So the other day I made a brave and possibly ill-advised choice: I clicked on the official campaign website of Representative April McClain Delaney. Yes, that April Delaney—the one who thinks “working across the aisle” means brunching with donors and using the word “bipartisan” like it’s a seasoning.
Now, before I say anything else, let’s be clear: the real crime isn’t even her word salad of an issues page—it’s that her website appears to be actively violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Yeah, that ADA.
April’s website, which I visited using perfectly functioning human eyeballs, has 34 contrast violations and 7 outright accessibility errors—which basically means she’s running for office while giving a big ol’ middle finger to anyone with vision impairment, dyslexia, color blindness, or just a normal laptop from this decade.
This isn’t just bad design—it’s a legal liability. For those of you playing along at home, Section 508 compliance is required by law, and yes April, websites count. Ask Target, who got sued in 2006 and learned the hard way that “oopsie, we didn’t check our color contrast” isn’t a valid legal defense.
It’s so bad, I’m beginning to wonder: Is April planning on repealing the ADA? I mean, she doesn’t mention that anywhere on her issues page, but then again… no one can read it.
Let’s review the wreckage.
Issue #1 – “Reproductive Health,” “Women’s Health,” “Choice,” or Whatever Term’s Trending This Week
According to April, her top priority—the Beyoncé of her platform—is protecting “reproductive rights.” She leads with this like it’s the cure for all policy ailments. The word “abortion” only comes up once, and it’s buried so deep in euphemism that I half-expected it to be wearing a fake mustache and calling itself “women’s equity access reform legislation.”
April is disturbed that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and is deeply concerned that her four daughters now have fewer rights than she did at their age. And as a mother of four daughters—have I mentioned she has four daughters? Because she has. Repeatedly—April wants to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law and co-sponsor the Women’s Health Protection Act. On day one. Like it’s Amazon Prime.
Here’s what’s missing from all of this: a single specific policy position that doesn’t read like a bumper sticker.
All we get are dramatic phrases like “reproductive freedom,” “healthcare decisions between a woman and her doctor,” and “a woman’s right to choose.” But choose what? Does it involve a surgeon, a state line, or a GoFundMe? Is there a week limit? Any parameters at all?
Apparently not. But don’t worry—there’s plenty of yellow-on-white text you can’t read to help guide you through it.
Issue #2 – The Border Is a Crisis, But Let’s Be Really Nice About It
Next up: immigration! Or as April calls it, “the ongoing crisis at the border” which she wants to fix with—you guessed it—common sense and common ground solutions. Translation: she has no idea what to do and is just hoping the phrase “bipartisan agreement” makes you stop asking.
April praises the bipartisan border bill that died faster than a plant in my college apartment. It was an absolute unicorn of legislation: vague on enforcement, big on spending, and full of language that made it look like something was being done while continuing the status quo.
April says she supports “new technology to detect fentanyl” (translation: security theater), “supplemental appropriations to border security” (translation: give DHS more money to do the same stuff poorly), and “fair and humane treatment” (translation: don’t make me say deportation out loud).
Honestly, it’s like a Mad Lib of empty political talk. I tried printing her statement out, but my printer just laughed at me and jammed itself in protest.
Issue #3 – The Existential Threat of MAGA Voters, aka the Plot of Her Personal Thriller
April then takes a hard left into drama queen territory, announcing that “our democracy is under attack from MAGA extremists.”
I half-expected her to say she sleeps with one eye open in case a guy in a red hat shows up at her mailbox. It’s that level of paranoia.
To stop this alleged coup, April supports the For the People Act—a bill that would effectively federalize all elections, eliminate voter ID, and let your 17-year-old cat vote if he identifies as a “furson.” She also supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which sounds noble but basically means your local school board can’t move polling places without asking Washington, D.C. for permission.
And because nothing says “democracy” like treating every county clerk like they’re one hanging chad away from being sued by the DOJ.
Let me translate all of this for you: April thinks the greatest threat to America is you voting for someone she doesn’t like.
National Security – Just Say Ukraine and Israel, Hope for the Best
April throws in a few vague words about national security. She supports Ukraine. She supports Israel. She wants to “protect our allies.” Cool.
She says nothing about China, nothing about Iran, nothing about cyber threats, nothing about military readiness or the southern border’s impact on national security—just a general Hallmark-card-level commitment to “standing with those who defend democracy.”
It’s like she Googled “things voters care about” and threw in two that were trending.
And the Website… Oh Lord, the Website
We need to talk about it again. Because it’s so bad, it feels intentional.
Her hover effects? They vanish the text. Her background colors? Lemon zest on goldenrod. Her navigation blocks? Styled like a PowerPoint slide from 2004.
If this were a parody site mocking the candidate, it would be too on the nose. But it’s real.
April’s campaign website violates the basic principles of accessible design. It breaks Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. That’s not a suggestion—it’s federal law. That’s right—April, the “champion of justice and equality,” is literally running a campaign site that could get a federal contractor fired.
And again, it’s not just a bad look. Target got sued in 2006 over this exact issue. They lost. They paid. And they fixed it. Apparently, the Delaney campaign thinks it’s immune to the laws that apply to the rest of us—or maybe they’re just counting on the voters who can’t read the text to also not notice the fine print.
So Let’s Review:
- Wants to codify Roe but won’t say how far she’d go
- Claims she’s moderate on immigration while pushing open-borders tech theater
- Thinks MAGA voters are one Facebook post away from dismantling the Constitution
- Supports democracy, as long as she and her party run it from Washington
- And, best of all, runs a website that’s one WCAG violation away from being Exhibit A in an ADA lawsuit
Conclusion: Words Without Meaning, Buttons Without Contrast
April Delaney’s campaign page is a masterclass in the new art of politics: say nothing, sound nice, and blind anyone who tries to find out more.
Her positions are written in the political dialect known as “Bureaucratic Beige,” where no sentence offends, no policy is defined, and every problem is solved with “urgent bipartisan action” that never actually happens.
So if you’re a voter looking for clear policies, thoughtful design, or a campaign that follows the law?
Move along. There’s nothing to see here—literally. The contrast is too low.
Endnotes
- ADA and Section 508 Compliance Requirements
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that federal agencies—and campaigns for federal office often voluntarily comply—ensure their electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. Failure to do so may result in legal action.
Source: U.S. Access Board – Section 508 Standards
https://www.access-board.gov/ict/ - Target Corporation Accessibility Lawsuit
In 2006, the National Federation of the Blind sued Target Corporation over its website’s lack of accessibility for blind users. The case settled for $6 million and required Target to implement significant web accessibility improvements.
Source: “Blind Users Settle Target Accessibility Suit,” NPR, 2008
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94236458 - April Delaney’s Website Accessibility Failures
As of June 2025, April McClain Delaney’s campaign website fails multiple WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) checks, with 34 contrast issues and 7 major accessibility errors identified using accessibility audit tools like WAVE and Lighthouse. - Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA)
The WHPA is a bill supported by many Democrats that seeks to codify abortion rights into federal law. Critics note it would override most state-level restrictions and protections on abortion.
Source: Congress.gov – H.R.8296 (117th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8296 - John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
This proposed legislation would reinstate provisions from the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that require federal preclearance for election law changes in certain jurisdictions. Opponents argue it would give excessive federal oversight of local elections.
Source: Congress.gov – H.R.14 (118th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/14 - For the People Act (H.R.1)
This sweeping legislation proposes changes to voting, campaign finance, and ethics laws. It has been criticized for attempting to federalize elections, eliminate voter ID requirements, and use public financing for campaigns.
Source: Congress.gov – H.R.1 (117th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1 - Bipartisan Senate Immigration Deal (2024-2025)
The immigration deal mentioned by April Delaney was widely criticized from both parties and ultimately failed to pass. It included provisions for expedited migrant processing, funding for immigration technology, and some border enforcement language, but lacked strong enforcement mechanisms.
Source: Axios – “Bipartisan Border Deal Collapses,” February 2025
https://www.axios.com (specific article link unavailable as it may require current browser access) - U.S. Southern Border Statistics Under Biden Administration
Since 2021, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported record-high migrant encounters at the southern border, surpassing 2.5 million in 2023 alone.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Southwest Land Border Encounters
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters - Political Buzzword Fatigue
Modern campaign rhetoric often includes terms like “common sense solutions,” “standing with our allies,” and “working across the aisle” without substantive policy explanation. Communication analysts note this is a deliberate strategy to appeal broadly while committing narrowly.
Source: Brookings Institution – “The Politics of Buzzwords,” 2022
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-politics-of-buzzwords - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Standards
These guidelines set international accessibility standards for web content to ensure compatibility with screen readers, color contrast requirements, and more. April Delaney’s site fails multiple aspects, notably contrast ratio and hover text visibility.
Source: W3C – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview
https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
Ian Schwartz is a contributor to Direct Line News. Contact Ian at Ian.Schwartz@mcgopclub.com
Direct Line News is a Maryland-based free-access publication committed to the Republican reform tradition.
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