Litigation of Interest
March 8, 2024: California Council of the Blind vs. Shirley N. Weber, as Secretary of State
Voters with disabilities are suing Shirley N. Weber as Secretary of State in the U.S. District Court Nothers District of California. California Council of the Blind is seeking an order allowing them to return ballot by fax, utilizing a system currently only available to military and overseas voters. Plaintiffs argue the audio on in-person voting equipment often doesn’t function or elections workers do not know how to operate it, and the current paper-ballot return requirements impose “significant, unlawful barriers for voters with print disabilities.” There is a hearing scheduled on June 24, 2024.
April 15, 2024: The People of the State of California; Rob Bonta, as Attorney General; and Shirley N. Weber, as Secretary of State v. City of Huntington Beach and Robin Estanislau, as City of Huntington Beach City Clerk
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber filed a lawsuit against the City of Huntington Beach, challenging its voter identification law. Measure A was passed by voters in Huntington Beach, which amended the City’s charter to allow the city to impose voter ID requirements starting in 2026. The State of California alleges that the new law conflicts with state law.
May 3, 2024: Mike Karbassi v. Esmerelda Soria
In 2022, Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria and Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi both ran for the California State Assembly, District 27, currently held by Soria. Days before the election, Soria sent out mailers containing possible defamatory statements, implying Karbassi had a criminal record. Karbassi filed a defamation lawsuit against Soria in the Superior Court of Fresno County. Soria filed an anti-SLAPP motion, which the trial court granted. The California Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed the trial courts ruling on the anti-SLAPP motion and remanded back to the trial court. Karbassi’s litigation against Soria resumes with a case management conference on August 15.
May 6, 2024: Judicial Watch, Inc. and The Libertarian Party of California v. Shirley N. Weber, as Secretary of State and the State of California
Judicial Watch, along with the Libertarian Party of California, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to force the State to clean up its voter rolls. Federal law requires states to make a reasonable effort to remove the registrations of ineligible registrants from the voter rolls.
May 30, 2024: The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records. The charges were related to hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign. He is the first U.S. President to face criminal charges. Trump is expected to appeal the verdict.