LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Nevada’s Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar have teamed up with multiple attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration. They argue that an executive order represents unlawful federal intervention into election processes.
Ford, alongside California Attorney General Rob Bonta, is spearheading the group of 19 state attorneys general who have initiated legal action against President Donald Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the federal Election Assistance Commission, and additional parties.
The legal action aims to halt an executive order issued recently by the Trump administration on March 25. This order seeks to introduce limitations on how elections are managed. According to the lawsuit, regulating elections falls under state and congressional authority. Consequently, this executive order exceeds the president’s constitutional mandate and contravenes the principle of separating governmental powers.
The Attorneys General are urging the court to prohibit the contested parts of the Elections Executive Order and invalidate them as unconstitutional. The lawsuit asserts that these provisions of the order would result in immediate and irreversible damage to the states.
The provisions under challenge in the lawsuit include:
- Mandating Proof of Citizenship: Compels the Election Assistance Commission to mandate documentary evidence of citizenship for registrations in federal elections, even though Congress has not established this necessity.
- State Agency Control: Directs state-appointed federal voter registration agencies to confirm citizenship prior to distributing registration documents, improperly requiring the utilization of state assets.
- Restricting Mail-In Ballots: Mandates states to refuse absentee and mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, even if state regulations permit counting these votes as long as they are postmarked by election day.
- Aiming at Military & Overseas Voters: Requests evidence of citizenship and qualification from military and overseas voters, even though federal legislation does not mandate them to submit this documentation.
- Threatening Federal Funding: Aims to deny federal money to states that do not comply, thereby infringing upon constitutional tenets of state autonomy and the division of governmental authorities.
The Trump administration attempted to unlawfully assert control over both state governments and Congress through election interference," Ford stated. "This behavior violates Nevada’s autonomy and represents an unparalleled attempt at centralizing federal authority; thus, I cannot tolerate it. Our state elections are open, equitable, and secure, with Secretary Aguilar playing a remarkable role in maintaining their integrity. This is precisely why I am among the lead plaintiffs in this litigation—to safeguard our independence as well as uphold democratic principles.
AG Ford along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta are heading up this legal action, supported by attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
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