The state attorney general’s office said Attorney General secured a win in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Oct. 30, marking his office’s third legal victory in one week against the Trump Administration’s effort to force California to segregate and not count mail ballots tied to about 20,000 people it “believes” are “likely” noncitizens.
A district court earlier this week found the federal government’s “methodology in creating the list was vague and raised multiple questions regarding reliability,” the attorney general’s office said; the office added that district courts across the country have cast doubt on the lists the United States proffered.
Attorney General Bonta said the filing opposing an injunction relied on three points: the Purcell principle protects against last-minute court changes that risk confusing voters and disrupting election administration; the office argued the U.S. Constitution gives States and Congress, not the President or the executive branch, the authority to regulate the time, place and manner of elections; and equitable considerations weigh against ordering the requested relief because it would undermine state authority and burden election officials and voters, the office said.
The attorney general’s office said the Ninth Circuit win follows two rulings earlier this week: on Monday, Oct. 26, the Ninth Circuit dismissed the federal government’s first appeal because it had not given the district court adequate time to consider the request; on Wednesday, Oct. 28, the district court denied the federal government’s request for a temporary restraining order.
Bonta said, “Three legal victories in one week make clear that the Trump Administration has zero authority to interfere in California’s elections.” Governor said, “Trump and his administration just lost for the third time this week in their desperate and dangerous attempts to meddle in the California election process with voting already underway and just days before Election Day. These attacks on our democracy are serious, and the full force of our state is defending our democracy right now.”
State
Rob Bonta
Attorney General · Democrat
Named 2 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
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