The Public Interest Legal Foundation is a resource to help election officials fight back against attempts by the DOJ to improperly interfere in states’ elections.

(Alexandria, VA) – August 26, 2021: Today, the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) wrote letters to election officials in all 50 states regarding the guidance issued by the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division on state election audits and a state’s return to pre-COVID election procedures. The Foundation informed election officials that the DOJ has overstated their power and that PILF has offered to help states fight back against this DOJ abuse of power. This overreach by DOJ is not surprising considering that the Department is being run by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela Karlan, an ideological extremist with a long history of partisan enforcement of civil rights laws and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke who has exhibited hostility toward equal enforcement of voting laws.

ON STATE ELECTION AUDITS:

Audits of past elections themselves do not violate the Voting Rights Act or any other federal election law. The DOJ is exaggerating its power because they do not want any audits to occur. In fact, the DOJ in its entire history has never interfered in an election audit because it has no authority to do so. This is an abuse of power.

“The bottom line is this: current leadership at the Civil Rights Division is trying to prevent any audits because they are satisfied with the results of the 2020 election and would prefer not to raise any questions about potential problems,” writes PILF President, J. Christian Adams to the election officials. 

ON ENDING ELECTORAL CHANGE RELATED TO COVID-19

The guidance regarding returning to pre-COVID practices and procedures is also incorrect. A state’s decision to return to their pre-Covid election procedures does not raise any inference of illegality as the DOJ would like election officials to think.

“If you are being contacted by the Civil Rights Division, it is because they aim to hurt (or sue) your state, not help it,” writes PILF President J. Christian Adams. “Again, if you are contacted by Civil Rights Division staff related to a return to pre-COVID statutory practices, our suggestion is to not speak with them, and we are happy to assemble a team of former Justice Department lawyers to meet with you and guide you through the inquiry without cost to you,” Adams emphasizes in the letter.

Read our full letter here.