Conservative figures, including those connected to attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, convened Monday afternoon on a private call to strategize on federal election policy and influence President Donald Trump’s choice for Attorney General. These discussions, organized by podcaster Steve Stern, underscore a concerted effort to institutionalize false claims of widespread voter fraud ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to participants. John Eastman, a central figure in 2020 challenges, declared, 'The fact that this stuff isn't being investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible is deeply troubling to me.'
Beyond the immediate focus on the Attorney General selection, these conservative voices articulated a broader dissatisfaction with the Department of Justice's actions during the current administration. Many on the call complained that the agency had failed to implement significant changes regarding election administration, a sphere constitutionally reserved largely for individual states and Congress. This perspective highlights a fundamental tension between federal and state roles in managing voter processes.
John Eastman, identified as an architect behind efforts to overturn the 2020 election, expressed his frustration. Speaking as a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, a far-right think tank, Eastman argued that alleged voting machine irregularities were not being properly investigated. "The fact that this stuff isn't being investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible," he stated, referring to conspiracy theories about election rigging, "means that some folks on our side or purportedly on our side, are literally doing drop, block and tackle." His words resonated with others present. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn echoed Eastman’s sentiments, adding, "We just wasted a year of not getting to what the Department of Justice should have been getting to." He then referred to certain individuals within the department as "Deep State goop." These comments illustrate a deep-seated distrust of federal institutions.
Among the loudest critics was right-wing radio host Wayne Root, who has a history of promoting false claims, including the conspiracy theory about former president Barack Obama’s birth certificate. Root claimed he had urged President Trump to fire Pam Bondi, the previous Attorney General, shortly before her removal last week. "Pam Bondi was terrible, no arrests of terrible Deep State and Democrat thieves, and frauds and traitors, no arrests of any kind," Root said on the call. He asserted, "We’ve got to change that.
I hope he comes up with the right attorney general. I've given him some good suggestions." Root also claimed he texted Trump last month advocating for an executive order on mail-in voting, an order he says the President signed days later. The White House, through spokesperson Abigail Jackson, confirmed that "The President is the only one who decides if and when to sign an Executive Order," without commenting on Root’s alleged influence.
This detail paints a vivid picture of the perceived access some of these figures believe they possess. The Department of Justice has, in fact, taken actions that align with some of these conservative goals, though not to the extent desired by call participants. The agency has filed dozens of lawsuits against states, demanding access to unredacted voter rolls.
It has also restructured the voting section within its Civil Rights Division, replacing experienced lawyers with individuals who have publicly spread election conspiracies. Despite these moves, figures like Flynn and Root remain unsatisfied, pushing for more aggressive federal intervention in election processes. Their demands suggest a desire for a Department of Justice that actively validates and pursues their specific claims of widespread fraud.
As President Trump prepares to name his next Attorney General, a short list of candidates has emerged, all of whom have established records of promoting election denial theories. Todd Blanche, the current acting Attorney General, is considered a front-runner. Blanche, who served as Bondi’s deputy, previously acted as Trump’s personal lawyer, defending him in cases related to Stormy Daniels, classified documents, and federal election obstruction.
Blanche has also signaled a willingness to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to police the 2026 midterms if appointed permanently. "Why is there objection to sending ICE officers to polling places?" Blanche asked during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month. "Illegals can’t vote. It doesn’t make any sense." This stance aligns with his promotion of the false claim that noncitizen voting is widespread. A 2017 study, however, found that noncitizens accounted for a vanishingly small fraction—0.0001 percent—of votes cast across a dozen states in 2016.
The policy says one thing, that voting is for citizens, but the reality is that non-citizen voting is not a systemic issue. Another candidate reportedly under consideration is Lee Zeldin, currently the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, according to The New York Times. Zeldin, as a House Republican in 2021, voted against certifying the presidential election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Hours after the January 6 Capitol riot, Zeldin continued to support Trump’s baseless election conspiracy theories. "This debate is necessary because rogue election officials, secretaries of state and courts circumvented state election laws," Zeldin stated on the House floor in a speech opposing Arizona’s electoral votes. "These acts, among other issues, were unlawful and unconstitutional." He further signed an amicus curiae in support of a lawsuit filed by Trump’s legal team contesting Biden’s victory. In 2022, during his campaign for New York governor, Zeldin faced his own election inquiry when the state’s election board disqualified over 13,000 signatures from his campaign, citing duplicates, which prevented him from running on multiple party lines. Other potential candidates for the Attorney General role include Jeanine Pirro and Ken Paxton.
Pirro, currently the top federal prosecutor in Washington D.C., is widely known as a former Fox News host who spread baseless conspiracies about the 2020 election, leading to her being cited in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against the network, which settled for $787 million. She has also repeatedly defended those involved in the January 6 insurrection. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, described by the Texas Tribune as the state’s “election denier in chief,” also filed lawsuits seeking to overturn election results in four states in 2020.
More recently, Paxton has been accused of targeting organizations that register Latino voters in Texas, an action that directly impacts working families and their ability to participate in democracy. What this actually means for your family, particularly in communities with new citizens or mixed-status families, is increased intimidation and fewer opportunities to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri, a former attorney general in his state, led an effort in 2020 to rally Republican attorneys general to support Paxton’s Supreme Court lawsuit seeking to invalidate the 2020 election results.
He successfully persuaded 16 other Attorneys General to sign on. Schmitt has also collaborated closely with the White House to draft the anti-voting SAVE America Act, legislation that critics contend would disenfranchise millions of Americans. Utah Senator Mike Lee, another outside possibility for the position, has also vocally supported overturning the 2020 election and has become a proponent of the SAVE America Act.
Neither Blanche, Zeldin, Pirro, Paxton, Schmitt, nor Lee responded to requests for comment regarding their potential appointments. Joe Hoft, a writer for the Gateway Pundit, a website known for conspiracy theories, told listeners on Monday’s call that the next Attorney General must ensure Republican victories in the 2026 midterms. "It matters, because this first year is not satisfactory," Hoft stated. "We all want much more. And what we're learning is that we don't know if we're going to get it all fixed right now, but if we can win this election, then we can get stuff done.
So everything, all our effort, needs to be on this election process." This perspective crystallizes the immediate electoral goal driving these appointments. Why It Matters: The selection of the next Attorney General carries significant implications for the integrity of future elections and the very foundation of democratic participation. A Department of Justice led by an individual committed to election denial could fundamentally alter how federal law is applied to voting rights, voter registration, and election oversight.
For working families, particularly those in minority communities, this could translate into increased barriers to voting, more aggressive challenges to legitimate ballots, and a chilling effect on civic engagement. The policy says the federal government protects voting rights. The reality could become a federal government that actively restricts them.
Both sides claim victory in their efforts to secure future elections, but the numbers—from voter registration rates to actual turnout—will tell the true story of how these policies impact real people. This shift could erode public trust in election outcomes, regardless of their factual basis. Key Takeaways: - Conservative figures are actively lobbying President Trump for an Attorney General who aligns with false claims of widespread election fraud. - Candidates like Todd Blanche and Lee Zeldin have records of promoting election denial and advocating for federal intervention in state-run elections. - The Department of Justice's voting section has already seen shifts, with experienced lawyers replaced by Trump loyalists. - The goal for these advocates is to reshape federal election oversight to ensure Republican victories in the 2026 midterms.
What comes next: President Trump's final decision on the Attorney General will set the tone for federal election policy in the coming years. His choice will face a confirmation process, where their past statements and actions on election integrity will likely be scrutinized. Beyond this appointment, observers will watch for concrete steps taken by the Department of Justice regarding voter rolls, potential federal monitoring of polling places, and the advancement of legislation like the SAVE America Act.
The 2026 midterm elections loom large, serving as the immediate battleground where the impact of these changes will first be felt, potentially affecting millions of voters across the nation.
Key Takeaways
— - Conservative figures are actively lobbying President Trump for an Attorney General who aligns with false claims of widespread election fraud.
— - Candidates like Todd Blanche and Lee Zeldin have records of promoting election denial and advocating for federal intervention in state-run elections.
— - The Department of Justice's voting section has already seen shifts, with experienced lawyers replaced by Trump loyalists.
— - The goal for these advocates is to reshape federal election oversight to ensure Republican victories in the 2026 midterms.
Source: Wired