A senior official at the Department of Homeland Security held a briefing for a far-right anti-voting group today, according to an email sent by the group.

Thursday, June 12

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Sen. Padilla handcuffed, forcibly removed from DHS press conference

- Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed ([link removed] ) in handcuffs from a press conference in Los Angeles after attempting to ask questions of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.

- Senators of both parties denounced Padilla’s treatment: “Watching this video sickened my stomach, the manhandling of a United States Senator,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Democracy Docket scoop: DHS said to brief Cleta Mitchell’s group on citizenship checks for voting

- A senior official at the DHS held ([link removed] ) a briefing for Cleta Mitchell’s far-right anti-voting group today, according to an email sent by the group. The virtual meeting was to discuss how a database run by the department can be used to verify the citizenship status of registered voters.

- Mitchell, a veteran election lawyer, played a key role in President Donald Trump’s failed plot to steal the 2020 election.



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Court allows RNC to back Trump’s anti-voting order in court

- A federal court permitted ([link removed] ) the RNC to join a lawsuit involving Trump’s anti-voting executive order. Republicans want to help defend key provisions of the order from legal challenges filed by voting rights groups and the DNC.

The latest in Montana’s student residency requirement

- Last month, a pro-voting group filed a lawsuit challenging ([link removed] ) new Montana residency requirements that prevent students from registering in the county where they live. Yesterday, Montana requested to move the case to federal court.

Trump DOJ threatens election funding, lawsuits against swing states

- The Department of Justice issued a formal warning to Wisconsin’s elections board, accusing it of violating federal law by failing to provide voters with a required complaint process under the Help America Vote Act. The DOJ sent a similar letter to Arizona last month threatening a lawsuit over their voter registration practices. Marc and Paige Moskowitz explain ([link removed] ) .

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