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🇦🇷 Argentina /Elections & Politics

California Gov. Gavin Newsom: “Lock them up! Defend democracy!”

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for prison sentences after allegations that the U.S. Postal Service continued developing a mail-voting oversight system despite court orders seeking to halt parts of the plan.
  • Newsom made the comments on X on Sept. 1, responding to The New York Times’ report about a whistleblower’s allegations within the Postal Service.
  • The dispute has particular significance for California, where all voters receive mail ballots and upcoming elections face legal disputes over how mailed votes are issued and processed.

“Lock them up! Defend democracy!” California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued that blunt message after allegations that the U.S. Postal Service continued work on a system linked to federal oversight of mail-in voting, despite court orders intended to stop parts of the plan.

Newsom posted the words on X on Sept. 1, responding to a New York Times report about a whistleblower inside the Postal Service. He wrote: “Defying court orders to interfere in elections should carry a prison sentence. Lock them up! Defend democracy!”

The Times report described allegations from a Postal Service official that work continued on a portal connected to a new federal mail-voting system. According to the report, the agency acknowledged that it had continued working on the portal during the legal dispute, while rejecting the allegation that it had violated court orders. The Postal Service said it is not currently carrying out the procedures at issue.

Lock them up! Defend democracy!

· Gavin NewsomThe California governor posted the statement on X after a report about allegations that the USPS continued work linked to a federal mail-voting system despite court orders.

California features prominently in the dispute because its election system sends mail ballots to all voters. Any major change to federal rules governing election mail could therefore affect a state where voting by mail plays a central role. The Times also identified California as an important battleground for Democratic efforts to regain control of the House of Representatives.

The conflict intensified after the Trump administration promoted changes intended to increase federal control over mail-in voting. Lawsuits and court decisions have since altered the legal situation, while state and federal elections scheduled for November face disputes over the rules for casting and processing mailed ballots.

Defying court orders to interfere in elections should carry a prison sentence. Lock them up! Defend democracy!

· Gavin NewsomNewsom’s full response to the allegations concerning the Postal Service and mail-in voting.
About this summary

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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