Trump: California officials will ‘go to jail’ if state ignores DOJ voter roll suit
The department said officials could face aiding-and-abetting liability if they count ballots from more than 20,000 voters flagged as likely noncitizens.
- On Friday, Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter warned California election officials they could face federal criminal exposure if they "knowingly tabulate" ballots from registrants flagged as "likely noncitizens" by federal agencies.
- The DOJ sued California on Thursday, seeking to block Los Angeles County from counting mail ballots until citizenship can be verified, after the county rejected an earlier demand to segregate these ballots.
- Citing 18 U.S.C. § 611 and the federal aiding-and-abetting statute, McCotter pressed California to act on a federal list of more than 20,000 registrants identified as potential noncitizens.
- Rejecting reliance on the National Voter Registration Act's 90-day restriction on removals, McCotter argued temporary ballot segregation is "a standard election-administration practice implemented nationwide."
- The Supreme Court requires specific intent for aiding-and-abetting liability, complicating the DOJ's warning, especially since McCotter conceded the flagged list includes individuals living outside Los Angeles County.
4 Articles
4 Articles
Trump DOJ threatens California election officials with criminal exposure if they count ballots from flagged voters
The Department of Justice dramatically escalated its confrontation with California election officials, explicitly warning that they could face federal criminal exposure if they count ballots from voters the Trump administration has flagged as potential noncitizens.
Trump Warns California Election Officials of Jail Time if They Let Noncitizens Vote
President Donald Trump promised jail for California officials who don’t heed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) warning that they will be criminally charged if they include the mail-in ballots of the some 200,000 people reportedly identified as potential noncitizens in their midterm election tallies.
'Troubling escalation': Reporter pinpoints terrifying 'signal' Trump DOJ just sent
The Justice Department official leading the Trump administration’s fight over California’s mail ballots isn’t from the division that usually handles voting cases. He runs its criminal side. A new report says that choice may be the point.R. Trent McCotter is the acting deputy attorney general, and he oversees both criminal and civil litigation. Democracy Docket reported Saturday that his role “highlights what looks to be a troubling escalation in…
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