DOJ Seeks Full Wisconsin Voter Rolls as Former Trump Lawyer Joins Case
James Troupis, a former Trump campaign lawyer who sought to throw out thousands of Wisconsin ballots in 2020, has joined the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit demanding the state’s full, unredacted voter rolls. The move inserts a central figure from Trump’s post-election legal battles into a new federal fight over voter privacy and election oversight.
The core legal clash pits the federal government’s claim of authority under federal voting laws against Wisconsin’s assertion that state privacy protections bar disclosure of detailed voter information. The case has sparked heated debate over privacy, federal power, and election integrity.
DOJ’s lawsuit — filed in federal court in January — seeks access to information including voters’ residential addresses, dates of birth, and potentially driver’s license or partial Social Security numbers. The department says this data is needed to investigate compliance with federal voter laws. Election officials in Wisconsin and across the country argue that state law prohibits releasing such confidential information and that the federal request exceeds legal authority.
Related: Federal Judge Blocks DOJ Access to Michigan Voter Rolls, Citing Privacy Laws
Complicating matters, voting rights groups such as the ACLU of Wisconsin and Common Cause have filed motions to intervene, calling the DOJ’s effort an unwarranted grab for private data that threatens voter privacy.
“This federal action jeopardizes the privacy and voting rights of Wisconsinites,” said an ACLU attorney in a press release.
Privacy advocates warn that if such unredacted lists are turned over, they could be misused or lead to wider data exposure. The case also reflects a broader national pattern: at least 21 states have been sued by DOJ over similar demands for voter rolls, and several courts have pushed back.
Next up in the Wisconsin case are briefing schedules on motions to intervene and potential challenges to DOJ’s legal basis, with key rulings expected in coming weeks. The outcome could have major implications for privacy and federal election oversight.
Related: Nebraska to Transfer Full Voter Data to DOJ After Supreme Court Refuses Block