The Dallas News reports on the back and forth between the White House and Texas Republicans.
The White House pushed back this afternoon against allegations from Texas Republicans that the Justice Department is overreaching its authority by trying to re-impose preemptive U.S. oversight of Texas elections.
…In the last few hours, a chorus of Texas Republican officials have warned the administration not to mess with Texas. Gov. Rick Perry called the Justice Department’s plan an “end-run around the Supreme Court.” Sen. John Cornyn accused Obama of “bullying” tactics in pursuit of a partisan agenda. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is running for governor, vowed that “I’ll fight Obama’s effort to control our elections.” Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions, a member of the House GOP leadership, called Holder’s move an assault on federalism.
“The administration is once again deliberately attempting to push its political agenda by selectively targeting Texas,” Sessions said.
The Supreme Court left open the possibility that Congress can modernize the Voting Rights Act and resume federal “preclearance” in Texas and other states with a history of bias. But most analysts see little hope of lawmakers finding a consensus.” Read More
Also, True The Vote also had a response to the DOJ’s plan to sue Texas in a press release.
HOUSTON, TX. July 25, 2013 ― True the Vote (TTV), the nation’s leading voters’ rights and election integrity organization, responded today to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s plans to launch a wholesale attack against the State of Texas by filing federal lawsuits against Texas’ voter ID law and election procedures.
“We will not sit idly by and allow the most politically charged Department of Justice in US history to set aside the US constitution and attempt to bully the people of Texas”, True the Vote President Catherine Engelbrecht said. “We will meet Attorney General Holder in court and we will do whatever we need to do to advance the cause of voters’ rights for all Americans.”
“General Holder’s announcement today demonstrates just how radical the DOJ has become. The same department that criminalizes journalism and fails to prosecute IRS agents who violate the rights of American taxpayers is promising to sue states with taxpayer dollars to block laws passed by elected legislators such as voter ID and citizenship verification.
“Every American voter deserves to have his or her vote counted – and not diluted by fraud or error. The DOJ just put itself between the voters of Texas and their guaranteed constitutional and civil rights.
“True the Vote has watched as Attorney General Eric Holder has repeatedly disregarded the rule of law,” Engelbrecht continued. “We understand that this Department of Justice does not believe that protection of voters’ rights should be colorblind.
“Texas will stand its ground in San Antonio – that’s a promise.”
True the Vote (TTV) a nonpartisan, voters’ rights and election integrity organization focused on preserving election integrity and is operated by citizens for citizens, to inspire and equip volunteers for involvement at every stage of our electoral process
