Fox News/screen grab
A prominent ally of former President Donald Trump, Cleta Mitchell, has claimed that God has given her a mission to address what she perceives as an epidemic of noncitizens illegally voting in U.S. elections. This assertion was made during a conversation in May 2024, which has surfaced as part of a collection of videos that document Trump’s legal team strategizing on ways to overturn election results, according to a report by The New York Times.
In the recorded conversation, Mitchell expressed her conviction, stating, “I think God put this on my heart. So I really needed to pay attention to this situation and to learn as much as I could about what actually is happening with regard to citizens and noncitizens getting on the voter rolls and voting.” This statement has raised eyebrows, as there is no substantive evidence to support the claim that non-citizens are registering to vote in significant numbers.
Election experts affirm that such actions are criminal offenses and are typically easy to identify when they occur. Efforts by the GOP to pursue lawsuits and executive actions aimed at removing noncitizens from voting rolls have often been rejected by courts. These legal challenges have frequently been found to violate federal law or are based on misconceptions of registration data that have been debunked.
The lack of credible evidence regarding noncitizen voting casts doubt on Mitchell’s mission and motivations. Cleta Mitchell is not a stranger to controversy; she was involved in Trump’s infamous 2020 phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which Trump urged Raffensperger to “find” additional votes to overturn the election results in Georgia. Following this, Mitchell was reportedly considered for a position on an election oversight board by Trump himself.
In addition to her claims regarding noncitizen voting, Mitchell has actively sought to mobilize a new “army” of poll watchers, reportedly with the intent to intimidate and harass voters at polling places. This initiative has raised concerns about voter suppression tactics that could undermine the democratic process.
Interestingly, while Mitchell frames her current endeavors as divinely inspired, previous reports suggest that her shift to far-right politics was motivated by personal circumstances rather than spiritual conviction. Initially, Mitchell began her political career as an Oklahoma Democratic lawmaker, advocating for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. However, her political alignment changed after her husband faced a $3 million bank fraud conviction, leading her to embrace more conservative views.
As the 2024 elections approach, Mitchell’s assertions and her efforts to challenge the electoral process signal a growing trend among certain factions within the Republican Party. The narrative of widespread voter fraud, particularly involving noncitizens, continues to be a cornerstone of the party’s rhetoric, despite the lack of evidence to substantiate such claims. This situation raises significant questions about the integrity of electoral processes and the potential implications for democracy in the United States.
With Mitchell’s claims now in the spotlight, the discourse surrounding voting rights, election integrity, and the actions of those seeking to influence the electoral landscape is poised to intensify. As more information surfaces from the recordings and Mitchell’s ongoing campaign, it remains to be seen how these developments will impact public perception and the political landscape leading into the upcoming elections.
