Judge rejects Justice Department effort to get sensitive voter information from Rhode Island
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal judge appointed by Trump rejected the Justice Department's lawsuit demanding Rhode Island's unredacted voter registration data, calling the effort a "fishing expedition" unauthorized by federal election laws.
- This ruling marks the fifth loss for the Justice Department in attempts to access state voter rolls, following dismissals in California, Oregon, Michigan, and Massachusetts.
- Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore defended the state's refusal to hand over sensitive voter information, emphasizing state responsibility for voter list maintenance and criticizing federal overreach.
- The Justice Department's request aimed to ensure compliance with federal laws on voter list accuracy but lacked factual allegations against Rhode Island, and plans to share data with Homeland Security for immigration enforcement were revealed.
- President Trump has pushed for stricter voter ID and citizenship proof laws amid claims of noncitizen voting, though such allegations are rare and legal challenges have blocked key parts of related executive orders.
