View source for Electoral and ethics policy of the Joe Biden administration

{{Short description|Overview of the Biden administration's electoral and ethical policies}}
{{Joe Biden series|expanded=Policies}}
The [[Joe Biden administration]] pledged to pass government ethics reform.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-19|title=President Trump's worst offenses|url=https://www.citizensforethics.org/news/analysis/president-trumps-worst-offenses/|access-date=2021-01-23|website=CREW {{!}} Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Plan for a Government that Works For the People|url=https://joebiden.com/governmentreform/|access-date=2021-01-23|website=Joe Biden for President: Official Campaign Website|archive-date=2021-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122135916/https://joebiden.com/governmentreform/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Biden administration also pledged to pass legislation and enforce policies to enforce [[electoral reform]], in response to the influence of special interests and [[gerrymandering]] in elections.<ref name=":0"/>
== Background ==
=== Ethics violations ===
The [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Donald Trump administration]] has been accused of multiple ethics violations and removing lobbying bans for personal profit and political benefit for reelection, and officials had been accused of violating the [[Hatch Act of 1939]] multiple times.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Solender|first=Andrew|title=Ethics Watchdog Accuses Trump Officials Of 15 Hatch Act Violations During Conventions|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/09/03/ethics-watchdog-accuses-trump-officials-of-15-hatch-act-violations-during-conventions/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Forbes}}</ref> The administration used the White House lawn during the 2020 Republican National Convention and had Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] deliver remarks on an official visit overseas, which many outside sources said violated the Hatch Act.
=== Attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election ===
{{Main|Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election}}
Trump engaged in multiple [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|attempts to overturn the results]] of the [[2020 United States presidential election]].
== Electoral reform ==
Biden has suggested that the [[2022 United States elections]] could be illegitimate if his proposed election laws are not passed due to Republican-controlled legislature's enacted legislation.<ref name="Elections">{{cite web |title=Biden questions if US midterm elections will be 'legit' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60063594 |website=[[BBC News]] |access-date=January 20, 2022 |date=January 20, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Elections2">{{cite web |last1=Gangitano |first1=Alex |title=Biden says elections might not be legitimate if reform bills aren't passed |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/590511-biden-says-elections-might-not-be-legitimate-if-the-election-reform |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=January 20, 2022 |language=en |date=January 19, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Elections3">{{cite web |last1=Cillizza |first1=Chris |author-link=Chris Cillizza |date=January 19, 2022 |title=Analysis: The 7 most important lines from Joe Biden's news conference |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/19/politics/biden-news-conference-important-takeaways/index.html |access-date=January 20, 2022 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref>
=== Campaign finance reform and Voter Registration===
{{Further|Campaign finance in the United States|Campaign finance reform in the United States}}The Biden administration supported the [[For the People Act]] (also known as HR 1) which seeks to expand voting rights, reduce the influence of [[money in politics]], limit [[Gerrymandering|partisan gerrymandering]], and create new ethics rules for federal officeholders. The bill was passed by the House on March 3, 2021, and is currently in the Senate. On March 7, 2021, the anniversary of [[Selma to Montgomery marches|Bloody Sunday]], Biden signed an executive order extending [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993]] agency designation to federal agencies wherever permitted by state governments, allowing federal agencies, upon state request, to provide opportunities for those who access their services to be provided voter registration and education opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/07/biden-sign-order-promoting-voter-access-marking-selma-anniversary/4612970001/|title='Let the people vote': Biden signs executive order promoting voter access, marking anniversary of Selma march|first=Joey|last=Garrison|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/07/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-executive-order-to-promote-voting-access/|title=Fact Sheet: President Biden to Sign Executive Order to Promote Voting Access|date=March 7, 2021|website=The White House}}</ref>
=== Electoral Count Act reform ===
{{Further|Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022}}
Following the attempts to overturn the 2020 election, calls were made to make revise the 1887 [[Electoral Count Act]]. Such revisions were deemed necessary to clarify and adjust the roles of Congress and the Vice President in counting electoral votes. Reforms were included in a [[Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023|December 2022 omnibus bill]], which Biden signed into law on December 29, 2022.<ref>{{cite web|last=Riccardi|first=Nicholas|title=Congress approves new election rules in Jan. 6 response|url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-e4366ca9e350ef87ebbb7638517cbde3|website=[[Associated Press|AP News]]|date=December 24, 2022|access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>
== Ethics reform ==
=== Role of lobbyists ===
Biden signed [[Executive Order 13989]], Ethic Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel, which set the follow lobbying restrictions for political appointees:<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2021-01-21|title=Executive Order on Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-ethics-commitments-by-executive-branch-personnel/|access-date=2021-01-23|website=The White House}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* banned from "accepting gifts from registered lobbyists or lobbying organizations for the duration of their service"
* banned for 2 years from the date of their appointment to "participate in any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to ... former employers or former clients, including regulations and contracts"
* banned for 1 year following the end of my appointment to "assist others in making communications or appearances that [they] am prohibited from undertaking by being available to engage in lobbying activities in support of any such communications or appearances; or engaging in any such lobbying activities"
* banned from lobbying "any covered executive branch official or non-career Senior Executive Service appointee, or engage in any activity on behalf of any foreign government or foreign political party which ... for the remainder of the Administration or 2 years following the end of [their] appointment, whichever is later." after government service
* banned from "accepting any salary or other cash payment from [former employers] the eligibility for and payment of which is limited to individuals accepting a position in the United States Government, as well as any non-cash benefit from [former employers] that is provided in lieu of such a prohibited cash payment."
=== DOJ independence ===
Executive Order 13989 also stated the commitments of political appointees to conduct that upholds the independence of law enforcement and precludes improper interference with investigative or prosecutorial decisions of the Department of Justice.<ref name=":1"/> Biden promised during the campaign trail that [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Merrick Garland]] would work for the American people and not as the President's personal lawyer.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-07|title=Biden introduces Merrick Garland as attorney general pick: 'Your loyalty is not to me'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/07/merrick-garland-joe-biden-attorney-general|access-date=2021-01-23|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>
=== Transparency and data availability ===
Biden restarted the usual routine of daily press briefings that had been stopped by the Trump administration during the COVID-19 pandemic in light of frequent criticisms and gaffes.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Morin|first=Rebecca|title=Meet Jen Psaki: Here's what to know about President Biden's press secretary|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/21/jen-psaki-is-white-house-press-secretary-for-joe-biden-administration/4243255001/|access-date=2021-01-23|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> In the Biden administration's first press briefing, [[White House Press Secretary|White House press secretary]] [[Jen Psaki]] stated that her focus was on "bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room" and that she had a "deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of [them] play".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-21|title='I also work for the American people': Biden's press secretary to hold daily White House briefings|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-21/first-white-house-press-briefing-jen-psaki-biden-trump/13078034|access-date=2021-01-23|website=www.abc.net.au}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Joe Biden}}
[[Category:Public policy of the Biden administration]]
[[Category:Joe Biden]]
[[Category:Elections in the United States]]
[[Category:Campaign finance in the United States]]
[[Category:Campaign finance reform in the United States]]