US Justice Department drafts legal opinion backing demands for state voter rolls

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. DOJ voter roll grab: Court sounds skeptical of Trump bid for Michigan data

The appeals court panel was not impressed with this memo

DOJ voter roll grab: Court sounds skeptical of Trump bid for Michigan data www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

— Ray Beckerman (@raybeckerman.bsky.social) 2026-05-13T19:51:21.536Z

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/doj-voter-roll-grab-court-sounds-skeptical-of-trump-bid-for-michigan-data/

A panel of three judges on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sounded deeply skeptical of a DOJ lawyer’s claim that the 1960 Civil Rights Act (CRA) authorizes the department to obtain unredacted voter registration files — including sensitive, personal information like social security numbers and dates of birth — from states. ...

The night before oral arguments, the DOJ filed a notice of supplemental authority pointing to a DOJ Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) memo published Tuesday that claims the agency has the power to demand voter rolls. In other words, the DOJ cited the DOJ’s opinion that the court should rule for the DOJ.

“What is the purpose of an OLC opinion?” one judge asked, saying that he “hadn’t had a chance to look at it.”

“Why would there be an OLC opinion, after all the lawsuits have been filed, and we’re at the point where the Court of Appeals, why would there be an opinion at that point in time, as opposed to before everything takes place?” he added.....

Wednesday’s oral arguments were the first out of the three losses DOJ has so far appealed. Oral arguments in the DOJ’s appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court from decisions in California and Oregon are scheduled for next week.

In Michigan, U.S. District Court Judge Hala Jarbou, a Trump-appointee, ruled that the CRA does not require states to disclose the requested records.