PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed lawsuits against Oregon and Maine to obtain sensitive voter registration data, including partial Social Security numbers, after the states refused to comply with federal requests.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The DOJ, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read (D), Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D), and the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.

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📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuits were announced Tuesday, targeting Democrat-led states Oregon and Maine.

💬KEY QUOTE: “States simply cannot pick and choose which federal laws they will comply with.” — Harmeet Dhillon

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuits highlight ongoing Democrat efforts to resist and undermine President Donald J. Trump’s election integrity initiatives.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced late Tuesday that it filed lawsuits against Oregon and Maine after the states refused to comply with requests for voter registration lists. These lawsuits mark the first legal actions against states resisting such requests.

“States simply cannot pick and choose which federal laws they will comply with,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, when announcing the legal action. She added: “American citizens have a right to feel confident in the integrity of our electoral process, and the refusal of certain states to protect their citizens against vote dilution will result in legal consequences.”

The DOJ argues the data is necessary to ensure compliance with federal voter registration maintenance laws. Further, the department alleges that Oregon and Maine election officials have failed to provide adequate answers and sufficient evidence to determine whether they’re acting in accordance with federal election law.

Responding to the lawsuits, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read (D) stated, “If the President wants to use the DOJ to go after his political opponents and undermine our elections, I look forward to seeing them in court.” Similarly, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) claimed her office is concerned about voter data security, calling the DOJ’s actions a “fishing expedition.”

Election officials in other states have also resisted similar requests from the DOJ, citing privacy and security concerns. It remains unclear whether the DOJ will pursue legal action against additional states that have declined to provide voter data.

Image by Steve Fernie.

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