California governor asks US judges to resist Trump attempts to seize ballots

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday warned federal courts to be ready for potential attempts by President Donald Trump’s administration to seize ballots during the upcoming midterm elections.
Newsom, a Democrat, sent the warning letter to federal judges as the state’s legal fight with the administration, which demanded records from California as part of a criminal investigation into noncitizen voting. On Friday, a US appeals court rejected the administration’s bid, potentially setting up a showdown at the US Supreme Court.
Separately, a federal judge ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening to prosecute state and local election officials in California who refuse to comply with the administration’s election-related demands.
“Given the United States Department of Justice’s persistence in advancing this baseless theory of criminal liability, I have grave concerns federal agents will seek search warrants to seize ballots and ballot materials before the election results are certified,” Newsom wrote.