The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Nov. 9, 2026
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November 8, 2026 1:42 pmWASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, has resigned. Under her leadership, Dillon was 0 for 27 in cases to force states to turn over voter data to find widespread noncitizen voting.
Dhillon flipped DOJ’s Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section from enforcing provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to a crusade to prove Trump’s baseless widespread fraud and noncitizen voting allegations. The Associated Press reports that 75% of the Biden-era Civil Rights Division staff, approximately 300 attorneys, left under Dillon’s management.
Of the 30 states and DC sued for refusing to turn over voter data for inclusion in the SAVE database, DOJ lost 27 of those cases. Days before the midterms, DOJ tried and failed to force California and Washington to set aside any mail-in ballots destined for noncitizens whose name was flagged by the notoriously inaccurate database.
Federal courts temporarily blocked the demand as likely to disenfranchise eligible voters, and too close to the election. November 6th, DOJ moved to dismiss its California suit. November 5th, a federal judge blocked DOJ from interfering with the counting of Washington’s ballots, and barred federal authorities from threatening election officials for not complying.
We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources
Federal News Network/AP – Harmeet Dhillon exits after radical overhaul of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division
CBS News – Harmeet Dhillon, controversial head of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, resigns
U.S. Department of Justice – Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet K. Dhillon
Brennan Center for Justice – Tracker of Justice Department Requests for Voter Information
The Hill – DOJ dismisses lawsuit over California’s 20,000 disputed ballots
Politico – Federal judge orders Justice Department to stop threatening election officials in Washington state
U.S. Senator Peter Welch – Welch Statement on Harmeet Dhillon’s Resignation from DOJ Civil Rights Division
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – (October) A DC Federal Court Says DOJ’s Quixotic Quest for Private Voter Data was Illegal, Blocks Further Data Collection Nationwide. An Appeal is Likely.
American Democracy Minute – (August) Let’s Just Say the Trump Administration’s Quest to Obtain State Voter Data Has Not Gone Well. DOJ is now 0 for 22, With 9 More Cases Pending.
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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