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Justice Department sues GA for voting restrictions
GARLAND: “Today the Department of Justice is suing the state of Georgia.” Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday that the US Department of Justice will file a lawsuit against a Georgia electoral law that imposes new voting restrictions on the grounds that it violates black rights Voters.GARLAND: “This lawsuit is the first of many steps we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters have one vote, that all legitimate votes are counted, and that every voter has access to accurate information.” signed by Governor Brian Kemp on March 25, tightened postal voting requirements, restricted the use of ballot boxes, and allowed a Republican-controlled state agency to hold local votes. The DOJ said certain measures of the law passed were of discriminatory intent – such as banning the distribution of water or food to people waiting in long lines at polling stations. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke said the law was a direct response to the record turnout that gave Democrats two Senate seats and President Biden a state victory more likely than long lines for white voters. SB 202 then imposes additional barriers to personal voting. Like all provisions of SB 202, the postal voting changes were not made in a vacuum. These changes will take place immediately after the successful postal vote in the 2020 election cycle, especially for black voters. “The wave of new measures in Georgia has been fueled by former President Donald Trump’s false claims that his November election defeat was the result of widespread fraud. President Joe Biden, who won Georgia as the first Democratic presidential candidate in three decades, passed Georgia’s new law Voting in the Senate this week, President Joe Biden pledged to take further steps to protect voting rights. The Republican governors of Arizona, Florida and Iowa also signed new election restrictions this year while the legislatures of the States in Pennsylvania and Texas are trying to make similar progress. Clarke says her department stands ready to expand the struggle for voting rights beyond Georgia … the constitutionally guaranteed voting rights of Americans in Georgia and wherever it may be e rights in our country are threatened to be protected. “
