Obama: Will he sue states over voter ID laws?
http://dervishcom.blogspot.com/2011/12/obama-will-he-sue-states-over-voter-id.html
Attorney General Eric Holder is suggesting the Obama administration may go to court to try and block states that it believes are trying to restrict voting, particularly minority voting.
In a speech last night in Austin, Holder urged Americans to "call on our political parties to resist the temptation to suppress certain votes in the hope of attaining electoral success and, instead, achieve success by appealing to more voters."
Holder spoke at the Texas presidential library of Lyndon Johnson, who signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Earlier this week, USA TODAY's Fredreka Schouten reported that "more than half a dozen states have passed new laws to reduce early voting, setting up a clash with civil rights groups and Democrats who claim the rules could disenfranchise minority voters in the 2012 election for the White House and Congress."
"Among states with new restrictions: Wisconsin and Florida, presidential swing states that also are key battlegrounds in the fight for control of the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow advantage," USA TODAY added.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, whose Lone Star state has a new law requiring photo IDs from prospective voters, criticized Holder's appearance in Austin.
"Voter identification laws are constitutional and necessary to prevent fraud at the ballot box," Cornyn said. "Facing an election challenge next year, this administration has chosen to target efforts by the states to protect the democratic process."
Reports the Associated Press:
Currently, the Justice Department is reviewing new requirements in Texas and South Carolina requiring voters to produce a photo ID before casting ballots. The department also is examining changes that Florida has made to its electoral process -- imposing financial penalties on third-party voter registration organizations like the League of Women Voters when they miss deadlines and shortening the number of days in the early voting period before elections.
Most of the changes have been promoted and approved by Republicans, who argue they are needed to avert voter fraud. Democrats, citing studies suggesting there is little voter fraud, say the measures are actually aimed at reducing minority votes for their candidates.
Where a state can't meet its legal burden in showing an absence of discriminatory impact, "we will object," the attorney general said in his speech at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum. As president in 1965, Johnson was instrumental in passing the landmark law the Justice Department now uses to ensure voting rights in Texas, South Carolina and all or parts of 14 other states. Most of the 16 states are in the South and all of them with a history of discrimination against blacks, American Indians, Asian-Americans, Alaska Natives or Hispanics.
Besides Texas and South Carolina, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wisconsin have enacted more stringent voter ID laws this year.
In a speech last night in Austin, Holder urged Americans to "call on our political parties to resist the temptation to suppress certain votes in the hope of attaining electoral success and, instead, achieve success by appealing to more voters."
Holder spoke at the Texas presidential library of Lyndon Johnson, who signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Earlier this week, USA TODAY's Fredreka Schouten reported that "more than half a dozen states have passed new laws to reduce early voting, setting up a clash with civil rights groups and Democrats who claim the rules could disenfranchise minority voters in the 2012 election for the White House and Congress."
"Among states with new restrictions: Wisconsin and Florida, presidential swing states that also are key battlegrounds in the fight for control of the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow advantage," USA TODAY added.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, whose Lone Star state has a new law requiring photo IDs from prospective voters, criticized Holder's appearance in Austin.
"Voter identification laws are constitutional and necessary to prevent fraud at the ballot box," Cornyn said. "Facing an election challenge next year, this administration has chosen to target efforts by the states to protect the democratic process."
Reports the Associated Press:
Currently, the Justice Department is reviewing new requirements in Texas and South Carolina requiring voters to produce a photo ID before casting ballots. The department also is examining changes that Florida has made to its electoral process -- imposing financial penalties on third-party voter registration organizations like the League of Women Voters when they miss deadlines and shortening the number of days in the early voting period before elections.
Most of the changes have been promoted and approved by Republicans, who argue they are needed to avert voter fraud. Democrats, citing studies suggesting there is little voter fraud, say the measures are actually aimed at reducing minority votes for their candidates.
Where a state can't meet its legal burden in showing an absence of discriminatory impact, "we will object," the attorney general said in his speech at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum. As president in 1965, Johnson was instrumental in passing the landmark law the Justice Department now uses to ensure voting rights in Texas, South Carolina and all or parts of 14 other states. Most of the 16 states are in the South and all of them with a history of discrimination against blacks, American Indians, Asian-Americans, Alaska Natives or Hispanics.
Besides Texas and South Carolina, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wisconsin have enacted more stringent voter ID laws this year.
