Democrats say a Trump administration push to block ballots for 20,000 California voters is unlawful, as they sue over federal interference in the Nov 3 midterms.
WASHINGTON: Democratic Party leaders have sued US President Donald Trump and members of his administration, accusing them of aiming “threats and intimidation” at state and local officials in the run-up to the November 3 midterm election.
Democratic governors, Congressional leaders and other party entities filed suit in federal court on Tuesday against Trump, Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Justice Department and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, among others.
Justice and Homeland Security officials have “sought to bolster their interference efforts through a persistent stream of threats and intimidation directed towards state and local election officials across the country,” the complaint reads.
Democratic officials railed against the government’s request “with just 48 hours’ notice” that California refuse to send ballots to more than 20,000 registered voters, citing doubts about their citizenship.
They called the government’s list “remarkably slapdash,” akin to one issued in Nevada, where officials initially alleged there were 16,000 noncitizens on the voter rolls, only to reduce the number to 185.
Nevada later found all of those people to be citizens, the Democrats argued.
The suit calls on the federal judge to declare these actions unlawful, as they represent a violation of the separation of powers and to bar federal officials from “continuing to unconstitutionally impose themselves upon election administration procedures.”
“Such threats intimidate and coerce election officials who aid and urge registered voters to cast ballots, as well as lawful voters — particularly naturalized citizens — who seek to exercise their most fundamental right,” the Democratic entities wrote.
Trump and his surrogates repeatedly claim instances of vote fraud, alleging that a huge number of noncitizens have been allowed to vote in federal elections. Official data however show that that number is in fact marginal.
Several efforts by the Trump administration to change voting rules before the midterms, notably by issuing restrictions on voting by mail, have failed.
The US Constitution says that states have the primary authority for the administration of elections. Voter rolls cannot be changed on a major scale less than 90 days before an election.