Shelby Alexander Posts

For the second time this week, the federal court has ruled against Attorney General Greg Abbott, this time striking down the Republican photo voter ID law. We've compiled a round of press statements from Texas' Democratic elected officials praising the court's ruling against the state's voter ID law. What a week!

You can find statements below the jump from the following:

• Congressman Lloyd Doggett
• Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
• Senator Leticia Van de Putte
• Senator José Rodríguez
• Senator Wendy Davis
• Senator Rodney Ellis
• Representative Garnet Coleman

Congressman Lloyd Doggett

"Twice in one week, a unanimous three-judge federal court has rejected Governor Perry's schemes to violate the Voting Rights Act. His continued defense of the indefensible represents a shameless waste of millions of taxpayer dollars."

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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

"A long, bitter, and bloody struggle was fought for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 so that all Americans could enjoy the right to vote, regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin.  Americans died in that fight so that others could achieve what they had been forcefully deprived of for centuries--the ability to walk freely and without fear into the polling place and cast a voting ballot.  An election with integrity is one that is open to every eligible voter. Restrictive voter ID requirements degrade the integrity of our elections by systematically excluding large numbers of eligible Americans."

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Senator Leticia Van de Putte

"The D.C. court has wisely affirmed what we already knew: That the Voter ID law would serve as a barrier, keeping the most vulnerable Texans from exercising their legal right to vote. I hope the State of Texas will stop wasting taxpayer money on blocking legally registered voters from the polls, and instead put its resources toward both encouraging voter turnout and investigating real voter fraud, not chasing the 'voter impersonation' phantom."

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Senator José Rodríguez

"Today's decision to block Texas' voter ID law will ensure that the voices of Hispanic voters across El Paso, West Texas, and our state, will not be ignored as a result of highly partisan attempts to deny them the right to vote. This is a clear message that the state ought to stop trying to pass unconstitutional laws that infringe on the rights of Texas minorities, especially the millions of Hispanics in our state. Once again state leaders were unable to prove that the Voter ID law would not adversely impact minority voters.  As the Department of Justice correctly argued, Hispanic registered voters, in particular, are less likely to have photo identification or the ability to acquire photo identification because of obstacles, such as the lack of transportation. This is why I voted against passage of the law. This has gone on for too long already. With the court's rejection this week of the state's redistricting proposals, it is clear that continued assaults on our cherished right to vote are unconstitutional and a distraction from the vital governance issues we face."

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Senator Wendy Davis

"Requiring photo identification could have, perhaps, been enacted fairly, but Governor Perry and state leaders insisted on forcing through a flawed law that would have wasted millions of taxpayer dollars without protecting a single vote.  Texas leaders should be focusing on creating jobs instead of throwing money away on partisan politics."

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Senator Rodney Ellis

"I thank the DC Federal Court for standing up for voting rights and against discrimination and disenfranchisement. Throughout this entire process, Texas consistently failed to produce information showing the law would not have a discriminatory impact on minority voters.  The Voting Rights Act exists for this exact purpose: protecting the ability of all Americans to access the ballot box. There are more UFO and Bigfoot sightings than documented cases of voter impersonation. After years of testimony and debate, supporters of Texas' voter ID law still cannot prove their case that voter impersonation is even a minor problem in Texas.  We, unfortunately, have plenty of evidence that it will disenfranchise legal student, elderly, African American and Hispanic voters.  The esteemed justices, like the Department of Justice before them, saw that evidence and made the right decision."

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Representative Garnet Coleman

"Today the court handed down another victory for the voters of Texas and upheld the heart of the Voting Rights Act. It's no surprise that Greg Abbott and his team were unable to make the case that the Voter ID Law would not have discriminatory or retrogressive results. This piece of legislation was crafted to do just that--disenfranchise minority voters and inhibit them from electing representatives of their choice. Not everyone has the ability to obtain or the luxury to afford an approved photo identification as prescribed by the Voter ID Law. People of color, the elderly, and college students would have been particularly harmed by the law. Shame on Greg Abbott for continuing to assault the voting rights of minority voters by advocating for a modern day poll tax. We are fortunate that the federal government continues to prevent Texas' attempts to use state law to suppress the votes of minorities, the elderly, and college students."