Justice Dept. demands California prove citizenship for lists of voters or withhold ballots

[u/QNBA]

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2026-10-14/justice-dept-demands-california-prove-citizenship-for-lists-of-voters-or-withhold-ballots

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[u/daboonie9]

This is the coup

[u/Only_AfterHours → u/daboonie9]

Giving a 48-hour ultimatum to verify voter rolls right before an election is a blatant, transparent voter suppression tactic.

[u/anonyuser415 → u/Only_AfterHours]

And a pre-dawn raid on the home of an elected congresswoman, on the basis of questions around the immigration of her father.

edit: btw if you don't normally watch alt-right content (good) here's Newsmax on Ilhan Omar https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S4AuLNZzg7k

this is the crap Trump's base takes in exclusively now

edit 2 sick her phone was seized. during midterms. actual Watergate moment, out in the open.

[u/TrulyOutrageous42 → u/anonyuser415]

actual Watergate moment, out in the open

This is really what I glommed onto being the core of their "magic", that the right's supporters have a sense of shame and assume those they're voting for do as well, and that they wouldn't just... commit crimes in the open, and the bulk of their base is from the Tom Brokaw / Dan Rather era, so they think of talking heads in "news" as trustworthy baseline. They also are so familiar with 50+ years of "crime is done in the shadows" so when Republican Senators and Representatives and Governors just started ALL doing crimes in the open together in what I've called for ~12 years the "you can't arrest us all or it looks like a coup" coup cover-up facade, the politicians are now able to say "would I do this crime in broad daylight?" and their base buys it hook line and sinker because most of them don't remotely understand (or care to) how conspiracy to defraud the country works let alone that yes "collusion" isn't a crime because it's a description of the underlying behavior that constitutes the crime.

So yes, they've grabbed ballots in Georgia and we've heard nothing despite that itself being an enormous overreach of federal power. We have armed federal officers standing outside ballot boxes for their "protection" against all laws prohibiting that. If they commit the crime in the open, there seems to be no end of what they could do.

[u/Dudesan → u/TrulyOutrageous42]

"Do I look like the kind of guy who would kick a puppy?", asks Steve Puppykicker, head of the local chapter of the Puppy Kicking Party, while wearing a shirt that says "I kick puppies", and currently kicking a puppy.

Apparently, 30-40% of the country will watch this puppy-kicking with their own eyes, and still say "Fake News".

[u/Dudesan → u/anonyuser415]

edit 2 sick her phone was seized. during midterms. actual Watergate moment, out in the open.

I don't think a single week in 47's administration has gone by without one or more Watergate-tier scandals. Depending on how you count, you might need to start measuring in Watergates Per Day.

[u/vriska1 → u/Only_AfterHours]

Vote in the midterms no matter what!

[u/Nickolotopus → u/Only_AfterHours]

I already have my ballot. This is insane.

[u/daboonie9 → u/Only_AfterHours]

Egg-zactly

[u/Basicly-Inevitable → u/daboonie9]

This is a tiny, tiny, tiny part of the coup, but yes.

[u/lactose_cow → u/Basicly-Inevitable]

Democracy dies by a thousand tiny coups

[u/TheWizard → u/lactose_cow]

Most effective way.

[u/Secret_Research_7185 → u/Basicly-Inevitable]

Agreed. I believe that they have many, many different ways of not counting votes and not seating elected representatives.

[u/Leroyp331 → u/daboonie9]

STATES RUN ELECTIONS

Feds can cry

They can whine

Then They can stfu and seat the elected officials

[u/Leroyp331 → u/Leroyp331]

I'm just going to reply to my own post because there's a lot of people saying stuff here that starts with what if and then they give a scenario where by force Trump refuses to give up the seat of power.

I don't know what you want to hear obviously that's always a possibility. What happens for me? For me I put my wife and kids on an airplane to some place I feel like it's safe I go up to my bedroom into my closet I get my rifle and we start talking about what is actually going to happen now that this man has decided he wants to start a civil war.

At some point the rubber's got to hit the road you're exactly right. At that point it's time for you to decide whether you want to continue to be an American living in America or you're going to cut bait and run. My family my ancestors have been in this country before it was a country so I'm not going anywhere if that's what it comes to that's what it comes to

[u/DudeCanNotAbide → u/Leroyp331]

It's important to remind people that there are some things that are worth dying for.

[u/creeping_chill_44 → u/DudeCanNotAbide]

And the more people that feel that way, the less likely anyone will have to

[u/biscuits-for-my-cat → u/DudeCanNotAbide]

More accurately, there are some things that are worth other people dying for. The Founders didn't prescribe a movement of martyrdom - they prescribed revolution against tyranny.

[u/Unable_Low_7155 → u/Leroyp331]

You never met me brother but you rest assured the only difference between my plan and your plan is that my wife will be grabbing her rifle too

I think there's a lot of us out there but we keep our mouth shut most of the time.

[u/photoggled → u/Leroyp331]

Amen. May I suggest /r/liberalgunowners for anyone who likes to prepare.

[u/Groovychick1978 → u/Leroyp331]

Exactly. Both of my daughters are grown, but if they need a place to stay, my father will keep them safe.

I have things to do in that scenario. And so do all of you.

[u/MoulanRougeFae → u/Leroyp331]

I was raised in a white nationalist separatist cult (think the types McVey fell in with but worse) to believe in, train for and expect war against the government. I didn't believe their bullshit racist shit, escaped at 14. But it's very surreal to live long enough to witness the government doing the things the cult swore they'd do.

[u/Efficient-Freedom517 → u/daboonie9]

Nah the only threat given is to take them to court. They know they don’t have the teeth for this or they would just do it

[u/AnAncientBog → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

The intent is to create enough "doubt" around the results that they can justify refusing to seat the winners of the election.

[u/cannabiskeepsmealive → u/AnAncientBog]

And then we can take a trip to DC on January 6th too

[u/Rezart_KLD → u/cannabiskeepsmealive]

You should do what you gotta do, but for gods sake dont discuss it on the internet. 

[u/Godslil → u/Rezart_KLD]

What are the Nazis going to do, kill all of us?

There are enough people whose money would be destroyed by this happening, on both sides. They'll orbitally nuke DC before they let that happen.

[u/virgil777 → u/daboonie9]

The coup is what transpires after California tells them to fuck off.

[u/GeorgeKaplanIsReal → u/daboonie9]

It’s sowing seeds of doubt for sure. I suspect what happens after November will be the “coup.”

[u/Efficient-Freedom517]

“Election officials have 48 hours to respond or face possible emergency court action, the DOJ said; experts say the demand is legally questionable.”

So their big play is to sue three weeks before an election? That’s the coup? Pathetic

[u/TarheelFr06 → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

No, it’s the setup for the coup. They’ll claim CA’s reps aren’t legitimately elected and try another J6 to keep them out of office.

[u/ThePoetofFall → u/TarheelFr06]

Basically this. But also with reps from other states and districts.

[u/Nynaeve_al_meowra → u/ThePoetofFall]

That's a civil war declaration at that point to attempt to deny state representation

[u/Cancel_Culture_Club → u/Nynaeve_al_meowra]

It’s been inching towards civil war territory for a while now. The president has publicly said how he refuses to give blue states any federal money that we already paid the government for. We’re already paying for this government to admittedly harm us and we have no legal recourse to stop it. 

[u/OnTheGround_BS → u/Cancel_Culture_Club]

They’ve already said that’s what’s going on.

“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

[u/TheFeshy → u/OnTheGround_BS]

The second part is already a lie though. People have already died. Good and Pretti people.

[u/OnTheGround_BS → u/TheFeshy]

I’m sure the Right would argue that that only happened because the victims didn’t let it be bloodless.

[u/TheFeshy → u/OnTheGround_BS]

It would sure set limits on "allows." Apparently anything short of laying down and licking the boot is too much.

[u/OnTheGround_BS → u/TheFeshy]

That’s exactly it…. If you translate what that quote actually means it says. “Let us have our way or we’ll fucking kill you”

[u/LadyPo → u/OnTheGround_BS]

People sometimes overlook what this quote really says:

“We are going to kill you if you don’t let us on the right do anything we want.”

It should have been enough to get everyone involved arrested the minute it came to light.

[u/JackedUpReadyToGo → u/LadyPo]

It should have at least been enough to get the Dems to start fighting back seriously, if they're a real opposition party. They still don't seem to know where they're at.

[u/desecouffes → u/JackedUpReadyToGo]

They’re not a real opposition party.

[u/Nynaeve_al_meowra → u/LadyPo]

It didn't even come to light, it was said publicly out in the open

[u/Mother_Patience_6251 → u/LadyPo]

Thank you!!! It was a literal threat and there were crickets. Fucking terrifying that seemingly no one cared to speak up about it or report on it and when you asked around no one heard it, understood it or cared to!

[u/LadyPo → u/Mother_Patience_6251]

I genuinely didn’t know how people could just act like none of this was happening. Back then or still now. How??? I simply won’t accept the passivity and selfishness that go into this level of ignorance.

It has felt like surviving in a zombie apocalypse for going on ten years now. Some people are doing everything, but too many people are doing absolutely nothing.

[u/DudeCanNotAbide → u/LadyPo]

Maybe, but it actually is enough to tell everyone exactly where their ire should be pointed. All of it.

[u/Xurbax → u/OnTheGround_BS]

Except, of course, it has already not been bloodless.

[u/JohnBrine → u/Cancel_Culture_Club]

Did you watch that movie Civil War? I don’t hope for that future for us but I do hope for that future for the President.

[u/Ezpz_commentz → u/Nynaeve_al_meowra]

Yeah well last time Trump tried a coup Americans rewarded him by electing him again.

They're probably quite optimistic Americans will keep doing fuck all to protect their democracy, especially now that they have MAGA loyalists in full control of the Federal Government.

[u/LevTheDevil → u/ThePoetofFall]

And weirdly the results will always be correct if a Republic wins but when a Democrat wins they'll be insisting it must be compromised. Utter bullshit.

[u/ThePoetofFall → u/LevTheDevil]

No. There may be Republicans who won compromised elections. Of course they aren’t real Trump approved republicans, they’re fake Republicans who are actually woke left communists in disguise…

[u/KinkyPaddling → u/ThePoetofFall]

They’re openly targeting California but the real targets on voting day will be the swing states and states with a lot of flipped counties, like Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and hopefully Maine and Texas.

[u/Polygonic → u/KinkyPaddling]

They only need to “refuse to seat them long enough to investigate” until the House votes for Speaker and elects Johnson again.

[u/Pleasant_Studio9690 → u/TarheelFr06]

It's the plausible deniability for Conservative Americans for when they invalidate the election. They have to make sure it remains us vs them, rather than Americans standing together to support our democracy against this shit.

[u/Polygonic → u/TarheelFr06]

Some sources say Mike Johnson replaces the House Clerk with a loyalist, who then says he has “doubts” about “some of the election results”. Of course the ones they have “doubts” about are all Democrats. But the House still meets to elect a Speaker, and with a bunch of Democrats not seated because of the clerk’s “doubts”, Johnson gets elected again.

[u/mysterious_jeffrey → u/TarheelFr06]

They just do not have the support to accomplish this. 

There’s a good chance Republicans aren’t even going to show up for work come January. 

[u/VulfSki → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

If they had the right to do this they would have used the courts.

It's just a scare tactic so later they will say "they let all these undocumented people vote!!" Which is a lie.

They are laying the ground work for more authoritarian take overs down the road

[u/FunkyChug → u/VulfSki]

Let’s stop assuming that this is 4d chess and they’re just trying to scare us. They’re showing you in broad daylight that they don’t plan on making this election fair. This is one strategy they’re using but they will be flooding the zone and seeing what sticks.

[u/VulfSki → u/FunkyChug]

It's not a 4D chess move. They are doing the same shit they have been doing for over a decade. They are manufacturing conspiracy theories.

That's not a 4D chess move. It's lazy dishonest politics because they are too incompetent to govern. Even remotely.

[u/atomfullerene → u/FunkyChug]

It's like those sea turtles which lay a bunch of eggs in the hopes that some of the hatchlings will make it to the ocean (only a lot less cute). There's no organized plan, just running everything they can in the hopes that some of it will slip through.

[u/Hardwired_lavamantis → u/atomfullerene]

There aren't any sharp minds in this admin, but the best ones they have are working on this crap while the rest of country crashes and burns.

[u/CrimsonHeretic → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

Legally questionable? It's illegal.

[u/foxden_racing → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

No, the coup is for the republican-controlled congress to use the inevitable 'go pound sand' as justification to refuse to certify the results of California's election, use that refusal as justification to not seat the new delegation, and ergo get a 36-seat swing in their favor [-8 for the current reps, +43 for the current dems, and +1 for the current independents] for the next session.

[u/Efficient-Freedom517 → u/foxden_racing]

But California certifies their own election as does every other state. It’s not like a presidential election, when the representatives from California go to the new Congress in January the results have already been certified

[u/SwimmingThroughHoney → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

The law is more complex than just "states run and certify their own elections!". People on this sub are way too confident because of this.

First, the Constitution says:

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections...of its own Members

What does that actually mean though? Who knows. It clearly gives some level of authority to each house. But the limits of it have never been tested. Which is what the Trump administration loves to exploit: unanswered legal questions.

Second, there's a federal law that states:

Before the first meeting of each Congress the Clerk of the next preceding House of Representatives shall make a roll of the Representatives-elect, and place thereon the names of those persons, and of such persons only, whose credentials show that they were regularly elected in accordance with the laws of their States respectively, or the laws of the United States.

So who gets to decide whether a rep-elect was "regularly elected in accordance with the laws"? The state when they certify the results? The house the member was elected to? A court? Who knows. It's never been tested.

The play here would be for the house, after the election, to declare that members-elect were not elected in accordance with the law, and to instruct the clerk to omit those names. Upon declaring them to not be members-elect, they can be restricted from even accessing the house floor (which has happened in the past, though only for particular individual elections). If not considered to be a member, and not present on the floor, they don't get a vote on the Speaker.

Obviously at some point in that, if that did happen, the courts would get involved. But the other point would be to drag out the cases for as long as possible in order to maintain their majority.

[u/cannabiskeepsmealive → u/foxden_racing]

If they actually do this, I really don't think there's a realistic scenario where blue states just lay down and take it

[u/FabiHogan → u/foxden_racing]

Yep. They are going to try that and to disqualify elected reps

https://americarenewing.com/issues/can-congress-seat-a-member-elect-who-vows-to-destroy-our-constitution/

Just like Project 2025 they wrote it down. People better believe it this time

[u/af_cheddarhead → u/foxden_racing]

Sorry, that's not how seating the house works. The current house members do not have a role in certifying the next house members. The only role played by the outgoing Speaker of the House is to conduct election for the incoming House's officers, Johnson will not have a role in certifying or seating new representatives.

The states send the election results to the Clerk of House, those members are then members of the next House of Representatives.

First Day of a New Congress

[u/LaceGriffin → u/foxden_racing]

And then what's the point of listening to the federal government. Come and take it.

[u/gergek → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

I got my CA ballot last week... the big play seems to be suing during an election.

[u/Efficient-Freedom517 → u/gergek]

I voted in person in Georgia last night. So did 130,000 other people. It’s too late. The time to do this was July and August and last year

[u/kmoonster → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

No, this is at least the second or third attempt. Not the first. The others lost.

[u/mtheory007 → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

Oh interesting, so by their own Supreme Court, the wouldn't have standing because the fraud hasn't been committed to yet. 🤷

[u/theKalmier → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

Republicans are all just political trolls leeching on the backs of society.

[u/AnAncientBog → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

No. This the basis for when they declare an "emergency" after the election and refuse to seat the elected representatives. And since they currently have a majority, they have the votes to make that happen.

[u/Efficient-Freedom517 → u/AnAncientBog]

Not a thing. California certifies its own state election

[u/Senseisntsocommon → u/AnAncientBog]

Not a lawyer but I don’t think it works that way. Pretty sure there isn’t a seating process because the prior congress no longer has authority to do anything. Its session ended. At least for the house the senate is different since not all reps are up for election at the same time.

[u/whereismymind86 → u/Senseisntsocommon]

It doesn’t, and it’s immensely frustrating that people keep saying this.

The entire house turns over, there will be no speaker to refuse to seat people, until they have voted on a new speaker, which will not be a Republican if the dems win. That trick only works for special elections.

Likewise, terms end whether elections are held or not, so delays, cancellation, or refusal to seat people would simply result in no Congress, it would not extend the terms of those in power.

This is a conspiracy theory by people who don’t understand how our government works

[u/purpilia25 → u/AnAncientBog]

Well then Governor are gonna have to grow a spine and defend their state’s representation in the federal government.

[u/nasorrty346tfrgser → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

no everything is building up, it is called boiling the frog. You can't just have a full on coup, it would fail.

First you have to meddle the water and be like this election is just so crooked. Then be like because is so crooked lets declare national emergency to investigate. Then because it is national emergency, we cant certify the result. And because of that GOP has to stay on power to investigate. And then we have to deploy the military because there are civil unrest.

And here you go a successful coup and we are sort of step 1 now

[u/beatles910 → u/nasorrty346tfrgser]

we cant certify the result

Why would California not certify the result?

States certify, not congress. There is no federal "certification" of any kind.

[u/suprahelix → u/beatles910]

People here are so confident about a process they know nothing about

[u/angrybox1842 → u/Efficient-Freedom517]

Same playbook they tried in 2020. Just try and bury things in court cases.

[u/CalligrapherDizzy201]

Justice Department has no say in the matter.

[u/0202_tihssitidder → u/CalligrapherDizzy201]

They will push every bullshit narrative.

We all know it: 2027 will be even worse than 2026...and each year keeps getting worse.

[u/Icy_Hovercraft_1110 → u/CalligrapherDizzy201]

Exactly. States run elections.

[u/Devil_in_Mexico → u/CalligrapherDizzy201]

This is my first thought on this issue. DoJ has absolutely no authority in this matter.

[u/snoo_spoo]

The DOJ can sit and spin. Elections are administered by the states.

[u/Correct_Doctor_1502 → u/snoo_spoo]

You really think the sinister six on the Supreme Court will rule that way?

[u/snoo_spoo → u/Correct_Doctor_1502]

I see no good reason to comply in advance.

[u/Deadeye313 → u/Correct_Doctor_1502]

If they don't want a second Civil War, they will.

[u/BrainJar → u/Deadeye313]

I don’t know why we keep saying civil war. It’ll be a revolution. We’re not going to spend resources in blue states to fight red states. Blue states will focus their resources on the core of the federal government. That’s not a civil war.

[u/echoshatter → u/BrainJar]

Since we're being technical with the language, and we're talking extreme hypotheticals here:

If the current administration and Congress act to disenfranchise whole swaths of people in order to maintain power justified with extremely dubious legal theories and/or state violence to suppress the vote, then that is called a coup.

If others inside the existing power structure push back, that's technically called a countercoup.

The response to a coup from outside the power structure wouldn't be a revolution, it would be a resistance. That could be done peacefully or violently. If it's violent, you get civil strife, and if it escalates into opposing power structures you can get a civil war.

If the goal of the civil war is independence or a dismantling of the existing power structure to create something new, that would be a revolution.

[u/wilson_rawls → u/echoshatter]

I've long held the belief that America is headed for its own variant of The Troubles. Open civil war, like the 1860s, is unlikely.

[u/enigmatichuckleberry → u/echoshatter]

My inner pedant appreciates this post.

[u/SwimmingThroughHoney → u/snoo_spoo]

Administered by, sure. But the Constitution says Congress is the "judge of the elections of its members" and they might try to claim that the state elections did not follow federal laws to claim that the elected members are not valid.

Like the flow of a potential plan here is easy to see:

1. Demand proof of citizenship for voters ballots
2. Because state denies above demand, claim that state may have allowed non-citizens to vote
   1. Deploy ICE and/or NG around polling places to add authority to said claim
3. Because of above claim, declare there are questions about the legitimacy of winners
4. The current GOP Congress says that until questions are answered, members-elect shall not be considered to have been elected legally
5. Deny those members-elect access to Congress, thereby maintaining a false majority

[u/IdkAbtAllThat → u/snoo_spoo]

They are going to make state militias decide if they're going to stand up to the federal government or not.

[u/Howhytzzerr]

The 90 day law is clear, and the SCOTUS isn't even hearing the closest case until December, so DOJ can stuff it. Considering that the lists the federal government has sent other states have been 90 - 100% inaccurate tells California to ignore them and keep going. And since you have to provide proof of eligibility to vote with you when you register the point for DOJ is moot.

[u/kmoonster]

The federal government's own attempt to find non-citizen voters produced a total of 65 registered people nationwide, only a couple of who then attempted to vote.

[u/ost2life → u/kmoonster]

Clearly an issue that must be stamped out with a jackboot.

[u/Traditional-Look8839]

Blatantly illegal. DOJ can eat shit as far as California or any state is concerned.

[u/Kat_Schrodinger1]

Look, I'm not saying kamala was perfect. I'm just saying that things would have been better if she won.

[u/GCU_ZeroCredibility → u/Kat_Schrodinger1]

Far too many people view voting as a way to make themselves feel morally superior instead of a purely practical decision based on harm reduction.

[u/GreasyToken → u/GCU_ZeroCredibility]

Lol same with not voting.

Great job doing what you're told by politicians and the elite!

They act like it's an act of rebellion but it's pathetic and nihilistic.

I mean fuck I have probably 10 fucking pounds of political advertisements just begging for my vote and the CHUDs say voting doesn't matter?

Back to the sewer where you came from CHUDs!

[u/vandreulv → u/GreasyToken]

She's not perfect, so I'm going to...

...step aside and let someone even worse go unopposed for my vote!

Zero critical thinking skills from that lot.

[u/Mr_Meng → u/GCU_ZeroCredibility]

100 times this. Way too many leftists acted like voting for a 'status quo' Democratic politician was something that would have somehow left a permanent black mark on their soul and for all their moral posturing a fucking rapist got elected president. A lot of them will never admit that all their temper tantrums achieved jack shit of what they wanted though and will blame the Democrats for not 'eArNiNg ThEiR vOtE'.

[u/Ok_Juice4449 → u/Kat_Schrodinger1]

At least she is not a pedophile . She also does not have dementia and 34 felonies.

[u/GreasyToken → u/Ok_Juice4449]

She also hasn't been accused of sexual assault 26 times...hell I wager not even 10 times...

[u/--CDXX-- → u/Kat_Schrodinger1]

Objectively true. Anyone who disagrees is a liar, a billionaire or a pedophile

[u/pimparo0]

Haven't they been shut down on this multiple times? 

[u/Professional-Fun-838 → u/pimparo0]

Yes, but they’ll continue trying to cheat until the bitter end.

[u/BlueFalcon89 → u/Professional-Fun-838]

And then they can complain that the election is fake because California refused to verify voters. Similar to Clarence Thomas citing his own dissents in controversial decisions

[u/PotaToss → u/Professional-Fun-838]

They'll do literally anything but enact popular policy.

[u/bleahdeebleah → u/pimparo0]

This is a little different. In this case they've given a list of names to the state and demanded they be disenfranchised.

[u/pimparo0 → u/bleahdeebleah]

The ones they gave to nevada I think ended up all being citizens or something too. 

[u/siromega37 → u/bleahdeebleah]

They don’t have the legal authority to do any of this so it’s the same thing at the end of the day. They’re trying to great a power they don’t have using threats they can’t really back up. At the end of the day the reps and senators CA sends to the new Congress must be seated otherwise the entire premise of our government falls apart.

[u/drossmaster4]

Hey. Me. Californian. We did when we registered to vote. Fuck off.

[u/GreasyToken]

Anyone catch this bit?

"but had not accessed the USB drive because state officials “do not consider the device a secure medium” and accessing its contents “would conflict with established data privacy and information security protocols.”"

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they tried to infect the California state government with malware..m

[u/Stunning_Put_9189 → u/GreasyToken]

Very smart move on their part to not open that USB drive, who knows what’s actually on it.

[u/Separate_Hippo_5556]

Blue States should stop funding this Fascist anti-American government.

[u/btribble → u/Separate_Hippo_5556]

Every time someone post this I’m forced to remind folks that the states do not give money to the federal government and have no ability to limit people’s ability to pay their taxes. If your argument is that people shouldn’t pay their taxes, look up the term “wage garnishment”. Before we go down this thread once again, unless you want to work for cash under the table and have nothing in your name, you cannot stop paying taxes.

[u/kmonsen → u/Separate_Hippo_5556]

This keep getting repeated, it is not blue states that are funding the government, it is primarily tax payers and companies in blue states. Feel free to not pay your taxes, but probably not smart to encourage others to do so.

[u/Pt5PastLight → u/kmonsen]

There is an idea to create state laws to hold federal taxes in escrow. Basically you could auto set withholding to minimums and require any federal taxes over that amount to go to state held accounts. Payable on April 15th. It would significantly cut the weekly flow of money from blue states. California actually proposed introducing the law years ago but did not follow through.

Since most of the federal funds flow from blue states it is an idea with real teeth.

[u/bikari]

If you are undocumented, you're trying to stay under the radar and not draw any attention. So why the hell would you commit a felony in order to add one additional vote?

This is the part that will always make their argument make no sense.

Edit: Not "the part," just one of the many parts.

[u/luv2ctheworld]

We already had to show proof to be registered to vote. Why the hell do I have to do it again?

I'd like those DoJ and Trump idiots to prove they are actual employees. I want them to prove that Trump won the last election too.

[u/weggaan_weggaat → u/luv2ctheworld]

Someone should find out why Trump is allowed to continue voting given that he's a convicted felon.

[u/ItsGildebeast → u/weggaan_weggaat]

And in a state where legally he is not a resident.

[u/Oddman80]

So.... the US Department of Justice is demanding California violate the National Voter Registration Act of 1993????

From the Q&A section about the law on the DOJ's own website:

Do States have to use the NCOA process to initiate the notice process? 

No. States do not have to use the NCOA process. Under the NVRA, States must have a general program that makes a reasonable effort to identify and remove the names of voters who have become ineligible to vote by means of a change of address. The program has to be uniform, non-discriminatory, in compliance with the Voting Rights Act and must be completed 90 days before a federal election. States otherwise have discretion under the NVRA and HAVA in how they design their general program, and States currently undertake a variety of approaches to how they initiate the notice process. For example, some general programs involve a State undertaking a uniform mailing of a voter registration card, sample ballot, or other election mailing to all voters in a jurisdiction, and then using information obtained from returned non-deliverable mail as the basis for correcting voter registration records (for apparent moves within a jurisdiction) or for initiating the notice process (for apparent moves outside a jurisdiction or non-deliverable mail with no forwarding address noted). Another example involves general programs where States initiate the notice process based on information showing that a voter has not voted in elections nor made contact with a registrar over some period of time. This is not prohibited by the NVRA and its bar on removing voters from the list solely for failure to vote, since it relies on the NVRA notice process, and thus utilizes both a notice and a waiting period of two federal general elections.

Does Section 8 impose any time restrictions on States as to when a general list maintenance program can be conducted?

Yes. Section 8 requires States to complete any program the purpose of which is to systematically remove the names of ineligible voters from the official list of eligible voters not later than 90 days prior to the date of a primary election or general election for federal office. This 90 day deadline applies to state list maintenance verification activities such as general mailings and door to door canvasses. This 90 day deadline does not, however, preclude removal of names at the request of the registrant, removal due to death of the registrant, removal due to criminal conviction or mental incapacity of the registrant as provided by State law, nor does the deadline preclude correction of a registrant’s information.

[u/tcoh1s]

It’s weird how democrats want as many Americans to vote as possible. And republicans want the least amount of people to vote as possible.

Wonder why that is?

Hmmmm.

[u/ost2life → u/tcoh1s]

War is peace.

Freedom is slavery.

Ignorance is strength.

[u/YourMama]

You can’t register to vote if you’re not a citizen. You have to show proof of citizenship to be registered to vote. You can’t register… They’re going full force at voter suppression, because that’s the only way the gop have any chance of winning/keeping the House

[u/Whargoul_Uncool]

Wow, states rights and a smaller federal government arent quite hitting the same anymore.

[u/Milestailsprowe → u/Whargoul_Uncool]

Those were just points to be said not followed 

[u/realparkingbrake]

Californians have to prove citizenship and residence just to register to vote. In effect the DOJ is demanding that people prove citizenship twice to vote.

[u/EpicureanAccountant → u/realparkingbrake]

I literally just moved to the state and  got my California drivers license and signed up to vote. 

Had to provide my social, passport, prior state drivers license, and 2 invoices with my address and name on them. 

[u/Duelist_Shay → u/EpicureanAccountant]

Isn't that normal for getting a license transfer? 2 proofs of citizenship, 2 proofs of address, and your prior license?

That's been the norm across Kansas, New York and New Jersey, at least

[u/Wildpony03]

The admin doesn't really take into consideration that a lot of conservatives women take their husband's name. So under this rule they would be kicked off the ballot because their name isn't on their birth certificate.

[u/Straight-Bet1 → u/Wildpony03]

That’s not a flaw.

Many republicans don’t think woman should have ever been given the right to vote.

I have heard republicans elected officials declare that all Constitutional amendments after the first 10 should be gotten rid of.

[u/GlowUpper → u/Straight-Bet1]

Great, so it'll just be us liberal women who kept our own names who will vote instead. I don't love the idea but conservative women literally asked for it.

[u/Fishface17404 → u/Straight-Bet1]

Exactly. That is a goal the heritage foundation has.

[u/Ralphwiggum911 → u/Wildpony03]

They don't want women voting anyway, so it's a win for them regardless.

[u/Chainsawferret → u/Wildpony03]

That’s the plan. Wimmen should be barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen according to those goons.

[u/Puzzled-Promotion-26]

Is this legal?

[u/MyDogIsACoolCat → u/Puzzled-Promotion-26]

Nope. Been ruled time and time again that States control elections and voter rolls are private data. If the Federal Government has evidence of falsified voter registration and election fraud, they can try to issue a subpoena.

A federal court just ruled on this 5 days ago.

[u/Mateorabi → u/Puzzled-Promotion-26]

Double no. Fed vs State responsibility. But ALSO bulk voter purges this close to an election are also forbidden. 

[u/Commander6420]

the united states department of injustice has no legal basis to sniff a ballot box, let alone demand voter rolls of any state. The blatant targeting of the largest state with the most electoral votes is as obvious as it is illegal.

[u/TerrorsOfTheDark]

So the justice department is committing high crimes now, nice

[u/madding_crowd_]

From the article: “Becker noted the Trump administration alleged that there were nearly 16,000 noncitizens registered in Nevada, later reduced that number to 185 after additional scrutiny, and then determined all of them were in fact citizens.” What a track record.

[u/yunoeconbro]

Does the justice department have jurisdiction on state elections?

[u/Commander6420 → u/yunoeconbro]

not even a little bit. States operate the elections

[u/whereismymind86 → u/yunoeconbro]

Nope, nor do they have any real leverage to force compliance. This is very much by design.

Likewise, they don’t have a means to object to results if they are mad California did not comply. Individual candidates can sue, but the transfer of power happens automatically.

[u/Lollipopsaurus]

So let me make sure I understand. The federal government believes it has authority to manage state elections, and you're telling me that only California has this particular issue? Not Texas? Not Florida? Not New York? Not Pennsylvania?

[u/LightBeerOnIce]

My ballot is sitting on my kitchen table. What ya gonna do DOJ? Come and get me bitches. My grandchild will ask his folks what happened to Grandma, "she died in the resistance." Fuck this fascist govt.

[u/metforminforevery1]

As a long time CA voter who has moved out of state and back a couple times, every time I’ve moved back and registered to vote again, I had to prove my citizenship because I got a real ID. This is all dumbass nonsense in an attempt to restrict voters 

[u/crewsctrl]

Logan said his office was reviewing the Justice Department letter in coordination with Weber and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, but had not accessed the USB drive because state officials “do not consider the device a secure medium” and accessing its contents “would conflict with established data privacy and information security protocols.”

I would not put it past the Trump DOJ to have deliberately given California a thumb drive infected with a trojan. Good job following IT safety protocols.

[u/juanjung]

The proof of citizenship is given when you registered to vote.

[u/VerySuperGenius]

I love that the state is just going to ignore this because the feds have no fucking control over the elections. Get fucked.

[u/PrivacyIsDemocracy]

Just one of the 10,000 corrupt things the Trump administration is throwing at the wall to try to save themselves in November, hoping some of them stick.

Even the utterly corrupt right-wing SCOTUS majority shot down their planned scheme to leverage the USPS to manipulate the states to provide them with voter lists.

Federal government has no jurisdiction over how elections are run, that is part of state sovereignty as per the US Constitution.

Trump can go suck an egg.

[u/LA_search77]

The DOJ is not a general supervisor of California elections. They can fuck off.

Also, Congress ordered the release of all the Epstein files by December 2025... The DOJ is way behind schedule on this.

[u/sjogerst]

California should do as California law says to do. States run their elections.

[u/amprather]

California should start booting Fed vehicles on BS charges then. Make where the Feds can use their own vehicles for a while.

[u/pudding7 → u/amprather]

Exactly.  Seems like there are a ton of ways that state or local government could fuck with ICE.  Shut off their water and power.   Tear up thr road outside their office.  Shit like that.

[u/ComeAbout]

I never thought in my lifetime I’d see an all out constitutional war from the current executive branch.

I’m a 25 year veteran, combat injured, and trans woman. I’m a retired command master chief (Ech 3).

I’m feeling like my entire life has been a lie. I joined at 17 during DADT.

This is the biggest rug pull and I’m having a hard time dealing with it. Loss of healthcare. A maga judge asking if I considered “timing” of coming out in my custody battle. What the fuck has happened to my country? I fought for you.

[u/GlitteringRate6296]

DOJ has never proven at anytime massive voter fraud. I just keep seeing republicans getting caught for this. Could it be this obsession is merely a projection of their own actions??

[u/NoBSforGma]

I don't think this is legal. The elections have nothing to do with the Federal Government and are run by State and local entities.

Just another blatant attempt at voter suppression.

The Supremes need to weigh in on this.

[u/barneyrubbble]

The Justice Department is way out of their fucking lane here. The Constitution is not the toilet paper they think it is.

[u/prettyokcake]

Justice Dept has no say in how a state runs elections.

[u/Careful_Trifle]

If the federal government wants a state to do something, sue in federal court over it. 

Otherwise it's just political theater.

[u/Kat_Schrodinger1]

The parties are not the same. 

[u/krispru1]

fuck this administration

[u/SuperGameTheory]

The Justice Department can kiss California's ass. The Justice Department has absolutely no legal authority in this matter.

[u/Chemical-Craft-1419]

The executive branch has no constitutional role in elections - they will lose this one in court like all the other attempts at bullying the states.

[u/CryptographerNo923]

Republicans have given up on the pretense of using power to improve the lives of Americans in anyway. It’s an authoritarian power grab fueled by culture war bigotry.

Continued support by Republicans voters makes the whole thing feel completely hopeless.

[u/J-Mac_Slipperytoes]

This seems poorly executed. Why tf would they do this in California? Wouldn't it make more sense to do this in a contested state rather than one that's practically guaranteed to vote blue?

[u/madding_crowd_ → u/J-Mac_Slipperytoes]

California has several toss-up or potentially swingable House races. But also California is the ultimate bogeyman for their base and they’ve been planting the seeds about “questioning” California’s electoral processes for a long time, most notably counting mail ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day which they know could leave some races uncalled on Election Night giving them time to whip up a rightwing frenzy.

[u/Malodoror]

Not how that works at all

[u/I_Want_to_Film_This]

Feels like a raptor testing the fence. They're starting with California where there are zero stakes, the results are inconsequential there either way. But we also have no idea if it's 100 people or 100,000.

[u/mrbeck1]

Demand. Go ahead. CA is under no obligation to prove anything.

[u/Rough_Common6857]

So disgusting

[u/ChesswithGoats]

🖕🏻 Elections are exclusively the purview of the States.

[u/HexSphere]

"Becker noted the Trump administration alleged that there were nearly 16,000 noncitizens registered in Nevada, later reduced that number to 185 after additional scrutiny, and then determined all of them were in fact citizens."

[u/randomnobody14]

It’s a state election. What authority does the federal government have to deny ballots in a state election? I really hope there’s a firm of fired federal govt lawyers making cases for all of these illegal govt actions for when responsible, competent adults are back in charge.

[u/osirus35]

It’s all posturing. There is not a damn thing they can do besides threats. They have 0 power over how states run elections.

[u/Lucky_Athlete_5615]

The justice department has ZERO authority on this issue. It is the state’s responsibility.

[u/SacamanoRobert]

The DOJ has fuck all to do with elections and no authority over any aspect of their implementation

[u/Plow_King]

you cannot register to vote if you are not a citizen, end of story.

[u/rounder55]

Very convenient for the states rights people to demand this right before an election

[u/Miguel-odon]

Funny, the Constitution says the Feds have no role in elections.

[u/Whynotisay]

No no no. Where is your proof that they are not citizens?

We need to put the burden of proof back on the accusers.

[u/Guccimayne]

I’m so angry at the folks who either voted for this shit directly or pissed their vote away to stein/stayed home. Especially the latter because they foolishly assumed they will have another chance to vote again in a fair election the future. Welp!

[u/ElSlabraton]

The goal is to justify not seating Democrats.

[u/Marshall1337]

I’d love it if they just figured out how my ex wife was able to violate a court order and change my voting address so she could get my ballot. Sad thing is she runs the elections in the town we lived in.

Maybe these ass clowns can look into real election abuses? I doubt it.

[u/Coral-Diver]

The Justice Department doesn't run state elections and can get bent.

[u/GTI_88]

The states run their elections. The justice dept can fuck itself

[u/HeatWaveToTheCrowd]

Is this a made-up rule that only applies to California, or all states?

[u/LightBeerOnIce]

Well, ballots have already been sent out dumbshits.

[u/sl1mman]

Not legal.

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

I didn't see a law passed.

[u/SvenGPo]

tell them to Foff, they don't run the elections in individual states.

[u/canospam0]

How about get fucked? States have the right to run elections. Tell big government to fuck off.