US Justice Department Observes Ballot Processing in Los Angeles Amid Trump's Baseless Election Claims

The US Justice Department sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles on Friday, amidst Donald Trump's baseless claims of election rigging in California's primary elections. With 65% of votes counted, key races, including the governor's, remain undecided. Trump has repeatedly accused California Democrats of cheating, despite state officials rejecting these allegations. The delay in results has already fueled misinformation, with the president claiming the Department of Justice would open an investigation, which was partially fulfilled by the observer's deployment.

The LA county registrar-recorder confirmed the observer's presence, stating they were briefed on the public observation program and walked through ballot processing operations. Meanwhile, Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney, announced multiple election fraud investigations are under way, citing California's election systems' "serious structural vulnerabilities."

In the governor's race, Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election. The Los Angeles mayoral runoff remains uncertain, with Spencer Pratt currently leading Nithya Raman. State officials assure the counting process prioritizes accuracy, with an estimated 3.6 million ballots still to be processed. Experts warn of potential weeks-long waits for final results, attributing the delay to Democrats' late submissions, which are counted last.

Governor Gavin Newsom's office responded to Trump's claims by sharing a video explaining California's prioritization of accuracy over speed. Newsom had previously urged counties to accelerate counting to prevent the spread of election lies.

The situation highlights the ongoing tension between election integrity concerns and the spread of misinformation, particularly with Trump's history of fanning conspiracy theories. Several congressional contests also remain too close to call, with Democrats expected to gain an advantage from the late-counted votes.