DOJ Subpoenas LA Election Staff Ahead of Nov. 4 Hearing

Los Angeles County election workers now face federal court appearances after the Department of Justice issued grand jury subpoenas to their staff. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's office confirmed on Thursday that it received these subpoenas last week. The documents instruct the employees to appear in court on Nov. 4.

This legal action follows a report that at least two employees at the registrar's office were served with the subpoenas. The timing places the staff in the middle of an escalating dispute between federal prosecutors and California election officials. The core of the conflict involves the Trump administration's push to identify noncitizens on the state's voter rolls.

In recent weeks, the DOJ sent letters to local election officials in California. The letters warned that officials who refused to cooperate with federal demands risked scrutiny and legal exposure. Specifically, the agency asked officials to set aside ballots from people flagged as likely noncitizens. One letter stated that if persons knowingly tabulate ballots cast by individuals identified by federal agencies as noncitizens, they risk becoming aiders and abettors to a federal crime.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter recently rejected the Justice Department's request to force California officials to stop processing ballots for thousands of voters. The DOJ had cited a list of 20,000 names that federal officials described as likely noncitizens. Carter found no legal basis for the demand and expressed doubt about the reliability of the list. He also cited concerns that the effort would disenfranchise eligible voters and create election chaos.

At a hearing on Tuesday, Carter warned Justice Department officials that threats to state and county elected employees should cease immediately. He repeated that message in an order issued Wednesday evening, writing that the court reiterated its stance that these threats must stop. The DOJ is appealing Carter's ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, responded to the judge's comments in a statement on Thursday. Logan called Judge Carter's admonishment about threats well placed and appreciated. He noted that the U.S. Department of Justice has taken a confrontational and adversarial approach at every step. Logan asserted that election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law.

Logan added that the office will take necessary steps to ensure the safety of its employees. He emphasized the goal of remaining focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise. A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment about the subpoenas. It remains unclear whether the staff who received the subpoenas are currently the targets of a criminal investigation.