First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California highlights Democrat stonewalling and dangerous loopholes that could let non-citizens and fraudsters cast ballots, all while the state hands out free healthcare to illegal immigrants.

In a devastating post on X, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli laid bare how California Democrats are actively fighting to keep their voter rolls hidden from federal scrutiny.

This explosive revelation comes amid a hostile media interview by Kristen Welker and repeated claims by California officials that “there is no voter fraud” in the state.

Essayli didn’t mince words. He revealed that for over a year, the Department of Justice, working with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, has been trying to conduct a comprehensive audit of California’s voter rolls to ensure only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote in federal elections.

California has refused to comply, hiding behind bogus state privacy claims that don’t apply to the federal government.

The case is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Essayli wrote on X:

California Is Blocking a Federal Audit of Its Voter Rolls

California allows first-time voters to register using forms of ID that most Americans would find surprising, including:

-Gym membership card
-Employer ID card
-Credit or debit card
-Prescription drug label
-Insurance card (California provides free health coverage to undocumented immigrants)

Full list: https://sos.ca.gov/elections/hava-id-standards…

This is permitted when a voter fails to provide a Social Security number or driver’s license at registration. Our office believes this policy deserves a closer look.

We also have serious concerns about how California maintains its voter rolls. There are open questions about whether the state is promptly removing deceased voters, people who have moved, and individuals convicted of disqualifying felonies.

On top of that, California allows third parties to collect and turn in ballots on voters’ behalf (a practice known as ballot harvesting) with few restrictions. This makes it difficult to track who actually received, completed, and submitted each ballot.

For over a year, the Department of Justice has been trying to audit California’s voter rolls. Federal law gives the Attorney General the authority to review state voter files and confirm that only eligible U.S. citizens are voting in federal elections.

[Dhillon] sent California a letter explaining our legal authority. California refused to comply, claiming state privacy laws block the review, an argument that does not hold up because those laws don’t apply to the federal government in this context. We’ve sued California in federal court, and the case is before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

If California genuinely wants voters to trust its elections, it should open its records, not fight to keep them closed.

What are they afraid of?

California Is Blocking a Federal Audit of Its Voter Rolls

California allows first-time voters to register using forms of ID that most Americans would find surprising, including:

-Gym membership card
-Employer ID card
-Credit or debit card
-Prescription drug label
-Insurance… pic.twitter.com/kOEOzpctmb

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) June 7, 2026

California permits first-time voters to register using forms of identification that many Americans would never consider sufficient for verifying eligibility.

For purposes of this regulation, proof of residency or identity, shall consist of presenting an original or copy of any of the documents described below in either paragraph (1) or (2).

1. Current and valid photo identification provided by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to, the following documents:
   1. driver’s license or identification card of any state;
   2. passport;
   3. employee identification card;
   4. identification card provided by a commercial establishment;
   5. credit or debit card;
   6. military identification card;
   7. student identification card;
   8. health club identification card;
   9. insurance plan identification card; or
   10. public housing identification card.
2. Any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election, unless the document is intended to be of a permanent nature such as a pardon or discharge or unless the date requirements of paragraph (F) apply, including:
   1. utility bill;
   2. bank statement;
   3. government check;
   4. government paycheck;
   5. document issued by a governmental agency;
   6. sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental, agency dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof, of residency or identity;
   7. voter notification card issued by a governmental agency;
   8. public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency;
   9. lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency;
   10. student identification card issued by a governmental agency;
   11. tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency;
   12. insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency;
   13. discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence, or other matter;
   14. public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency;
   15. identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies;
   16. identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities;
   17. drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider;
   18. property tax statement issued by a governmental agency;
   19. vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency; or
   20. vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.

On top of the weak ID rules and bloated rolls, California allows third-party ballot harvesting with few restrictions, making it nearly impossible to track who actually filled out and submitted ballots.

This is the same state where, as The Gateway Pundit has reported, undercover investigations by the O’Keefe Media Group caught operatives on Skid Row in Los Angeles paying homeless people cash, cigarettes, and drugs to register to vote and sign petitions — complete with instructions to use fake addresses. Federal charges followed in some cases.

The post After Trump-Welker Clash on Election Integrity, Federal Prosecutor Highlights California’s Resistance to Federal Voter Roll Audit — Accepts Gym Membership Cards, Rx Labels & Insurance Cards for FIRST TIME Voters appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.