{"id":2654783,"date":"2026-09-04T17:05:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T21:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dhs-asks-doj-to-review-voter-data-sharing-tied-to-zuckerberg-funded-group\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T17:08:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T21:08:36","slug":"dhs-asks-doj-to-review-voter-data-sharing-tied-to-zuckerberg-funded-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dhs-asks-doj-to-review-voter-data-sharing-tied-to-zuckerberg-funded-group\/","title":{"rendered":"DHS asks DOJ to review voter data sharing tied to Zuckerberg-funded group"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdhs-asks-doj-to-review-voter-data-sharing-tied-to-zuckerberg-funded-group%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2654783&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has requested the Justice Department to review the legality of sharing sensitive voter registration and motor vehicle data with certain nonprofit organizations, including ERIC and CEIR, amid concerns about potential violations of the driver\u2019s Privacy protection Act. Mullin raised allegations that ERIC may have exposed private data to contractors and shared data with CEIR,which received funding from Zuckerberg-linked organizations,for election-related research. While ERIC states it hashes sensitive data and limits access, Mullin&#8217;s letter points to possible legal breaches and concerns over data transparency. CEIR disputes Mullin\u2019s account, claiming it conducted authorized research without ongoing data sharing. The letter also highlighted issues like noncitizens being included in voter lists and the DHS&#8217;s increased efforts to investigate election-related crimes across multiple states.The DOJ has announced charges against individuals for fraudulent voting activities, but no investigation into the specific data sharing has been confirmed.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Homeland Security Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/markwayne-mullin\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"21441\">Markwayne Mullin<\/a> asked the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> this week to review whether election-related nonprofit groups, some with multimillion-dollar backing from a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-zuckerberg\/\">Mark Zuckerberg<\/a>-linked nonprofit, improperly received sensitive state motor vehicle and voter-registration data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AG-Letter-S1-Signed.pdf\">letter<\/a> sent Wednesday to Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/todd-blanche\/\">Todd Blanche<\/a>, Mullin raised possible violations of the federal Driver\u2019s Privacy Protection Act involving the Electronic Registration Information Center, known as ERIC, and the Center for Election Innovation and Research, or CEIR. The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> obtained a copy of the four-page letter, which the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a> also released on Friday.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4714388\/mullin-doj-voter-data-sharing-zuckerberg\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mullin asks DOJ to review voter data sharing tied to Zuckerberg-funded nonprofit group<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4714069\/what-happens-next-mistrial-lindsay-clancy-murder-case\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>What happens next after mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy murder case<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4714331\/fake-rnc-midterm-convention-doj-epstein-files\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Fake RNC midterm convention link reroutes to DOJ Epstein files website<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin speaks during a news conference Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/David \u2018Dee\u2019 Delgado)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/AP26182680398900.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin speaks during a news conference Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/David \u2018Dee\u2019 Delgado)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGenerally, we asked DOJ to review the legality of ongoing sharing of state motor vehicle data and voter registration data with several private non-profit non-governmental organizations,\u201d Mullin wrote in the four-page document addressed to Blanche. Mullin said <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\/\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> representatives first raised the data-sharing concerns with DOJ officials last September.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter did not suggest any ongoing DOJ investigation, criminal charge, or legal conclusion. But it surfaced concerning allegations of potential violations of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=%28title%3A18+section%3A2721+edition%3Aprelim%29\">Driver\u2019s Privacy Protection Act<\/a>, which limits the disclosure and use of personal information held by state motor vehicle agencies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mullin accused ERIC of exposing \u201cmillions of citizens\u2019 sensitive private data to unknown contractors, subcontractors, and agents,\u201d potentially in violation of the law.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ERIC is a nonprofit membership organization created and governed by state election officials. It uses voter-registration and motor vehicle data to help states identify inaccurate voter rolls, potential duplicate registrations, deceased registrants, and people who may be eligible to vote but are not registered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter said ERIC\u2019s model agreement required member states to share all licensing or identification records from their motor vehicle agencies at least every 60 days. Mullin wrote that the data fields included <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/social-security\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"796\">Social Security<\/a> and driver\u2019s license numbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ERIC has not responded to a request for comment, but it states on its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/ericstates.org\/faq\/\">website<\/a> that members submit Social Security and driver\u2019s license information only after it has been cryptographically hashed, meaning the values are not human-readable. The group also said its eligible-but-unregistered reports contain limited contact information, not Social Security, driver\u2019s license, or state identification numbers, and that only ERIC employees process member data.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-letter-ties-eric-data-to-ceir\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Letter ties ERIC data to CEIR<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mullin wrote that ERIC shared protected motor vehicle data with CEIR before the 2020 election. He said CEIR received more than $70 million from a Chan Zuckerberg 501(c)(3) organization and provided grants to state election officials who agreed to turn over sensitive data.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter cited Pennsylvania\u2019s roughly $13 million 2020 CEIR grant agreement, which required the state to cooperate with CEIR, \u201cincluding providing data, as CEIR reasonably requests.\u201d Mullin wrote that the requested information included motor vehicle data that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pennsylvania\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"629\">Pennsylvania<\/a> had originally shared with ERIC and that CEIR used to create lists of people eligible but unregistered to vote.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">FILE- In this July 9, 2011, file photo, Mark Zuckerberg, president and CEO of Facebook, walks to morning sessions with his then girlfriend Priscilla Chan during the 2011 Allen and Co. Sun Valley Conference, in Sun Valley, Idaho.  Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, announced Thursday May 29, 2014 they are donating $120 million to the San Francisco Bay Area\u2019s public school system. Zuckerberg and Chan, a pediatrician, discussed the donation in an exclusive interview with the Associated Press. (AP Photo\/Julie Jacobson) | Julie Jacobson<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/75c126c67ccd0d0a280e6906ef54a2f5-scaled.jpg?w=696&#8243; height=&#8221;758&#8243; width=&#8221;1024&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mark Zuckerberg, president and CEO of Facebook, walks with his then-girlfriend Priscilla Chan during the 2011 Allen and Co. Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 9, 2011. (AP Photo\/Julie Jacobson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CEIR said its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/electioninnovation.org\/research\/ceir-2020-voter-education-grant-program\/\">2020 voter-education program<\/a> received support from Priscilla Chan and Zuckerberg and distributed nearly $65 million to states to promote nonpartisan public information about voting options, polling places, voting hours, and pandemic-related election changes. Its report listed Pennsylvania\u2019s grant at about $13.26 million.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mullin said ERIC officials had argued that the data transfer to CEIR fell under the Driver\u2019s Privacy Protection Act\u2019s research exception. That exception permits disclosures for research or statistical reports only if the personal information is not published, publicly disclosed, or used to contact people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also cited <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/georgia\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"164\">Georgia<\/a> emails obtained through a public records request that he said showed CEIR was \u201ccoordinating ERIC EBU outreach\u201d to contact people identified in motor vehicle files. EBU stands for \u201celigible but unregistered\u201d to vote.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-ceir-says-dhs-did-not-contact-it\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">CEIR says DHS \u2018did not contact\u2019 it<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CEIR Executive Director David Becker disputed Mullin\u2019s account in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/electioninnovation.org\/press\/statement-on-dhs-letter-to-doj-regarding-ceirs-work\/\">statement<\/a> on Friday, saying the allegation concerned research the group conducted during the 2020 election to measure whether voluntary state outreach to people identified as EBUs increased voter registration. CEIR\u2019s 2022 report said it worked with election officials in eight states, which sent the mailers and provided EBU lists and voter files for the study.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Becker said CEIR does not receive motor vehicle or voter data on an ongoing basis, condition grants on access to sensitive information, or use such information for partisan purposes. He also said \u201cDHS did not contact CEIR for any information or clarification prior to issuing this letter,\u201d adding CEIR \u201cwelcomes any opportunity to further clarify the nature of the research it conducted in partnership with the states.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Becker also pointed to a June <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/electioninnovation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/1789-Foundation-v-Becker-WD-WI-Opinion-and-Order.pdf\">ruling<\/a> in which U.S. District Judge William Conley dismissed a Driver\u2019s Privacy Protection Act lawsuit brought by the 1789 Foundation, which does business as Citizen AG, against ERIC and Becker. Conley, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, dismissed the case without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and granted the defendants\u2019 sanctions motions.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-colorado-list-included-30-000-noncitizens\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Colorado list included 30,000 noncitizens<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mullin also said ERIC\u2019s 2022 eligible-but-unregistered list in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/colorado\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"767\">Colorado<\/a> included 30,000 noncitizens who received voter-registration invitations from the Colorado secretary of state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter said Colorado later identified the error and \u201cappli[ed] several efforts to prevent or reject anyone not eligible to vote from registering.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ERIC\u2019s model agreement barred member states from transmitting records containing information indicating that a person was not a U.S. citizen. Mullin argued that the restriction conflicted with ERIC\u2019s use of motor vehicle records to identify people for voter-registration outreach.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the letter did not allege that the 30,000 noncitizens registered or cast ballots, it described the episode as one that raised concerns about the possibility of noncitizen registration in other states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mullin also argued that most people identified as eligible but unregistered had already declined a chance to register when they visited a state motor vehicle agency. Mullin argued that using protected motor vehicle data to contact people who had already declined voter registration could diminish ERIC\u2019s claim that the practice fit the privacy law\u2019s exemptions for government functions or research.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4713699\/palestinian-empathize-with-terrorists-invited-columbia-university-9-11-event\/\">PALESTINIAN WHO SAYS HE CAN \u2018EMPATHIZE\u2019 WITH TERRORISTS INVITED TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY\u2019S 9\/11 EVENT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter came as DHS began a more aggressive campaign of investigating election-related criminal offenses this week in Washington, Wisconsin, Missouri, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, and Connecticut. The DOJ on Friday <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/five-charged-pennsylvania-new-jersey-and-wisconsin-illegally-voting-fraudulent-registration\">announced<\/a> charges against five individuals for fraudulent registration in the 2022 and 2024 elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> contacted the DOJ and ERIC for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mullin urges DOJ review of election data sharing with nonprofits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2654784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26198560470548.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[7492,85152,34382,34184,4576],"class_list":["post-2654783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-dhs","tag-doj-review","tag-election-security","tag-voter-data","tag-zuckerberg"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26198560470548.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2654783"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2654786,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654783\/revisions\/2654786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2654784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2654783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2654783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2654783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}