DOJ Position on South Carolina Voter ID Law and Texas Voter ID Law
Here is a link to the letter from the Department of Justice to the State of South Carolina describing the legal justification for the DOJ's refusal to allowthe South Carolina Voter ID law to go into effect http://images.politico.com/global/2011/12/2011-2495_ltr.pdf This letter makes me smile in that all of the reasons listed in this letter as justifications for blocking the South Carolina voter id act also applies to the Texas voter id law (SB 14). Currently, the Texas voter id law is not in effect in Texas because the State of Texas has not provided information requested by the DOJ on November 17, 2011 as to the impact of SB 14 on minority voters. To me it is clear that the State of Texas has not provided the requested information because such information would show that SB 14 adversely affects Hispanic and other minority voters. The Brennan Center looked at the data that the State of Texas has already provided to the DOJ and concluded that such information shows that SB 14 would have a discriminatory effect on Hispanic and minority voters. http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/archives/texass_own_data_reveals_discriminatory_impact_of_voter_id_law/
If the analysis prepared by the Brennan Center is correct, then I am very confident that the DOJ will also block SB 14. That means that there will be litigation on this issue and there is a good chance that such litigation can not be resolved prior to the 2012 election.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Way to go AG Holder and DOJ!
Rejection of South Carolina voter ID law may put Texas' law on shakier ground
The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday rejected as discriminatory a South Carolina law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. The action by the department's civil rights division, coupled with Attorney General Eric Holder's call 10 days earlier in Austin for more aggressive federal review of such laws, appears to increase the likelihood that the Texas version could meet a similar fate.
Texas Republicans criticized the decision, calling it improper and vowing to defend Texas' voter ID law.
The Justice Department said the South Carolina law makes it harder for members of minority groups to cast ballots, to the point that tens of thousands of them might be turned away at the polls because they lack the required photo ID. The law requires a state-issued driver's license or ID card, a U.S. military ID or a U.S. passport.
The Texas law, which was signed by Gov. Rick Perry in May, requires voters to show a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a Texas driver's license, Department of Public Safety identification card, state concealed handgun license, U.S. military ID or U.S. passport.
Like the South Carolina law, the Texas law needs approval from the Justice Department under the 1965 federal Voting Rights Act. Such "pre-clearance" to ensure that minority political power is not harmed is required in states that failed to protect minority voting rights in the past.
These Texas repukes think they have the bush DOJ who would pre-clear anything they wanted.
Of course they do have a majority on the Supreme Court which is scary enough.
The Brennan Center has always been a great ally and done great research work - but the Texas House and Senate totally discounted it anyway. The Brennan Center even sent someone to testify in the House hearing and their testimony was presented in the Senate two sessions ago. Made no difference to the repukes - logic and fairness be damned. They want what they want - no matter who they step on to get it.
