DOJ Serves Subpoenas on Los Angeles Election Staff

Federal tensions over California voter rolls intensified this week as the U.S. Department of Justice issued legal demands to local staff. The action follows a recent federal court ruling that blocked the agency's initial push to pause ballot processing for specific voters.

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office confirmed on Thursday that it received grand jury subpoenas for employees last week. The New York Times first reported that at least two staff members were served with these documents. The subpoenas instruct the employees to appear in court on Nov. 4.

The Justice Department sent letters to local election officials in recent weeks. The correspondence warned that officials could face federal scrutiny if they refused to cooperate. The letters stated that staff who tabulate ballots from individuals flagged as likely noncitizens risk becoming aiders and abettors to a federal crime.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter rejected the DOJ's request to set aside ballots for thousands of California voters on Tuesday. Carter found no legal basis for the demand and questioned the reliability of the federal list of 20,000 names. He expressed concern that the process would disenfranchise eligible voters and cause chaos.

Carter warned DOJ officials during a Tuesday hearing that threats to state and county employees should cease immediately. He repeated this message in an order issued Wednesday evening. The DOJ is currently appealing his ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, thanked Carter for his comments in a statement on Thursday. Logan described the DOJ's approach as confrontational and adversarial. He said the county would take necessary steps to ensure employee safety while serving voters.

A Justice Department spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment regarding the subpoenas. It remains unclear if the subpoenaed staff are the specific targets of a criminal investigation.