川普司法部打破傳統介入期中選舉

華盛頓，11月2日（路透社）——美國總統唐納・川普（Donald Trump）領導下的司法部，已展現出願意直接介入週二期中選舉的態勢，打破數十年來的慣例；這項慣例原本旨在避免讓外界認為，司法部的執法權力被用來使某個政黨或候選人受益。WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has shown a willingness to intervene directly in Tuesday's midterm elections, breaking with decades of practice meant to avoid the appearance that its law enforcement powers are being used to benefit a political party or candidate.

在加州，司法部尋求擱置約2萬名選民的郵寄選票，聲稱這些選民可能不是美國公民，因此不具投票資格。In California, the Justice Department sought to set aside mail-in ballots from about 20,000 voters it alleges are likely non-US citizens ineligible to vote.

司法部也在一項相關刑事調查中要求提供紀錄。加州表示，該州已採取措施防止非公民投票，並主張司法部無權阻擋選票。The department has also demanded records in a related criminal probe. California has said it has implemented measures to prevent voting by noncitizens and argued the Justice Department does not have the authority to block votes.

在阿拉斯加州，司法部已加強一項刑事調查，調查一名與共和黨籍現任參議員丹・蘇利文（Dan Sullivan）同名的參議員候選人是否為了混淆選民而參選。司法部也尋求在蘇利文以些微差距落敗時阻止選舉認證，但一名聯邦法官週日駁回了這項訴訟。In Alaska, the department has intensified a criminal investigation into whether a Senate candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan entered the race to confuse voters. It also sought to block certification if Sullivan narrowly loses, but a federal judge dismissed that lawsuit on Sunday.

法院目前已駁回司法部針對兩州提出的訴訟，但這些案件凸顯司法部願意在選票計算與結果認證前介入選舉爭議。司法部已就阿拉斯加案的裁定提出上訴。Courts have now rejected the department's lawsuits against both states, but the cases underscore the DOJ's willingness to intervene in election disputes before votes are counted and results certified. The department has appealed the Alaska decision.

批評人士表示，司法部可能會加快川普任何試圖對期中選舉散播疑慮的行動；這次選舉將決定國會控制權，以及數十場州長選舉的勝出者。Critics say the department could accelerate any attempt by Trump to sow doubt about the midterms, which will determine control of Congress and the winners of dozens of governors' races.

曾領導司法部處理針對民權威脅的選舉應變工作、後來創立法治專案（Rule of Law Project）的馬克・布隆伯格（Mark Blumberg）表示：「看起來政府希望司法部發揮過去被禁止的影響力。」“It appears that the administration wants the department to have an impact that was previously prohibited,” said Mark Blumberg, who previously led the DOJ’s election response to civil rights threats and has since founded the Rule of Law Project.

美國司法部長陶德・布蘭奇（Todd Blanche）表示，司法部的作為合法，目的是保護投票的完整性。US Attorney General Todd Blanche says the department's efforts are lawful and aim to protect the integrity of the vote.

司法部發言人基爾斯滕・佩爾斯（Kiersten Pels）在聲明中表示：「司法部不是在幫任何競選陣營，而是在執法。」“The Department isn’t helping any campaign. It’s enforcing the law," department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in a statement.

不實的舞弊說法FALSE FRAUD CLAIMS

美國憲法將選舉管理責任交由各州，但共和黨籍的川普主張，民主黨主政的州在防止非公民投票方面做得不夠；依美國法律，非公民投票是被禁止的。他仍持續不實宣稱，大規模舞弊導致他在2020年選舉落敗。獨立研究和各州稽核都發現，選民舞弊相當罕見。The US Constitution assigns responsibility for administering elections to the states, but Trump, a Republican, argues Democratic-led states are not doing enough to prevent voting by noncitizens, which is prohibited under US law. He continues to falsely assert that widespread fraud caused his 2020 election loss. Independent studies and state audits have found voter fraud to be rare.

與川普立場一致的外部團體曾提出60多件訴訟，挑戰他在2020年的敗選結果，但全都未成功。他第一任期內的司法部官員拒絕了將司法部捲入這些行動的壓力。Outside groups aligned with Trump filed more than 60 lawsuits challenging his 2020 defeat, all of which were unsuccessful. DOJ officials in his first term rejected pressure to enlist the department in those efforts.

經常在法院代表民主黨的伊萊亞斯法律集團（Elias Law Group）投票權律師莉絲・佛洛斯特（Lis Frost）表示：「今年那些右翼邊緣外部團體不必再那樣做，因為司法部顯然已準備好也願意這麼做。」“The right-wing fringe outside groups are not going to have to do that this year because the DOJ is clearly standing ready and willing to do it,” said Lis Frost, a voting rights lawyer with Elias Law Group, which frequently represents Democrats in court.

從歷史上看，司法部對選舉的介入，重點一直是執行聯邦法律，以確保少數族裔或弱勢族群能夠不受阻礙地投票。Historically, Justice Department election interventions have focused on enforcing federal laws meant to ensure racial minorities or vulnerable populations can vote without impediment.

阿拉斯加案THE ALASKA CASE

《紐約時報》報導，民主黨人瑪麗・佩爾托拉（Mary Peltola）的競選團隊曾參與招募退休教師丹尼爾・J・蘇利文（Daniel J. Sullivan）挑戰現任參議員丹・蘇利文後，阿拉斯加州已成為格外激烈的法律戰場。Alaska has become a particularly intense legal battleground after the New York Times reported that Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign was involved in recruiting retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan to challenge incumbent Dan Sullivan.

司法部提起的訴訟——川普稱是他指示司法部提出——要求法院在票差顯示選民混淆可能影響結果時，停止認證並下令調查。位於安克拉治的美國聯邦地方法官雪倫・格里森（Sharon Gleason）週日駁回此案，認定阿拉斯加州無法在保護選票祕密的同時進行這類調查。The Justice Department lawsuit, which Trump said he directed the department to file, asked a court to halt certification and order an investigation if the margin suggested voter confusion could have affected the outcome. US District Judge Sharon Gleason in Anchorage dismissed the case on Sunday, finding Alaska could not conduct such a probe while preserving the secrecy of ballots.

法律專家先前表示，司法部無權提起此案，並且可能讓外界覺得司法部偏袒共和黨籍現任者。Legal experts had said DOJ lacked authority to bring the case and risked appearing to favor the Republican incumbent.

曾在共和黨籍總統小布希（George W. Bush）任內代理司法部長的彼得・凱斯勒（Peter Keisler）表示：「司法部若要在其執法決策上獲得信任，就必須確保人們明白，它不會在政治黨派爭議中選邊站。而這件事不僅有選邊站的外觀，也顯然確實是在選邊站。」“For the department to be trusted in its law enforcement decisions it has to ensure that people understand it does not take sides in political partisan disputes,” said Peter Keisler, acting attorney general under Republican President George W. Bush. “And this has not only the appearance but the evident reality of taking sides.”

布蘭奇表示，此案是為了阻止他所稱丹尼爾・J・蘇利文的舞弊行為；丹尼爾・J・蘇利文否認試圖誤導選民。佩爾托拉的競選團隊表示，他們「沒有參與任何一位蘇利文的競選活動」。Blanche has said the case sought to stop what he described as fraud by Daniel J. Sullivan, who denies trying to mislead voters. Peltola's campaign said it had "no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.”

被問及外界對該訴訟的批評時，一名司法部官員週四在新聞簡報會上表示：「我們提起訴訟，是為了執行聯邦法律。」Asked about criticism of the lawsuit, a Justice Department official said at a press briefing on Thursday, "We bring lawsuits to enforce federal law."

川普盟友權力擴大TRUMP ALLIES EMPOWERED

司法部傳統上在選舉調查中行事謹慎，因為其介入可能造成不確定性，或被候選人或政黨利用。The Justice Department has traditionally proceeded cautiously in election investigations because its involvement can cause uncertainty or be exploited by candidates or political parties.

多名前司法部官員表示，司法部公共廉政科由選舉法職業專家組成，過去經常建議探員和檢察官等到結果認證後再介入。Its Public Integrity Section, staffed with career experts on election law, has often advised agents and prosecutors to wait until results are certified before intervening, according to former DOJ officials.

川普政府已大幅縮減該單位規模，並暫停一項要求聯邦檢察官在選舉貪腐調查中諮詢該單位的規定。司法部官員表示，美國聯邦檢察官辦公室更適合判斷是否有理由提出指控。The Trump administration has slashed the size of the unit and suspended a requirement that federal prosecutors consult it on election-corruption probes. DOJ officials say US Attorney’s Offices are better positioned to decide whether charges are merited.

三名熟悉相關談話的人士表示，取而代之的是，探員和檢察官被告知，未解決的問題將由川普任命的政治任命官員決定。Instead, agents and prosecutors have been told that unresolved issues will be decided by Trump political appointees, according to three people familiar with the conversations.

他們表示，副司法部長辦公室將居中協調探員與檢察官之間的爭議；前司法部官員表示，該辦公室過去很少在選舉調查中扮演如此直接的角色。The Deputy Attorney General’s Office will mediate disputes between agents and prosecutors, they said, a direct role that former DOJ officials said it has rarely played in election investigations.

佩爾斯表示：「解決外勤單位無法處理的爭議，正是該辦公室存在的職責。」Pels said "resolving disputes that can’t be resolved in the field is exactly the role that office exists to play.”

（安德魯・古茲沃德與盧克・柯恩採訪報導；Michael Learmonth與Howard Goller編輯）(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Luc Cohen; Editing by Michael Learmonth and Howard Goller)