Federal Judge Blocks Trump Executive Order Restricting Mail Voting
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked President Trump’s March executive order that sought to restrict mail-in voting in federal elections. Judge Indira Talwani ruled the order unconstitutional, citing that states and Congress—not the president—hold authority over election administration. The order would have required citizenship verification lists and restricted USPS election mail. The ruling applies to 23 challenging states, including California, New York, and Michigan. Democratic leaders praised the decision as a defense of voting rights.
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Trump's Executive Order on Mail-In Ballots Blocked by Federal Judge
A federal judge, Obama-appointed Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, blocked parts of President Trump's executive order that sought to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections. The order, challenged by 23 states and the District of Columbia, would have required the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Service to create lists of eligible mail-in voters and deny ballots to those not listed. Judge Talwani ruled that the Constitution grants states and Congress authority over elections, not the President, and noted the federal government's inability to create accurate voter lists. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called the order unconstitutional, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of undermining voting rights. Trump has not commented on the ruling. The article also includes a separate report on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2019 trip to Samoa, contrasting his Senate testimony with newly obtained emails suggesting his visit was related to anti-vaccine activism.
The New RepublicFederal Judge Blocks Trump's Executive Order Restricting Mail-In Ballots
A federal judge in Massachusetts, Obama appointee Indira Talwani, blocked key parts of President Trump's executive order that sought to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections. The order, signed in March, would have required the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Service to create voter eligibility lists for mail ballots, potentially disenfranchising thousands. The judge ruled that the Constitution grants states, not the president, authority over election rules. The ruling was welcomed by Democratic figures including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who condemned Trump's long-standing baseless claims of mail-in ballot fraud. Trump has not commented. The article also includes a secondary story about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2019 trip to Samoa, suggesting he misled the Senate about his anti-vaccine activities.
The New RepublicFederal Judge Blocks Trump Executive Order Restricting Mail-in Ballots
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked key parts of President Trump's executive order that aimed to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections. Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, ruled that the Constitution grants states and Congress the authority to oversee elections, not the president. The order, challenged by 23 states and the District of Columbia, would have required the Department of Homeland Security and USPS to create voter eligibility lists and deny ballots to those not on them. The judge noted the high risk of error and the federal government's inability to create accurate citizen lists. Democratic leaders, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, praised the ruling as a defense of democratic rights. Trump has not commented on the decision.
The New RepublicFederal Judge Blocks Trump Executive Order Restricting Mail Voting
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to restrict mail voting in federal elections, ruling that the Constitution grants states primary authority over election administration and that Congress has not authorized the president to take such steps. Judge Indira Talwani's 37-page opinion directed the administration not to enforce the order in the 23 challenging states, including California, New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. The March executive order had directed federal agencies to create citizenship verification lists, required the USPS to restrict election mail delivery to verified voters, and threatened to investigate and defund non-compliant localities. The ruling found that the president lacks constitutional authority over elections and that laws like the Help America Vote Act do not grant such power. Trump has long made evidence-free claims about mail voting fraud, including regarding his 2020 election loss.
Roll CallJudge blocks Trump order to restrict mail voting
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to restrict mail voting in federal elections. Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the Constitution grants states primary authority over election rules, and that Congress did not authorize the steps outlined in Trump's March order. The order had directed federal officials to create citizenship verification lists, restrict USPS delivery of election mail, and investigate non-compliant officials. More than a dozen states, led by California, challenged the order. The ruling prevents enforcement in those states, finding the executive branch overstepped its constitutional and statutory authority.
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