NBC News - GOP officials in 3 states move to block DOJ observers from entering polling places

[Dennis Donovan]

NBC News - GOP officials in 3 states move to block DOJ observers from entering polling places

Officials in Florida, Texas and Missouri said in recent days they would not allow Justice Department monitors to do what they have been doing for almost 60 years.



Nov. 5, 2024, 10:26 AM EST
By Ken Dilanian

In a sign of how distrust of the federal government has permeated Republican politics in the Trump era, GOP officials in three red states have tried to block the Justice Department from engaging in its decades-long practice of sending observers into polling places.

Two of the states, Missouri and Texas, have asked federal judges to intervene, but overnight those judges declined to do so. The judge in Texas, however, held open the possibility he could act with more information.

Officials in Florida, Texas and Missouri said in recent days they would not allow DOJ monitors to do what they have been doing for almost 60 years: Deploy personnel to watch voting to ensure that federal civil and voting rights laws are being followed.

Pursuant to a 2013 Supreme Court decision, DOJ monitors only go inside polling places with the agreement of local officials, unless they have a court order. If they are not allowed inside, they speak to voters outside, in public areas.

/snip

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Traitors ARREST THEM NOW

[Gore1FL]

2. Fortunately, it appears this was smacked down by a judge who is concerned about the law.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143334255

[Ramsey Barner]

5. Only in TX and St. Louis, MO, and only because of agreements.

The decisions you're referring to aren't much of a victory. The TX suit was settled by an agreement that kept federal monitors outside the polling place, and the prior settlement agreement is for monitoring handicapped access to polling locations in St. Louis.

It looks like states can still exclude federal election monitors unless there's an agreement or a court order.

[Dennis Donovan]

7. TX and DoJ made deal for observers to stay outside of polling places

In Texas, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk took a different approach. He denied the restraining order because he said he needed more information. The DOJ was allowed to monitor polling places, he wrote, but was not allowed to send observers inside without a federal court order.

Kacsmaryk ordered the DOJ to confirm that “no observers” would be present in polling locations in Texas.

But even before Kacsmaryk issued his order, the Texas attorney general announced an agreement with the Justice Department that allows what a DOJ spokesman said the department intended to do all along — remain outside polling places and talk to voters. Texas then dropped its lawsuit.

The Texas AG then issued a press release headlined, “Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Secures Major Vic­to­ry Pre­vent­ing Biden-Har­ris Admin­is­tra­tion From Unlaw­ful­ly Send­ing DOJ Per­son­nel Inside Texas Elec­tion Locations.”

[republianmushroom]

9. US Justice Department cleared to send election monitors to Texas, Missouri

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143334447

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/missouri-sues-block-justice-department-182952760.html

[Sky Jewels]

3. Fuck these Fascist Freaks.

They are about to be smacked down ... HARD.

[MagickMuffin]

4. When I worked the Texas elections Obama years, they would show up

They would come in looking around our polling stations and left.


Now all of a sudden the Gov. is objecting. Hmmmmm, something smells!

[PSPS]

6. "distrust of the federal government" has nothing to do with it.

It's more "fear of having their illegal suppression activities revealed."
Bank robbers also prefer that the FBI be blocked from witnessing their crime.

[lees1975]

8. Good luck with that.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/missouri-sues-block-justice-department-sending-poll-monitors-2024-11-04/

[SheilaAnn]

10. How does Merrick Garland feel about this? n/t