Trump’s attorney general won’t rule out DOJ action to stop states from certifying midterms results

The Independent and NBC News report that Attorney General Todd Blanche declined Thursday to rule out Justice Department action that could keep states from certifying midterm results. Asked about delaying ballot counts, Blanche allowed for an extreme hypothetical but said the department never intends to interfere improperly and Blanche is not scheduling days around Election Day to stop certification.

Both outlets tie the remarks to the department's suit against California, which seeks a review of 18,000 registered voters. NBC News adds that Blanche, at a Norfolk news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, said the department is "not trying to create chaos" but wants assurance that only eligible people vote. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer answered that Democrats in the chamber are braced for any administration move.

David Becker of the Center for Election and Innovation Research told reporters the department has no authority over certification, while NBC News says no federal law lets it challenge ballots or delay certification. The Independent also says District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguin on Wednesday barred Homeland Security field operations aimed at voter fraud in nine states.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent and NBC News’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent → Also at NBC News →