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The Justice Department, led by Attorney General Todd Blanche, has sued California and Los Angeles County to stop the state from counting ballots tied to a federal list of “likely noncitizens.” Senator Adam Schiff (D‑Calif.) went on television and blasted Blanche, saying he is “soiling” the Attorney General’s office. The real story isn’t the soundbite — it’s whether federal officials have a duty to protect election integrity and whether state officials will cooperate when evidence is offered.
What the DOJ says and what happened with the thumb drive
The Department of Justice filed a civil suit asking a court to block counting ballots that match a federal list of more than 20,000 names the government says are “likely noncitizens.” Federal agents delivered a password‑protected thumb drive and asked Los Angeles County to review the data. County officials refused to open the file, citing cybersecurity and privacy rules. That odd little delivery — a thumb drive with a handwritten password note — is now the center of a fight over process, evidence, and who gets to decide which ballots count.
Schiff’s broadside — theater or a fair point?
Senator Adam Schiff called the Justice Department’s actions “pathetic, dangerous, desperate,” and said the attorney general is soiling the office. That’s a colorful line and good TV. But the real question is simple: if the federal government believes there are thousands of ineligible voters, does it have the right — even the obligation — to bring that to the courts? Schiff acts like any attempt to check voter rolls is an attack on democracy. That’s convenient political theater, not an answer to the evidence the DOJ claims to have.
Who’s avoiding scrutiny?
California officials say the federal evidence hasn’t been shared and fear last‑minute changes could disenfranchise voters. Those are valid concerns. Courts do limit roll changes close to elections under the so‑called 90‑day rules. But refusing to look at the data at all because it arrived on a thumb drive doesn’t solve the problem. If the data are bad, show the public. If the data are real, let the courts sort it out. Pretending the whole thing is a partisan stunt without demanding openness only fuels distrust on both sides.
What comes next and why this matters
Expect emergency court filings and quick hearings. Judges will weigh the federal interest in enforcing immigration and voting laws against states’ responsibilities to run elections and protect voters. The solution isn’t name‑calling from cable panels. It’s transparency, a proper chain of custody for the data, and a court ruling. If Attorney General Todd Blanche is wrong, the courts will say so. If Senator Schiff is wrong, maybe he’ll focus less on TV outrage and more on demanding answers. Voters deserve clarity, not theater.
