Letter to the Hon. Donald Palmer, Commissioner of the US Election Assistance Commission - Top Republicans Raise Alarm Over Election Assistance Commission's Ability to Protect Taxpayers

Letter

Dear Commissioner Palmer:
We are conducting oversight of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's (EAC)
management of $825 million dollars in grants the agency awarded during 2020. In light of the
highly questionable $35 million get out the vote (GOTV) contract the California Secretary of
State's Office awarded to SKD Knickerbocker, Joe Biden's main election campaign advisory
firm, we are concerned about what steps EAC is taking to oversee nearly one billion dollars in
taxpayer money the agency disbursed.
On October 13, 2020, we first wrote1 to the EAC Office of Inspector General (OIG) to
provide documents showing the California Secretary of State's Office planned to use federal
taxpayer money awarded by EAC for a GOTV contract, an apparent violation of the law.2

Ironically, the OIG recently informed us that "[o]nly an examination of detailed records could
demonstrate exactly what CA-SOS paid for and what funds were used."3
However, five months
after becoming aware of the contract the OIG has yet to request any "detailed" records, raising
questions about the OIG's ability to oversee nearly a billion dollars in grants disbursed by EAC
last year.
According to EAC's 2020 report to Congress, the amount of grants the agency awarded
during 2020 more than doubled from the previous year.
4
EAC's budget also increased 40
percent.5 While the agency increased the size of staff last year, EAC was also tasked with disbursing and administering $825 million in grant money because of the COVID-19 pandemic,
6
an increase of $445 million from 2019.
7
Specifically, last year EAC disbursed $400 million in
CARES Act funding "within 30 days, with only one full-time grants staff member."8
Similarly,
$425 million in Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grant funding was awarded "within 45 days
and with less than one full-time grants staff member."9
In addition to disbursing this money,
EAC is charged with ensuring that unspent grant money required to be spent during 2020 is
returned to the U.S. Treasury this year.10
While it appears that EAC acted quickly and efficiently to disburse grant money, given
the OIG's inability to oversee a single contract worth $35 million, we are concerned about what
policies and procedures EAC has in place to oversee the $825 million in grant money it awarded
last year. We are also interested in learning more about how EAC plans to balance overseeing
whether grant money was spent properly with ensuring that unspent funds are returned to the
U.S. Treasury in a timely manner.
Please make arrangements to schedule a briefing with Republican staff no later than
March 25, 2021 about how EAC is safeguarding nearly one billion dollars of taxpayer money the
agency awarded through HAVA and CARES funding as well has how the agency is utilizing the
increased funding it received. To schedule the briefing, please contact Committee staff at (202)
225-5074. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this matter.
The Committee on Oversight and Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S.
House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate "any matter" at "any time" under
House Rule X. The Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives grant the Committee on House
Administration broad jurisdiction over federal election issues, including the Election Assistance
Commission. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this inquiry.
Sincerely,

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