Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas has raised alarming concerns about the potential for election manipulation in the upcoming 2026 midterms, pointing to recent ownership changes at Dominion Voting Systems as a significant threat to democratic processes.
From Dominion to Liberty Vote: A Controversial Acquisition
During an appearance on the "Defending Democracy" podcast released Monday, Crockett highlighted the October purchase of Dominion Voting Systems by former Republican election official Scott Leiendecker, who has since rebranded the company as Liberty Vote. The acquisition price remains undisclosed to the public.
Crockett expressed deep skepticism about Leiendecker's motivations, noting his friendship with former President Donald Trump and suggesting the purchase might be strategically designed to enable vote manipulation in future elections. "I personally believe that that ally purchased Dominion so that he could potentially play with the machines," Crockett stated during her conversation with host Marc Elias.
Historical Context and Current Concerns
The controversy surrounding Dominion Voting Systems is not new. The company found itself at the center of false allegations following the 2020 presidential election, when Trump and his conservative supporters wrongly accused the company of stealing votes in favor of Joe Biden. These baseless claims were extensively promoted by Fox News, which subsequently paid $787.5 million to Dominion to settle a defamation lawsuit. Newsmax also settled its Dominion lawsuit for $67 million.
Leiendecker's press release announcing the acquisition emphasized "election integrity" - terminology that has become closely associated with Republican efforts to question the legitimacy of the 2020 election results and cast doubt on future electoral processes. According to CNN, Leiendecker stated that "Liberty Vote is committed to delivering election technology that prioritizes paper-based transparency, security, and simplicity so that voters can be assured that every ballot is filled-in accurately and fairly counted."
However, as Crockett pointed out, paper balloting is already accessible to most American voters, raising questions about the necessity of such changes.
Calls for Action and Broader Implications
The Texas congresswoman urged for proactive measures to address what she perceives as a genuine threat to election security. Crockett advocated for educating secretaries of state across the country about the potential dangers of continuing to use Dominion machines. "It's going to be really important for us to educate all states that we can to make sure that their secretary of states are like, 'We don't want the Dominion machines,'" she emphasized.
Crockett framed her concerns within the broader context of what she views as ongoing efforts to undermine democratic processes. "Because we know that they're trying to cheat by changing the lines for the midterms, and I think that they're trying to solidify their cheat potentially with the voting machines," she explained, connecting the voting machine issue to redistricting efforts.
The congresswoman didn't mince words when discussing former President Trump's relationship with democratic norms, stating she believes he doesn't want the ballot box to be accessible and declaring, "I would argue that he is a cheater."
HuffPost has reached out to Liberty Vote for comment on these allegations, though no response has been publicly reported at this time. As the 2026 midterms approach, these concerns about election integrity and voting technology are likely to remain at the forefront of political discussions.
