The U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has moved into disputes tied to Tuesday’s midterm elections before ballots have been fully counted and before results have been certified. According to Odaily, the department has used both lawsuits and a criminal investigation at this stage, a break from a long-standing practice of avoiding actions that could be seen as using law enforcement power to aid a particular party or candidate. The move has drawn concern that the government could influence election outcomes through early intervention. In California, the Justice Department asked a court to exclude roughly 20,000 mail ballots on the grounds that the voters involved may not be U.S. citizens and therefore may be ineligible to vote. It also asked the state to provide records tied to a criminal probe. California said it had already taken steps to prevent non-citizens from voting and argued that the department has no authority to block those ballots from being counted. Courts have so far rejected related Justice Department lawsuits against California and Alaska, though the department has appealed the ruling in the Alaska case.
According to Odaily, the U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has intervened in disputes surrounding Tuesday’s midterm elections before ballots have been fully counted and before results have been certified, using lawsuits and a criminal investigation.
The report said the approach breaks with a decades-long Justice Department practice of avoiding actions that could be viewed as using law enforcement powers to help a specific party or candidate. It has also raised concern that the government could try to influence election outcomes through that intervention.
California case centers on about 20,000 mail ballots
In California, the Justice Department asked a court to exclude mail ballots from roughly 20,000 voters, arguing that those voters may not be U.S. citizens and therefore may not be eligible to vote. The department also asked the state government to provide related records for a criminal investigation.
California said it had already taken steps to prevent non-citizens from voting and argued that the Justice Department has no authority to stop those ballots from being included in the results.
Courts rejected the suits, with Alaska ruling under appeal
So far, courts have rejected related Justice Department lawsuits filed against California and Alaska. The department has, however, appealed the ruling in the Alaska case.
The cases show that the Justice Department is willing to step into election disputes before ballot counting and result certification are complete.
This article was originally published by Bit.Fan. For more cryptocurrency news and market insights, visit www.bit.fan. Disclaimer:
The market information, project data, and third-party content displayed on this platform are for industry information sharing only and do not constitute any form of investment advice or return commitment.
Cryptocurrency trading carries high risks. Users should fully assess their risk tolerance and make independent decisions. All profits, losses, and legal responsibilities are borne by the users themselves.
