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Key Voting Rights Attorney Departs Justice department Amidst Shift In Policy
Table of Contents
- 1. Key Voting Rights Attorney Departs Justice department Amidst Shift In Policy
- 2. A History Of Controversy
- 3. Leadership Vacuum And New Appointments
- 4. How has the resignation of Eleanor Vance impacted the DOJ’s ability to enforce voting rights?
- 5. DOJ Voting Section Loses Veteran Lawyer as New, Questionable Leadership Takes Over
- 6. The Departure of Eleanor Vance: A Loss of Institutional Knowledge
- 7. New Leadership and emerging Concerns
- 8. Impact on Key Voting Rights Issues
- 9. The Role of Political Influence
- 10. Case Study: The Texas Voter ID Law (SB 1)
- 11. What This Means for the Future of Voting Rights
Washington D.C. – A significant change is underway within the Department Of Justice’s Civil Rights Division as Maureen Riordan, the recently appointed Acting Chief of the Voting Section, has left her position, the Department confirmed in a court filing on Tuesday. This departure comes as the Justice Department is actively pursuing access to unredacted voter rolls in New Mexico, sparking concerns about potential voter suppression efforts and the direction of voting rights enforcement under the current governance. The decision to leave her position appears to be a turning point in the administration’s approach to voting access.
A History Of Controversy
Riordan’s arrival at the Department of Justice in 2025 had already raised eyebrows, given her prior affiliation with the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF).PILF has a well-documented history of promoting stringent voter identification laws and initiating aggressive voter roll purges, often based on unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. A 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice highlighted the increasing prevalence of these types of challenges to voting access across the country. Learn more about voter suppression tactics.
Prior to her role at the Justice Department,Riordan publicly aligned herself with figures known for promoting election denialism,including Cleta mitchell. Mitchell,a prominent voice in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election,has described the current habitat as an “election integrity movement,” a phrase often used to justify restrictive voting measures. Riordan voiced her agreement with this assertion during a 2022 podcast discussion.
Leadership Vacuum And New Appointments
Riordan’s exit leaves a void in the Voting Section, filled by a team of newer attorneys. Eric Neff, previously placed on leave from his position as a Los Angeles County prosecutor due to his involvement with the controversial group True the Vote, was appointed as acting chief.True the Vote faced scrutiny for bringing unsubstantiated charges against an election software company, leading to a $5 million settlement. His appointment was not formally announced, with his title appearing inconsistently in official documents.
Several other newly appointed attorneys within the Voting Section, including Brittany E. Bennett, Christopher J.Gardner, and Megan Frederick, also have ties to past efforts to challenge election results. Gardner was specifically involved in the attempts to overturn the 2020 election alongside Mitchell and other key figures.
| Name | Previous Affiliation/Role | Current Role (as of Jan 28, 2026) |
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