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The League of United Latin American Residents plans to request a federal investigation into raids Legal professional Basic Ken Paxton carried out this week as a part of what he referred to as an “ongoing election integrity investigation.”
Gabriel Rosales, Texas LULAC’s state director, mentioned in an announcement that Paxton carried out the raids 11 weeks earlier than the 2024 elections “to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and any means necessary to tilt the electoral process in favor of his political allies.”
Brokers raided the house of Cecilia Castellano — the Democrat working to succeed state Rep. Tracy King, D-Uvalde — and confiscated her telephone as a part of the search, in keeping with Rosales. Republicans see that seat, which Gov. Greg Abbott carried by practically 6 proportion factors, as their finest potential state Home flip in November.
Regulation enforcement additionally searched the properties of at the least 5 different Latino people, all of whom have been engaged on Castellano’s marketing campaign and three of whom are members of Texas LULAC, Rosales added. LULAC is a non-partisan, volunteer-based Hispanic civil rights group headquartered in Washington.
The group is at nighttime concerning the particulars of any accusations, Rosales mentioned, “but there’s none that we’ve been privy to that merits an investigation like this that wastes taxpayers’ money.”
“It is disgraceful and outrageous that the state of Texas, and its highest-ranking law enforcement officer is once again using the power of his office to instill fear in the hearts of community members who volunteer their time to promote civic engagement,” Rosales mentioned in an announcement.
Paxton introduced on Wednesday that his workplace executed “multiple” search warrants in Frio, Atascosa and Bexar counties the day prior as a part of an investigation into allegations of “election fraud and vote harvesting that occurred during the 2022 elections.” A two-year investigation, Paxton mentioned, offered “sufficient evidence” to acquire the search warrants.
“Secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic,” Paxton mentioned in an announcement. “We are completely committed to protecting the security of the ballot box and the integrity of every legal vote. This means ensuring accountability for anyone committing election crimes.”
Paxton’s workplace didn’t reply to a request for extra info. His announcement didn’t element the targets of the raids, the variety of raids, or the rationale particular properties have been searched.
“It’s still very vague,” Rosales mentioned in an interview. “That’s what’s really unnerving about the whole situation.”
In line with one particular person whose house was raided, Rosales mentioned, legislation enforcement recommended that he was accused of possessing “illegal voter information” — a declare that he denied and referred to as politically motivated, saying voter info is publicly out there.
“There’s no there, there,” Rosales mentioned. “They’re using every tool in the toolbox to intimidate our people from coming out to the polls.”
Rosales mentioned he was working with the group’s nationwide leaders and attorneys to draft a proper grievance with the U.S. Justice Division requesting a federal investigation into Paxton’s raids.
The lawyer basic’s workplace was requested to research the allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting throughout the 2022 elections by 81st Judicial District Legal professional Audrey Louis, a Republican whose district contains Frio and Atascosa counties.
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