rolls

Jan. 7 (UPI) — The Justice Department has sued Arizona and Connecticut for refusing to hand over their full voter registration lists, making them the 22nd and 23rd states to be targeted by the Trump administration in its litigious campaign over voter data ahead of the midterm elections.

The lawsuits were filed Tuesday, with Attorney General Pam Bondi arguing she is charged by Congress to ensure that states have proper and effective voter registration and voter list maintenance programs.

She also threatened that she has the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to demand the statewide voter registration lists.

“Accurate voter rolls are the foundation of election integrity, and any state that fails to meet this basic obligation of transparency can expect to see us in court,” she said in a statement.

The Justice Department has sent demands for the voter registration rolls to at least 40 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

All states except North Dakota require citizens to register with election officials, with the information forming voter registration rolls.

The demands for these rolls, which include private and sensitive information, have raised concerns among both voting-rights groups, who say the Trump administration may try to undermine elections, and immigration advocates worried the rolls could be shared with the Department of Homeland Security.

The Trump administration has argued that it needs the lists to ensure election integrity, including that non-citizens are not voting. President Donald Trump continues to falsely claim that the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden, was stolen from him.

The lawsuits overwhelming target Democratic-led states, and the effort comes ahead of November’s midterm elections, which Trump has increasingly become involved with.

Jesus Osete, principal deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights, posted the lawsuit naming Arizona as a defendant on X, saying the Democratic-led state “didn’t respond” to the Justice Department requests for the voter rolls.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes responded to Osete with a video statement, saying they have responded to every Justice Department request, and that he will not break state and federal law to share unredacted voter data with the federal government.

“I would recommend that Mr. Osete read those correspondence and we will see you apparently in court,” he said.

“Pound sand.”

THE price for passenger drop-offs at London’s second busiest airport has jumped 40 percent.

That’s a £3 increase from previous charge of £7 and will apply to all drivers entering the drop off zone, excluding Blue Badge holders.

From today London Gatwick will have the highest drop-off fees in the country thanks to the new £10 charge.

The price has steadily increased over the years since it was first introduced in 2021 and was only £5.

It jumped to £6 in 2024 before being increased to £7 just a year later in May 2025.

“Poor old passengers and drivers are getting another blow to the pocket,” complained travel writer Andy Mossack in an interview with BBC Radio Surrey.

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“It is disgraceful.”

London Gatwick, which is the busiest single runway airport in Europe, said it was “not a decision they took lightly”.

However, it cited reasons such as the “doubling of business rates” as one of the reasons for the increase in cost.

A spokesperson for Gatwick suggested passengers could use the free shuttle bus if they are dropped of in the long stay car park.

They added: “We also have excellent public transport connectivity at the airport, with passengers able to connect directly with more than 120 train stations.

“Many local bus routes serve the airport 24  hours a day, seven days a week.”

Drop off fees have also increased at London Heathrow with its drop off fee increasing from £6 to £7 on January 1.

It is also introducing a strict 10-minute drop off time, with drivers charged £80 if they go over.

And London City, the last of the London airports to allow free drop offs, will be introducing a new charge in 2026 as well.