Federal Investigation into California Election Claims Intensifies

The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles has launched several investigations into allegations of election fraud tied to California’s elections. A prosecutor has also been dispatched to the county’s vote-counting center.

This move follows President Donald Trump’s claims of widespread fraud in California’s extended vote count from the recent primary elections. The tallying of late-arriving, Democratic-leaning mail ballots continues to impact the results for Trump’s endorsed candidates for governor and Los Angeles mayor.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, appointed by Trump, announced these investigations as part of the administration’s ongoing scrutiny of the state’s protracted vote counting process. Trump reiterated these claims during a discussion in Wisconsin, remarking on the tightening race and insinuating corruption without evidence.

“You look at what’s happening — it’s getting tighter and tighter and tighter,” he said. “And the people who were supposed to win, bad things are happening. It’s a crooked state.”

Trump has criticized changes in vote totals that occur as late-arriving ballots are counted, inaccurately equating them with fraud. The Department of Justice is reportedly looking into these claims, with Essayli discussing issues with the structure of California’s electoral system without releasing specifics.

On Friday morning, an assistant U.S. attorney visited the primary ballot processing center. Mike Sanchez, spokesman for Los Angeles County’s Registrar-Recorder, noted the prosecutor was given an overview of the public observation program and participated in a walkthrough of the operations.

Historically, the Trump administration has shown interest in California’s electoral processes; observers were sent to polling sites during a special election regarding the state’s congressional map last fall.

Separately, on Friday, Republican Steve Hilton, a gubernatorial candidate endorsed by Trump, proposed limiting mail ballots to those requested by voters. He also suggested accepting ballots only on Election Day, rather than implementing a post-voting-day grace period.

Hilton, who is vying for a spot on the November ballot along with two Democratic contenders, expressed a lack of evidence of substantial fraud, despite the slow vote count being a source of national criticism. He suggested dispatching state workers to assist in the counting process, although Jesse Salinas, president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officers, found the proposal impractical.

Salinas, also the clerk for Yolo County, stated that any additional personnel would require training, potentially hindering rather than assisting the counting process. His facility is currently operating at full capacity.

The delay in counting mail ballots, which predominantly come from Democratic voters, often shifts initial election night high points for Republican candidates to narrower leads as the count progresses.