A coalition of House Republicans is intensifying its investigation into New Jersey's voter registration processes, threatening hearings and potential subpoenas after deeming the state's official response to their inquiry inadequate. The probe centers on allegations of noncitizens being registered to vote within the state.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., a member of the Republican Study Committee, told Fox News Digital that the response from New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill was "snarky," politicized, and failed to sufficiently address the lawmakers' core questions. "The response that we got from the governor was almost like she took a political mailer and embossed it upon her official letterhead," Van Drew stated. "As governor of the state of New Jersey, it was beneath her, it was beneath me, and it was unfortunate."
The original inquiry, sent on July 24, was led by Van Drew and Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas. It posed 12 specific questions regarding how a registration failure occurred, its potential consequences, and New Jersey's plans to prevent future issues. Van Drew emphasized the principle that "If you are an American, you should be voting in an American election. If you're not an American, you shouldn't be voting in an American election."
Sherrill’s office stated that affected residents had been mailed notifications, but Van Drew characterized this as not adequately addressing Congress's concerns. "We're not done with this," Van Drew pledged.
Congressional Action Planned
Van Drew, who also chairs the House Judiciary Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, indicated that a hearing is being planned, with expert witnesses expected to testify. He is collaborating with Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to obtain further information from Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, the state's chief elections official. "If there's a complete lack of cooperation after we build up a case, there is a possibility, it's not definite," Van Drew said. "But if they're not, we do, in my opinion, have to look at subpoenas as well."
In her response, Sherrill defended her administration's actions while also criticizing Congress and former President Donald Trump. She suggested that "Washington Republicans … seem much more concerned with using the issue for political gain than they are with protecting our elections." Sherrill also accused several signatories of the inquiry of supporting Trump's efforts to "undermine our election system" and noted that seven had challenged electoral votes after the 2020 election. She further disputed the idea that the SAVE America Act would have prevented the alleged errors, advising the Republicans to "become more familiar with the legislation you have cosponsored."
White House spokesperson Lauren Bis called Sherrill's response "laughable," particularly her criticism of the Trump administration on election integrity, stating that Democrats had denied for years that non-citizens were registering and voting. Sean Higgins, a spokesperson for Sherrill, countered that the governor's reply detailed how Trenton "moved with transparency and accountability to remediate this error from 2023." Higgins also pointed to Van Drew's past, referencing a 2020 report about an operative convicted of voter fraud, bribery, and blackmail who was employed by Van Drew's campaign.
Pfluger told Fox News Digital that Sherrill dedicated "three pages on political theater and barely a sentence answering our questions," adding that she "dodged" whether any elections were decided by fewer votes than the number of ballots cast by noncitizens. He reiterated calls to pass the SAVE America Act to enhance election security and transparency.
Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., a senior member of the New Jersey delegation, stated that Trenton must provide "complete transparency" and a clear path forward. "Secure elections are the bedrock of democracy; we must take all steps necessary to ensure that votes are cast only by those who have a right to vote," Smith said.
The investigation is expected to continue across multiple fronts, including the planned hearing, the Judiciary Committee's pursuit of additional state records, and potential compulsory actions, alongside ongoing scrutiny from the executive branch.