Judge: US Justice Department must stop threatening election workers

A federal judge in the U.S. has ordered the Justice Department to cease intimidating election officials regarding ballot processing. The ruling prohibits threats against officials who are pressured to not count ballots from alleged non-eligible voters. Judge Trina Thompson issued this temporary order after the Justice Department sent letters to officials, implying potential prosecution for not retaining certain documents. The case was brought by a coalition of election workers. Thompson noted that the actions of the defendants could hinder election administration and disenfranchise lawful voters. This order reinforces previous rulings against Justice Department interference in elections, ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.