Bonta Blasts DOJ Over 48-Hour Deadline to Check 20,000 California Ballots

California Attorney General Rob Bonta accused the Justice Department of using federal law as a political tool on Saturday. He argued that the department is acting at the direction of President Donald Trump. Bonta told MS Now that the move is a clear example of the DOJ attacking its enemies. He called the action completely improper.

The dispute centers on a demand issued by federal prosecutors less than two weeks before the midterm elections. The department asked California election officials to verify a list of approximately 20,000 ballots within 48 hours. These votes are tied to suspected noncitizens. While voting by noncitizens is rare, the Justice Department has increased prosecutions of illegal voters as the election nears.

State election personnel warned that the short deadline could remove the right to vote from eligible citizens. Los Angeles officials said a high percentage of the individuals on the list were born in the United States. The state’s top prosecutor has questioned the evidence provided. He noted that officials received only names without an explanation of why those people were ineligible. Bonta stated that the state is ready to review the information but has not received any.

Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the federal effort on social media. He claimed the department is desperate to invent widespread voter fraud. Newsom said the state received lists of people who never voted and voters from the wrong county. He described the situation as an absolute clown show. Representative Pete Aguilar, who represents south-west San Bernardino county, agreed with the criticism. He wrote that voter intimidation has no place in the democracy.

The Justice Department framed its request as a measure to secure the vote. A statement from the department asked county officials to provide information for the Department of Homeland Security to verify citizenship status. The department said this cooperation would ensure the most secure election in California history. This effort is part of a wider Republican push to crack down on alleged voter fraud among undocumented immigrants.

Federal prosecutors recently charged 28 foreign nationals with fraudulently registering to vote. Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney, said the arrests prove that California mails ballots to noncitizens. He noted that these defendants are lawful permanent residents who hold legal status but are not citizens. Essayli argued that California is refusing to comply with federal law, which makes it a crime for noncitizens to vote.

Some state officials did not act on the letters sent on Friday. They cited the rapidly approaching election as the reason. This inaction started a legal fight with the Justice Department. An appeals court is scheduled to hear the matter on Tuesday.