Federal Judge Thwarts Data Grab: Oregon's Voter Roll Victory

A federal judge in Oregon dismissed a lawsuit by the Justice Department seeking unredacted voter rolls, marking a setback for Trump's administration's attempts to obtain detailed voter data from states. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield hailed the dismissal, noting privacy concerns and insufficient legal basis for the request.

A federal judge in Oregon has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department that sought access to the state's unredacted voter rolls. This decision is a significant setback to the Trump administration's broad efforts to collect detailed voter information from states across the nation.

U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai, who presided over the hearing, announced the dismissal on Monday. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield praised the court's decision, emphasizing that the federal government failed to meet the necessary legal standard to acquire these records. Rayfield stressed that voters' privacy should be safeguarded against unlawful data collection attempts.

The Justice Department, which argued the need for voter data to ensure compliance with federal election laws, has faced similar defeats in other states. The department's actions have generated concern among state officials, wary of potential misuse of sensitive voter information beyond election oversight.

(With inputs from agencies.)