Sep 14, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Biden campaign expands legal team ahead of election

Joe Biden.

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Joe Biden's campaign is beefing up its legal team with the addition of two former solicitors general and other attorneys, ahead of possible battles over voting access and election results, ABC News reports.

Why it matters: The move highlights the potential for a number of high-stakes legal battles as the nation heads to the polls amid the coronavirus pandemic. The campaign said the legal team will combat any instances of voter suppression, while also identifying and countering foreign interference and misinformation.

Details: The legal team will be led by Dana Remus, the Biden campaign's general counsel, and Bob Bauer, a former White House counsel who was involved in the vetting process for Biden's vice presidential pick.

  • Former solicitors general Walter Dellinger and Donald Verrilli, who served in the Clinton and Obama administrations, respectively, will lead a “special litigation” unit.
  • Election lawyer Marc Elias will lead a group at the law firm of Perkins Coie focused on voter access issues and ensuring an accurate vote count.
  • Former Attorney General Eric Holder will lead a communications effort that will look to "interact broadly with all stakeholders in voting rights," the Biden campaign wrote in a statement, per ABC News.

What they're saying: "For months, the Biden for President campaign has been quietly building a massive election protection program — the largest in presidential campaign history," a campaign adviser said, per ABC News.

Editor's note: This post has been corrected to reflect that Walter Dellinger served in the Clinton administration and Donald Verrilli served in the Obama administration (not vice versa).

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