Let me ask you, are you concerned with the elections system within the United States? Do you believe there must be deliberate and proactive reforms to restore your confidence in elections now and in the future? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, Washington bureaucrats have a different opinion. This week, House Democrats passed the so-called For The People Act, a radical piece of legislation that – if signed into law – will nationalize America’s elections and implement hasty administration changes that leave our system of elections vulnerable. I’m troubled, and you should be too.

In response, I introduced an amendment to this bill that would force House Democrats to choose between appeasing their friends in Big Tech or preserving the integrity of the People’s House. Now, what do I mean by that? My amendment would restrict outside compensation for Congressional employees from defendants in a federal antitrust case (Google, Facebook, etc.). This is particularly concerning since many Congressional fellowships are sponsored by Big Tech companies and there are no current House rules preventing companies that are subject to a federal antitrust case from placing and paying fellows in these offices – or even disclose who is paying for them.

Unfortunately, House Democrats would not even consider my amendment, but in doing so, they revealed something important to the American people: even when it comes to preserving the integrity of Congress, House Democrats choose to appease the interests of Big Tech. It’s disappointing, but not surprising. On top of that, H.R. 1 contains dangerous provisions that you need to know about. This bill:

• Makes “pandemic-style” election changes permanent. In 2020, states rushed to make changes in the name of COVID-19, like expanding mail-in voting without safeguards to protect ballot integrity, which created chaos, increased irregularities, and undermined public trust in our election process. H.R. 1 makes many of these changes permanent
  

• Removes states’ ability to decide how their districts are drawn. Mandates the use of independent redistricting commissions for creating congressional districts, removing states’ flexibility to choose the best systems for the needs of their citizens.
  

• Disregards state voter identification laws and provisional ballot rules. Forces states to allow sworn statements to be used in place of identification and allowing for signature verification, which can be submitted through a photo if the voter registers online. Forces states to count provisional ballots cast outside of the voter’s correct precinct.

With so many poison pills such as these, I had to stand up and vote no. The American people do not want massive congressional overreach in free and fair elections, and I will always confront it head-on as I did earlier this week with this sham bill.

Election Integrity Now!

New Scam Alert

As one of the most common presents for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions, there are growing concerns about scams involving gift cards. From department stores to even gas stations, you can buy them virtually anywhere, but that does not mean there is not risk involved. In many cases, scammers – posing as members of government agencies or companies – have either called or emailed consumers and demanded immediate payments through the purchasing of various gift cards in large quantities. It may not seem likely that you could fall victim to one of these attempts, but many North Carolinians have fallen victim. So, what can be done?

Always exercise diligence when opening emails from addresses you do not recognize, and if you take a phone call from an unknown number, never give out any personal details or identifiable information. Scammers will seize this opportunity immediately, so remain on your guard. What you may not know is that store clerks and representatives of money transferring services such as Western Union are educated in identifying these scams so that consumers remain protected. If customers are purchasing an inordinate amount of gift cards or wiring money to questionable accounts, these representatives will ask to verify if the money is being used for a legitimate purpose. This is just another way to shield vulnerable consumers and protect their money. Further, you can always report any of these scams to the North Carolina Consumer Hotline at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or (919)716-6000.

Quote of The Week

Have a blessed weekend.

Sincerely,