Trump calls on GOP to seize control of elections

Monday, February 2

Federal judge again blocks Noem’s attempt to limit Congress’ access to ICE facilities

A federal judge blocked Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s attempt to require members of Congress to provide seven days notice before conducting in-person oversight visits to ICE detention facilities. The ruling marks the second time in the past few months that Noem’s mandate has been temporarily halted.
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Trump: ‘We should take over the voting’

In one of the most explicit signals yet that he plans to interfere in the upcoming election, President Donald Trump falsely claimed in a radio interview that immigrants “were brought to our country to vote and they vote illegally” and urged Republicans to control elections by placing them under national authority.
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Report: Trump directed Gabbard to take part in FBI raid on Fulton County election hub

Trump ordered top U.S. intelligence official Tulsi Gabbard to take part in the FBI’s Fulton County raid, the New York Times reported, undercutting the Department of Justice’s explanation of her presence as a coincidence. The report indicates Trump was personally involved and heavily invested in the raid.
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Democrats warn USPS changes could threaten mail voting in midterms

In a letter sent to Postmaster General David Steiner, House Democrats argued that new USPS changes threaten the reliability of mail voting and could disenfranchise voters ahead of the 2026 midterms — especially those in rural areas and states with strict election deadlines.
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Appeals court tosses DOJ misconduct claim against judge who ruled against Trump

A federal appeals judge dismissed the DOJ's misconduct claim against federal judge James Boasberg, who last year signaled that he would hold Trump administration officials in contempt for "willful disregard" of his order to return hundreds of people sent to El Salvador.
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Colorado secretary of state: Fulton County raid is ‘weaponization of the justice system’

Colorado’s top elections official warned that the FBI raid on Fulton County is a dangerous escalation: using the federal justice system to intimidate local election officials.
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Top Dems: GOP’s monster voter suppression bill is ‘dead on arrival’

Pro-voting advocates are furious over Republicans’ newly unveiled MEGA Act, a sweeping proposal to dramatically restrict voting access. Top Democratic lawmakers swore that the bill, which is rooted in conspiracy theories over facts, would be “dead-on-arrival.”
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Coming up tomorrow

A temporary restraining order/preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled in Senator Mark Kelly’s (D-Ariz.) lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Kelly is asking the court to block the effect of Hegseth's Letter of Censure and the subsequent proceedings to "reconsider" his retirement grade.
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DEMOCRACY FOOTNOTES

Here we share noteworthy briefs on all things voting rights and democracy. Have a footnote for us? Send them to [email protected].

Democrat Taylor Rehmet won a state Senate special election in a deep-red Texas district that Trump carried by more than 17 points. If Democrats overperform statewide the way Taylor Rehmet did in this Fort Worth–area race, the GOP’s Trump-backed gerrymander could backfire in a spectacular fashion in the 2026 midterms.
Ed Martin — once billed as Trump’s favorite pick to run the U.S. attorney’s office in D.C. — is expected to leave the DOJ. After failing to win Senate confirmation, Martin spent months shuffling between titles, including leading the so-called “Weaponization Working Group,” which sources say he never truly controlled.
While calling for Republicans to “take over the voting,” Trump also defended Tina Peters — describing her as a 72-, then 71-year-old sick woman. Peters, a convicted election denier, is 70.