Here & Now

When An Election Probe Subpoenas Voter Advocates

Frederica Freyberg:

In the investigation into the 2020 election in Wisconsin, former Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman issued a flurry of subpoenas seeking documents and testimony. The orders went out to mayors, election officials, the Evers administration and an immigrant rights group. That group, Voces de La Frontera, is now suing over the subpoena. Voces joined an Attorney General Josh Kaul lawsuit on behalf of the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. How did the immigrant rights group get swept up in all this? We asked Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de La Frontera Action. Christine, thank you very much for being here.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz:

Thank you, it’s my pleasure.

Frederica Freyberg:

How surprised were you that your organization was served with this subpoena?

Christine Neumann-Ortiz:

In a certain way, it’s flattering. Flattering in that there’s a recognition that Voces de La Frontera Action, which is the arm of Voces de La Frontera that they were seeking to — all of our documents, any emails related to 2020 elections and future elections as well from a non-governmental body, which is completely outside of even what the realm of this sham review is supposed to pursue. To me it’s a testament that our hard work has really paid off. Voces de La Frontera Action has been organizing the Latinx vote since 2004, It had a huge impact, especially through a program — relational voting program where it’s basically friends and family you know that we built up in a significant way in 2018 and 2020, and it’s a recognition that Latinos here in Wisconsin and multi-racial youth as well, that we’ve had an impact in elections, because this whole sham review is really a continuation from January 6, this baseless allegation that’s intended to undermine the will of the people to really distract from their own record, which has been to block paid sick days that we need during a pandemic, block immigration reform, block driver’s licenses, all of this stuff. So it really is a recognition of the good work that we’re doing. We decided to sue, though, because we think that we shouldn’t take this stuff lightly. And if they’re going to start with us, they’re going to go with others, and so this sham review is like this little McCarthy-ite political theater, but it’s dangerous to our democracy, and we want to make sure we stand up for it.

Frederica Freyberg:

So you described it out of the chutes as flattering, because it recognizes your work, but is it burdensome?

Christine Neumann-Ortiz:

Not — no, I mean, I think it’s baseless, definitely, and it’s part of this total, you know, political theater and sham review where they’re trying to frame a message to continue to assert that false narrative, to really deny the fact that’s been proven over and over and over again that, you know, Biden won Wisconsin. He won it fairly and squarely, but, you know, simultaneous to this frame that they’re doing, there’s also all these attacks going on on people’s able to vote.

Frederica Freyberg:

Specific to the subpoena that was issued to Voces de La Frontera, I mean, did you bend or break election laws as you worked to turn out voters in the 2020 election?

Christine Neumann-Ortiz:

Absolutely not. We have definitely not done so since we started doing elections in 2004. We have been challenged in the past by far right groups. For example, FAIR, which is a group that’s — it’s a white supremacist organization defined by Southern Poverty Law Center, you know, who have tried to — or have some radio DJs make racist allegations about Latinx voters. People know who can vote and who can’t vote. We are about protecting people. So we definitely don’t want people who can’t vote to — we definitely want to make sure — and they know, but the main thing is, is making sure that people who are U.S. citizens, they’re eligible to vote, they have all the information they need and to make sure they cast their ballot. So those are the things that — we’ve never had issues. We have been challenged in the past, and to me, this is just — you know, it’s a statement that Latinos are making a difference in Wisconsin.

Frederica Freyberg:

Christine Neumann-Ortiz, thanks very much, thanks for your time.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz:

Thank you so much.