Grand jury demands served to Los Angeles County personnel follow a legal defeat where U.S. District Judge David O. Carter denied a federal motion to segregate approximately 20,000 voter ballots. Judge Carter sharply criticized the government for intimidating local staff and questioned the accuracy of federal records used to identify noncitizens. The Justice Department is currently appealing Carter's decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals while pursuing the grand jury inquiry. County leadership maintains that its staff has acted legally and has pledged to defend its workforce against federal confrontation.
Key points
Federal authorities are using grand jury proceedings to maintain pressure on local electi…: Federal authorities are using grand jury proceedings to maintain pressure on local election administrators following an unfavorable court ruling.
Judicial pushback highlighted significant concerns regarding the disenfranchisement of le…: Judicial pushback highlighted significant concerns regarding the disenfranchisement of legitimate voters and the legality of federal demands.
Los Angeles County officials intend to protect their employees while continuing to operat…: Los Angeles County officials intend to protect their employees while continuing to operate local elections under state and federal law.
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The Department of Justice issued subpoenas to election workers in Los Angeles in an escalation of tensions with California election officials over the Trump administration's efforts to identify noncitizens on the state's voter rolls.
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office confirmed to NPR on Thursday that it received grand jury subpoenas directed at employees last week.
The confirmation follows reporting that first appeared in the The New York Times that at least two employees at the registrar's office were served grand jury subpoenas with instructions to appear in court on Nov. 4.
In recent weeks, the DOJ sent letters to local election officials in California warning them they could "risk significant federal scrutiny and legal exposure" if they refuse to cooperate with DOJ demands to set aside ballots pertaining to people that federal officials have flagged as "likely" noncitizens.
"If persons knowingly tabulate ballots cast by individuals identified by federal agencies as noncitizens, they risk becoming aiders and abettors to a federal crime," the letters warned.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment…
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