The Trump campaign was ordered to appear in court Wednesday following a lawsuit filed by Nevada Democrats, who allege that Trump’s campaign and Republican officials in the state are in violation of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.
Also referred to as the Force Act of 1871 or the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 came into effect after the Civil War and was meant to prevent violence against African Americans by the Ku Klux Klan, a group known for its white supremacist leanings and violence against minorities. The Act also protects people from having their Fourteenth Amendment rights violated by private citizens.
Both GOP officials and Trump campaign members have been accused of deploying a variety of coordinated efforts designed to intimidate minority voters in areas where support for the Democrats has been historically high. While they claim that they’re simply trying to prevent voter fraud, the tactics they use are likely to make certain voters feel unsafe and thus less likely to participate in the 2016 presidential election.
U.S. District Judge Richard Franklin Boulware issued an order that requires Nevada Republicans and the Trump campaign to turn over any type of training materials they may have given out to individuals performing the function of poll observer, poll watcher, exit pollster or similar assignments.
According to court documents, the Democrats have asked for a temporary restraining order, which the Trump campaign will have to appear in court for today so that they can provide their response. Nevada isn’t the only state where Democrats have taken action against Republicans. Claims have been made in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Ohio, accusing GOP representatives of actions violating the Ku Klux Klan Act.
Many supporters of Hillary Clinton’s campaign view the creation of “poll watch” groups by the GOP as a way to recruit Trump supporters to act as vigilantes who intimidate minorities. Democrats have urged Americans to go and cast their ballots so that their voices can be heard, regardless of what the Trump campaign and his supporters are attempting.