The US Department of Justice has escalated its efforts to identify noncitizens on California's voter rolls by issuing subpoenas to election workers in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office confirmed that it received grand jury subpoenas directed at employees last week. This development follows reports that at least two employees at the registrar's office were served grand jury subpoenas with instructions to appear in court on November 4.
The subpoenas are part of a broader effort by the Justice Department to investigate and potentially prosecute individuals who may have knowingly tabulated ballots cast by noncitizens. In recent weeks, the DOJ sent letters to local election officials in California warning them of the risks of "significant federal scrutiny and legal exposure" if they refuse to cooperate with DOJ demands to set aside ballots pertaining to people flagged as "likely" noncitizens.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment about the subpoenas. It is unclear whether the staff who received the subpoenas are the targets of a criminal investigation at this point. The news of last week's subpoenas comes a day after a federal judge in California rejected a request by the Justice Department to require California election officials to set aside and stop processing the ballots of thousands of California voters who appear on a list of 20,000 names federal officials say are "likely" noncitizens.
US District Judge David O. Carter found there was no legal basis for the DOJ's demand and the court was not convinced its list was reliable. The judge also raised concerns the effort would disenfranchise eligible voters and create election chaos. The DOJ is appealing his ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. At a hearing in Carter's courtroom, the judge warned Justice Department officials that threats to state and county elected employees must cease immediately.
Judge Carter repeated his warning in the order he issued, writing that "the court reiterates what it said yesterday: these threats must stop." Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan expressed gratitude for Carter's comments in a statement. Logan said that at every step, the US Department of Justice has taken a confrontational, adversarial approach, and that election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law.
Logan added that his office will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of its employees and to remain focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise. The subpoenas and the broader investigation have raised concerns about the potential impact on California's elections and the role of federal authorities in overseeing the electoral process.
The case highlights the tensions between the federal government and state and local election officials over issues of voter eligibility and election integrity. The outcome of the case and the appeal may have significant implications for the conduct of elections in California and other states.
Key points
- The US Justice Department has issued subpoenas to election workers in Los Angeles as part of an investigation into noncitizens on California's voter rolls.
- A federal judge in California rejected a request by the Justice Department to require California election officials to set aside and stop processing the ballots of thousands of voters flagged as "likely" noncitizens.
- The case highlights the tensions between the federal government and state and local election officials over issues of voter eligibility and election integrity.
