Justice Department Subpoenas Los Angeles Election Staff Ahead of Court Date
Federal investigators summoned county registrar employees to appear in court on Nov. 4, a move that follows a judge's rejection of the DOJ's demand to pause ballot processing.
By Nina Patel ·
The U.S. Department of Justice issued grand jury subpoenas to employees of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office last week. The documents require the staff members to appear in court on Nov. 4.
The county confirmed the subpoenas to NPR on Thursday. This disclosure follows reports from The New York Times that at least two employees received the legal orders.
The subpoenas represent a sharp escalation in the conflict between federal and state election officials. For several weeks, the Justice Department has sent letters to local California officials. Those letters warned that officials risk federal scrutiny and legal liability if they do not cooperate with federal demands. Specifically, the DOJ asked officials to set aside ballots from individuals flagged as likely noncitizens.
The federal letters threatened that staff who tabulate ballots from flagged individuals could become aiders and abettors of a federal crime. A Justice Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment regarding the new subpoenas. It is currently unclear whether the subpoenaed staff are the direct targets of a criminal investigation.
The subpoenas arrived one day after a federal judge ruled against the Justice Department. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter rejected the DOJ's request to force California officials to stop processing ballots for thousands of voters. Carter found no legal basis for the demand and expressed doubt about the reliability of the list containing 20,000 names. The judge also raised concerns that the process would disenfranchise eligible voters and create election chaos.
At a Tuesday hearing, Judge Carter warned DOJ officials that threats against state and county employees should cease immediately. He reiterated this point in his Wednesday order, writing that these threats must stop. The Justice Department is appealing the ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan thanked Judge Carter for his comments in a Thursday statement. Logan described the Justice Department's approach as confrontational and adversarial. He said the office will take necessary steps to ensure employee safety while continuing to serve voters in Los Angeles County.
Source: KHPR
