A federal judge on Friday dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit seeking detailed voter registration records from Rhode Island, ruling that federal law does not authorize the Justice Department to demand sensitive personal data from states without a clear legal basis.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy, nominated by President Donald Trump during his first term, sided with Rhode Island election officials and civil rights groups, writing that the Justice Department was attempting “the kind of fishing expedition” not permitted under federal election law. The lawsuit was part of a broader effort by the administration to obtain unredacted voter data from states nationwide, including birth dates, home addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.
In an emailed statement to the Associated Press, the Justice Department said it would not comment on ongoing litigation.
Federal officials have argued the data is needed to ensure election integrity, but state officials from both parties and privacy advocates have pushed back, warning the requests violate state and federal privacy protections. Concerns intensified after DOJ lawyers acknowledged in court filings that the agency sought the data so it could be shared with the Department of Homeland Security to check voters’ citizenship status.
McElroy’s ruling closely mirrors decisions by judges in several other states who have rejected similar lawsuits. Courts in California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oregon have all ruled against the Justice Department’s efforts, while a judge in Georgia dismissed a case on procedural grounds.
In her decision, McElroy said the federal government failed to present any factual allegations suggesting Rhode Island was not complying with voter list maintenance requirements under federal law.
This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Read the full article here
