DOJ Subpoenas L.A. Election Staff Ahead of Nov. 4 Court Date

The Department of Justice served grand jury subpoenas on employees of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office last week. The documents order the recipients to appear in court on Nov. 4. The office confirmed the subpoenas were directed at its staff.

Federal officials have been pressuring California local election leaders to identify and set aside ballots for individuals flagged as likely noncitizens. In recent weeks, the DOJ sent letters to these officials warning of potential legal exposure if they refused to cooperate. The letters stated that knowingly tabulating ballots from flagged individuals could make officials aiders and abettors to a federal crime.

The subpoenas arrived one day after a federal judge blocked a DOJ request to stop processing ballots for thousands of voters on a specific list. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ruled that the department lacked a legal basis for its demand. He also expressed doubt about the reliability of the list containing 20,000 names.

Carter issued the ruling on Wednesday evening, a day after hearing arguments from both sides. In a Tuesday hearing, the judge warned DOJ representatives to cease threats against state and county elected employees. He repeated this instruction in his written order, stating that the threats must stop immediately.

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan thanked Carter for his comments in a statement released Thursday. Logan described the DOJ's approach as confrontational and adversarial at every step. He affirmed that election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law.

Logan said the office will take necessary steps to ensure employee safety. He added that the team remains focused on serving Los Angeles County voters so they can exercise their voting franchise. A DOJ spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment regarding the subpoenas. The department is currently appealing Carter's ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.