At least 27 states have refused to comply with a White House request for voters' sensitive information, including voting history. Rights groups have described the commission's work as a "campaign to suppress the vote."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/J. Taylor
Advertisement
US President Donald Trump hit out at several states on Saturday after they refused to fully comply with a request to hand over voters' data to a commission investigating his unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud.
"Numerous states are refusing to give information to the very distinguished VOTER FRAUD PANEL. What are they trying to hide?" he said on Twitter.
On Wednesday, Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity sent a letter to all 50 states requesting the information as part of its probe.
Several states say no
By Saturday, at least 27 states said they would not or could not provide all of the information, such as social security numbers. Several state officials said the requests were unnecessary and violated privacy.
"Wholesale public disclosure of individual voter records would be inappropriate, and it is contrary to Pennsylvania law," said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf.
"In addition, I have serious reservations about the true intentions of this effort in light of the false statements this administration has made regarding voting integrity, the historical suppression of voting rights and the way such data has been used in the past."
'Suppress the vote'
Shortly after his divisive victory in the US presidential election last November, Trump claimed he would have won the popular vote if it had not been for the "millions of people who voted illegally" for then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
In May, he established the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity by executive order in order to investigate his claims of widespread voter fraud. He chose Vice President Mike Pence to lead the commission with Kansas State Secretary Kris Kobach as vice chairman.
Kobach has backed tough voter-identification laws in Kansas, a move critics have said undermine the electoral process for minority groups and low-income families, who often vote for the Democrats.
However, according to the American newspaper Kansas City Star, Kobach said his own state would not provide the commission with social security numbers.
"States are right to balk at turning over massive reams of personal information in what clearly is a campaign to suppress the vote," said Dale Ho, director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Voting Rights Project.
Trump: Mogul, populist, president
Already a real estate magnate, best-selling author and reality TV star, Donald Trump is about to become the 45th US president. Often regarded as an outlandish, comic figure, Trump will soon move into the White House.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
The family, the empire
Surrounded by the ones he loves, Donald Trump with his wife, Melania, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany, his sons Eric and Donald, Jr., and grandchildren Kai and Donald John III. His three eldest children are senior vice presidents in the Trump organization.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
From millionaire to billionaire
This picture from 1984 shows Trump opening Harrah's at Trump Plaza, a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It's one of the investments that helped turn Trump, already a millionaire thanks to cash from his father, into a billionaire.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/M. Lederhandler
Off to a good start
Trump inherited the money he used to launch his real estate empire from his father, Frederick. He gave his son a million dollars to start and then, upon his death, left Donald and his three siblings $400 million.
Image: imago/ZUMA Press
What's in a name? Billions.
Donald Trump aggressively invested the money and experienced the market's highs and lows. Long-term success came thanks to Trump Tower in New York City. Trump has said he's worth some $10 billion, but he has not released financial information to prove the claim. Experts estimate he's worth about a third of that.
Image: Getty Images/D. Angerer
"Very good, very smart"
That's what Trump had to say about himself. He studied at the renowned Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a bachelor's degree.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/B.J. Harpaz
Captain Trump
Before college, Trump was sent to a military academy at the age of 13 to learn discipline. By the time he graduated, he had earned an officer's rank at the academy. During his campaign for president, he said he enjoyed the school's structure and military culture.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/
Heel spurs instead of Vietnam
Despite the military education, Trump did not serve in the Vietnam War. He received four deferments while studying and a fifth for bone spurs in his heels. Trump will be the first US president to enter the White House without having previously served in a public office or the military.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Wife number one: Ivana
In 1977, Trump married Ivana Zelnuickova of what was then Czechoslovakia. The pair had three children together, Donald John, Jr., Ivanka Marie and Eric Fredrick. The marriage, however, was plagued with rumors of extra-marital affairs and ended in 1990. Ivana was the one who created Trump's nickname "The Donald."
Image: Getty Images/AFP/Swerzey
Family number two
Trump later married his second wife, Marla Maples. Maples gave birth to their daughter Tiffany in 1993.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/J. Minchillo
Girls, girls, girls
Trump seemed to enjoy being photographed with women other than his wife by his side. He often visited beauty pageants and posed with young models. From 1996 to 2015, he owned part of all the Miss Universe pageants. Trump would later come under fire for an audio recording of him saying his fame allowed him to grope women without fearing consequences.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Lemm
The Art of the Deal
How do you make a quick million? Trump's best-seller "The Art of the Deal," which was part autobiography, part instruction manual for ambitious businessmen, tried to show readers the way. Already well-known, the book solidified Trump's spot in the public spotlight.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Schwalm
Mixing business and entertainment
Like no other, Trump knew how to grab the public's attention, as seen here in a show for "World Wrestling Entertainment." His unique blend of business and entertainment acumen met in the reality TV show "The Apprentice" where candidates were hired and fired. Trump's favorite line from the show: "You're fired!"
Image: Getty Images/B. Pugliano
Trump's move into politics
Though he had previously had very little contact with governing or politics, Trump announced his presidential candidacy on July 16, 2015. He used "Make America Great Again" as a political slogan and during his election campaign insulted immigrants, Muslims, women and everyone running against him.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Lane
Off to Washington
Whether the showman morphs into a statesman will be seen over Trump's four years in the White House. Views are split as he prepares to take office. But if his life so far is anything to go by, there is no telling what will be next.
