Trump sounds 'cheating' alarm as US Attorney puts California elections under federal microscope

WASHINGTON, DC: California's election system is facing renewed federal scrutiny after a top Justice Department official revealed that multiple election-fraud investigations are already underway in coordination with the FBI.

The announcement comes as political tensions continue to rise over the state’s lengthy vote-counting process, with federal officials arguing that weaknesses in California’s election framework have undermined public confidence and raised broader questions about election integrity.

Federal scrutiny intensifies in California

The latest development emerged from First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, who said on Friday, June 5, that election integrity has become a major priority for federal authorities in California.

Without discussing specific cases, Essayli disclosed that several election-fraud investigations are currently active and being conducted alongside FBI agents.

His remarks went beyond individual probes, however.

Essayli argued that California’s election model contains what he described as "serious structural vulnerabilities" that make misconduct harder to detect and easier to conceal.

In particular, he pointed to the state's expansive vote-by-mail system and the absence of voter identification requirements, claiming those policies create conditions that can weaken confidence in election outcomes.

Essayli also announced that federal officials are pursuing a review of California’s voter-registration system.

According to him, his office is working with senior Justice Department officials to conduct a comprehensive audit of voter rolls, an effort that has already become part of an ongoing legal battle.

"The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible US citizens are registered to vote," Essayli said.

The announcement quickly drew support from Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who suggested that California has been far more willing to share voter-roll information with activist organizations than with federal authorities.

In a social media post, Dhillon questioned why election records are allegedly withheld from the federal government while being made available to outside groups.

Trump calls out Dems for 'cheating'

The federal investigations arrived just one day after President Donald Trump publicly accused Democrats of benefiting from delays in California's vote-counting process.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump alleged that irregularities were emerging as additional ballots continued to be processed.

He argued that election results were shifting unexpectedly and claimed that large numbers of mail-in ballots had recently surfaced during the count.

"We just don't want cheating in our elections," Trump said, while pointing specifically to California as an example of what he believes are election-security concerns.

Earlier, Trump had used social media to accuse Democrats of attempting to manipulate key races in the state.

He questioned why vote counting remained unresolved and pointed to the ongoing federal scrutiny as evidence that authorities were taking concerns seriously.