Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Request in California Ballot Case

On Wednesday, a federal judge in Los Angeles turned down a request from the Trump administration to stop California election officials from counting votes from 20,000 individuals whose citizenship was questioned. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter called the administration’s claims ‘not credible.’ He emphasized that such intervention would breach federal laws, disrupt the ongoing midterm elections, possibly disenfranchise eligible voters, and encourage future election interference.

Judge Carter noted that the administration’s request violated long-standing constitutional rules that allow states to manage their elections. He stated that allowing the request could enable either political party to create disruption for their advantage in the election process. Carter, appointed by President Clinton, highlighted that the federal government has never previously tried to force a state and local government to abandon their constitutional election methods right before an election, and that the administration was asking the court to act as if it was the sole authority.

Carter emphasized that ‘California and its people are sovereign, too.’ This ruling marked the second time the Trump administration was denied a temporary restraining order in the same week. A panel from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had also rejected the administration’s emergency request.

The judgment followed a 3.5-hour hearing where various attorneys representing the state, county, and independent voting rights groups opposed the administration’s requests. Bill Essayli, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney and top federal prosecutor in L.A., who argued for the administration, did not comment immediately on the decision. After the hearing, he suggested an appeal might be on the horizon if the ruling did not halt the counting of the questioned ballots.