THIS IS KCRA THREE NEWS AT SIX. STARTING TONIGHT WITH A LIVE LOOK OVER THE CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITOL AND CAPITOL HILL IN WASHINGTON, DC. AFTER SWEEPING EXECUTIVE ACTIONS FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP OVERHAULING ELECTIONS IN THE U.S. BUT JUST HOW BIG OF AN IMPACT COULD THIS HAVE? WE’RE WORKING TO FIND OUT TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AT SIX. I’M GULSTAN DART AND I’M EDIE LAMBERT. THE NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER CHANGES GUIDELINES FOR REGISTERING TO VOTE AND WHEN BALLOTS MUST BE IN KCRA 3’S. CURTIS MANGAN JOINS US LIVE WITH WHAT WE’VE LEARNED SO FAR AND HOW SOME STATE LEADERS ARE RESPONDING. CURTIS. YEAH. REACTION POURING IN TONIGHT. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS LONG CALLED FOR ELECTION REFORM, AND NOW HE IS TAKING ACTION. AMONG THE ITEMS IN THE ORDER IT DEMANDS DOCUMENTATION, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP ADDED AS A REQUIREMENT FOR FEDERAL VOTER REGISTRATION. IT ALSO REQUIRES THAT ALL BALLOTS BE RECEIVED BY ELECTION DAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THAT COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT HERE IN CALIFORNIA, BECAUSE MORE THAN 13 MILLION PEOPLE VOTE BY MAIL. AT LEAST THEY DID IN 2020 FOR THE PRESIDENT’S ORDER SAYS THE U.S. HAS FAILED TO ENFORCE BASIC AND NECESSARY ELECTION PROTECTIONS. THE ORDER CALLS ON STATES TO WORK WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES TO SHARE VOTER LISTS AND PROSECUTE ELECTION CRIMES, AND IT THREATENS TO PULL FEDERAL FUNDING FROM STATES WHERE ELECTION OFFICIALS DO NOT COMPLY. THE MOVE WILL LIKELY FACE SWIFT CHALLENGES FROM CERTAIN VOTING RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND STATES. AND WE JUST GOT REACTION FROM CALIFORNIA SENATOR ALEX PADILLA WITHIN THE LAST 60 TO 70 MINUTES. IT SAYS, IN PART, AS FORMER CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE AND RANKING MEMBER OF THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE, I KNOW FULL WELL THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER DOES NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OUR FEDERAL ELECTIONS. WHAT IT WOULD DO IS DISENFRANCHIZE MILLIONS OF ELIGIBLE AMERICAN VOTERS. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS OFTEN CLAIMED ELECTIONS ARE RIGGED EVEN BEFORE WE KNOW THE RESULTS. THE PRESIDENT HAS CRITICIZED CERTAIN VOTING METHODS SINCE HE LOST THE 2020 ELECTION TO DEMOCRAT JOE BIDEN, AND FALSELY BLAMED IT ON WIDESPREAD FRAUD. WE’RE CURRENTLY REACHING OUT TO STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS OFFICIALS FOR THEIR REACTION. WE JUST GOT A STATEMENT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. IT READS IN PART, QUOTE, TRUMP’S ILLEGAL EXECUTIVE ORDER INSTEAD AIMS TO DENY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ACCESS TO THE BALLOT BOX BY MAKING IT COSTLY AND BURDENSOME TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND CAST A BALLOT UNDER THE GUISE OF PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM VOTER FRAUD. THIS UNPRECEDENTED AND RECKLESS INTERFERENCE INTO STATE ELECTION PROCESSES IS PREMISED ON A WIDELY DEBUNKED MYTH OF MASSIVE NONCITIZEN VOTING, END QUOTE. WE’RE CONTINUING TO GET THAT REACTION THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. BACK TO YOU. CURTIS. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANKS FOR LAYING THAT PART OUT FOR US, CURTIS. WE’VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS. I’M SURE YOU DO. LET’S TALK TO PROFESSOR OF LAW AT UNIVERSITY OF PACIFIC, CLARK KELSO. PROFESSOR, THANKS FOR JOINING US. MY PLEASURE. YEAH. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT, I MEAN, THE LEGAL ACTIONS THAT ARE LIKELY TO FOLLOW AFTER ALL THIS AND HOW FAR THE FEDERAL REACH IS HERE. WE HEAR THE PRESIDENT THREATENING ABOUT YANKING FEDERAL FUNDS. WELL, THERE’S NO QUESTION THERE WILL BE RAPID LEGAL ACTION AROUND THE COUNTRY BY STATES, VOTING GROUPS AND BY VOTERS. THE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, IN GENERAL TIMES, PLACES AND MANNERS OF FEDERAL ELECTIONS ARE PRESCRIBED BY THE STATES. EACH LEGISLATURE GETS TO DECIDE HOW WE’RE GOING TO DO VOTING IN OUR STATE. THERE IS A PROVISION THAT IF CONGRESS WANTS TO MODIFY THOSE RULES, IT CAN DO THAT. WELL, OF COURSE, THE PROBLEM HERE IS CONGRESS HAS NOT MODIFIED THE RULES. SO THIS IS ANOTHER CASE WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ISSUING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT REALLY ONLY CONGRESS CAN DO IN TERMS OF CHANGING THE LAW. SO THERE’LL BE A PRETTY GOOD BASIS FOR CHALLENGING MOST OF THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER. ALL RIGHT. SO LET’S LOOK AT LET’S SAY THIS IS CHALLENGED. AND THEY DECIDE SEPARATION OF POWERS. THIS HAS TO COME FROM CONGRESS. AND CONGRESS GOES AHEAD AND ENACTS ALL OF THESE STEPS THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE. A MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIA VOTERS USE MAIL IN BALLOTS. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE LOGISTICS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF THESE RULES HOLD. WELL, IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL IF CONGRESS WERE TO ACT, BECAUSE AS YOUR REPORTER INDICATED, AS MUCH AS 80% OF CALIFORNIANS ARE NOW USING MAIL IN BALLOTS, THE PRACTICAL EFFECT OF THIS WOULD BE, IF ENACTED, YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAIL YOUR MAIL IN BALLOT QUITE A FEW DAYS EARLIER THAN ELECTION DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GOT RECEIVED BY ELECTION DAY. WELL, YOU CAN IMAGINE ALL OF US PROCRASTINATE. AND FOR PROCRASTINATORS, THIS WOULD BE A REAL PROBLEM. YOU’D HAVE ELECTION DAY ON ONE DAY. BUT AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, YOU’D HAVE TO GET YOUR VOTE IN EARLY. SO THAT’S, I THINK, THE THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE, THE, THE REQUIREMENT ON MAIL IN BALLOTS, THE REAL ID AND PASSPORT PROBLEM, THE DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER. THAT ALSO WILL BE AN OBSTACLE BECAUSE AS AS MUCH AS 5 TO 10% OF THE POPULATION ACTUALLY HAS DIFFICULTY IN. ALL RIGHT. WHERE DO I FIND THAT DOCUMENT? HOW CAN I PROVE I’M A CITIZEN? SO THESE WOULD BE REAL OBSTACLES TO GETTING TO THE BALLOT BOX AND VOTING. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THREAT OF PULLING FEDERAL FUNDING IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, LAWSUITS NOTWITHSTANDING, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE AND HOW WOULD THAT BE DAMAGING? WELL, THIS IS ANOTHER STRATEGY. AND MANY OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS IS TO THREATEN FUNDING THAT IF YOU DON’T DO WHAT I SAY, I’M GOING TO YANK YOUR FEDERAL FUNDING, IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS MATTER BECAUSE FEDERAL DOLLARS DO ASSIST IN THE MANAGEMENT AND RUNNING OF OUR VOTING SYSTEM. I DON’T THINK PULLING FEDERAL DOLLARS FROM VOTING FEDERAL DOLLARS WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC. WE COULD BACKFILL, IF YOU WILL, THOSE MONIES, BUT IT WOULD COMPLICATE THINGS. IT WOULD CREATE CONFUSION AND CHAOS. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. WE’LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THE COURTS VIEW THIS PARTICULAR EXECUTIVE ORDER. I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE, AGAIN, MAY COME INTO THE BALANCE OF POWER ISSUES WITH CONGRESS CONTROLS THE MONEY. THEY’RE THE ONES WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO DECIDE HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH CARRIES OUT THE LAWS. SO HOW WOULD THAT PLAY OUT? CAN HE JUST I GUESS PEOPLE MAYBE AS THEY WATCH, WONDERING, CAN HE DO THIS? IT’S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE YOU’RE EXACTLY RIGHT THAT IT’S CONGRESS THAT HOLDS THE PURSE STRINGS. AND SO FAR WE REALLY HAVEN’T SEEN HOW THE COURTS ULTIMATELY ARE GOING TO REACT. WHAT’S TO WHAT’S GOING ON WITH DOGE MAKING SUPPOSEDLY THEIR OWN CUTS WITH THREATS TO UNIVERSITIES IN FUNDING, WITH PULLING MONEY FROM A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS SUCH AS USAID, THE COURTS, THERE ARE LEGAL CHALLENGES TO ALL OF THIS, BUT THE COURTS HAVE NOT YET HAD TIME TO WEIGH IN ABOUT HOW MUCH POWER DOES THE PRESIDENT HAVE TO SIMPLY STOP FUNDING? SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT, I’M AFRAID, FOR SEVERAL MORE MONTHS, AT LEAST, UNTIL WE SEE HOW FEDERAL COURTS DECIDE THAT VERY DIFFICULT CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION. ABSOLUTELY. PROFESSOR KELSO, IT’S BEEN GREAT TALKING TO YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CHATTING WITH YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. NOW TO OTHER MAJOR NEWS TONIGHT. STOCKTON POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A HOMICIDE AFTER A WOMAN WAS FOUND DEAD WITH A TWO YEAR OLD BOY FOUND ALIVE AND UNHARMED NEARBY. POLICE SAY THAT THEY RESPONDED TO THIS AREA OF MELODY COURT FOR A WELFARE CHECK CALL AROUND 630 THIS MORNING. OFFICERS GOT INTO THE HOME. THEY FOUND A 36 YEAR OLD WOMAN WITH CUTS TO HER BODY. SHE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE TWO YEAR OLD WAS FOUND. THE TWO YEAR OLD WAS UNHARMED. HOMICIDE DETECTIVES HAVE NOW TAKEN THE CASE OVER. POLICE COULD NOT TELL US HOW THE WOMAN WAS RELATED TO THE CHILD OR ANY INFORMATION. YET ON A SUSPECT. STOCKTON POLICE ARE ASKING FOR HELP IN THEIR SEARCH FOR A MISSING 12 YEAR OLD BOY. TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS LAUREN HUNT. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS HE WAS DROPPED OFF AT WEBBERS TOWN MALL ON THURSDAY AT AROUND 5 P.M., WHEN HIS FAMILY LATER ARRIVED TO PICK HIM UP, HE WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. POLICE SAY HE IS KNOWN TO SPEND TIME IN THE NORTHEAST STOCKTON AREA AROUND NEW HAMMER LANE AND TAM O’SHANTER DRIVE, AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND VAN BUREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IF YOU SEE HIM OR KNOW WHERE HE IS, CALL STOCKTON POLICE AT THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN. 209937 7911. WELL, POLICE ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR THREE MEN. THEY SAY CARRIED OUT A HOME INVASION ROBBERY IN CERES. POLICE SAY THE THREE MASKED MEN ARMED WITH GUNS, FORCED THEIR WAY INTO A HOME ON WILLOW POND COURT. THIS WAS THIS LAST SATURDAY NIGHT, ABOUT 1130. POLICE SAY THAT THE MEN FORCED THREE RESIDENTS INTO THE LIVING ROOM, TYING THEM UP, AND THEN ASSAULTED THE HOMEOWNER SEVERAL TIMES TO GET HIM TO COMPLY. POLICE SAY THAT THE SUSPECTS WENT THROUGH THE HOME THEY EVENTUALLY STOLE GAS, CASH AND GUNS, AND DETECTIVES ARE NOW WORKING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THIS PARTICULAR HOME WAS TARGETED. AND THEY’RE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO PLEASE CALL THEM. NOW TO A LIVE LOOK OVER SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. WHETHER YOU’RE HEADING THERE, SPENDING THE DAY AT APPLE HILL OR MAYBE RAFTING THE AMERICAN RIVER, E