From the HERE City National Desk
NORFOLK, Va. — Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday the Justice Department does not plan to get in the way of states certifying next month’s midterm results, but he declined to promise it would never step in.
Speaking at a news conference in Norfolk, Blanche said he could imagine extreme, hypothetical situations, which he described as a doomsday scenario, that might prompt federal action. Outside of that, he said, no such steps are being weighed, and he is not arranging his schedule around trying to stop any state from certifying.
Blanche said the department is not out to cause chaos and only wants to flag possible problems to election officials. He said the goal is to assure voters that only eligible people cast ballots in the Nov. 3 election.
The comments came as the department presses lawsuits against several states seeking unredacted voter data and asking courts to set aside ballots from people it believes may be noncitizens. Last week it sued California officials and asked a judge to block the counting of mail ballots from people on its list unless their eligibility is confirmed.
Elections in the United States are run by state and local officials. Federal law gives the Justice Department a limited role, mainly protecting civil rights and prosecuting election crimes, and does not expressly let it challenge ballots or hold up certification. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded that Senate Democrats have spent months preparing for any such move.
Section: More Washington DC politics news
Filed under: Washington DC Politics News
