‘Worst idea ever’: Former US intel chief slammed for demanding ANOTHER election integrity commission to ‘reassure Americans’

Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has urged Congress to create a commission of “elder statesmen” to restore faith in the US electoral process by monitoring November’s vote.

In an op-ed for the New York Times on Thursday, Coats called for a “supremely high-level bipartisan and nonpartisan commission to oversee the election.” While such a commission wouldn’t “circumvent existing electoral reporting systems or those that tabulate, evaluate or certify the results,” it would supervise those activities and ensure their incorruptibility, he suggested.

Warning that “our democracy’s enemies, foreign and domestic” were licking their lips at the prospect of a fraudulent or contested election, Coats insisted the only way to thwart their machinations was to strip away the partisan bickering – by oath, if necessary. His electoral integrity commission would “accept as a personal moral responsibility to put the integrity and fairness of the electoral process above everything else.”

“We must firmly, unambiguously reassure all Americans that their vote will be counted, that it will matter, that their votes will not be questioned and will be respected and accepted,” he proclaimed – emphasizing that the goal of the commission would be “public reassurance” rather than actually ensuring every vote was counted.

Coats all but nominated himself to lead the commission, suggesting members should include “congressional leaders, current and former governors, ‘elder statespersons’, former national security leaders,” former Supreme Court justices, and even “business leaders from social media companies.”

Some on social media questioned his apparent power-grab, noting there were already four federal bodies and 50 state entities tasked with ensuring election integrity, and that he – not “enemies foreign and domestic” – was the one calling their work into question.

Others declined to trust Coats due to his service in the Trump administration and continuing coziness with its cabinet. “This is the worst idea EVER!!” one commenter responded.  

A few reeled at the idea of social media billionaires being given even more influence over the electoral process.

However, many blue-checks applauded his idea.

Others even insisted his op-ed didn’t go far enough, daring him to call President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr, or other pet bogeymen out by name and accusing him of doing “too little, too late.” 

And a few specifically accused the former spook-in-chief of cowardice for holding back on his former boss. “Speak up!” one person urged, branding Coats a “coward.”

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