California voter-roll lawsuit: what the deadline was and what comes…

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe one-sentence version: the Justice Department has sued California because the state did not hand over voter records by a deadline.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo it's a records request that went to court.

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   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThat's the core of it, ahead of the midterm elections. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson has been walking viewers through the filing tonight.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd earlier tonight Lola was outside the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, right?

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   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorShe was. The claim she laid out then is that California was asked for voter information and the deadline passed without it.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWhat does the department actually want?

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   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorVoter information from the state. Beyond that, our data doesn't spell out which records, and it's not clear yet how California will respond.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo we know the ask, not the whole list.

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   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorRight. Think of it as a landlord asking for the building's guest log, and the building saying it will think about it.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWhy now, though?

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe midterms are the clock. Federal officials want the information before the election, and a deadline already passed, which is what triggered the lawsuit.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd who feels this? Regular voters in California?

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorIt's about their records, so in principle yes. Nothing in our data says anyone's registration has changed or that anyone has lost a vote.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentOkay. Where do the two sides land?

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe Justice Department's side is that it asked and the deadline passed. California's side hasn't been laid out in our data, so we won't guess.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentFair. A one-sided story at this hour.

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorOnly half told so far. Voting-rights and privacy questions usually come up in fights like this, and each side will likely lean on them.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd what comes after this?

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorCalifornia files a response, a federal judge gets the case, and the timing against the election becomes the story.

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNo hearing date is in our data.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentComing up later, a first date that started with an actual phone call. Does that still work?

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSo the one-sentence version now: the federal government says California missed a deadline to share voter records, and a court will decide.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo it's the world's biggest overdue library book, and the library has lawyers.

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    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAnd the fine is a federal case.