Justice Department subpoenas Los Angeles election staff as federal court appeal proceeds

The U.S. Department of Justice served grand jury subpoenas on employees at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office last week. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office confirmed to NPR on Thursday that the subpoenas require the staff to appear in court on Nov. 4. This legal action marks a sharp escalation in the dispute between federal prosecutors and California election officials over the handling of voter rolls.

The subpoenas were issued shortly after U.S. District Judge David O. Carter rejected the Justice Department's request to force state officials to stop processing ballots. Carter ruled that the federal government lacked a legal basis for its demand. He also expressed concern that the list of 20,000 names, which officials identify as likely noncitizens, was not reliable enough to justify the interruption. The judge warned that the process could disenfranchise eligible voters and create election chaos.

In letters sent to local election officials in recent weeks, the Justice Department warned that refusing to cooperate could lead to federal scrutiny and legal exposure. The correspondence stated that staff who tabulate ballots cast by individuals flagged as noncitizens risk becoming aiders and abettors to a federal crime. A spokesperson for the department did not respond to a request for comment regarding the new subpoenas. It remains unclear whether the specific staff members served are targets of a criminal investigation.

Judge Carter addressed Justice Department officials directly during a hearing on Tuesday. He stated that the court believed it would be wise for threats to state and county elected employees to cease immediately. Carter reiterated this message in an order issued on Wednesday evening, writing that the threats must stop. The department is currently appealing his ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan responded to the judicial ruling in a statement on Thursday. He thanked the judge for the admonishment, noting that the Justice Department has taken a confrontational approach at every step. Logan asserted that election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law. He added that the office will take necessary steps to ensure the safety of its employees while continuing to serve the voters of Los Angeles County.