The Justice Department weighed in formally Wednesday in pending voting rights litigation involving Wisconsin's voter identification law and Ohio's election practices.
In April, a federal judge blocked enforcement of the Wisconsin law. That decision is now on appeal to the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, where the Justice Department filed an amicus brief Wednesday urging the appeals court to uphold the ruling striking down the Wisconsin measure.
The Ohio case, involving challenges to state efforts to curtail early voting and limit same-day registration, is still awaiting a decision in the district court. The Justice Department lawyers filed a "statement of interest" in that case that doesn't explicitly stake out a position on the key issues, but does say Ohio is misinterpreting its duties under the Voting Rights Act.
"These filings are necessary to confront the pernicious measures in Wisconsin and Ohio that would impose significant barriers to the most basic right of our democracy."
"These two states' voting laws represent the latest, misguided attempts to fix a system that isn't broken."
"The Justice Department will never shrink from our responsibility to protect the voting rights of every eligible American."
"We will keep using every available tool at our disposal to guard against all forms of discrimination, to prevent voter disenfranchisement, and to secure the rights of every citizen."
Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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