{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","slug":"doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","title":"DOJ charges five in election cases across three states","subtitle":"Charges include illegal voting and fraudulent registration in 2022 and 2024 elections.","excerpt":"The Justice Department has filed election-related charges against five individuals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The defendants include four noncitizens accused of voting and one U.S. citizen accused of aiding fraudulent registration.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T23:46:08.803Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-09-05T19:55:11.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-05T23:46:08.803Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":42,"critic":61,"hype":61,"notes":{"trust":"The central claim is attributed to the Justice Department, but key facts are hedged with \"allegedly\" and \"accused of\".","critic":"The report includes quotes from officials, details specific charges, and mentions what happens next.","hype":"The headline promises charges in multiple states, but the article focuses heavily on one case and uses loaded language."}},"tags":["#ElectionIntegrity","#DOJ","#VoterFraud","#USPolitics"],"entities":["Justice Department","Thomas Holtzman","Marisol Guzman","Katya Rodriguez","Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso","Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["The Justice Department announced charges against five individuals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin for election-related offenses.","The charges involve allegations of illegal voting and fraudulent registration spanning the November 2022 general election, the June 2024 primary, and the November 2024 general election.","Four of the defendants are accused of voting as noncitizens, and one U.S. citizen is accused of assisting his wife in registering and voting.","One of the Pennsylvania defendants, Katya Rodriguez, was shown in arrest footage released by Fox News Politics."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Justice Department has filed election-related charges against five people across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. These allegations, concerning conduct during the November 2022 general election, the June 2024 primary, and the November 2024 general election, were announced together by federal prosecutors. The defendants include four noncitizens accused of casting ballots and one U.S. citizen accused of helping his wife register and vote."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In Pennsylvania, Thomas Holtzman and Marisol Guzman were charged. Guzman is accused of voting as an alien in the 2024 election, while Holtzman, a U.S. citizen, is accused of making a false citizenship statement and aiding fraudulent registration. A separate indictment charged Katya Rodriguez with making a false citizenship statement to vote, fraudulent registration, and voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Fox News Politics released footage of federal agents taking Rodriguez into custody."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In New Jersey, Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election. Prosecutors allege she registered online and falsely certified her U.S. citizenship, having entered the country from Ecuador on a B-2 visa. In Wisconsin, Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia was charged with voting as an alien in the November 2022 election, allegedly knowing he was not a U.S. citizen at the time."},{"type":"heading","text":"Coverage Disagreements"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The reports differ on the specific election cycles for which the Pennsylvania defendants are charged. 100 Percent Fed Up! states that Guzman is accused of voting in the 2024 election and Holtzman of aiding fraudulent registration. The same report states Rodriguez is accused of voting as an alien in the 2024 election."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the right-rated reports below mention the specific U.S. Attorney's Offices or the investigative agencies involved in the cases, such as HSI, the FBI, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as detailed in the verified claims."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"100% FED UP!","url":"https://100percentfedup.com/doj-charges-five-electionses-across-three-states","headline":"DOJ Charges Five in Election Cases Across Three States as Arrest Footage Emerges","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T19:55:11.000Z"},{"sourceName":"American Wire News","url":"https://americanwirenews.com/doj-charges-5-with-illegal-voting-in-several-states-ahead-of-midterms","headline":"Trump DOJ charges 5 with illegal voting in several states ahead of midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T15:54:19.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Bizpac Review","url":"https://bizpacreview.com/2026/09/05/trump-doj-charges-5-with-illegal-voting-in-several-states-ahead-of-midterms-1657800","headline":"Trump DOJ charges 5 with illegal voting in several states ahead of midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T15:54:19.000Z"},{"sourceName":"WLTReport","url":"https://wltreport.com/2026/09/05/doj-charges-five-election-cases-three-states-arrest-footage","headline":"DOJ Charges Five in Election Cases Across Three States as Arrest Footage Emerges","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T14:35:43.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Moncloa","url":"https://moncloa.com/2026/09/05/doj-trump-voto-ilegal-inmigrantes-3426510","headline":"Trump's DOJ Accuses Two Undocumented Immigrants and Three Other People in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin of Illegal Voting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T06:38:17.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Gateway Pundit","url":"https://thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/trump-doj-charges-five-illegal-voting-pennsylvania-new","headline":"Trump DOJ Charges FIVE for Illegal Voting in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin — Including Two Illegal Aliens from Mexico in Key Swing States","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T04:15:59.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Washington Examiner","url":"https://washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/4714638/doj-charge-illegal-voter-pennsylvania-new-jersey-wisconsin","headline":"DOJ charges illegal voters from three states in 2022 and 2024 elections","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-04T22:12:49.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Pennsylvania Capital-Star","url":"https://penncapital-star.com/election-2026/department-of-justice-charges-5-in-pennsylvania-wisconsin-and-new-jersey-with-crimes-related-to-noncitizen-voting","headline":"Department of Justice charges 5 in Pa., Wisconsin, and NJ with crimes related to noncitizen voting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-04T21:45:05.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":14,"centre":0,"right":86},"count":{"left":1,"centre":0,"right":6},"totalSources":8,"untracked":1,"rated":7,"observedAt":"2026-09-05T20:18:08.478Z"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-09-06T01:45:21.788Z","closedAt":null,"checks":8,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":[],"centre":[],"right":["The right-rated report from 100 Percent Fed Up! led with the headline \"DOJ Charges Five in Election Cases Across Three States as Arrest Footage Emerges.\" The report detailed the charges against the five individuals, including four noncitizens accused of voting and one U.S. citizen accused of aiding fraudulent registration. It highlighted the inclusion of arrest footage of Katya Rodriguez, a Pennsylvania defendant, released by Fox News Politics. The report quoted U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on the importance of election integrity and FBI Director Kash Patel on the cases representing alleged unlawful votes. It also noted the maximum potential penalties for the defendants."],"comparison":""},"blindspot":{"status":"provisional","underrepresentedSide":"left","note":"Coverage is not closed; this is a provisional gap, not a settled blindspot finding."},"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"veryLow":1,"low":3,"mixed":1,"high":1,"unknown":1,"veryHigh":1},"ownershipDistribution":{"billionaire":2,"independent":1,"other":2},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"Pennsylvania Capital-Star","url":"https://penncapital-star.com/election-2026/department-of-justice-charges-5-in-pennsylvania-wisconsin-and-new-jersey-with-crimes-related-to-noncitizen-voting","publishedAt":"2026-09-04T21:45:05.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","count":1},{"country":"St. Louis, Missouri, United States","count":1},{"country":"West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, United States","count":1},{"country":"Michigan, United States","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"Pennsylvania Capital-Star","url":"https://penncapital-star.com/election-2026/department-of-justice-charges-5-in-pennsylvania-wisconsin-and-new-jersey-with-crimes-related-to-noncitizen-voting","headline":"Department of Justice charges 5 in Pa., Wisconsin, and NJ with crimes related to noncitizen voting","publishedAt":"2026-09-04T21:45:05.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Washington Examiner","url":"https://washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/4714638/doj-charge-illegal-voter-pennsylvania-new-jersey-wisconsin","headline":"DOJ charges illegal voters from three states in 2022 and 2024 elections","publishedAt":"2026-09-04T22:12:49.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"The Gateway Pundit","url":"https://thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/trump-doj-charges-five-illegal-voting-pennsylvania-new","headline":"Trump DOJ Charges FIVE for Illegal Voting in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin — Including Two Illegal Aliens from Mexico in Key Swing States","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T04:15:59.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"farRight","factualityRating":"veryLow","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"St. Louis, Missouri, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Moncloa","url":"https://moncloa.com/2026/09/05/doj-trump-voto-ilegal-inmigrantes-3426510","headline":"Trump's DOJ Accuses Two Undocumented Immigrants and Three Other People in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin of Illegal Voting","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T06:38:17.000Z","leaningSide":null,"leaningRating":"unknown","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"WLTReport","url":"https://wltreport.com/2026/09/05/doj-charges-five-election-cases-three-states-arrest-footage","headline":"DOJ Charges Five in Election Cases Across Three States as Arrest Footage Emerges","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T14:35:43.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"farRight","factualityRating":"low","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"American Wire News","url":"https://americanwirenews.com/doj-charges-5-with-illegal-voting-in-several-states-ahead-of-midterms","headline":"Trump DOJ charges 5 with illegal voting in several states ahead of midterms","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T15:54:19.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"low","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":"Bizpac Review"},{"name":"Bizpac Review","url":"https://bizpacreview.com/2026/09/05/trump-doj-charges-5-with-illegal-voting-in-several-states-ahead-of-midterms-1657800","headline":"Trump DOJ charges 5 with illegal voting in several states ahead of midterms","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T15:54:19.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"100% FED UP!","url":"https://100percentfedup.com/doj-charges-five-electionses-across-three-states","headline":"DOJ Charges Five in Election Cases Across Three States as Arrest Footage Emerges","publishedAt":"2026-09-05T19:55:11.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"farRight","factualityRating":"low","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Michigan, United States","repostedFrom":"WLTReport"}]},"assessment":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"citation":{"recommended":"MediaBias News, \"DOJ charges five in election cases across three states\", https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","canonicalUrl":"https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","instructions":["Cite and link the canonical article URL, not the API, markdown mirror, homepage, or an original outlet URL.","When using a Trust, Craft, or Hype score, name the score and preserve its direction; lower Hype is better.","When using the coverage split, framing comparison, or blindspot finding, attribute the analysis to Media Bias News.","Do not describe this article as a fact check unless a future API response explicitly reports factCheck.status as performed."]},"links":{"canonical":"https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","json":"https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states","markdown":"https://mediabias.news/politics/doj-charges-five-in-election-cases-across-three-states.md","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology"}}}