This week, Elias Law Group attorneys representing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Democratic Governors Association (DGA), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the Nevada State Democratic Party, and a California voter filed a federal lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from coercing state and local election officials into purging eligible voters from the rolls, segregating lawfully cast ballots, and denying ballots to eligible voters ahead of the midterm elections.
In recent months, Trump administration officials have escalated their threats against the state and local officials who run America’s elections. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened state election officials with criminal prosecution if they do not comply with the administration’s commands. The Department of Justice recently sued California after giving election officials 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen registrants. The lawsuit was followed by a threatening social media post by President Trump declaring that “They will all go to jail for a long period of time!!!” Earlier this week, a federal prosecutor in Texas posted a video on social media leveling baseless threats at so-called “crooked local election administrators.”
The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration’s campaign of threats violates a federal law prohibiting the intimidation of voters and the officials who administer elections. The complaint also alleges that President Trump and his administration are exceeding their authority under the U.S. Constitution, which grants the power to regulate elections to the states and Congress, not the executive branch.
With the midterm elections already underway, the plaintiffs ask the court to immediately block the Trump administration from forcing states to remove eligible voters from their rolls or segregate lawfully cast ballots, or issuing threats against election officials.
“Congress and the states write the rules that govern how Americans vote, and it is illegal for anyone in the federal government to dictate which voters’ ballots should be counted, or to threaten and intimidate the people who faithfully carry out those rules,” said Elias Law Group partner Uzoma Nkwonta. “The Trump administration’s escalating pressure campaign crosses that line and seriously endangers election officials’ ability to conduct a free and fair election. Elias Law Group is proud to represent the DSCC, DCCC, DGA, Leader Schumer, Leader Jeffries, and the Nevada State Democratic Party as they fight back against Republican attempts to rig the midterms in their favor.”
Click HERE to read the full lawsuit.
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