Brett Kavanaugh also highlighted the timeline of implementing the restrictions so close to the midterm election as part of his decision to reject them.