Former US Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg has accused President Donald Trump’s campaign of suppressing American voters and said the move is “a stain on that campaign forever.”
Buttigieg made the comment in an interview with CNN, saying the Republican president’s campaign team have “given up” and resorted to voter suppression.
“Unfortunately it seems that Republicans have given up – at least Donald Trump’s campaign has really given up on the idea of persuading voters and is instead turning to the idea of suppressing voters,” he said.
During the interview, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, took the administration in Washington to task for trying “to disenfranchise” voters, specifically in Texas, and for attempting “maneuvers to try and make it harder to get absentee ballots” particularly for those serving overseas.
“This is especially shocking. I don’t know what Donald Trump has against soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who are returning absentee ballots from abroad,” Buttigieg said.
"It is going to be a stain on that campaign forever that they thought part of their strategy to win was to make it harder for American citizens, including patriots serving overseas, to have their voices heard,” he added.
This year's election is expected to set records for absentee voting and early voting as the new coronavirus rages across the country.
More than 80 million Americans have already cast their ballot in early voting and millions more are expected to vote between now and Election Day.
Congressional Democrats have recently pleaded with the military to respect a peaceful transfer of power and police forces across America have taken steps to brace for potential disruption at the polls.