The U.S. Justice Department demanded that Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar sphere records related to the 2024 predetermination portion the national authorities appeals a tribunal ruling in a lawsuit that seeks the state’s unredacted elector registration database.
In a litigation-hold letter, DOJ authoritative Eric Neff besides informed the state’s main elections serviceman that helium was nether probe and successful ongoing litigation implicit the grade to which helium had complied with national records requests.
Friday’s correspondence arrived 3 weeks aft a national tribunal successful Nevada dismissed the DOJ lawsuit and a time earlier the statutory play to support the records expired.
“We sent the missive to the states we are successful progressive litigation against regarding their nonaccomplishment to supply the afloat (statewide elector registration lists) arsenic required by national law,” an unnamed DOJ authoritative wrote successful a connection to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Aguilar told the Review-Journal connected Wednesday that his bureau already was holding onto the requested records done the entreaty process, past the 22-month preservation play required nether the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
“From a ineligible standard, we perfectly person to comply with that portion of the letter, and we volition — and we have,” helium said successful an interview. “And we notified each the counties and told them that they needed to sphere the accusation that’s being requested, and conscionable educated anybody who had questions astir that request.”
Purported probe into Aguilar
Neff wrote that Aguilar had been nether probe since 2025, erstwhile the national authorities initially sought the records.
“As you are aware, you are presently nether probe and (in) ongoing litigation arsenic to the grade to which you person failed to comply with your duties nether the (Civil Rights Act) arsenic good arsenic the National Voter Registration Act … and Help America Vote Act,” Neff wrote.
The DOJ successful June 2025 requested elector accusation from Nevada that included afloat names, dates of birth, addresses, driver’s licence numbers and Social Security numbers, contempt a authorities instrumentality barring lists from including specified delicate data.
In her Aug. 14 ruling, U.S. District Judge Anne R. Traum wrote that the authorities had failed to supply a “basis and purpose” to compel the authorities to nutrient the requested records.
Aguilar said that the missive was the archetypal clip helium received nonstop confirmation from the DOJ that helium was being investigated. He accused the national authorities of an attempted takeover of the U.S. predetermination process, a law work of states.
“The Trump Administration is attempting to intimidate predetermination officials and overwhelm offices that should beryllium focused connected the upcoming November wide election,” helium said successful a erstwhile statement. “Now, they’ve sent different missive with demands to Nevada, threatening civilian and transgression penalties if we don’t comply.”
The caput of state’s bureau past week said that it had received 7 DOJ subpoenas implicit the erstwhile 3 months related to elector information. It wasn’t instantly wide if they’re related to the probe into Aguilar mentioned successful Neff’s letter.
Aguilar noted that helium couldn’t remark further connected the subpoenas, and the DOJ did not reply questions astir them, oregon astir immoderate imaginable national investigation.
The DOJ demanded that Aguilar’s bureau sphere and clasp documents that whitethorn beryllium applicable to immoderate suit the national authorities files against him.
“The work to sphere records supersedes immoderate statutory limitations, particularly wherever the enactment ‘has announcement that the grounds is applicable to litigation,’” Neff wrote. “Your nonaccomplishment to sphere applicable information whitethorn represent spoliation of evidence, which whitethorn taxable you to civilian and transgression sanctions,” helium aboriginal added.
Aguilar said successful his erstwhile connection that his bureau volition enactment “in tenable compliance” with the DOJ’s request, portion protecting registered voters’ delicate data.
“The courts person already taken our broadside — the broadside of the instrumentality — and dismissed the DOJ’s suit to summation entree to protected elector data,” helium said. “I volition proceed to basal up against attempts to interfere successful our elections.”
Neff wrote that the missive would beryllium presented arsenic grounds successful tribunal if Aguilar fails to sphere the documents.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez astatine rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
English (US)·