DOJ subpoenas Los Angeles election staff amid noncitizen ballot dispute

Employees of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office received grand jury subpoenas from the U.S. Department of Justice. The subpoenas instruct the recipients to appear in court on Nov. 4. The county confirmed the receipt of the documents on Thursday, citing an initial report by The New York Times.

The subpoenas target at least two staff members involved in managing voter rolls. The move represents an escalation in the federal government's effort to identify noncitizens on California's voter lists. A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment regarding the specific subpoenas.

In recent weeks, the DOJ sent letters to local election officials in California. These letters warned that officials who refuse to cooperate risk federal scrutiny and legal exposure. The correspondence stated that 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 subpoenas arrived one day after a federal judge rejected a request by the Justice Department to stop processing the ballots of thousands of California voters. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ruled that there was no legal basis for the DOJ's demand. He also noted that the court was not convinced the list of 20,000 names of likely noncitizens was reliable.

Judge Carter expressed concern that the effort would disenfranchise eligible voters and create election chaos. During a hearing on Tuesday, he warned Justice Department officials that threats to state and county elected employees should cease immediately. He reiterated this warning in an order issued Wednesday evening, stating that these threats must stop.

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan responded to the judge's comments in a statement on Thursday. Logan said the admonishment about threats was well placed and appreciated. He characterized the DOJ's approach as confrontational and adversarial, asserting that election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law.

Logan added that the office will take necessary steps to ensure the safety of its employees. He stated the office remains focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise. The Justice Department is currently appealing Carter's ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.