AG Paxton sues Biden Administration for sending federal ‘election monitors’ to Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (KVIA) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration for the alleged use of US DOJ agents to Texas in what Paxton describes as an attempt to "monitor" the state's elections.

Paxton says the DOJ has no legal authority to take this step and that it is violating state law.

"On November 1, just four days before Election Day, DOJ announced that it would specifically target polling locations and central count locations in eight Texas counties, including Atascosa, Bexar, Dallas, Frio, Harris, Hays, Palo Pinto, and Waller," a spokesperson for Paxton's office explained Monday. "However, no federal statute authorizes the Biden-Harris Administration to dispatch federal agents to 'monitor' State elections when they are prohibited by State laws."

Following the DOJ's move, the Texas Secretary of State issued a letter, stating in part “Texas law is clear: Justice Department monitors are not permitted inside a polling place where ballots are being cast or a central counting station where ballots are being counted. As to the polling place, Section 61.001 of the Texas Election Code identifies those persons who may be lawfully present on election day; federal inspectors are not included in the enumerated list.… Nor are federal inspectors specified in the list of persons permitted in the central counting station while ballots are being counted.”

Paxton alleges that the Biden Administration is trying to "intimidate" Texas.

“Texas will not be intimidated and I will make every effort to prevent weaponized federal agencies from interfering in our elections," Paxton said.

The federal government often sends election monitors nationwide to polling and counting places. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is often pointed to as giving the federal government the power to send those election monitors.