U.S. Justice Department rejects Georgia voter screening
Update in bold below, at 5:25 p.m.
The U.S. Justice Department has rejected a program put together by Secretary of State Karen Handel to comb through state databases to detect ineligible voters who may not be U.S. citizens, calling it both inaccurate and discriminatory.
The system was used last year, in the months before the 2008 general election.
Download the DOJ letter here. It says, in part:
We have considered the accuracy of the state’s verification process. Our analysis shows that the state’s process does not produce accurate and reliable information and that thousands of citizens who are in fact eligible to vote under Georgia law have been flagged….
An error as simple as transposition of one digit of a driver[s] license can lead to an erroneous notation of a non-match…..
….Although the state has not provided data on the racial and language minority characteristics of all registrants whose applications went through the verification process, we have been able to compare the composition of those persons whom the state has flagged for further inquiry because of a non-match with both the composition of newly registered voters in the state and the composition of existing registered voters….
[A]pplicants who are Hispanic, Asian or African-American are more likely than white applicants, to statistically significant degrees, to be flagged for additional scrutiny….
The Justice Department declined to share the stats that it said proved discrimination. “Internal deliberations and discussions regarding charging decisions are not something we can provide,” a spokesman said.
Secretary of State Karen Handel, a Republican candidate for governor, condemned the decision in a statement released this morning, saying it would open the floodgates to non-qualified voters. Handel also said the DOJ was a participant in the decision-making process that produced the program:
The decision by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to deny preclearance of Georgia’s already implemented citizenship verification process shows a shocking disregard for the integrity of our elections.
With this decision, DOJ has now barred Georgia from continuing the citizenship verification program that DOJ lawyers helped to craft. DOJ’s decision also nullifies the orders of two federal courts directing Georgia to implement the procedure for the 2008 general election.
The decision comes seven months after Georgia requested an expedited review of the preclearance submission.
DOJ has thrown open the door for activist organizations such as ACORN to register non-citizens to vote in Georgia’s elections, and the state has no ability to verify an applicant’s citizenship status or whether the individual even exists…. Clearly, politics took priority over common sense and good public policy.
Pay attention to this. This is the first Obama administration judgment on an election law passed by a Republican-dominated General Assembly.
It could be an indication of how the Justice Department will react to S.B. 86, a measure signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue last month which would require every new voter to present proof of citizenship upon registration.
Nor are all Republicans united on this. Randy Evans, the Republican appointee to the State Elections Board, called the screening program a “terrible waste of taxpayer dollars and a slap in the face of Latino voters.”
“And yes, I know this is the requested approval from the DOJ from the case from last year — in advance of the new legislation that is the SoS codification of the compromise ruling. But from the DOJ perspective, they are one and the same,” he wrote in one of two e-mails this afternoon.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering arguments on the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires federal approval of all changes to election law in Georgia and several other states with a history of discrimination.
U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, a Republican from Sharpsburg who has been critical of Georgia’s continued inclusion in the mandates of the Voting Rights Act, added the following this afternoon:
“Justice’s ruling in this case is so transparently political that I’d hate to be the person at the department who had to put the right spin on this junk.
This goes to the heart of what I’ve been trying to say about the problem with ‘preclearance’: It creates a self-justifying cycle.
Georgia works with the federal government on a plan, we submit the plan to those exact same people, and they then ‘discover’ some violation of civil rights and use that as evidence that Georgia still requires federal oversight. It’s infuriating.
Jon Greenbaum is legal director for Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of several groups that opposed the screening:
“We are pleased that the Department of Justice correctly found that Secretary Handel’s verification procedures are inaccurate and discriminatory. Preventing these procedures from going into effect will prevent Secretary Handel from keeping many thousands of eligible Georgia voters off the rolls,” he said.
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260 comments Add your comment
RetLTC
June 1st, 2009
3:27 pm
Yep
June 1st, 2009
3:11 pm
I am so sick of many on this board of reduciing every issue that comes along down to race. “You are a racist if you don’t agree with my views” What BS!!! People, this is really about allowing non-taxpaying and no-registered citizens the right to steal from the rest of us who actually EARN the right to vote through our hard work and taxes.
The socialist left is sing race baiting to cloud the issues and make us look the other way while thousands of illegals sneak under the fence and vote for the hand-out government policies and candidates. Why shouldn’t they? They aren’t invested in this country anyway!
Wake up and say something people before this county falls into 3rd world status!
We’ll wake up when illegals can vote dumbazz! Ignorance like this would be hilarious if not so tragic. Yep, you should apply for SSI benefits. You obviously ride the short bus.
Are you really D.A. King? You’re certainly right there with that cretin on the bell curve.
mcdaviddawg
June 1st, 2009
3:33 pm
Until the republican base, what’s left of it, starts doing something positive instead of attacking Obama, they have no hope of being part of decision making in this country.
south side
June 1st, 2009
3:39 pm
Why did that crook Sonny cut state services but continue to fund his fishhole.See thats what your rural leader do steal from metroAtl tosupport the south part of Ga a.k.a the welfare state .So Ga repub s believe in taking from the wealthy metro area to support wefare south Ga.Sonny is still promoting this stupid money sucking idea but dont worry Sonny just like his party will cease to exist
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
3:39 pm
FC Crusher…
Google: voter + fraud + georgia + 2008.
I think you’ll find enough info to satisfy your request(s).
Master
June 1st, 2009
3:46 pm
Mr Eddie So called Myurphy.Black dont need whites to accept them.Because when we do you dont value blacks as equals.It took laws on the books to force white’s to treat blacks as equals.Jim crow laws ,segregation, white only water fountains and restrooms.Mrs Rice sided with Mr Bush to go to war in Iraq which cost this country trilloins of American tax dollars.How many of the men involed in 911 was from Iraq.Yet we were water boearding terrorist to find an link between the terrorist and Iraq.
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
3:48 pm
“The National Voter Registration Act (known as the Motor Voter Law), the very first law signed by President Bill Clinton, imposed fraud-friendly rules on the states by requiring them to offer registration to anyone who applies for a driver’s license, to offer mail-in registration with no identification needed, and to make it very difficult to purge dead and moved-away voters from registration rolls. The voter rolls in many U.S. cities now contain more names than the U.S. Census lists as residents over age 18.”
..go figure…
I handle Handel
June 1st, 2009
3:50 pm
News flash to all you inbred, backwood racist:
No one has a problem with showing proof of id. The problem arises when all Karen Handel and her cohorts have to do is pull up someone’s name and TYPE in an incorrect SSN and say it doesn’t match. And based on this state’s history, we all know the last names that they’ll be scrutinizing and looking for. Let’s see, would they be scrutinizing the person whose last name is Van Winkle or Jackson? Survey says the latter. If the persons SSN is 123-45-6789 and she types 123-45-6788, that will result in a flag & that person will have to jump through hoops to prove who they are. And we all know how long GA will take to correct the problem. So please shut up and go back into your trailors and continue to pro-create with your first cousin.
Fanny B Tender
June 1st, 2009
3:52 pm
Most or you on here need to get a job…ya bums.
south side
June 1st, 2009
3:58 pm
Life in metro Atlanta would be great with out the state of Ga.
Change in Atlanta
June 1st, 2009
4:04 pm
Vote these racist Republicans out the office especially Karen Handle she had people standing in line 5 hours during the election and didnt want extended hours for minority neiborhors to vote…Handle we would see who win in the election for Governor I hope it not Karen Handle.
Nick
June 1st, 2009
4:04 pm
Karen Handel and th eentire georgia GOP are RACIST
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:06 pm
CHANGE IS COMING.
Kline D
June 1st, 2009
4:10 pm
If a voter can’t prove that they are a citizen then they are too dumb to make a choice of candidate whether it be for a left or right candidate.
It seems that only one party is concerned with voter fraud! Why is that?
The AMAZING GodHatesTrash, Superstar
June 1st, 2009
4:16 pm
GOP=KKK, especially in Georgia.
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
4:19 pm
Kline D said: It seems that only one party is concerned with voter fraud! Why is that?
Because ACORN is a Dem organization.
Icare
June 1st, 2009
4:25 pm
The truth about Obama and ACORN
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/05/29/document-drop-the-truth-about-obamacorn/
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:26 pm
Tom DeLay campaign finance investigation/ We will not forget
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
4:28 pm
====== GOP=KKK =======
Really? Martin Luther King Jr was a member of the KKK?
Who knew.
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
4:30 pm
Icare: You’re a raaaaaccciiisssstttttttttt!
/sarc off
Icare
June 1st, 2009
4:31 pm
Nyah. I’m just truthy.
Change in Atlanta
June 1st, 2009
4:33 pm
Please Barnes run for Govornor so we can have our great state back again from these corrupted Republicans….Why all the reacist republicans sticks together.
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:34 pm
Abramoff and his partner Scanlon are alleged to have engaged in a series of corrupt practices in connection to their lobbying work for various Indian Casino gambling tribes. The fees paid to Abramoff and Scanlon for this work are believed to exceed $85 million.
In particular, Abramoff and Scanlon are alleged to have conspired with Washington power broker Grover Norquist and Christian activist Ralph Reed to co-ordinate lobbying against his own clients and prospective clients with the objective of forcing them to engage Abramoff and Scanlon to lobby against their own covert operations. Reed was paid to campaign against gambling interests that competed with Abramoff clients. Norquist served as a go-between by funneling money to Reed.
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:37 pm
To all republicans ….Please READ Above stories
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
4:38 pm
Icare: Great link…and the investigations are just skimming across the surface at this point. Looking forward to seeing ACORN in full daylight.
FC Crusher
June 1st, 2009
4:41 pm
scituate_tgr,
I did exactly what you suggested. This is what I found in the first 10 articles your search string pulled up.
1. Article about voter fraud in Russia.
2. The website to which I was referred earlier which has no facts that I can see.
3. A Newsmax article concerning people who are registered in 2 states (Since there is no unregistration that I know of I suppose I am still registered in Florida since I moved back home from there in 2000.)
4. A Thom Hartman article on Russian voter fraud.
5. A John Nail article that talks about irregularities in Fulton County that show it underperformed. .
6. Allegations of a family that a mentally challenged man had his vote “stolen”.
7. An article from Slate that makes the point regarding the 2006 Voter ID Law that “ “The court also found no evidence of voter fraud in Georgia to sustain the law, except in the area of absentee ballots—where the law actually made voting without identification easier.” Which if I am not mistaken supports my position.
8. An Institute for Southern Studies article chronicling the controversy of Handel’s previous attempts to “verify” voters.
9. An opinion piece by Phyllis Schlafly which contained no facts that I could see.
10. A Huffington Post piece about Governor Charlie Crist of Florida saying that “his fellow Republicans may be exaggerating claims of voter fraud in the state.”
These were the top ten sites listed. I realize I could have read though the remaining 316,990 but I figure if it is that big an issue then it would be in the top ten. Or perhaps SOMEONE…..ANYONE…..can give me some verifiable proof that this is a legitimate issue and not a political stunt.
Let me save you some time since it is not almost SIX HOURS since my first query….You are not going to find any because, and Kline D I think this will answer your question as well…….THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST.
Next up we are going to spend taxpayers money to keep the Tooth Fairy from breaking into houses and stealing teeth.
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:42 pm
Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal/ Lets not forget
Icare
June 1st, 2009
4:42 pm
scituate_tgr: Sunlight is a disinfectant.
Another link for your reading pleasure:
The Cloward-Piven strategy of manufactured crisis (and, how Obama is utilizing it to hasten our descent into unapologetic Socialism)
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/barack_obama_and_the_strategy.html
scituate_tgr
June 1st, 2009
4:49 pm
Master – how about a link to the “Above stories” — so I can read all content and also see the source? Thanks.
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:53 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abramoff_scandal#Guilty_plea.E2.80.94confirmed_corrupt_lobbying_practices
Master
June 1st, 2009
4:58 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLay_campaign_finance_investigation#Grand_jury_indictments
Rod
June 1st, 2009
5:02 pm
Good. Errors for one digit off are unacceptable. Too bad Handel. Get your stuff together now. There is a no rubber stamp from Bush anymore.
Master
June 1st, 2009
5:03 pm
http://home.snu.edu/~dwilliam/s98/usarab/icscandal.htm/ Iran contra scandal
Icare
June 1st, 2009
5:07 pm
Obama flip flops on lobbyists:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1969-Boston-Progressive-Examiner~y2009m1d28-Obama-flipflop-on-lobbyist-ban-is-good-news-for-Bostonbased-military-contractor
…on Guantanamo, on releasing the torture pics, adfinitum.
Bob
June 1st, 2009
5:35 pm
Northern Voice: If you want to see some REAL racists. Go back up north to Rev. Wright and others.
That’s where Nobama is coming from. He is doing everything he can to take the election from from working Americans and into the hands of freeloaders – from GM and their union leaders on down.
Master
June 1st, 2009
5:41 pm
Bob you need a lesson in history.They did say Bobs an idiot.
Cafe
June 1st, 2009
6:22 pm
And people wonder why the Governor is on the bandwagon to get rid of the Voting Rights Act – so they can discriminate even further. Who would have thought – in 2009 Georgia still has discrimanatory practices with elections. Amazing!
Yep
June 1st, 2009
8:26 pm
RETLTC,
You just made my point. When you really have not legitimate argument, call someone a name. OOOOOHHH it hurts! You are simply part of the liberal spin machine that does not understand what this whole thing is about. Where is your short bus? Who is the real dumbazz, dumbazz?
I am one of the few taxpayers who will even give your welfare taking azz the time of day except on tax day and every friday when you receive your government check, when you should just say “thank you” and keep your mouth shut!
This country is going through a crisis. Pariah like yourself are draining the will of taxpayers to carry your ilk through life and provide for your personal failings.
The ability of illegal voters and illiegal aliens to skew the results of the actual will of the people has destroyed the voting system. I know that most taxpayers would not vote to give you your weekly handout! This is being taken away from us all.
Please look at the constitution, voting is not a right, it is a priviledge, moron.
FC Crusher
June 1st, 2009
8:45 pm
Hey Yep
You said “The ability of illegal voters and illiegal aliens to skew the results of the actual will of the people has destroyed the voting system.”
I challenge you to provide the same thing I’ve been looking for, unsuccessfully, since 11 o’clock this morning. PROOF.
Can you back that statement up or is it so much hot air?
RetMar7
June 1st, 2009
8:57 pm
Secretary of State Karen Handel is to be commended for lawfully attempting to remove ineligible voters from Georgia’s state database. She can be sure that the majority of military officers, both active duty and retired, fully support her efforts (for that matter so would the majority of our founding fathers). We stand with those who want honest voting. Let’s hope that Georgia has the fortitude to stand against voter fraud and stand for federalism by ignoring the liberals’ pathetic attempts at bullying via the federal government. …Liberalism really is a dangerous mental disorder. — LtCol, Marine Corps, Retired
Ron
June 1st, 2009
9:10 pm
FC Crusher – You keep asking your question but side stepping mine. Is it possible the lack of issues are due to our proactive measures? If we do not have a terrorist strike on US soil in the next ten years are our Security Forces (note I did not say Homeland Security) a waste of tax payer money?
FC Crusher
June 1st, 2009
9:19 pm
Ron,
I did address your question with the following post, which I repost at this time. You may not like the answer but it is my answer. The “proactive measures” you speak of are not the reason for the non-existence of this problem. The reason for the non-existence of this problem is simple: IT DOES NOT EXIST. Terrorism, here or elsewhere is a real issue and therefore not at all analogous. To use your logic a new law banning the Easter Bunny would be a raging success since the Bunny would never be able to show its face. But it would, of course, ignore the reality that the Easter Bunny DOES NOT EXIST just as this “problem” DOES NOT EXIST. And if it does then offer some proof.
***Repost***
I’m not sure your syllogism is accurate but I do understand your point. I will say that it is not because I don’t like the laws that I do not believe that the absence of voter fraud is attributable to the new laws. If that were the case then I would have to agree that the recent changes in the voting laws were the reason for the lack of voter fraud, and I do not. Back when these reforms were formulated there was no evidence of voter fraud and this was admitted by Georgia Election officials and Sue “blacks only vote when they are paid” Burmeister. And, as a matter of fact the only area the Bush Justice Department found such fraud was in the area of Absentee Ballots which were not addressed in the reform.
So my issue here is that we are throwing money and effort after an issue that DOES NOT EXIST. I cannot be plainer than that. It’s like Chicken Little screaming about the falling sky. No amount of bluster or volume will suffice to justify spending money to correct a problem, and pardon me for repeating myself, that DOES NOT EXIST!
Ron
June 1st, 2009
9:55 pm
Here ya go FC – http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/statenews/local_story_121172238.html
Suspended Chattooga State Court Judge Carlton Vines has resigned his position and all charges pending against him have been dropped.
Vines was charged with unlawful possession of ballots, conspiracy to commit election fraud and making false statements in connection with filing notice of candidacy
Ron
June 1st, 2009
9:56 pm
Here ya go FC http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/statenews/local_story_121172238.html
Ron
June 1st, 2009
9:56 pm
A State Judge committed voter fraud.
FC Crusher
June 1st, 2009
10:14 pm
That was an interesting case and I agree that it was voter fraud. But if you had actually followed the story from the beginning you’d realize that the fraud alleged involved ABSENTEE ballots which were not addressed in the changes of 2006. In fact absentee ballots requirements were loosened up by the changes in 2006, which seemed to fly in the face of the “voter fraud” issue since it is much easier to commit fraud in that area. I’m not sure that is the kind of fraud contemplated by the “verification process” or one that would be detected by it.
But in interest of being fair I’ll concede this one to you, although I honestly do not believe this case is sufficient to justify the hysterical cries of voter fraud coming out of Handel’s office.
Linda Mae
June 1st, 2009
10:21 pm
I have to show my driver’s license when I vote. So what? We forget that those who are flagged are then checked over to see what the problem was. Misspelled name? If they were immigrants, it might explain why there is a problem. I always need to ask my ESL students to help me read their writing when registering them for class. I also need to add their address and social security number. I don’t need to verify any of the info – just add it to the data base. I am not surprised that this population might need to be reviewed. Nowhere have I read the outcome of the flagging.
My Citizenship students want their citizenship so that they can vote in the United States. THEY aren’t upset that they have to go through the naturalization process – a matter of fact – they are PROUD of themselves for doing it. They have no compassion for ILLEGALS coming to the US. They are not “liberals.” We expect so little of our citizenry in the voting process. My students are amazed at how easy it is to sign up to vote. It is our last lesson because they think it will be very difficult to do. I have them fill out the application and tell them to take it home and use it as soon as they pass the test. I am liberal enough to ask for a national citizenship card – like a passport – so that there will not be any questions ever if anyone is legal. I cannot hire anyone – even those I’ve know for years – unless they have filled out an I-9 Form: Proof of citizenship. What’s the problem.
Glad to see the Saul Alinskyites here using Rules for Radicals #5: Ridicule the messenger in order to neutralize the message. Plus it sounds like some of you are suffering of Sorosis of the brain as well.
Continue to check to see that those who can vote do vote. If the same law is applied to all, then all will be protected.
Confused Constitutionalist
June 1st, 2009
10:36 pm
Hey Too bad you didn’t study history. As soon as I posted my question, I knew someone would take the bait and throw in my face those amendments that you quoted as evidence that the right to vote is mentioned in the Constitution. Congratulations on taking that bait. Thankfully, it was pointed out by two other people, very well I might add, that there no where in the Constitution does it explicitly give you the right to vote. Now I must ask, did you vote for Obama because he holds the same convictions that you do or did you vote for him because voting for him seemed to be the cool thing to do? My guess is, the latter and for that I am deeply saddened and scared because I know your are not alone in your reasoning. I do take solace however in knowing that there are those who posted here and who didn’t that grasp what’s going on along the Potomac and who understand our Constitution. Regardless of your political affiliation, if you truly believe in the Constitution, then you should be fearful of what’s taking place in Washington and be supportive of those who wish to protect your voting privileges.
FC Crusher
June 1st, 2009
10:40 pm
To misquote Taxi Driver “are you talking to me”? because if you are then you need to reread my post.
Your morning jolt: Charlotte blinks at the 2012 political conventions | Political Insider
June 2nd, 2009
9:30 am
[...] Republican primary for governor, Secretary of State Karen Handel is likely to benefit from being slapped around by a U.S. Justice Department now run by the Obama [...]
DJH
June 2nd, 2009
12:37 pm
Funny how it’s always the libs who drop the RACISM bomb aimed at Republicans when there is no sign or indication of any – never mind that the only member of the KKK to ever hold a Congressional seat is a Dem, never mind that REPUBLICANS passed civil rights legislation, never mind Lincoln was a REPUBLICAN – never mind that the practice of racism, race baiting, et al is normal operating procedure of the DEM party… no, simply by disagreeing with Obama you are clearly a racist even though you cite POLICY reasons for your distain, by wanting to ensure ILLEGAL ALIENS do not vote in our elections you are a racist, by being outraged that Obama’s AG allowed the Black Panters to violate the civil and constitutional rights of voters you are clearly a racist… nope, you can’t fool those liberals you are really a racist.
Jeez, who would have thought the new age liberals would have become the old world NAZI’s?
Amazing, these are supposedly the “educated and englightened” yet they’re so stupid their only response to legitimate debate is to scream ‘hate monger’ or ‘racism’ in defense of their pathetic or non-existent arguements. All debate, all criticism all disagreement deemed racist or obstructionist – the very fabric of American society ripped to shreds by Obama, the dems and liberals in general because the Obama way is the only way.
Pure ignorance at it’s finest – the free exchange of idea’s, so long as your idea’s match theirs!