Rick Scott

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is demanding an investigation into alleged election fraud in California. The Republican lawmaker recently sent a letter to Justice Department officials, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, urging them to investigate multiple reports of election fraud in the state.

In his letter, Sen. Scott pointed to the DOJ’s recent prosecution of Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, a Marina del Ray resident, who has agreed to plead guilty to paying people to register to vote.

The American people deserve to know the full scope of what occurred, who was involved, and whether similar conduct has taken place elsewhere. Election integrity is too important to permit anything less than a thorough accounting of the facts,” Sen. Scott wrote.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, told The National News Desk this week that, aside from Brown Armstrong, they have multiple election fraud investigations currently open.

We will follow the evidence in each of those cases. We will see where it leads us and if we believe we can prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt, we will bring those charges forward in the public domain and file those charges in court.,” Essayli said.

Essayli said he believes the best way to reassure the public about whether fraud is isolated or more widespread is to audit the voter rolls. But the state is pushing back, with some election officials citing privacy laws.

But California is refusing to work with us. They're refusing to comply with the audit and that's why we have to sue them,” said Essayli.

When asked whether state leaders, like Governor Gavin Newsom, are cooperating as these election, healthcare and homelessness fraud investigations ramp up, Essayli said it's quite the opposite.

They are not cooperating anywhere at the level that is needed for this moment, and they refuse to admit that they bear any responsibility for this fraud occurring,” said Essayli.

Essayli also weighed in on how the pending Supreme Court case, Watson v. Republican National Committee, could heavily impact California. Since it involves the legality of mail-in ballot grace periods in federal elections. The RNC arguing ballots must be received by election day.

The universal vote by mail legislation that kicked in in California about 2020, has been a big problem and it's the reason why you see our elections taking so long to even count,” said Essayli. "So, if the court does go in that direction, it's going to have a massive impact on the way California conducts its elections,” he added.

The Supreme Court’s decision could impact well over a dozen states that either have grace periods in place or have grace periods only for military and overseas voters. A final ruling Is expected by the end of this month or early July.