A controversy has erupted around the Biden administration's use of taxpayer money.
According to Fox News, Rep. Beth Van Duyne accuses the administration of misusing public funds to bolster President Biden's re-election via voter registration initiatives in Michigan.
According to Rep. Beth Van Duyne, who chairs the House Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee, the Biden administration may be leveraging government resources for campaign efforts. This follows a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2024 between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Michigan Department of State. Their partnership, purportedly to encourage civic participation and voter registration through 2036, has stirred suspicions.
The investigation spearheaded by the House Small Business Committee uncovered that a significant portion of the voter outreach by the SBA occurred in counties critical to the Democratic party. This scenario is problematic as it hints at the possibility of a violation of the Hatch Act, which restricts the use of federal resources for electoral purposes. Additionally, this directive is a continuation of President Biden's 2021 executive order, which instructed federal agencies to improve voter registration and participation.
Rep. Beth Van Duyne explicitly criticizes these activities. She argues that they are cloaked efforts to mobilize voters advantageous to the Democratic National Committee, under the facade of fostering civic engagement. A recent Fox News poll illuminates the importance of Michigan in the political arena, depicting a tight race between President Biden and former President Donald Trump.
The administration has not yet responded to the inquiries posed by the House Small Business Committee amid these allegations. Likewise, the SBA's leader, Isabel Casillas Guzman, has remained silent following the request for an explanation.
Here is Rep. Beth Van Duyne shedding light on her concerns, "This is a campaign attempt to get out Biden voters, and they're using taxpayer dollars to do it, which is in direct violation of the Hatch Act. You don't use taxpayer funds — official funds — to pay for campaign activities, and that's exactly what it appears is going on."
The Congresswoman expresses a broader apprehension that these initiatives might not only continue in Michigan but could potentially scale to other states and involve additional governmental branches. This fear stems from the overarching directive issued by the President in 2021, which may provide federal entities broad discretion in activities similar to those now disputed in Michigan.
Given this context, Rep. Beth Van Duyne suggests that the main motive behind these efforts is a pursuit of political power and control, particularly in tightly contested regions.
This allegation places additional pressure on SBA's mission alignment, charged with supporting small businesses rather than engaging in political operations.
Overall, the collection of these activities raises serious questions about the ethical use of taxpayer funds and the impartial function of federal agencies in the preparatory phases of election cycles. This is especially significant as agencies are entrusted with operations beyond electoral politics, such as economic development and civic education.
In essence, these issues converge to reflect not only a possible misuse of government funds but also a challenge to the essential non-partisan stance expected of federal agencies.
Thus, as the story continues to unfold, both the SBA and the Biden administration may have to address these significant concerns promptly and transparently.
