Trump DOJ Launches Criminal Probe Into California Voter Rolls

The Trump administration's Justice Department has initiated a criminal investigation into California's voter rolls, focusing on allegations of noncitizen voting. The probe involves issuing grand jury subpoenas to local election officials in Los Angeles County as part of a broader effort to address concerns over more than 20,000 individuals suspected of being ineligible to vote.

Subpoenas were reportedly served to at least two employees of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office, compelling them to appear before a grand jury shortly after the upcoming election. In one instance, federal marshals served a subpoena at an election official's home, even after a previous subpoena had been delivered to their office and the official's legal representation was known. The New York Times obtained records detailing these actions.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated the investigation is not intended to alter election rules but to ensure election integrity. He expressed concern that ballots cast by noncitizens could be counted among the approximately 500,000 ballots already tallied. "Every minute that goes by, American citizen votes are being diluted in the state of California," Essayli said. "It’s an emergency, and we expect the courts to treat it as such."

Federal officials are seeking an injunction to segregate ballots believed to have been cast by noncitizens. The Justice Department has indicated that election workers failing to comply with federal requests could face investigations or prosecution.

California officials have disputed the accuracy of the federal data used to identify suspected noncitizens. They argue that significant changes to voter rolls and election procedures amid an ongoing election could cause disruptions. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter has expressed skepticism about the administration's demands, cautioning that they could disrupt the election, create a chilling effect on election workers and voters, and potentially invalidate votes of U.S. citizens.

Judge Carter has scheduled a hearing for November 13 and set a deadline of December 3, the date for certifying election results, for the dispute to be resolved. The Justice Department's investigation highlights the administration's continued focus on the integrity of voter rolls and the voting process.