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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDNC Chair and Congressmen urge Gov. Scott to stop voter purge now
Last edited Wed May 30, 2012, 12:13 AM - Edit history (1)
Using an American war veteran as the face of their cause, two South Florida congressmen called on the governor Tuesday to immediately stop the state's purge of the voter rolls.
And in a separate move, Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to the governor expressing his own concerns about the voter purging.
U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, accused the Republican governor of using the roll cleanup as a ruse to disenfranchise voters just months before a presidential election.
...
"Voting is a fundamental, constitutionally guaranteed right," the coalition wrote. "As such it cannot be lightly withdrawn on the basis of a highly flawed and suspect process."
And in a separate move, Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to the governor expressing his own concerns about the voter purging.
U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, accused the Republican governor of using the roll cleanup as a ruse to disenfranchise voters just months before a presidential election.
...
"Voting is a fundamental, constitutionally guaranteed right," the coalition wrote. "As such it cannot be lightly withdrawn on the basis of a highly flawed and suspect process."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-voter-purge-war-hero-20120529,0,79425.story
Members of Congress ask state to stop voter purge
TALLAHASSEE Six Democratic members of Congress are asking Florida Gov. Rick Scott to suspend a push to remove voters from the rolls.
Democrats sent a letter today to Scott questioning the timing and the accuracy of the effort to purge voters identified as non U.S. citizens.
The state has already put out an initial list of more than 2,600 people identified as non-U.S. citizens. But local election officials charged with checking the list have discovered errors.
State election officials have compared driver's licenses with voter registration data and found that as many as 182,000 registered voters are eligible to be in the country but ineligible to vote.
Those who signed the letter were: U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Corrine Brown, Kathy Castor, Ted Deutch, Alcee Hastings and Frederica Wilson.
Democrats sent a letter today to Scott questioning the timing and the accuracy of the effort to purge voters identified as non U.S. citizens.
The state has already put out an initial list of more than 2,600 people identified as non-U.S. citizens. But local election officials charged with checking the list have discovered errors.
State election officials have compared driver's licenses with voter registration data and found that as many as 182,000 registered voters are eligible to be in the country but ineligible to vote.
Those who signed the letter were: U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Corrine Brown, Kathy Castor, Ted Deutch, Alcee Hastings and Frederica Wilson.
http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/may/29/members-of-congress-ask-state-to-stop-voter-purge-ar-409337/
Florida Voting Laws Challenged By Justice Department
DOJ: Florida Voting Restrictions May Discriminate Intentionally
Virtual Blackout From National Media On Voter Suppression In Florida
Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) has directed his administration to purge the states voting rolls of thousands of registered voters prior to the November election. But his list, which purports to include only non-citizens, targets mostly Democrats and Hispanics and, as ThinkProgress has documented, may disenfranchise hundreds of citizens who are eligible to vote.
The story of a sitting governor of a state with a history of presidential election shenanigans knowingly purging his own, eligible constituents from the voter rolls is the definition of major news, and yet remarkably, in the first five months of the year, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today have published a total of zero articles about Scotts actions. The New York Times did slightly better, printing one story on page 16 of the Friday, May 18th edition. The article ran under the credulous headline: Florida Steps Up Effort Against Illegal Voters.
The story of a sitting governor of a state with a history of presidential election shenanigans knowingly purging his own, eligible constituents from the voter rolls is the definition of major news, and yet remarkably, in the first five months of the year, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today have published a total of zero articles about Scotts actions. The New York Times did slightly better, printing one story on page 16 of the Friday, May 18th edition. The article ran under the credulous headline: Florida Steps Up Effort Against Illegal Voters.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/05/29/491805/rick-scott-voter-purge-national-media/
DNC launches website opposing new voter laws in Fla and other states
December 1st, 2011
Democrats continued Thursday to blast new voter laws in Florida and 13 other states which they say have been crafted by Republican leaders to blunt turnout and damage President Obamas re-election bid next year.
Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a member of Congress from Davie, said the party has launched a new website www.protectingthevote.org aimed at informing voters of the new standards and rallying support for having them overturned. Floridas law is already the subject of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and voting rights organizations.
A U.S. Senate subcommittee also plans to hold a hearing in Florida in coming weeks on the new law, following a request by Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who said the states new standard violates basic rights.
...
By now, its well known theyre determined to roll back the right to vote and skew the 2012 presidential election, Wasserman Schultz said.
Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a member of Congress from Davie, said the party has launched a new website www.protectingthevote.org aimed at informing voters of the new standards and rallying support for having them overturned. Floridas law is already the subject of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and voting rights organizations.
A U.S. Senate subcommittee also plans to hold a hearing in Florida in coming weeks on the new law, following a request by Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who said the states new standard violates basic rights.
...
By now, its well known theyre determined to roll back the right to vote and skew the 2012 presidential election, Wasserman Schultz said.
http://www.postonpolitics.com/2011/12/dnc-launches-website-opposing-new-voter-laws-in-fla-and-other-states/
DNC Chair: GOP Attacking Americans' Right to Vote
Republican ID push and attacks on early voting especially harm minority voters
By Debbie Wasserman Schultz
The national effort to restrict the right to vote has nothing to do with common sense; it is a callous political calculation designed to advantage Republicans in 2012. Rather than artificially slanting the electorate, it is time for Republicans to join the efforts of the president and the Democratic Party to create jobs, invest in our future, and address the challenges our nation faces. Maybe then the GOP wouldn't have to work so hard to stop Americans from voting.
The national effort to restrict the right to vote has nothing to do with common sense; it is a callous political calculation designed to advantage Republicans in 2012. Rather than artificially slanting the electorate, it is time for Republicans to join the efforts of the president and the Democratic Party to create jobs, invest in our future, and address the challenges our nation faces. Maybe then the GOP wouldn't have to work so hard to stop Americans from voting.
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/06/23/dnc-chair-gop-attacking-americans-right-to-vote
__________________________________________
It looks like the DOJ, DNC and other coalitions are on top of it..we just need to be diligent and help them raise their voices louder. The Media is largely ignoring it. Thanks Bigtree for the added links
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DNC Chair and Congressmen urge Gov. Scott to stop voter purge now (Original Post)
SunsetDreams
May 2012
OP
bigtree
(85,998 posts)1. thanks for the links, SunsetDreams
Some folks would have us believe that this letter comprises the entire offensive the DNC is waging against voter fraud and suppression in Florida and elsewhere; or that they're just now coming to this fight.
here's a snippet from 2011:
In a conference call with reporters Thursday, Wasserman Schultz said Republicans are out to rig elections.
By now, its well known theyre determined to roll back the right to vote and skew the 2012 presidential election, Wasserman Schultz said.
Democrats and their allies have blistered the new Florida law, which reduces turnout by reducing the number of days available for early voting, while also imposing tighter reporting standards for third-party groups that register voters.
Supporters of the measures deny any partisan motivation, instead saying the stricter standards are intended to reduce voter-fraud.
Wasserman Schultz, though, isnt buying that.
A 74-page report released Thursday by the Democratic Party concluded, every major investigation into voter fraud in the United States has arrived at the same conclusion: There is almost none. The real fraud has been the use of baseless allegations to change election laws in ways that will lead to partisan Republican gains.
www.postonpolitics.com/2011/12/dnc-launches-website-opposing-new-voter-laws-in-fla-and-other-states/
more from June 2011:
DNC Chair: GOP Attacking Americans' Right to Vote
Republican ID push and attacks on early voting especially harm minority voters
By Debbie Wasserman Schultz
The national effort to restrict the right to vote has nothing to do with common sense; it is a callous political calculation designed to advantage Republicans in 2012. Rather than artificially slanting the electorate, it is time for Republicans to join the efforts of the president and the Democratic Party to create jobs, invest in our future, and address the challenges our nation faces. Maybe then the GOP wouldn't have to work so hard to stop Americans from voting.
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/06/23/dnc-chair-gop-attacking-americans-right-to-vote
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)2. You're welcome and thank you for those links
They have definitely been on top of it, some people would have us believe other wise.
bigtree
(85,998 posts)4. the President and the party are doing much more in coordination with the Justice Dept . . .
Voting Rights Institute of the Democratic National Committee is a permanent organization created to monitor developments in election law, advocate to make voting more accessible, and provide guidance on voting rights and election administration issues. This work is integrally tied to our Party's platform, which commits to fully protecting and enforcing the fundamental right to vote.
The Democratic National Committee is dedicated to ensuring that the process of voting remains open and fair for all eligible Americans. We continue to work to defeat any legislative or political effort that erodes the most fundamental of American rightsthe right to vote.
Under the leadership of its chair Donna Brazile, the Voting Rights Institute focuses on the protection and expansion of voting rights in a variety of ways, including:
Voting Rights Policy Development
Research and Publication
Voter Protection Organizing
Redistricting Support
Voting Rights Litigation Support
read more: http://www.democrats.org/about/voting_rights_institute
The National Lawyers Council of the Democratic Party
works to support President Obama's agenda, promote and protect the right to vote, and engage Democratic attorneys in a variety of ways. Sign up to receive information on relevant events, legislation, calls to action, and leadership opportunities throughout the year.
read more: http://my.democrats.org/page/s/national-lawyers-council-sign-up?source=Demsfooter
The Accountability Project is a platform for you to hold candidates accountable for their claims, their public statements, and their campaign tactics. No matter where you live, you can:
If you have a video camera of any kind, or even a cell phone that records video, you can document Republican candidate events, including speeches, forums, and public meetings.
You can submit copies of candidate mailers, emails, and attack ads.
You can also report upcoming public events in your area, so that other volunteers can document them.
read more: http://my.democrats.org/page/content/ap/home
DNC Protect the Vote Initiative:
http://www.protectingthevote.org/?source=DNC_HQB
Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum
Austin, TX ~ Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Under this Administration, our Civil Rights Division and its Voting Section have taken meaningful steps to ensure integrity, independence, and transparency in our enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. We have worked successfully and comprehensively to protect the voting rights of U.S. service members and veterans, and to enforce other laws that protect Americans living abroad, citizens with disabilities, and language minorities. As part of our aggressive enforcement of the Motor Voter law, this year alone, we filed two statewide lawsuits to enforce the requirement that voter registration opportunities be made available at a wider variety of government offices beyond just the local department of motor vehicles. And were seeing promising results from this work. For example, after filing a lawsuit in Rhode Island, we reached an agreement with state agencies that resulted in more voters being registered in the first full month after our lawsuit than in the entire previous two-year reporting period.
Were also working to ensure that the protections for language minorities included in the Voting Rights Act are aggressively enforced. These protections now apply to more than 19 million voting-age citizens. These are our Spanish-speaking friends and neighbors, our Chinese-speaking friends and neighbors, and a large and growing part of all our communities. In just the past year, weve filed three lawsuits to protect their rights. And, today, were actively reviewing nationwide compliance.
http://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/ag/speeches/2011/ag-speech-111213.html
Obama Administration Blocks Texas' New Voter ID Law
http://www.kxnet.com/story/17136671/justice-dept-opposes-texas-voter-id-law
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765558948/Justice-Dept-TX-law-could-limit-Hispanic-voting.html
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/03/12/3804561/texas-voter-id-law-heads-to-federal.html
Dept. of Justice Rejects South Carolina 'Discriminatory' Voter ID Law
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/justice-department-rejects-sc-voter-id-law-says-it-makes-it-harder-for-minorities-to-vote/2011/12/23/gIQAqDpDEP_print.html
http://www.wtam.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104668&article=9542778
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/12/justice-dept-rejects-south-carolina-voter-id-law/1
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)5. Wow thanks for those links
You would think that nothing has been getting done according to some things I've read
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)3. I've added your links in the OP
Thank you very much!
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)6. kick