Appeals court rules against Trump — again — on California ballots
A federal appeals court telling the administration its list isn't credible is a direct hit, and it lands in the middle of an election cycle. I understand the instinct to verify ballots before counting, especially with public anxiety about who's voting. But if the underlying list keeps failing scrutiny in court, that's a serious problem for the argument that this is a clean integrity measure.
What interests me is that the majority didn't wade into broader constitutional questions. They just said the evidence doesn't support the move. That's a narrower ruling, leaving room for more litigation later. I'd want to know exactly what made the list unreliable, and whether similar efforts elsewhere have the same flaws.
For California voters, the practical effect is that their ballots count unless something more solid comes along. On the facts as presented, that seems right, but the case may not be finished.