Texas wins legal battle over DOJ attempt to ‘monitor’ election process
SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has agreed to stand down after a lawsuit was filed over its intent to send federal agents to ‘monitor’ the Texas election process.
Attorney General Ken Paxton says the DOJ has reversed course and will bide by state law, which prohibits federal access to polling locations and central counting stations.
On November 1, just four days before Election Day, DOJ announced that it would send personnel to eight Texas counties, including Atascosa, Bexar, Dallas, Frio, Harris, Hays, Palo Pinto, and Waller. The Texas Secretary of State immediately notified DOJ that Texas law does not permit federal participation in Texas elections.
On November 4, Attorney General Paxton sued DOJ and federal officials, noting no federal statute authorizes the Biden-Harris Administration to dispatch federal agents to ‘monitor’ state elections when they are prohibited by laws.
“Texans run Texas elections, and we will not be bullied by the Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Paxton. “The DOJ knows it has no authority to monitor Texas elections and backed down when Texas stood up for the rule of law. No federal agent will be permitted to interfere with Texas’s free and fair elections.”
Per an agreement, all DOJ ‘monitors’ will remain outside of polling and central count locations, abide by Texas laws governing conduct within 100 feet of those locations, and refrain from interfering with any voters attempting to cast ballots. Further, a federal judge ordered the Biden-Harris Administration to confirm that no ‘monitors’ will be present at Texas polling locations or enter tabulation centers in violation of Texas law.
Paxton is urging you to report any possible violations of the agreement to local election officials and to the Office of the Attorney General at [email protected].
Texas’s lawsuit against the DOJ will remain pending until the conclusion of the election to ensure DOJ’s compliance.