By Keith Mobley
Events led or supported by the president centered on the Nov. 3 midterm elections could determine whether he will continue in office.
Election-related actions by Donald Trump and his administration are detailed in a report from the Brennan Center, “What to Expect Next in the Trump Administration’s Strategy to Meddle with the Vote.” Subtitles from that report are listed below and suggest that actions already in place are extensive. Each has detailed supporting information:
• False Claims from Federal Agencies About Citizenship and Voting
• Misleading Government Reports About the Security of Election Equipment
• Politicized Investigations and Prosecutions of Election Workers and Other Individuals
• Conflict Between Federal Agencies and the States Over Vote Counting
• What Can Be Done to Respond
One possibility not listed under this last subtitle: A nationwide call demanding the removal of this president and the censure of those who assisted him.
Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. The drafters of our Constitution were prescient in putting responsibility for elections in local and state governments, and limiting opportunities for the federal government to interfere.
According the United States Election Assistance Commission, “Each state has a chief election official, who has an oversight or advisory role over state and federal elections. However, elections are usually administered at the county level, though in some states cities or townships run elections ... Election administration in America is highly decentralized. There are more than 10,000 election jurisdictions in the U.S. (“Who is in charge of elections in my state?” U.S. Election Assistance Commission).
The more than 10,000 election officials answer to local voters, and not to federal government officials, including the president. Election interference is enough, but is not the only justification for action now.
Retribution is a frequently stated goal being pursued by Trump and his loyalists. No presidential goal could be more reprehensible (“Trump promised retribution — how far will he go?” BBC News, Sept. 27, 2025).
The retribution campaign results have not pleased Trump, providing a further source of frustration and anger, and danger (“How Trump’s Revenge Campaign Descended Into Turmoil,” New York Times, Oct. 9, 2026).
The Trump/Putin relationship has been a continuing, uneasy question. Trump has just provided some clarity, by blaming the Ukrainian president for prolonging the war started by Putin. Further, Trump’s loyalty to Putin has survived Putin’s support of Iran in Trump’s war with that country, so the relationship must be taken as very strong.
And yet the loyalty of Republicans to their president, with few exceptions, continues in spite of these issues, his low ratings, his status as a convicted felon, his calls for the execution of Democratic lawmakers, his defiance of court orders, his threats against judges, and his efforts seeking retribution and revenge by vindictive prosecutions against those who have opposed him. These are among a list of 27 reasons supporting impeachment, found at www.impeachtrumpagain.org/impeachment#judicial.
National Guard or other federal troops ordered by the president in polling places will be absolute and compelling proof of his desperation. Federal law, (18 U.S.C. Section 592) has prohibited troops or armed federal agents from being deployed to polling places unless force is “necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States” (“Presidents Cannot Distort Laws To Justify Deploying Federal Forces To ‘Repel Armed Enemies’ in Elections,” Center for American Progress, Oct. 14, 2026).
The days and hours ahead may provide the proof necessary to convince even the most committed Trump advocate to support his removal as president. Election integrity is essential to our democracy.
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Keith Mobley, Dufur, is a retired lawyer who served as the Antelope city attorney against the Rajneeshees until late 1982, when he was hired as assistant to the president of Oregon State University.
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