by Kevin Killough
The Department of Justice is warning that state election leaders in Oregon could face criminal prosecution if they knowingly allow noncitizens to vote in elections.
The warning came in a letter sent to Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read on Tuesday from Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, the Oregonian reported.
The letter cited federal laws prohibiting people who aren’t U.S. citizens from voting, and it suggested that the DOJ could take criminal action against any election officials who knowingly violate federal election laws.
“In conclusion, any election officer, including the chief election officer of the state, who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s (voter registration list) or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability,” Dhillon said.
In addition to Oregon, the 49 other states also received a letter from the DOJ threatening criminal prosecution if they knowingly permit noncitizens to vote in elections or stay on voter rolls, CBS News reported.
A DOJ spokesperson told CBS News that “[t]he Department sent these letters to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, asking for voluntary compliance in a timely manner with their obligations under federal law to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections.”
Regarding the letter, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said it was ” insulting to insinuate that the good people at our county recorders’ offices across the state are not doing their jobs correctly.”
“These individuals, everyday Arizonans, who spend their time making sure that our elections are accurate and run smoothly. It is no exaggeration to say they are not only the backbone of Arizona’s election system, but also of democracy. Arizona’s election officials take their oath to uphold the law seriously. Arizona election officials have always worked to ensure that only eligible citizens are registered to vote, and we will continue following Arizona law—not directions that come from political rhetoric or intimidation,” Fontes said.
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Kevin Killough is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Photo “People Voting” by Lorie Shaull. CC BY 2.0.
