Trump Justice Department Breaks With Tradition to Intervene in the Midterms, Reuters Reports

President Donald Trump's Justice Department has shown a willingness to intervene directly in Tuesday's midterm elections, breaking with decades of practice meant to avoid the appearance that its law enforcement powers are being used to benefit a political party or candidate, Reuters reported Monday, Nov. 2. In California, the department sought to set aside mail-in ballots from about 20,000 voters it alleges are likely noncitizens ineligible to vote, and it has also demanded records in a related criminal probe. California has said it has implemented measures to prevent voting by noncitizens and argued the Justice Department does not have the authority to block votes.

In Alaska, the department intensified a criminal investigation into whether a Senate candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan entered the race to confuse voters, Reuters reported. Its lawsuit, which Trump said he directed the department to file, asked a court to halt certification and order an investigation if the margin suggested voter confusion could have affected the outcome. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason in Anchorage dismissed the case on Sunday, finding Alaska could not conduct such a probe while preserving the secrecy of ballots. Courts have now rejected the department's lawsuits against both states, and the department has appealed the Alaska decision.

Attorney General Todd Blanche says the department's efforts are lawful and aim to protect the integrity of the vote, Reuters reported. "The Department isn't helping any campaign. It's enforcing the law," department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in a statement reported by Reuters. Critics told Reuters the interventions could accelerate any attempt by Trump to sow doubt about the midterms, which will determine control of Congress and dozens of governors' races. Historically, Reuters reported, the department's Public Integrity Section advised prosecutors to wait until results are certified before intervening; the Trump administration has slashed the size of that unit and suspended a requirement that federal prosecutors consult it on election-corruption probes.