Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller responded to President Donald Trump’s demand for a Justice Department investigation into mail-in ballot mistakes in the state. Miller rejected Trump’s allegations of corruption, explaining that errors in election administration are common. President Trump had urged the DOJ to investigate after Maryland election officials disclosed that some voters received incorrect mail-in ballots for upcoming primaries. Trump accused Democratic Governor Wes Moore of deliberately interfering with the election to favor Democrats.
The Maryland State Board of Elections acknowledged that its mail-in ballot vendor, Taylor Print & Visual Impressions (TPVI), Inc., was responsible for the mistake. Trump criticized Governor Moore on social media, accusing him of allowing the error to ensure Democratic victories. Miller clarified that the state election board operates independently from the governor, dismissing notions of corruption. She stated, “The administration, they’re a separate body from us, the board of elections.”
Miller noted that ballot distribution errors occur frequently during elections. However, no evidence suggests these mistakes happen in every election. After discovering the problem, the state’s election board committed to sending new ballots to voters who received incorrect ones before May 14. The board assured that measures are in place to prevent duplicate voting.
President Trump continued to question how the issue would be resolved without risking duplicate votes. He claimed on social media, “In Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught!” He further suggested that these ballots primarily reached Democrats, disadvantaging Republicans in the state.
Miller denied Trump’s claim, attributing the mistake to vendor error rather than malice or corruption. Jared DeMarinis, the State Administrator of Elections, also refuted Trump’s notion of illegally distributed ballots. DeMarinis defended the board’s actions and vowed to rectify the mail-in ballot situation.
Trump stated his request for an investigation by Attorney General Todd Blanche and the DOJ. However, the DOJ has not publicly disclosed the initiation of such an investigation. Miller remarked that she has no updates on the DOJ’s inquiry, adding, “We’ll see what the investigation shows.”
Hannah Brennan, the article’s author, works on the Politics team at Fox News Digital. She has experience in political coverage, including stints at the Aspen Daily News, and graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with high distinction.