Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has reportedly taken action in response to what he has characterized as selective targeting by the Biden-Harris administration of Elon Musk’s voter registration initiatives. According to a press release from Paxton’s office yesterday, the attorney general filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Justice to investigate possible intimidation of Musk and his super PAC, which has been actively encouraging American citizens to register to vote.
This move comes amid reports that the DOJ, following concerns raised by Democrat politicians, threatened Musk over his efforts to register voters who support First and Second Amendment rights. Paxton’s FOIA request aims to quickly uncover DOJ documents related to any actions taken against Musk and his voter registration drives.
Simultaneously, Paxton has criticized the current Administration for their lack of cooperation with his office's efforts to verify the citizenship status of voters in Texas. On Tuesday, Paxton sued the federal government for alleged non-compliance with laws that mandate federal assistance to States in confirming voter eligibility.
In a statement obtained by the website from the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Paxton said, “The Biden-Harris Administration has egregiously weaponized the justice system against political opponents for the past four years.” He added, “Now, DOJ is selectively targeting Elon Musk’s voter registration drive while actively undermining States’ efforts to secure elections against noncitizen voters and potential fraud. At every turn, the federal government has become adversarial to States as we work to protect fair elections and the rule of law in this country.”
The allegations of selective targeting have, in turn, sparked a complex debate about voter registration drives, election integrity, and the role of the federal government in state election processes. The situation continues to develop as Paxton’s FOIA request and lawsuit progress, with more information expected to emerge on the federal government’s alleged actions concerning voter registration and noncitizen voting.
