DOJ moves to pull federal election funding from Wisconsin for failing to comply with integrity laws

The Trump Justice Department moved late Wednesday to punish Wisconsin for allegedly failing to comply with federal voting integrity laws, taking the first step to withhold future federal funds for administering elections.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon formally notified the Wisconsin Election Commission that it was not in compliance with the Helping Americans Vote Act (HAVA), specifically for failing to set up a system to field and resolve voter complaints about election integrity.

"Quite surprisingly, we have learned that the Wisconsin Elections Commission has refused to provide any administrative complaint process or hearing regarding HAVA complaints against the Commission," Dhillon wrote. "Rather, Wisconsin has decided to rely on a 2022 state court case opining that the Commission cannot police itself..

"These very actions by the Commission have left complainants alleging HAVA violations by the Commission without any recourse," she added. "...With no opportunity or means to appeal, complainants are left stranded with their grievances."

DOJ told state election regulators they must come into immediate compliance and that the agency was taking the first step to pull future federal election assistance funds.

"We are hereby notifying the U.S. Election Assistance Commission of Wisconsin's failure to follow federal elections laws," she wrote. "Your actions justify a bar against the Wisconsin Elections Commission receiving any future funding from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission."

You can read the full letter here.