"At every step, the U.S. Department of Justice has taken a confrontational, adversarial approach," said Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan.
Grand jury subpoenas sweep California election offices
The administration has issued grand jury subpoenas to election offices across California as the state approached the final day of voting on Nov. 3, according to reporting first published by Bloomberg and detailed in CyberScoop. The inquiries center on alleged administration of illegal voting and are linked to demands by the U.S. Department of Justice that California — and other states — use federal voter lists to identify so-called “potential noncitizens” for removal from state rolls. The Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters told CyberScoop it received multiple grand jury subpoenas last week related to the probe. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, also reportedly a target of the federal probe, did not respond to a request for comment, CyberScoop reported.
Disputed tallies: DOJ's 20,000 versus DHS's 190,000
The Department of Justice has asserted there are at least 20,000 “potential noncitizens” on California’s voter lists; the Department of Homeland Security told CyberScoop that the figure could be as many as 190,000. The administration’s data combine public voter lists, federal databases and commercially purchased personal information. Election officials, voting experts and federal courts have repeatedly criticized that mix as inaccurate and unreliable for determining voter eligibility, CyberScoop reported. In practice, most people flagged as “potential noncitizens” have turned out to be naturalized citizens or the result of state administrative errors; many of those mistakenly registered never cast a ballot.
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See what we buildLos Angeles County frames subpoenas as intimidation
Los Angeles County’s registrar called the federal actions an attempt to coerce California officials into accepting federal supremacy over state voter registration authority. “Election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law. Clear court rulings at both the U.S. District Court level and the Court of Appeals have confirmed that,” Registrar Dean Logan said in a statement reported by CyberScoop. He added, “Threats and intimidation have no place in elections. We will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and to remain focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise.”
Local figures and contested claims inside California counties
Not all county officials reacted alike. Clint Curtis, the outgoing registrar of voters in Shasta County — whose term ends in January — endorsed the federal effort to remove 20,000 voters from California rolls. Curtis has a record of mistrust in election integrity: he was part of a failed effort to hire Tina Peters, described in CyberScoop as a felon and former Mesa County, Colorado, election clerk, to help with upcoming midterms. Curtis has long asserted widespread election fraud; he told CyberScoop earlier this year that he believed Shasta County’s 2024 mail-in ballots looked, felt and “smelled” different from normal mail ballots.
Prosecutions and lawsuits: Hennepin County and voting rights groups
The federal and local pressure is unfolding alongside criminal prosecutions and civil countermeasures. In Minnesota, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced felony charges against James O’Keefe and Cam Higby for unlawful voting and identity theft. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the two provided false identities of real voters to election judges, in violation of state laws against misrepresenting identity when applying for a ballot. “Elections are the bedrock of democracy and their protection is one of our highest priorities. Individuals engaging in unlawful conduct related to our elections will be held accountable,” Moriarty said, adding that her office had regular meetings with Hennepin County Elections staff and was “fully prepared.”
Meanwhile, voting rights and civil society groups filed a new lawsuit against the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security in California. The groups ask a court to declare that the federal government has exceeded its constitutional authority and that state officials are legally carrying out their duties. They also seek an order forcing the departments to contact all California election officials who received subpoenas and inform them that the investigation has been halted by court order.
How Los Angeles County, voting rights groups, and the Hennepin County Attorney are responding
- Los Angeles County: Publicly condemned the subpoenas as intimidation, cited court rulings confirming state election authority, and said it will protect employees and continue serving voters.
- Voting rights groups: Filed a civil suit asking a judge to block DOJ and DHS efforts, sought a declaratory judgment that federal actions exceed constitutional authority, and requested that officials be told any investigation is halted by court order.
- Hennepin County Attorney’s Office: Pursued criminal charges against alleged misconduct at election offices and emphasized coordination with local elections staff in preparation for the primaries and general election.
The record in CyberScoop’s reporting shows simultaneous legal, administrative and criminal responses to an aggressive federal push to identify “potential noncitizens.” The immediate questions left on the table are concrete: will the courts enjoin the subpoenas or the federal data-matching approach, and will state election offices maintain current practices under mounting federal scrutiny? Those answers will determine whether the subpoenas prompt compliance, court-ordered restraint, or continued political and legal escalation.
