06.27.06
Capitol Annex On John Carter’s VRA Comments
Vince Leibowitz at Capitol Annex has three great posts up on Rep. John Carter’s “jumbled” comments on the Voting Rights Act (see below). The most recent of his posts points to the fact that the MSM is picking up on a civilrights.org report titled, Voting Rights in Texas, 1982-2006. Here’s some of what they found:
The recent 2004 election offers insight into continuing voter discrimination in Texas. In conjunction with other organizations, MALDEF served as a resource center to address election irregularities. Fielding complaints throughout the voting period, MALDEF learned of several voting rights violations, including:
- The closing of a polling place in a predominately African-American precinct, contrary to state law, despite the fact that voters remained in line;
- Minority voters being turned away from their polling locations and asked to return at a later time;
- Election judge intimidation through demands for identification, contrary to Texas law, and threats of jail time if it was determined that voters had outstanding warrants;
- Disproportionately stringent voter screening and questioning; and
- A racial slur directed at a minority voter by an election judge.
This from today’s DMN, Texas, others challenged on voting rights claims.
Civil rights advocates hit back Monday, challenging Texas and other Southern states that say they have sufficiently improved minority voting rights to deserve relief from federal scrutiny.
For more than a month, Republicans from Texas, Georgia and other states have stalled House debate on extending key provisions of the Voting Rights Act for 25 years – stymieing a deal between Speaker Dennis Hastert and Democratic leaders.
The critics say that after four decades of monitoring, these states have better records than many others.
“The claim is completely bogus,” said Nancy Zirkin, deputy director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which released reports Monday detailing violations in Texas and Georgia. “Texas is among the most egregious abusers of the Voting Rights Act.”
Since Congress last renewed the law, in 1982, the Justice Department has rejected 107 electoral changes proposed by Texas or its cities and counties. Only Mississippi had more rejections.
“A second generation of voting discrimination is alive and well,” Ms. Zirkin said.
With the previous generation leading the charge. And once again, as Chris Bell says, “I am getting sick and tired of Texas being the headquarters of the Thank God for Mississippi Committee.” In Vince’s posts he highlights much more recent evidence that there is plenty of reason for the VRA to be renewed in Texas. This is just another attempt by the current Republican Party, in Texas and around the country, to roll back all the advances made in the last 40 plus years.