A federal judge on Friday rejected the Justice Department’s effort to force Rhode Island to turn over sensitive voter information, dealing another blow to the Trump administration’s attempts to gain access to state voter registration lists.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, who was appointed by President Trump in his first term, granted a request from Rhode Island officials to dismiss a Justice Department lawsuit that sought the state’s unredacted voter rolls, which contain personal information about residents registered to vote.
McElroy wrote in a 14-page decision that the Justice Department’s effort was a “fishing expedition” that was not authorized by federal election laws. She also denied a motion from the Trump administration that sought to force Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore to hand over the voter data.
Amore cheered the decision in a statement and said it affirms the state’s position that the Justice Department has no legal right to the state’s private voter information.
