Trump Goon Sends Ominous Threat to Election Officials
The Daily Beast • • nation
Key Points:
- Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter sent identical letters to multiple state election offices on October 29, warning of potential jail time or fines if officials fail to preserve election records as required by federal law.
- The letters emphasize the legal obligation under federal statutes to retain all records related to federal elections, including voter registration forms, pollbooks, and ballots, for 22 months after Election Day.
- McCotter’s letter highlights the importance of protecting election integrity and warns that willful failure to comply or destruction of records can result in up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
- These warnings follow previous DOJ communications reminding officials they could face prosecution for allowing noncitizen voting or failing to preserve records amid ongoing litigation.
- The DOJ’s recent correspondence comes shortly after a federal judge in California cautioned the Trump administration about its communications with local election officials.
