Garland Says DOJ Will Challenge Restrictive State Voting Laws – By Susan Milligan (US News) / June 11 2021
‘There are many things that are open to debate in America, but the right of all eligible citizens to vote is not one of them,’ the attorney general said in his announcement.
The Justice Department is mounting an aggressive effort to challenge restrictive state voting laws on civil rights grounds and to marshal resources across the government to ensure voters – especially minorities – are not disenfranchised, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday.
“There are many things that are open to debate in America, but the right of all eligible citizens to vote is not one of them,” Garland said in remarks at the department’s Great Hall, a venue choice that underscored the gravity of Garland’s message.
The attorney general said that within 30 days, DOJ would double the number of lawyers assigned to protect voting rights. Further, he said, Justice will “vigorously use existing laws, including the Voting Rights Act, the Motor Voter Act, the Help America Vote Act and more, to aggressively protect the right to vote.”
