Trump-appointed judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit over Utah voter data

District Judge David Barlow, a federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump, dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit against Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson on Friday. The ruling rejects the administration's demand for a complete list of Utah voters, including names, birthdays, addresses, and partial identification numbers, adding to a growing list of legal defeats for the White House ahead of the midterm elections.

The Justice Department initially argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 requires Henderson, as the state's top election official, to make voting records available for federal inspection. The administration contended that the law serves as an enforcement tool for federal election laws and that interpreting it to exclude statewide voter-registration databases would undermine its purpose. However, Barlow cited a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling stating that an ordinary English speaker would not say someone has come into possession of data they created, established, and maintained.

Barlow rejected the DOJ's argument that statutory purpose should override specific legislative language, writing that judges have no warrant to elevate vague invocations of statutory purpose over the words Congress chose. This decision is one of more than 25 voter-roll litigation defeats the Trump administration has suffered since launching its campaign to address alleged illegal voting. While the administration has charged individuals with illegal voting, it has not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud.

The dismissal came with prejudice, meaning the DOJ cannot refile the same claim, though it retains the right to appeal to a higher court. The department currently has three pending cases related to voter rolls in Hawaii, Idaho, and Delaware and is appealing losses in California and Oregon. Before his nomination, Barlow served as a Republican congressional lawyer, a federal prosecutor, and a private attorney. Trump tapped him for the federal bench in 2019.

Henderson welcomed the decision on Threads, stating that her office will continue to uphold the rule of law and protect the fundamental right to free, fair, and secure elections for Utah residents. The White House and DOJ did not respond to requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.