DOJ to monitor Passaic County vote
State AG calls action 'highly inappropriate'
By: Scott Fallon
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... The Department of Justice will send staff to monitor the upcoming gubernatorial election and other races in Passaic County, officials announced on October 24. [2025]
.....
Justice Department officials did not cite a reason as to why they are focusing on Passaic County - the only site outside of California that the agency is targeting on November 4. [2025] But the county was the site of one of New Jersey's biggest and still unresolved voter fraud cases in recent years.
..... The announcement was made the day before the state's in-person early voting bean on October 25. [2025]
..... Democrats aid it's an openly political move, arguing that President Donald Trump;s administration is targeting elections that could turn into key wins for Republicans.
..... "election protection means making sure every eligible voter can participate freely and every lawful vote is counted." said acting New Jersey U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba, whose appointment is being challenged. "Our office is commuted to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure transparency, security, and public confidence in the election process."
..... New Jersey and California are led by Democrats and have key races that could tip the balance of power to Republicans.
..... State Attorney General Matthew Platkin, a Democrat, called the monitoring "highly inappropriate."
.... "Our sate is committed to ensuring a free, fair and secure election, and we will not allow anyone to interfere with or disrupt our 3election," Platkin said in a statement to USA Today. "DOJ has not even att4ented to identify a legitimate basis for its actions. The Constitution gives states, not the feral government the primary responsibility for running elections, and our state's hardworking election officials have been preparing for months to run a safe and secure election."
......
Details on where the Justice Department staffers from the Civil Rights Division will be stationed have not been made public.
..... Five years ago, Paterson councilmen Michael Jackson and Alex Mendez, and others were indicted by the state Attorney General's office on several counts of voter fraud in connection with a special election in May 2020 that was conducted solely by mail-in ballots at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
..... In
October 2023, Platkin's office filed expanded charges form the 2020 election against Mendez, his wife, Yohanny and two campaign workers, Omar Ledesma and Iris Ruiz.
..... State investigators had photos and recordings showing the Mendez campaign destroyed mail-in ballots for his opponents and replaced them with Mendez votes, according to court documents.
..... Plea agreements were recently made with he defendants. Mendez said he would not accept a plea to a five-year prison sentence.
..... This article contains information from USA Today.