The Trump administration has warned Pennsylvania election officials that they could face criminal charges if non-citizens are allowed to vote in upcoming elections. The warning was delivered in a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt.What the letter saysThe letter stated that federal law obligates election officials to ensure non-citizens do not vote and outlined specific requirements for compliance. It also requested a response within five days from Tuesday detailing how the state and its partners would meet these requirements. “We encourage you to contact us to discuss what steps your state should take to maintain clean voter lists as required by law,” the letter said. Warning considered an intimidation tacticFormer federal judge and Dickinson College President John Jones described the warning as “an intimidation tactic.” “Let’s suppose that there’s negligence involved and a non-citizen actually registered,” Jones said. “You’d have to prove in order to convict somebody that they knew that they registered to commit a crime. That’s a virtual impossibility.” “This is an ongoing saga of a hammer looking for a nail to hit,” Jones said.Pennsylvania’s responseIn response, Pennsylvania’s Department of State said, “Pennsylvania is in compliance with federal and state election law. We will continue our nonpartisan work to ensure elections in the Commonwealth remain free, fair, safe, and secure.” Secretary of State Al Schmidt was unavailable for an interview.
The Trump administration has warned Pennsylvania election officials that they could face criminal charges if non-citizens are allowed to vote in upcoming elections.
The warning was delivered in a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt.
What the letter says
The letter stated that federal law obligates election officials to ensure non-citizens do not vote and outlined specific requirements for compliance. It also requested a response within five days from Tuesday detailing how the state and its partners would meet these requirements.
“We encourage you to contact us to discuss what steps your state should take to maintain clean voter lists as required by law,” the letter said.
Warning considered an intimidation tactic
Former federal judge and Dickinson College President John Jones described the warning as “an intimidation tactic.”
“Let’s suppose that there’s negligence involved and a non-citizen actually registered,” Jones said. “You’d have to prove in order to convict somebody that they knew that they registered to commit a crime. That’s a virtual impossibility.”
“This is an ongoing saga of a hammer looking for a nail to hit,” Jones said.
Pennsylvania’s response
In response, Pennsylvania’s Department of State said, “Pennsylvania is in compliance with federal and state election law. We will continue our nonpartisan work to ensure elections in the Commonwealth remain free, fair, safe, and secure.”
Secretary of State Al Schmidt was unavailable for an interview.