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Protect voting rights; oppose Von Spakovsky
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.l)/NNPA Guest Commentary
Issue date: 10/14/07 Section: Politics
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More than 40 years ago, John Lewis and Hosea Williams, along with hundreds of everyday Americans, left their homes and churches to brave the blows of Billy clubs and join a march for freedom across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Thousands of anonymous foot soldiers - blacks and whites, the young and the elderly - summoned the courage to march for justice and demand freedom. A few months later, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.
It's because of the sacrifice of these American heroes that we've come so far today. But there's more work to be done. Recent elections have shown unprecedented intimidation of African-American, Native-American, low-income and elderly voters at the polls. We've seen political operatives purge voters from registration rolls for no legitimate reason, distribute polling equipment unevenly, and deceive voters about the time, location and rules of elections.
So today, more than ever, we need to have confidence that those in government responsible for overseeing our voting system will uphold the right to vote for every single American. This is what's at stake in the United States Senate today. President George W. Bush has recently nominated Hans von Spakovsky to serve on the Federal Election Commission (FEC). It's the job of the FEC to regulate elections and disclose campaign finance contributions. So it goes without saying that the FEC needs strong, impartial leadership that will promote integrity in our election system.
Von Spakovsky is not the right person for this job, and I strongly oppose his nomination. From 2001 to 2005, von Spakovsky served as an official at the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division where he amassed a record of undermining voting rights, creating restrictions that would make it harder for poor and minority communities to vote, and putting partisan politics above upholding our civil rights.
Take what happened in Georgia. In 2005, Georgia was trying to require photo identification to be presented by all voters. Even though Georgia's voter ID law was being reviewed by von Spakovsky's office at the Department of Justice for violating the Voting Rights Act, he anonymously published an article supporting the restriction, arguing it did not affect minority voters disproportionately. Von Spakovsky undoubtedly drove the DOJ's decision to approve the law - a law later overturned by a federal judge.
It's because of the sacrifice of these American heroes that we've come so far today. But there's more work to be done. Recent elections have shown unprecedented intimidation of African-American, Native-American, low-income and elderly voters at the polls. We've seen political operatives purge voters from registration rolls for no legitimate reason, distribute polling equipment unevenly, and deceive voters about the time, location and rules of elections.
So today, more than ever, we need to have confidence that those in government responsible for overseeing our voting system will uphold the right to vote for every single American. This is what's at stake in the United States Senate today. President George W. Bush has recently nominated Hans von Spakovsky to serve on the Federal Election Commission (FEC). It's the job of the FEC to regulate elections and disclose campaign finance contributions. So it goes without saying that the FEC needs strong, impartial leadership that will promote integrity in our election system.
Von Spakovsky is not the right person for this job, and I strongly oppose his nomination. From 2001 to 2005, von Spakovsky served as an official at the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division where he amassed a record of undermining voting rights, creating restrictions that would make it harder for poor and minority communities to vote, and putting partisan politics above upholding our civil rights.
Take what happened in Georgia. In 2005, Georgia was trying to require photo identification to be presented by all voters. Even though Georgia's voter ID law was being reviewed by von Spakovsky's office at the Department of Justice for violating the Voting Rights Act, he anonymously published an article supporting the restriction, arguing it did not affect minority voters disproportionately. Von Spakovsky undoubtedly drove the DOJ's decision to approve the law - a law later overturned by a federal judge.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Al Kolwicz
posted 10/15/07 @ 10:40 AM EST
Is this a personal smear, or is there substance behind this?
I have met and communicate with von Spakovsky and haven't found him to support disenfranchisement of any eligible voters. (Continued…)
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