CalMatters sues Shasta County over its refusal to disclose federal subpoena related to election ballots

CalMatters and Shasta Scout are suing Shasta County over its refusal to comply with a public records request to release a federal subpoena served after the county’s outgoing elections chief questioned the integrity of the 2026 primary election.

Attorneys for the First Amendment Coalition, representing both news organizations, filed suit Friday in Shasta County Superior Court.

As of Sunday, multiple Shasta County representatives did not reply to voice messages and emails for comment.

“Transparency should be the default setting for every public official,” CalMatters managing editor John D’Anna said. “Citizens shouldn’t have to file suit to get their government to obey the law.

The suit argues that the public has a compelling interest to know “whether any such (federal) investigation is motivated by well-grounded allegations of wrongdoing” or whether the probe is based on no credible evidence and instead intended to “sow unwarranted doubts about elections.”

After the June election, Shasta County Registrar Clint Curtis drew the attention of the Trump administration by claiming ballots looked, felt and smelled funny, CalMatters and Shasta Scout reported. Curtis was running for reelection and was defeated by Joanna Francescut, a former Shasta County elections official.

In August he said he had put a padlock on the door where he stored the ballots, then threw away the key in an effort to preserve them as evidence. 

In September Curtis told several media organizations he received a federal grand jury subpoena related to the ballots, and that same month FBI agents arrived to inspect the room, Curtis said.

“I just showed them what we had,” Curtis told CalMatters in September. “The FBI never says anything to you, by the way … it’s information in and nothing out.”

CalMatters and Shasta Scout sought copies of the subpoena, which should detail what the grand jury is investigating. But the county rejected the news organizations’ California Public Records Act request, saying the subpoena is “shielded from disclosure” under federal law.

The lawsuit argues that the law only protects federal courts from sealing its own records, and “does not prevent the County … from disclosing the subpoena.” The county is therefore violating the state’s public records act by unlawfully withholding the subpoena, according to the lawsuit.

“Clint Curtis has embroiled Shasta County’s elections office in turmoil, conspiracy, and allegations of misconduct,” Shasta Scout managing editor Annelise Pierce said. “The people have a right to know what a federal grand jury seeks from our top election official.”

The lawsuit also noted that eight other counties, including Fresno, Imperial, Los Angeles Orange and San Bernardino, disclosed copies of federal grand jury subpoenas issued to their election officials. Those subpoenas are related to a wider effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to find evidence of noncitizens illegally voting in the runup to the midterm election.

“Shasta Scout and CalMatters have closely reported on the ongoing controversies at the county’s elections office,” said David Loy, the First Amendment Coalition’s legal director, in a statement.

“The county must disclose the subpoena so the people can see for themselves whether the grand jury investigation has any valid basis or is improperly contributing to unwarranted distrust in the integrity of elections,” Loy added.

Courtesy of Cal Matters