Friend --

Another day, another fight that President Trump is picking with states that desperately need a federal leader right now.

This morning, on Twitter, the president threatened to withhold federal funds for two states -- Michigan and Nevada -- for, respectively, sending applications for mail ballots and sending primary mail ballots to voters. Both states' actions are legal and also advisable during a pandemic.

The president threw this Twitter tantrum because he believes that if more people have access to a ballot, particularly in swing states like Michigan and Nevada, he might lose the election this November. Not only is there no evidence that this is true but withholding funds to benefit an election bid is a clear abuse of power.

Of course, it's not the first time. Abuses of power are why the president was impeached just earlier this year.

The safety of our democratic elections and the safety of our electorate are both at risk. Please add your name here to voice your support for vote-by-mail.

Notably, the president has not made these same threats to states like Idaho, Nebraska, South Carolina, or many others that are putting their citizens' safety first by using vote-by-mail this year.

What makes Michigan and Nevada special? They are considered important swing states in this year's presidential election.

What about states' rights? Like so many on the right, Trump cares about states' rights only when it serves his needs. Everything this president does is dictated by an egocentric obsession with getting re-elected, even at the cost of human lives.

It's clear that we need to ramp up our support for vote-by-mail and ensure that states that want to protect their elections and their voters have the funds to do so.

We need to hear from you today: If you support vote-by-mail, please add your name.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator