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Todd Blanche must confirm DOJ won’t seize ballots, senators demand
Democracy Docket • • nation
Key Points:
- Democratic Senators Alex Padilla, Dick Durbin, and Sheldon Whitehouse have urged Attorney General Todd Blanche to publicly commit that the DOJ will not seize ballots or election materials during the 2026 midterms, citing conflicting signals from the department.
- The senators' letter coincides with a DOJ lawsuit against California seeking to block counting ballots from over 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters, which raises concerns about potential DOJ interference in election processes.
- They emphasize the need for DOJ to adhere to its longstanding election non-interference policy, especially amid recent policy changes, workforce upheavals, and past DOJ actions like seizing 2020 election materials in Georgia and Arizona.
- The senators request clarity on whether DOJ has plans or has sought approval to seize election-related materials and question the removal and revision status of DOJ's Election Crimes Manual, highlighting transparency concerns.
- Despite FBI assurances against ballot seizures, the senators note prior FBI actions involving ballot seizures and subpoenas in multiple states, expressing concern over possible politically motivated DOJ interference in the upcoming elections.
