UGH: Federal judge BLOCKS DOJ from accessing New Jersey voter rolls

A federal judge, appointed by Joe Biden, just blocked the DOJ from accessing unredacted voter rolls in New Jersey.

Here’s the news via The Hill:

A federal judge issued a Wednesday ruling rejecting the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for unredacted New Jersey voter rolls.

District Judge Zahid Quraishi, an appointee of former President Biden, sided with the Garden State citing privacy concerns for voters if information were to be handed over unredacted.

Quraishi wrote in his 17-page ruling that he “joins at least sixteen other district courts including a sister court — and one circuit — in dismissing Plaintiff’s claim.”

In February, the Trump administration sued Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey for access to their voter rolls.

New Jersey turned over voting records with redacted information including individuals’ Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses.

The federal government has argued it’s entitled to the information under Title III of the Civil Rights Act.

“The plain text of Title III applies only to records ‘which come into’ election officers’ ‘possession’ and thus does not extend to New Jersey’s computerized VRL [voter registration list]- a document the State itself created,” Quraishi wrote.

The DOJ has vowed to file an appeal to gain access to voter rolls ahead of midterm elections after accusing New Jersey of listing 35,152 noncitizens as eligible to vote in a primetime national address earlier this month.