Washington Examiner Chief Political Correspondent Byron York said President Donald Trump is fighting to get the SAVE America Act passed amid controversy in Mississippi about mail-in ballots.
“The president is pretty much at war with mass mail-in balloting, which exists in many states across the country, and the Supreme Court is just not going to give in on this,” York said on Fox News’s Special Report with Bret Baier Monday.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mississippi, allowing the state to continue counting ballots that were postmarked on election day and arrived within five business days afterward.
The state argued that voters who mailed their ballots on time should not lose their vote because of postal delays. Those who oppose the law argued there is a national Election Day established by federal law to get votes in; therefore, votes must be cast and received on election day.
“The fact that ‘people’s’ votes are allowed to be counted LONG AFTER an Election is over, it is more important than ever to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump said on Truth Social Monday.
He went on to say all voters must show photo ID and proof of citizenship, and no mail-in ballots are allowed unless in cases of illness, disability, military deployment, or travel.
The president has been pushing for the SAVE America Act to be passed. The act would require stronger documentation that people registering to vote are U.S. citizens.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) lacks the 60 votes needed to advance the bill. Thune has also been encouraged to change Senate rules to bypass the filibuster.
“Basically, they [the Supreme Court] are saying the Constitution gives the states the authority to run elections, and if not the states, it gives Congress the authority to do that,” York said. “It does not give the president the authority to do that.”
York said efforts to get the SAVE America Act passed on Capitol Hill seem to be to no avail.
JOHNSON UNVEILS PLAN TO TIE SAVE AMERICA ACT TO ANNUAL DEFENSE BILL
“Neither side seems to be giving an inch,” York said, highlighting that some of the staunchest Republican opponents to the bill are people who have “bad blood” with Trump anyway.
“I’m not sure whether that’s going to go anywhere at all,” he said.