Tammy Mulchi: Less than two weeks left

Published 12:00 pm Friday, October 25, 2024

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We will be less than two weeks away from the Nov. 5 election by the time this article is published. As we speak, the Biden/Harris Department of Justice continues to push through their lawsuit against Governor Youngkin and Virginia as we try to uphold an 18-year-old law that would keep non-citizens from voting here.

As I described last week, the law giving Virginia the right to remove self-identified non-citizens from voter rolls was signed in 2006 by then-Democrat Governor Tim Kaine and has been in effect ever since.

The DOJ lawsuit says Virginia is violating the 90-day ‘quiet period’ before the election, which is supposed to stop systematic removal programs days or weeks before Election Day. To describe Virginia’s process as a purge, which starts when an individual checks a box saying they are not a citizen at the DMV and gives them several opportunities, even the chance to register and vote a provisional ballot on Election Day, is completely inaccurate.

It seems strange that the DOJ has a problem with this process being used under the current administration when it has been used by both the Democratic administrations of McAuliff and Northam during the 90-day quiet period.

Interestingly enough, the Youngkin Administration recently discovered that in 2006, the DOJ not only approved the 2006 law and said it was constitutional, but they also did a further review and said they were completely okay with it.

What is the DOJ up to? It is clear that their motivation is the tight presidential election — even here in Virginia which is considered a “purple” state. This is why, 25 days before the Election, the Biden/Harris DOJ decided to sue Virginia over a law that has been in effect for 18 years.

What we are doing here in Virginia is wholly consistent with the U.S. Constitution, the Virginia Constitution, and Virginia Law. We are trying to make sure that only citizens vote here in Virginia. It only makes common sense that our Elections should be decided by citizens of the United States – not non-citizens. Governor Youngkin is doing an excellent job ensuring our elections are fair, accurate, and safe.

As I travel around the seven counties and one city that make up the 9th Senate District, where I serve in the Virginia Senate, and discuss the upcoming election, I hear the same thing over and over. Voters are concerned about the economy, the border, national security, and feeling safe in their community.

People are very concerned about their economic future. They are very worried about their ability to pay their bills, rent, buy groceries, put gas in their cars, and pay for tuition, and some cannot even begin to dream of buying a home. If you watched the Bret Baier interview with VP Kamala Harris last week, you would have seen that she cannot convey a real plan for the country’s economic future. She sees nothing wrong with what she and the current administration have been doing for the last 3 ½ years.

A month or so ago, I toured the Newport News shipyard, where they build aircraft carriers and submarines. It was a fascinating and educational tour, however, when we got to the part of the tour where they showed how the U.S. Military currently stacks up against our would-be opponents, it was very troubling.

We must elect Trump and put strength back in the White House on Nov. 5. If for no other reason than our national security and the state of our economy. The people I represent want to feel safe in their homes and in their communities. The current administration has allowed our military to become weakened, every state to become a border state where the most violent illegals are entering and threatening our safety, and our economy to be one of low growth and high inflation, making it hard to provide for our families.

This year’s election is critical to our livelihood and safety. Please use the next two weeks to encourage every friend and family member to vote early.

Tammy Mulchi serves as the District 9 state senator. She can be reached at senatormulchi@senate.virginia.gov or by calling 804-698-7509.