Napoleonic autocrat Ron DeSantis’s goons are attempting to block the Justice Department from monitoring polling sites in Florida, because it’s a violation of state law and would be “counterproductive” to their mission of voter intimidation, the Washington Post reports.

The Florida Department of State sent a letter to the US Department of Justice claiming that federal election monitors are barred by Florida law from observing voting sites in the state, citing a state law that actually gives local officials the decision on who can be at polling places, according to WTFL Palm Beach. The move appears to be an effort by Florida to challenge election integrity provisions put forth in the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

In the letter from Florida Department of State General Counsel, Brad McVay claims that Florida statute 102.031 (3)(a) bars federal officials from having federal representatives observe elections. In fact, however, the statute cited lists permitted workers on voting days with a very large hole that allows local elections officials to allow anyone they deem appropriate. At no time does the cited regulation bar federal observers from polling places, as McVay implies in his letter.

The Department of Justice sent notifications to 64 jurisdictions in 24 states around the nation announcing it would send monitors to polling places to ensure voting was done in compliance with the 1965 Voting Rights Act provisions that ban intimidation, excessive effort, voter blocking and other conservative efforts to stifle voter turnout do not occur.

“Your letters simply provide a non-exhaustive list of federal elections statutes as the basis for this action without pointing to any specific statutory authorization,” McVay claims while ignoring that the letter actually cites the 1965 Voting Rights Act specifically. “When asked for specific authorization during our phone call this evening, you did not provide any. Accordingly, the Florida Department of State invokes its authority under section 101.58(2) of the Florida Statutes to send its own monitors to the three targeted jurisdictions. These monitors will ensure that there is no interference with the voting process.”