Brennan Center says any federal role in state certification would be inherently improper
Brennan Center for JusticeLaw and policy institute, in a post signed by Lauren Miller Karalunas, senior counsel for democracy
In a post signed by senior counsel Lauren Miller Karalunas, the Brennan Center says state certification is a state process, that any federal role in it would be inherently improper and that states built safeguards into certification to stop bad actors from manipulating outcomes.
Responding to
There are hypothetical scenarios, such as a doomsday scenario, in which the Justice Department could act on a state's certification of election results, although the department does not intend to improperly interfere with elections or certification.
“There is no role for the federal government to play that's not inherently improper.”
Original post
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Todd Blanche won't rule out DOJ action to stop a state from certifying its election; Democrats and voting rights advocates object
On October 22, 2026, a reporter asked Attorney General Todd Blanche whether there was any scenario in which the Justice Department would weigh in on states' certification of election results or try to block states from certifying. Blanche answered that there are hypothetical scenarios, "some doomsday scenario, for example," said the department never intends to improperly interfere with elections or certification, and said he would not say there are no circumstances in which it would act. He added that he was not planning his days around the election "to be somewhere to not certify." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would be ready for whatever the administration tried. Lauren Miller Karalunas of the Brennan Center for Justice wrote that there is no role for the federal government in state certification that is not inherently improper, and Max Flugrath of Fair Fight Action said he knew of no other attorney general who had publicly entertained the idea.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Post on X by the Brennan Center for Justice, signed by Lauren Miller Karalunas, senior counsel in its Democracy Program, quoting Aaron Rupar's video of Blanche's October 22 answer. It links the center's guides to certification processes in battleground states.
Reporting
About this source
Common Dreams report on reactions to Blanche's October 22 remarks. It quotes Blanche's answer to reporters, Lauren Miller Karalunas of the Brennan Center for Justice, Max Flugrath of Fair Fight Action, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Brian Schatz. It also describes the Justice Department's lawsuits over California ballots and Alaska's Senate certification.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Common Dreams reports that a reporter asked Blanche on October 22 whether the Justice Department might try to block a state from certifying its results, and that Blanche said there are hypothetical scenarios, including a doomsday scenario, in which it could.
After the quotation
The post links the Brennan Center's guides to certification procedures and deadlines in battleground states.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case concerns Blanche's refusal to rule out Justice Department action to block a state's certification. The Brennan Center says any federal role in certification would be inherently improper, which condemns the possibility Blanche left open.
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More from this case
Read the full caseSchumer says Senate Democrats will be ready for whatever the administration tries
“As Trump and his cronies attempt to steal this election, we are fighting them at every turn.”Read statement
Max Flugrath says he knows of no other attorney general who has entertained blocking certification
“I don't know of another U.S. attorney general who has publicly entertained using the DOJ to block states from certifying an election.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Brennan Center says any federal role in state certification would be inherently improper". First published: 2026-10-31. Last updated: 2026-10-31. https://disputeindex.com/events/7545-in-a-post-signed-by-senior-counsel-lauren