DOJ Challenges Dismissal of Arizona Voter Roll Lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Justice is taking action to overturn a recent court decision that blocked their access to Arizona’s voter registration details. The appeal follows a ruling by Judge Susan Brnovich, who dismissed the initial lawsuit filed by the Trump administration.
In the lawsuit dismissed in April, the administration sought sensitive voter data from Arizona, including social security numbers, to establish a federal citizenship verification system. More information can be found in the original dismissal ruling here.
Federal law was cited by Justice Department attorneys, who claimed it permits them to access voter information to ensure proper maintenance of state voter rolls. However, Judge Brnovich, appointed by President Trump in 2018, determined that the DOJ’s request exceeded its federal legal entitlements.
The ruling was supported by Arizona’s Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, both Democrats, who argued that the information is protected by privacy laws at both the state and federal levels.
This case is one among several similar lawsuits filed by the federal government across various states, including Maine, Wisconsin, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Rhode Island, all of which have faced judicial rejection.
The Department of Justice has now moved to appeal the decision at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In response, Secretary of State Fontes described the appeal as “legally futile,” labeling it as “ongoing political theater” and emphasizing the impact on Arizona taxpayers.
Fontes also clarified that while certain data requested by the federal government is public, the DOJ has yet to request such publicly available information.
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