Justice Department Demands Michigan County Turn Over 2024 Ballots The U.S. Justice Department has formally requested that Wayne County, Michigan, provide all ballots from the November 2024 election, marking another significant step in the Trump administration’s ongoing scrutiny of voting processes. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon issued a letter to Wayne County’s chief election official on April 14, citing three election fraud convictions and five lawsuits alleging fraud against the county. The letter demands the county deliver ballots, ballot receipts, and envelopes within 14 days. Wayne County, which includes Detroit, is a key Democratic stronghold. Despite Michigan’s overall support for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race, the county voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden, with Biden securing nearly 250,000 more votes than Trump. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, condemned the Justice Department’s request as “absurd” and “baseless,” accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing federal agencies to undermine state elections. She argued that the cited convictions and lawsuits prove Michigan’s election safeguards are effective, with “rare” instances of fraud that have been addressed. Nessel criticized the administration for recycling debunked 2020 election conspiracy theories to justify the ballot demand, stating it aims to “bully clerks and spread fear.” Her office has vowed to defend voting rights if the inquiry escalates. The Trump administration’s actions come amid broader efforts to exert federal control over elections, including a recent executive order to create federal voter lists to tighten mail-voting rules. This move has drawn lawsuits from Democrats and voting rights advocates.#justice_department #trump_administration #dana_nessel #harmeet_dhillon #wayne_county_michigan
