7th and 8th judges rebuff Justice Department's attempts to get voter rolls, this time from Maine and Wisconsin
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- Federal judges dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuits seeking access to Maine's and Wisconsin's complete voter registration lists, marking the seventh and eighth losses in similar efforts across multiple states.
- Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker ruled that the Justice Department cannot compel Maine to provide unredacted voter rolls, rejecting claims that the Civil Rights Act, Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) require such disclosure.
- U.S. District Judge James Peterson similarly dismissed the lawsuit against Wisconsin, stating that voter registration lists are not mandated to be produced under the Civil Rights Act.
- The Justice Department's attempts to obtain sensitive voter information from over 30 states follow state refusals to share unredacted voter rolls, with the administration alleging violations of federal voting laws.
- These efforts appear aligned with former President Trump's push for increased federal oversight of elections amid unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.