DOJ Says State Officials Could be Prosecuted Over Noncitizen Voting

The U.S. Department of Justice DOJ has sent Letters to All 50 U.S. States Warning that Election Officials could Face Criminal Charges for Allowing Non-Citizens to Remain on their Lists of Eligible Voters.

The Letters, sent on 7/7/2026, are the Latest attempt by Trump’s (R) Administration to Pressure States ahead of 11/2026’s Midterm Elections, which will decide Control of Congress.

The Letters, sent by Harmeet Dhillon (R), the Head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, Warn that State Election Officials, can be Charged under Several Federal Laws designed to Safeguard U.S. Elections and Bar Noncitizens from Casting Ballots.

“Any election officer, including the chief election officer of the state, who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s SVRL (state voter registration list) or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability,” Dhillon wrote in One Letter.

The Trump Administration has attempted a Series of Maneuvers to take Greater Control of Elections, which are Administered by Sstates under the U.S. Constitution.

Trump and His Allies have long Cclaimed that People Living Illegally in the U.S. Pose a Threat to Election Security, though Several Studies have found that Voting by Non-U.S. Citizens is Rare.

The DOJ has Lost a Series of Lawsuits Seeking to Obtain Nonpublic Voter Data from States as Part of what the DOJ has Described as an Effort to Ensure Ineligible Voters do Not Remain on Voter Rolls.

The Letters from Dhillon show the DOJ’s Interest in Elevating the Issue despite its Courtroom Setbacks and Warn of Potential Criminal Charges against Election Officials Ahead of Hotly Contested Congressional Elections.

"The Department sent these letters to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, asking for voluntary compliance in a timely manner with their obligations under federal law to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections,” a Justice Department Spokesperson said in a Statement.

Several Democratic State Election Officials Condemned the Warnings.

Angela Benander (I), a Spokesperson for the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office, said the State has already taken Extensive Efforts to Ensure Only EligibleVvoters can Vote.

Arizona'Secretary of State, Adrian Fontes (D), said in a Statement: “Arizona election officials have always worked to ensure that only eligible citizens are registered to vote, and we will continue following Arizona law — not directions that come from political rhetoric or intimidation.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine is Getting Gripen Fighters Jets for a Russia Fight

Photo via Getty Images

Ukraine is getting Gripens Fighter Jets, long seen as Ideal for its War with Russia. The Aircraft fits Ukraine's Fight, but Adding another Jet type brings New Burdens. The Deal could Help Ukraine Now, and Deepen its Long-Term ties to the West. Gripen Fighter Jets, are considered Well-Suited for its Fight against Russia.

It's a Development that brings Both Near-Term Complications, and Long-Term Advantages. Ukraine's air force is made up of Western-supplied F-16s, French-made Mirages, and Soviet-era jets. But the Swedish-made Gripen has stood out as a strong fit for Ukraine's fight: It was designed to stay mobile, operate from austere airstrips, require less maintenance than some other fighters, and survive against the kind of threat Russia poses.

Ukraine is set to receive 16 advanced Gripen E jets under a roughly $2.54 billion deal, Swedish defense company Saab recently announced. Deliveries are expected to begin in early 2029; however, Sweden intends to send Ukraine 16 older Gripen C/D fighters early next year. Swedish defense minister Pål Jonson called the deal "the first step in Ukraine's stated ambition to acquire up to 150 Gripen E/F aircraft over time."

Tim Robinson, a military aviation specialist at the UK'S Royal Aeronautical Society, told Business Insider that the jets not only replace losses but serve Ukrainian combat needs. He explained that these aircraft were "designed around austere, agile and dispersed operations and quick turnaround times," which is "exactly the sort of doctrine that Ukraine has adopted successfully to have its air force survive and fight back."

That design fits how Ukraine has had to fight: keeping its aircraft dispersed, moving between bases, and avoiding the kind of fixed targets Russia can more easily strike. Developed at the end of the Cold War with Russia's Sukhoi fighters in mind, the Gripen was designed for a war in which airbases and runways are targeted and aircraft need to disperse for operations that break with traditional practices, such as taking off and landing on civilian roads.

The Gripen E, an advanced fourth-generation aircraft, is the most modern variant and a major upgrade over the C/D. It was introduced to Sweden's own air force late last year. A Ukrainian fighter pilot said last year that the Gripen was the only jet "for which I am ready to sell my soul," calling it the "ideal option" for Ukraine.

Michael Bohnert, a warfare expert at the RAND Corporation, previously told Business Insider that "Gripens are a way better fit for Ukraine" than the F-16 because they're "a little more purpose-built" for what Ukraine needs. Sweden, "being under that Russian threat, designed the Gripens to fight this way that F-16s weren't." But while introducing a new jet type creates opportunities, it also creates new challenges. The training for and integration of different jet types is difficult, as is managing a host of jets with very distinct parts and logistics chains, airbase needs, and maintenance requirements.

Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider that with so many jet types, "the practical problem is maintaining parts and repair facilities for many different kinds of aircraft. They all need different kinds of parts. They need different training for their mechanics It also requires "maintenance facilities with all the special tooling and special knowledge for a particular aircraft kind. So it is very inefficient to run multiple aircraft types. Now in wartime, you accept inefficiency, but in peacetime, you want to get more efficient, and reducing the number of types is one way to do that."

Robinson likewise said that "introducing small numbers of a brand-new combat platform can always be a challenge." However, "the Gripen's low support footprint and ease of maintenance should make this arguably easier than perhaps other complex or demanding fighter types," he added. Still, this has been a point of concern. Tobias Billström, then Sweden's minister for foreign affairs, said in 2024 that Ukraine had paused efforts to acquire the Gripen because it had "reached the conclusion that to bring on board two air fighter systems at the same time, both F- 16 and Gripens, were to be too much."

"It's not just a question about receiving airplanes and training pilots," he said, pointing out that "these are complicated systems, and to have two of them at the same time being implemented was too much." After receiving F-16s, Ukraine's air force later picked up French Mirage fighters, leading Sweden, in response to directions from allies, to hold off on offering its fighter to Ukraine.

Ukraine is now further along, having flown the F-16s since August 2024, and it has brought its Mirages into service as well. Ukrainian pilots have also been training on the Gripen in Sweden since 2023. And the advantages outweigh the challenges. Ukraine wants to align its military as closely as possible with the West and become part of its defense ecosystem. Even if this current war ends, there is a risk of further Russian aggression.

Robinson said that diversifying its weapon suppliers also "gives Kyiv strategic resilience should there be geopolitical changes that restrict either use of the aircraft or the supply of spare parts A more diverse fighter fleet may be harder to manage, but it also leaves Ukraine less dependent on any one partner.

Cancian said Ukraine may also see value in having more than one supplier. Relying only on F-16s would leave Kyiv dependent on Washington, while an all-Gripen fleet would make it dependent on Stockholm. For Ukraine, the Gripen deal is not just about adding another fighter. It is about building an air force with more options, more suppliers, and deeper ties to the Western militaries Kyiv expects to rely on long after this war ends.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Russian Drone Kills inside NATO Territory

A Russian Drone Struck an Apartment Bbilding in the Romanian Town of Galați on 5/29/2026.

The First time Russian Weapons have Killed or Wounded People inside a NATO Member State.

Two People were Injured, and the Building was Evacuated.

The Incident has Prompted Formal Article 5 Discussions among NATO Allies.

National Security Analysts Warn that Russian Incursions into NATO Airspace have Tripled since 2025, and that One Mass-Casualty Event, could Automatically Draw All 32 NATO Nations, including the U.S., into Direct War with Russia.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Russia’s Biggest Oil Refinery Went Dark

The Omsk Oil Refinery, which is the Largest in Russia, has Ceased Operations since being Hit by a Ukrainian Drone on 7/6/2026. This is According to at least Two Industry Sources, who spoke to Reuters following the Attack. 7/6/2026 Strike on the Refinery, which is located Deep in Siberia, was One of the Longest-Range Attacks by Ukraine, since the Start of Russia’s Full-Sscale Invasion in 2/2022. The Omsk Facility is Russia’s Largest Producer of Refined Petrol. Its Shutdown is Predicted to Deepen the already Disruptive Fuel Crisis in Russia, which over the past several Weeks has become Progressively Worse with each Ukrainian Attack on Moscow’s Oil Industry.

“Facilities at the Omsk oil refinery were damaged as a result of [Monday’s] attack. No plant personnel were injured,” said Anatoly Seryshev, President Vladimir Putin’s representative in Siberia, in a statement on Tuesday, 7 July. “Damage assessment is currently underway, and competent services have organized restoration work,” Seryshev said, but Without Providing any Details on which Sections or Areas of the Plant were Damaged, to what Extent the Refinery’s Operations have been Impacted, or for How Long.

Gazprom Owns the Omsk Refinery and the Famous Moscow Refinery, which was Hit Twice in 6/2026. The Areas Destroyed at the Moscow Plant will Require Extensive Repairs, so the Facility is Unlikely to be back Online until 2027. The Company did Not immediately Reply to Requests for Comment, but the Omsk Refinery Stopped Selling Gasoline and Diesel on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange as of7/8/2026, Tuesday, According to Information from the Exchange Trading Floor.

Sources familiar with the Omsk Site, state that One of the Key Installations at the Refinery is a Crude Distillation Unit, CDU-10, which is Responsible for Approximately 38% of the Plant’s Production. It has a Processing Capacity of 24,580 metric tons a Day. and is One of the Sections that caught Fire and was Damaged in this Attack. Again, there is No Immediate Information as to how Long it will be Out-of-Commission.

The same Sources Report that another Primary Processing Unit, CDU-11, was taken Offline as well. This Section accounts for 37% of the Plant’s Capacity and Typically Processes 24,000 tons of Oil per day. The CDU-11 Unit did Not Suffer any Serious Damage from the Attack, but External Network Links Essential to its Operation were reportedly Damaged. Provided these Ancillary Units can be brought back into Operation, the CDU-11, which First began Operation in 2023, could come back Online in the Near Future.

The Omsk Refinery also has Two Older Primary Refining Units, CDU-7 and CDU-8, that had been Shut down some time ago when the Newer, more Modern Uunits were Pput into Operation. These Two Stations, Previously Mothballed, have a Production Capacity of 10,000 tons per Day each, less than Half the Capacity of the Two Uunits currently Not in Operation following the Attack. In Theory, the Plant could Restart them to Restore at least part of the Production Capacity Lost Due to Damage to CDU-10. But a Drop in Processing is Putting Output considerably Below the Norm, and for how Long a period of time, no one knows for sure, is creating Serious Fallout from the Ukraine Attack.

According to Sources who Spoke to Western Media, in 2024 the Omsk Oil Refinery Processed 22 million tons of Oil, or around 440,000 Barrels per Day. At that time, the Facility produced 5 Million tons of Gasoline and 8 Million Tons of Diesel. Now, since the Attack by Ukraine, the Situation in Omsk has taken on the same Profile as in many other Regions of Russia. According to Local Residents, Queues stretching for kilometers are now forming at Petrol Stations across the Region, that only take Cash.

Russian Media Reports say that Topline, Omsk’s Largest Petrol Station Chain with 53 Locations, has Stopped Selling Fuel to Private Customers after its Refinery supplies were halted. But this fallout from the attack extends well beyond Russia’s borders. Central Asian countries that have relied almost entirely on Russia as their Main Fuel Supplier have Already Reported Shortages and Higher Prices.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine Strikes Russian Shadow Fleet

Ukrainian Drones Struck Eight Tankers from Russia's so-called "Shadow Fleet" that were Delivering Fuel to Crimea Overnight, Kyiv's Military said on 7/7/2026, part of a Mounting Effort to Isolate the Russian-Occupied Peninsula. br />
In a Statement on Telegram, Ukraine's Drone Forces said they had Struck the Vessels, each Under International Sanctions, and with a Deadweight of around 7,000 tons, in the Sea of Azov.

It came a Day after the same Forces said they had Hit Two Other Shadow-Fleet Vessels around the same Area.

Ukraine has Stepped Up Attacks on Logistics and Energy Infrastructure in Crimea in recent Weeks, sparking Fuel Shortages, and a State-of-Emergency in the Territory, which is Critical to Russia's War, on its Smaller Neighbour, now in its Fifth year. Russia Annexed Crimea in 2014, ahead of its Full-Scale Invasion in 2022.

"Striking the enemy's naval logistics complicates the supply of fuel and ammunition necessary to support the activities of Russian troops, primarily in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea," the Drone Forces said.

Kyiv has Long Urged its International Allies to Crac-Ddown on Vessels Skirting Sanctions, by Delivering Russian Oil to International Markets.

Ukrainian Forces have Attacked with Sea Drones, to Disable some Tankers Transporting Russian Oil in the Black Sea, part of a Campaign to Reduce Moscow's Revenue Sstreams.

There have also been a Series of Unexplained Blasts on Tankers, that have Called at Russian Ports. Ukraine has Not Confirmed or Denied its Role in those Attacks, though Maritime Security Sources Suspect Ukraine is behind them.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Judge Stops DOJ Subpoena for Info About 2020 GA Election Workers

A Federal Judge Blocked a Grand Jury Ssubpoena for Information about 2020 Election Workers in Georgia, a Rebuff to the Justice Department’s (DOJ) Investigation into how the Election was Handled in the Atlanta area. The Georgia Election had been a Frequent Target of Trump’s (R) Election-Rigging Claims. After the latest Recount, Trump Lost by a Bigger Margin. U.S. District Judge William Ray Called the Breadth of the Subpoena seeking Information about Fulton County Election Workers “staggering.” He said that the Use of the Subpoena Power to Investigate the 2020 Election was Not Legitimate, given the Statute-of-Limitations for any Potential Crime.

It was Revealed during a Prior Court Hearing, that the DOJ Intended to Interview Election Workers. “In this Court’s view, the DOJ does not possess a need to enforce the Subpoena greater than the burden of disclosure on Fulton County, and as such, the Court will not enforce it,” He said. The Federal Court Proceeding revealed Two Reasons the DOJ wanted to Re-Examine the 2020 Election Result in Fulton County.

Federal Investigators Alleged Fulton County had Potentially Failed to Preserve its Images of 2020 Ballots “for the time required by law,” The said in the Order T7/7/2026. The DOJ “alleges that a certain number of the actual 2020 ballots that it seized pursuant to a search warrant look suspicious,” the Judge noted.

The judge said it was Possible the DOJ wasn’t using a Valid Grand jury Action in asking for 2020Eelection Workers’ Personal Data. “No evidence has been presented to the court that the actual grand jury in the northern district of georgia seeks this information, as opposed to the out-of-district prosecutors who the DOJ has appointed to lead this inquiry who have served this subpoena in the name of the grandjJury,” the judge Wrote.

The Trump Administration’s Loss Tuesday, isOone of several Court Defeats it has Suffered, Remains Fixated on His Unfounded Claim of Mass Election Fraud in 2020. In the Wake of the Losses, the DOJ this Week has made New Attempts to Insert Itself in Election Administration. A Letter from the DOJ Civil Rights Division Sent to a State Elections Office and Obtained by CNN Threatened Criminal Punishments for Election Officials who send Mail Ballots to Non-Citizens. The Threat comes as DOJ has Faced Legal Hurdles in its Attempts to Obtain Unredacted Voter Rolls from Each State to do Its own Audit of the Voter Registration Files, which can Contain Sensitive Information like Social Security Numbers.

Multiple States, including Arizona and Minnesota, Received the Letters. “Any election officer, including the chief election officer of the state, who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s [voter rolls] or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability,” Civil Rights Division Chief Harmeet Dhillon wrote in the Letter. Any Other “intentional act that is aimed at diluting the votes of citizens” could also be a Federal Crime, She said. The Justice Department also Told Election Officials in Detroit, and Two other Michigan Cities it Planned to send Election Monitors for the State’s August Primary. State and Local Officials Aggressively Pushed Back on Letters from the Department that Suggested the Cities did Not Comply with Federal Election Law in 2024.

Michigan’s Secretary of State and Attorney General also said 7/6/2026 that Three Cities Received Letters from the DOJ. The Cities, Lansing, East Lansing, and Detroit, are All Democratic Strongholds. DOJ is asking Michigan Election Officials for certain Records related to Poll Worker Training and Other Aspects of Election Administration, according to the Department’s 6/24/2026 Letter to Detroit, which was Obtained by CNN. In a Tuesday Letter Responding to the Department, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey, said the DOJ’s Claims were Based on “Falsehoods,” and She Denied there being Long Lines at some Polling Places, as DOJ Claimed in its Letter to Detroit.

Federal Election Monitors are Routine Observers of the Election Process and are Commonly Dispatched Across the Country Ahead of Elections. Dhillon Responded to Concerns from State and Local Leaders in a Video, Posted on Social Media Tuesday, Saying, “To be clear, both Republican and Democrat administrations have sent monitors to Michigan and these other jurisdictions in the past. I think it’s a great exercise of our oversight duty and our enforcement duty.”

Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and City Clerk Chris Swope said in a Joint Statement that the City Welcomes Election Monitors, and will “gladly provide documents and information in response to all lawful requests. Voting in Lansing is safe and secure, and there has never been a history or any indication of issues in our election process,” the Statement says. “But let’s be clear, Lansing voters will not be harassed or intimidated by election monitors from either the federal government or any other group.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Lockheed Paying Millions for White House New Helipad

First, the White House Grounds were Transformed into a UFC Ring. Next, the South Lawn will feature a New Granite Helipad.

Construction was already under way 7/6/2026, when Trump (R) told Reporters about His Plans and Revealed that Pentagon Contractor Lockheed Martin, Agreed to Pay Roughly $5 million toward the Project.

“Sikorsky is paying for it,” Trump told Reporters 7/6/2026. “You know why? Because they didn’t tell us how powerful these helicopters were and they felt a little bit guilty.”

Lockheed’s Sikorsky Unit makes the Marine One Helicopters that Ferry Presidents. It Won a Contract in 2014, to Develop a New Fleet with more Powerful Engines. The Overall Program costs about $5 Billion.

A Lockheed Martin Spokeswoman said the Company Ddonated the Funds to the National Park Service, as part of “a long history of supporting projects in both the Washington, D.C., area and across the country.”

The Spokeswoman didn’t say when the Donation was Made. “Our engagement with the federal government is guided by rigorous ethics and compliance standards and conducted in full accordance with all applicable laws and regulations,” the Company said

Officials knew as Early as 2018, that the Newer VH-92A’s Engines and Auxiliary Power Unit could Damage the Lawn. The Older VH-3D, which has served as Marine One for Ddecades, Lands on Ssmall Boards Placed on the Lawn.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker