DOJ Weighs Criminal Charges Against Election Officials

The U.S. Department of Justice is currently evaluating potential criminal charges against election officials who may compromise the accuracy of vote counts through negligence or poor oversight, according to individuals familiar with the matter.

Sources report that officials working under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi are assessing legal strategies to ensure accountability among state and local election personnel. The initiative reflects an effort by the Trump administration to enforce stricter standards in election conduct.

Charges could be pursued if federal authorities determine that electronic voting machines are improperly calibrated or vulnerable to hacking. This mirrors previous concerns raised about Dominion Voting Systems in the 2020 election.

There is no new executive order or recent specific incident that sparked this review. Instead, it is rooted in longstanding conservative concerns over election security and the potential for fraud.

While federal law outlines broad election standards, implementation and oversight have traditionally been the responsibility of state and local governments.

In response to the directive, Justice Department lawyers have been ordered to investigate whether failing to follow cybersecurity protocols with voting machines could qualify as criminal negligence or mismanagement.

This process has included outreach to various election officials across the United States to gather details on vote-counting practices, particularly for mail-in ballots and those cast on Election Day.

A Justice Department spokesperson stated to the New York Times that the department “will leave no option off the table” in its pursuit of secure and fair elections, according to Trending Politics.

This new push follows FBI Director Kash Patel’s recent decision to reopen a case involving alleged attempts by Chinese nationals to vote in the 2020 election.

Patel claims that former FBI Director Christopher Wray did not act on reports warning of a scheme to register Chinese citizens using fraudulent driver’s licenses under real American names. He told Congress that more than 10,000 fake IDs headed for the U.S. were seized at the border but not investigated further.

Within the DOJ, Bondi’s effort has met resistance from long-serving staff members who doubt the legal strength of such cases due to the complex and decentralized nature of election administration.

In March, President Trump signed an executive order focused on preserving election integrity. It directed Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to block all noncitizens from accessing any materials or systems related to federal elections.

Noem was also tasked with conducting a full review of all electronic systems tied to voter registration and ballot processing.

However, the vague wording of “review and report” may lead to disputes within the DOJ, as some officials anticipate broader accountability efforts than the directive specifies.

Sources confirmed that at least two states have been contacted by federal investigators in connection to this initiative. One inquiry asked states to describe their technological safeguards for voter registration data.

Additional requests for information were sent to Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Colorado regarding their election procedures.

Earlier this week, Patel testified before Congress, accusing Wray of misleading lawmakers in 2020 about election interference.

Patel referenced an FBI field report from Albany, New York, which contradicted Wray’s testimony. He claims the report was later removed from FBI records and staff were told not to mention it.

In a joint statement with Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Patel accused former FBI leadership of politicizing the agency and concealing information about a Chinese Communist Party plot to disrupt the 2020 election.

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