President Donald Trump has signed an executive order terminating his election fraud commission. In a statement, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders  blamed states’ refusal to turn over data to the special panel.

[Trump’s Voter Fraud Panel Remains Lightning Rod]

“Rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, today I signed an executive order to dissolve the Commission, and have asked the Department of Homeland Security to review these issues and determine next courses of action,” Sanders said. 

The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity  was created in May, when Trump signed another executive order. He charged the commission with investigating his own allegations of voter fraud. 

Trump claimed three million to five million people voted illegally in the  election brought him to the White House thanks to an Electoral College win. Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton led by nearly 3 million in the popular vote.

Critics have forcefully disputed Trump’s assertions.

In June, the commission had sent out letters to all 50 states and the District of Columbia seeking information on voters, including names, addresses, birth dates, partial Social Security numbers and voting records.