Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
1982 order expires on ‘ballot security’
A long-standing court order prohibiting the Republican National Committee from engaging in voter verification and other “ballot security” measures expired Friday, although a federal judge left open the possibility it could be extended if a violation is found.
The consent decree, first implemented in 1982, expired after Judge John Michael Vazquez of the U.S. District Court in New Jersey took no action to extend it. Democrats continue to press their concerns with the judge.
In an order this week, Vazquez denied a request from the Democratic National Committee for a hearing but did allow its lawyers to question former Republican National Committee official Sean Spicer. At issue is Spicer’s visit to Trump Tower on the night of the 2016 election.
The judge also ordered the Republican National Committee to turn over any relevant emails related to Spicer’s visit to the poll-monitoring operation of Donald Trump’s campaign.
Spicer was an official with the committee at the time, before going on to serve as White House press secretary during the early months of Trump’s presidency.
The committee says it has been in compliance with the consent decree for years.
The legal battle dates to 1981, when the Democratic National Committee filed a federal lawsuit against its Republican counterpart, alleging the Republican committee helped intimidate black voters that year during New Jersey’s governor election. The lawsuit claimed the Republican committee and the state GOP had off-duty law enforcement officers stand at polling places in urban areas wearing armbands that read “National Ballot Security Task Force,” with guns visible on some.
Without acknowledging any wrongdoing, the Republican National Committee agreed the following year to enter into a consent decree that restricted its ability to engage in activities related to ballot security.
The consent decree applied to the Republican National Committee and the state GOP in New Jersey. It did not affect the activities of state Republican organizations elsewhere.