Federal election officials are suggesting states must pledge to follow President Donald Trump’s directive curbing diversity, equity and inclusion programs as a condition for receiving $15 million in election security funding.
The new requirement for the grants has sent Democratic secretaries of state around the nation scrambling to assess the financial, legal and operational implications of accepting the money from the independent, bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
The dispute is complicated by the vagueness of the revised federal grant agreement, which some state officials fear could be turned against them. The grant’s terms tell states they must promise to follow federal antidiscrimination laws but cite an executive order from Trump on DEI that Democrats oppose.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D)— whose state is locked in a dispute with Trump over laws on transgender athletes — said she will forgo about $273,000 rather than sign an agreement that she fears would require her to follow the DEI order. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) is reviewing the conditions with attorneys and is leaning toward rejecting the money rather thanagreeing to the conditions, according to a person familiar with her thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Other secretaries of state worry that taking the funds could put them in legal jeopardy if federal officials later determined that staff hires, programs or contracts ran afoul of the terms and conditions. Three secretaries said they are considering challenging the commission’s terms in court….