California election official says federal agents threatened him over ‘voter fraud’

Key Points:

• Butte County clerk-recorder Keaton Denlay criticized the Department of Justice (DoJ) for delivering a disorganized and error-filled list alleging 47 likely noncitizen voters, which he refused to act on due to inaccuracies and lack of crucial information.
• The DoJ threatened criminal prosecution if Denlay did not segregate the ballots of these individuals within 48 hours, but Denlay found the evidence insufficient and said the DoJ had not met the legal burden required to challenge voter eligibility.
• Other California counties reported similar experiences with the DoJ's demands, with officials rejecting the claims and expressing concerns about intimidation tactics and potential disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
• Legal experts and state officials have condemned the DoJ's efforts as relying on unreliable data and lacking proper authority, emphasizing that California election officials are following the law to ensure secure and fair elections.
• Denlay stressed that election officials remain committed to upholding voter confidence and election integrity, asserting that all active voters have met eligibility criteria under state and federal law.