Democratic leaders sue Trump administration over alleged interference in state election administration

Senior Democrats in Congress have gone to federal court to try to stop President Donald Trump's administration from what they call unlawful meddling in state-run elections, two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms, LAist reported, citing the Associated Press.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries filed the case Tuesday in Washington, D.C. LAist said they were joined by the Democratic Governors Association and by the party's two campaign arms for House and Senate races. The North Dakota Monitor, Minnesota Reformer and Wisconsin Examiner reported that a California voter is also a plaintiff.

According to LAist, the Democrats want a judge to prohibit federal officials from stripping lawfully registered people off state voter lists or keeping ballots from them. They also seek a finding that the administration unlawfully warned state election officials they could be prosecuted. The suit targets Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche, along with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and both of their departments. LAist said Chief Judge James Boasberg will hear the case.

In a statement, the Justice Department called election integrity a top priority and said its conduct rests on legal authority and is being contested openly in court, the outlets reported. The North Dakota Monitor said Homeland Security described the suit as a political stunt.

The complaint highlights a recent federal case against California. The North Dakota Monitor reported that the Justice Department sent officials there roughly 20,000 names flagged by DHS as probable noncitizens, set a 48-hour deadline, and then filed suit to block mail ballots for those people, or the counting of their votes, unless they prove citizenship. In a Tuesday filing, a USCIS official said the agency had flagged upward of 17,000 additional voter records for possible noncitizen ties.

Los Angeles County has challenged the list. Reviewing 200 of the names, county staff found 25.8% showed a U.S. birthplace and about 71% had no voting history, according to a court filing described by the North Dakota Monitor. Monica Flores, an assistant registrar-recorder, wrote that meeting the federal demands would make it "virtually impossible to timely certify the election results in compliance with state law."

Federal prosecutors this week brought election-crime charges against 38 noncitizens in California, the North Dakota Monitor reported, adding that research has repeatedly shown voting by noncitizens is uncommon.

In a separate case filed in September, San Francisco, Santa Clara and several advocacy organizations accused DHS of sending armed agents to residents' homes to ask about their eligibility to vote. Government lawyers countered that no harmed voter had been named and that federal law permits such investigations. A judge heard arguments on a preliminary injunction Monday but did not rule immediately.

California state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat, told voters not to be fearful, saying, "This is a federal administration that operates through fearmongering and intimidation," according to the North Dakota Monitor.

Compiled by True News from reporting by LAist, North Dakota Monitor, Minnesota Reformer and Wisconsin Examiner. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/328