CA Signature Gatherer Agrees To Plead Guilty In Voter Registration Scheme

The Justice Department argues it is entitled to the information under provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act.

A federal judge in Santa Ana dismissed the lawsuit in January after determining that releasing the information would violate federal privacy protections.

State officials also argued that the Trump administration sought the records to assist with immigration enforcement rather than election oversight.

The Justice Department has appealed that decision.

Arguments in the appeal are scheduled before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena.

While the appeal proceeds separately, Armstrong’s guilty plea represents one of the highest-profile federal voter fraud prosecutions involving petition circulation in California in recent years.

The case has already become a focal point in the broader debate over election integrity and voter registration practices, The Associated Press reported.