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"Michigan was one of several states that refused to share its voter rolls with the federal government. Now, it may be the most likely to have to defend that decision in higher courts — potentially even the U.S. Supreme Court."

"Derek Clinger, a senior attorney with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s State Democracy Research Initiative, told WPR the federal government’s use of the Civil Rights Act is an interesting approach."

"While the Justice Department now claims the security and sanctity of upcoming elections necessitates the need for speed, the department hasn’t alleged any states are violating federal voter list maintenance requirements, said Derek Clinger, senior counsel and director of partnerships at the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School."

"Trump cannot simply mandate that the federal government take over election administration in a state or local jurisdiction, says Derek Clinger, senior counsel and director of partnerships at the University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative."

"'The president doesn't really have the power to do these things on his own,' Clinger says. 'The U.S. Constitution is very clear that the power to run elections rests with the states. Congress can pass legislation regulating elections, but so far they've not done anything to give the president this type of control.'"

"The proof of age law doesn't exist to 'protect' beer, said Derek Clinger, senior staff attorney with the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin law school. It is meant to prevent underage drinking, which poses health risks."

"'They made a case that doing this would comply with the U.S. Supreme Court precedent and that states have this power to regulate and kind of control what sorts of activities corporations are allowed to participate in,' Clinger said. 'It’s an interesting idea what they’re doing in Montana, but I think it would absolutely be litigated, and it’s kind of hard to predict what would happen.'"

"'The nightmare scenario used to be that Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act and have the military seize ballots and machines from a swing state on election night,' said Derek Clinger, senior counsel at the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School. 'But Fulton County suggests a much more plausible scenario: one where the seizure of ballots is conducted with the appearance of a legal process. I think that approach is both more likely to happen and also harder to challenge in real time.'”

"Advocates fear Florida’s approach could become a blueprint for other states to follow. “It definitely seems to fulfill what people warned would happen,” said Derek Clinger, senior counsel with the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School. “We’ve just seen this whole package of reforms going through that make every aspect of the process more difficult,” he added."

"Legal experts, however, suggested the administration faces formidable odds. Derek Clinger, a senior staff attorney at the University of Wisconsin Law School's State Democracy Research Initiative, observed that 'the court is very clear that the Constitution gives no authority to the president to do any of these things, and that federal law doesn't either.'"