Trump Administration Issues Subpoenas in California Voter Investigation

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated pressure by issuing federal grand jury subpoenas to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk as part of a criminal investigation into allegations that foreign nationals voted in the state of California.

The federal grand jury subpoenas delivered to the Los Angeles County Registrar's office requested information regarding the agency's methods for detecting illegal voting by foreign nationals and preventing those ballots from being counted. The Trump Justice Department had previously increased pressure through warning letters and a federal lawsuit filed against the state over allegations of noncitizen voting in California. The subpoenas also reportedly requested records of responses provided by the Los Angeles County administration to these letters sent to the state.

Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan stated that the Department of Justice has pursued a confrontational approach at every stage and that election officials have acted in compliance with state and federal laws. Meanwhile, Acting Assistant Attorney General Trent McCotter reported that 156 immigrants who illegally voted or registered had been charged ahead of the midterm elections. While a federal judge denied the Justice Department's request to temporarily halt the counting of mail-in ballots for 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters, the department appealed the decision.