The Radical Reading Room

A federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice to disclose which states it sent demands to remove voters or alter ballot processing since July 1, 2026. The order stems from a lawsuit by Democratic groups alleging that the Trump administration pressured states to remove voters and threatened election officials with criminal prosecution. The judge, James E. Boasberg, granted limited discovery but questioned the plaintiffs’ standing to sue, noting the speculative nature of claims about future actions.

In a separate case, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter of California rejected the DOJ’s request to block tens of thousands of ballots in California unless voters’ citizenship status is verified. Carter called the move an unprecedented interference with state election authority, stating it would create chaos and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.

Carter emphasized that California and its people are sovereign, rejecting the idea that the federal government can unilaterally override state election procedures. He warned federal officials that such actions would be unwise and contrary to constitutional principles.

The DOJ has maintained that its letters are not coercive, but the court’s rulings signal growing judicial resistance to executive overreach in election administration.