Covering news and issues relating to voting rights in 2021.
DOJ Georgia Lawsuit
The Biden Department of Justice announced it would sue the state of Georgia over restrictions on voting rights that were enacted in 2021. In a press conference announcing the suit, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia’s election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.”
Democrats in Georgia praised the DOJ for making the decision to file the suit.
Supreme Court
Supreme Court Upheld Arizona Voting Rights Restrictions. “The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld voting restrictions in Arizona and signaled that challenges to new state laws making it harder to vote would face a hostile reception from a majority of the justices. The vote was 6 to 3, with the court’s three liberal members in dissent.” [NY Times]
John Roberts Accused Of Gutting Voting Rights. “The final two decisions of the court session on Thursday continued this trend of Roberts’ stewardship that cuts to the heart of democracy and generally benefits conservatives over liberals, Republican voters over Democratic voters. The pattern on voting rights traces to Roberts’ early years serving in the Ronald Reagan administration when the young GOP lawyer opposed racial remedies and argued for a constricted interpretation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.” [CNN]
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.