The Justice Department has launched an investigation into election fraud claims in California, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud. First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee, has been promoting the investigation and suggesting that charges will be filed in the coming months.

Election Fraud Claims

Essayli has been critical of California’s election system, citing the lack of a photo voter ID requirement and the state’s universal mail voting system. However, election officials in Los Angeles and California have defended their handling of the vote, and county officials have granted the DOJ’s request to observe the ballot processing.

The investigation has sparked concerns about the potential for undermining public confidence in the vote. Neal Kelley, a Republican who ran elections in Orange County, California, for nearly two decades, stated that the investigation has created an environment where the trust in local county officials and city officials is being torn away.

The Justice Department has already been grappling with vows by Trump that DOJ would bring prosecutions for the 2020 presidential election, which Trump still falsely claims was stolen from him. The administration has yet to show any evidence of widespread voter fraud that would prove Trump’s loss was due to fraud.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.