Department of Justice Plans to Sue Florida over Voter Purge
Source: Talking Points Memo
The Justice Departments Civil Rights Division is planning to sue the state of Florida for purging voters from its rolls in violation of federal law, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez said in a letter to Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner Monday.
DOJ warned Florida last month that its efforts to purge individuals believed to be noncitizens from the voter rolls would violate federal law because the process had not been cleared by either the Justice Department or a federal court, and because the purge was taking place too close to Floridas August primary. Perez wrote Monday that he authorized the initiation of an enforcement action against Florida in federal court because the state had indicated its unwillingness to comply with federal laws.
Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/doj_to_sue_over_floridas_voter_purge.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
It might be funny if it wasn't so fucking criminal.. Scotts only purpose is to create a situation to purge Democratic voters. That has been proven. Now, 30 minutes after Scott says he is sueing Obama's Homeland Security, (on Fox News) ...The Justice Department annonces
it is sueing Florida. So..Scott didn't know it was coming? sure, and at the equater tonite, at sea level...it will snow.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Stuart G
(38,361 posts)Justice Department: "Make My Day"
and this lawsuit against Scott has made mine.........
ret5hd
(20,435 posts)instead of suing a state, why not charge a person.
THAT would get so e attention.
robinlynne
(15,481 posts)Marie Marie
(9,999 posts)This isn't the "state" pulling this crap - it is ONE man. And how many election officials have spoken out and taken a stand against the Governor. Yes, the accountability for this lies soley at the feet of the Governor himself.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)RICO will likely apply.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)AllyCat
(16,036 posts)Lets protect the people instead of the non-coronary corporations!
Baitball Blogger
(46,576 posts)We need Federal intervention! I've been saying it for years!
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)voter suppression laws in other states run by goppers.
These sobs need to be put in limelight for all to see their radical agendas.
One rule, corporation controll of America.
oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)bust ALEC under RICO... conspiracy to deny voting rights.. after all there has to be a reason all those major corporations fled ALEC.. don't suppose they knew what was coming..
SunSeeker
(51,371 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)Your recent previous thread.
Who is suing whom? Or are both suing each other? Or will there be open warfare on the borders of the sunshine state? Enquiring minds want to know!
I am hoping for a final shoot out in the midst of hungry alligator and python infested Everglades National Park. That's good entertainment to say nothing about good eating, for the reptilians at least.
Akoto
(4,261 posts)Crap like this sometimes makes me afraid to live in Florida.
longship
(40,416 posts)Like two rams butting heads. We know that Holder is holding (so to speak) all the cards.
Hope the media picks this up. I pray every night that Entertainment Tonight will cover it.
on edit: still hoping for Everglades action.
ET would have to cover it. Hell, Fox would cover it.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)the Department of Homeland Security, ostensibly to get access to some secret list that has information on non-citizens living in Florida. My take on it is:
a) The lawsuit by Florida is just a pathetic threat to give incentive to the DOJ to drop their lawsuit, and behind the scenes they're saying "you drop your lawsuit against us, and we'll drop our suit against you," despite the two being more or less unrelated. I say 'pathetic threat' because the voter suppression lawsuit will be easy to prove, while I don't think the Homeland Security lawsuit will get very far. It amounts to Scott bringing a knife to a gunfight because it's better than nothing.
b) The Republican move to hold a vote on holding Holder in contempt of Congress over Fast and Furious is also a threat to encourage DOJ to drop the Florida thing. (And yeah, I think I deserve extra points for the alliteration of holding a vote holding Holder in contempt.)
ProfessionalLeftist
(4,982 posts)DOES help. Quite a few DUers told me it would do no good.
goclark
(30,404 posts)for taking the time to write such important letters.
Are there some addresses to send to now?
What words should my letters contain?
Thanks!
ProfessionalLeftist
(4,982 posts)to: Voting.Section@usdoj.gov
cc: aclufl@aclufl.org
cc: The White House (via website)
cc BarackObama.com (via website)
SUBJECT: FL Governor Rick Scott Defies DOJ, Vows to Continue Illegal Voter Purge
Despite a Justice Department letter, objections from county elections
officials, that a disproportionate number of voters affected are
voters of color, and that a primary election is scheduled within 90
days, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner's office stated again
just yesterday that they plan continue purging the state's voter
rolls.
Governor Scotts administration claims that the Department of Justice
doesnt understand two federal voting laws at the heart of the dispute
and that DOJ is protecting potentially illegal voters more than legal
ones.
SOURCE: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/06/2835732/feds-erred-in-demanding-florida.html
After the Department of Justice has made clear to the state of Florida
that its current voter purge activity is in violation of both Section
5 of the Voting Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act, it
is also clear that the state's officials intend to continue breaking
the law.
"Voter fraud" is statistically NONEXISTENT in this country. ELECTION
fraud, however, is rampant - as we can see by what Governor Rick Scott
is doing in Florida and similar efforts in other states such as
Colorado, New Mexico and others. Other vote(er)-restricting activities
being enacted across the nation include onerous and expensive "Voter
ID" laws apparently designed to keep voters of certain demographics
from voting, and restrictions on or complete elimination of voter
registration drives, early voting, and one-stop voting.
There are virulent factions in this country that would like to prevent
many eligible voters from exercising their right to vote, rather than
helping them to do so. These entities seek to disenfranchise many
eligible voters beneath the pretense of "preventing fraud" (fraud that
is statistically nonexistent - which gives lie to their stated
purpose).
"There's a fiendish cleverness in perpetrating a fraud in broad
daylight, at the same time as you tell the people that it must be done
to guard against - you guessed it - fraud." - (SOURCE:
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/republicans-plot-to-steal-white-house-20120602-1zofk.html)
The right to vote is at the very core of our Democracy in the United
States. When this right is being threatened by multiple factions and
particularly when those threats are obviously designed to
disenfranchise (a) particular demographic(s) of voters, this cannot be
allowed to stand.
It is very much appreciated that the Department of Justice has made
efforts to halt the illegal activity in Florida, and I hope that FL
state officials comply with its requests. If it is true however, that
Ken Detzner and Governor Rick Scott intend to flout the DOJ's request
and the nation's voter registration and election laws, then I hope you
stand ready to take further immediate action to sue the state of
Florida for these violations.
Your continued attention to these matters is very much requested and
appreciated.
- a concerned citizen and voter
amerciti001
(158 posts)the lawsuit on the grounds that there are no factual basis for the lawsuit and as Governor he doesn't need to respond. After all, as Governor he's above the law and whatever he says the law is.
Stuart G
(38,361 posts)Written reports as well as oral reports from Election Supervisers as to othe inaccracy of the purge as of this date..
And he will need to respond..It is the law..
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)And hear his testimony about the rampant voter fraud. Then, I suppose he could also be asked why the republicans havent done anything about this alleged "voter fraud" until now, despite controlling the Florida legislature, Governorship, and Cabinet for the past 20 years.
just1voice
(1,362 posts)It says Florida is in violation of the Voting Rights Act but doesn't say what any penalties are. It won't intimidate anyone.
bigtree
(85,918 posts)Voting Rights Act of 1965
SEC. 12. (a) Whoever shall deprive or attempt to deprive any person of any right secured by section 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 or shall violate section 11(a) or (b), shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
thecrow
(5,519 posts)Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)So that 2 years from now some fines might be assessed???
Arrest, indict, imprison - all before August 1.
indypaul
(949 posts)to proceed an investigation into who directed this process to begin with.
Who wrote the code and at whose direction was selection criteria made
and for what purpose. At whose direction were the data files selected to
compare? Answer these questions and then decide if there is an honest
effort to clean up the files or an attempt to deprive certain persons of
their right to vote. Lawsuits and injunctions are only a waste of time and
effort when there appears to be possible criminal activity. Don't waste
anymore of our time and get the ball rolling.