Trump's Justice Department warns California election officials they risk prosecution if they process ballots from suspected noncitizens
First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli has declared that knowingly counting a ballot cast by a noncitizen is a federal offence: 'We will hold election officials accountable.' Every county in California has 48 hours to identify which people on a federal list hold citizenship and set the remaining names aside. The Ninth Circuit has ordered the state to respond to an emergency DOJ request by noon Saturday. Election day falls on November 3.
Essayli on the list: 'California does not verify citizenship status. We did the work for them.'
Contra Costa clerk Kristin Connelly pushed back against the warning: 'Voters need to vote and not be intimidated.'
More than 331,000 mail-in ballots have already been processed in Los Angeles County.
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