Judge Orders DOJ To Disclose States Targeted In Election Probe
20 hours ago
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to disclose which states have received Justice Department demands concerning election ballots, as legal disputes over voting procedures intensify ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections.
The chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., has given the administration until noon Friday to provide a list of states contacted by the Justice Department.
The order comes amid scrutiny of federal efforts to identify ballots the department alleges were cast by noncitizens.
California and Washington state are among the states that have received requests from the Justice Department to set aside ballots federal officials claim were submitted by individuals who are not U.S. citizens.
The allegations have raised questions about the federal government's involvement in state election procedures and the handling of ballots ahead of Election Day.
States are primarily responsible for administering elections, including verifying voter eligibility and processing ballots, while the federal government enforces applicable voting rights and election laws.
The judge's order seeks to establish the scope of the Justice Department's requests by identifying all states that have received similar demands.
The disclosure deadline comes just four days before the November 3 midterm elections, when voters will decide control of Congress and numerous state and local offices.
The Justice Department's allegations concerning the ballots have not been established as findings of wrongdoing, and the outcome of the related legal disputes remains uncertain.
The chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., has given the administration until noon Friday to provide a list of states contacted by the Justice Department.
The order comes amid scrutiny of federal efforts to identify ballots the department alleges were cast by noncitizens.
California and Washington state are among the states that have received requests from the Justice Department to set aside ballots federal officials claim were submitted by individuals who are not U.S. citizens.
The allegations have raised questions about the federal government's involvement in state election procedures and the handling of ballots ahead of Election Day.
States are primarily responsible for administering elections, including verifying voter eligibility and processing ballots, while the federal government enforces applicable voting rights and election laws.
The judge's order seeks to establish the scope of the Justice Department's requests by identifying all states that have received similar demands.
The disclosure deadline comes just four days before the November 3 midterm elections, when voters will decide control of Congress and numerous state and local offices.
The Justice Department's allegations concerning the ballots have not been established as findings of wrongdoing, and the outcome of the related legal disputes remains uncertain.
