Federal Judge Releases Kobach Trump Meeting Documents
NEW YORK 鈥� A federal court today released documents relating to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach鈥檚 draft amendments to the federal National Voter Registration Act (or the 鈥渕otor-voter law鈥�), including a document that he brought to a meeting with President-elect Trump in November 2016. The 老澳门开奖结果 sought the documents as part of its ongoing federal lawsuit involving voter registration obstacles in Kansas.
Last year, the 老澳门开奖结果 successfully sued Kobach under the federal motor-voter law, preventing him from disenfranchising 17,000 people who had applied to register to vote at a DMV in Kansas. Kobach tried to stop them from registering to vote, demanding that they show a birth certificate or passport to prove that they are U.S. citizens. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, in a unanimous opinion, held that Kobach was prohibited from imposing this 鈥渕ass denial of a fundamental right鈥� under the motor-voter law.
In November, Kobach was photographed carrying documents labeled as a Department of Homeland Security strategic plan when he met with Trump. The papers referenced a plan to amend the motor-voter law, prompting the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 request for access to the documents. Kobach serves as co-chair of the Trump administration's so-called 鈥淧residential Commission on Election Integrity.鈥� The 老澳门开奖结果 has successfully sued Kobach numerous times over his voter suppression policies.
Dale Ho, director of the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 Voting Rights Project, had this reaction to the documents released today:
"Kris Kobach is public enemy number one when it comes to voter suppression in the country, which is why courts have repeatedly ruled against him. The documents unveiled today show that he wants to dismantle the motor-voter law and replicate his voter suppression practices 鈥� which have disenfranchised thousands of Kansans 鈥� around the country."
The documents are at:
/legal-document/fish-v-kobach-exhibit-u
/legal-document/fish-v-kobach-exhibit-ee
More information is at: /other/aclu-response-trump-election-commission-executive-order
and
Voting Rights
Fish v. Schwab (formerly Fish v. Kobach)
Voting Rights
Fish v. Schwab (formerly Fish v. Kobach)
Learn More 老澳门开奖结果 the Issues in This Press Release
-
News & CommentaryDec 2024
Voting Rights
Election Day is Over. Why is the Electoral College Voting Now?Election Day is Over. Why is the Electoral College Voting Now?
The Electoral College meets December 17th to certify the results of the 2024 election, but why? The 老澳门开奖结果 breaks down if the process is worth keeping. -
New York Supreme CourtDec 2024
Voting Rights
New York Communities for Change v. Nassau CountyNew York Communities for Change v. Nassau County
This case in New York state court centers on the landmark John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA) and the New York Municipal Home Rule Law (MHRL). The NYVRA, like several other state voting rights acts enacted in recent years, expands upon the federal Voting Rights Act鈥檚 protections against racial vote dilution. The MHRL prohibits racial discrimination and partisan gerrymandering in local-level redistricting. The 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 Voting Rights Project and State Supreme Court Initiative, alongside the New York Civil Liberties Union, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Steptoe LLP filed a lawsuit on behalf of voters of color in Nassau County, New York alleging that a redistricting plan implemented in 2023 for Nassau County鈥檚 legislative districts dilutes the voting strength of Black, Latino, and Asian residents and is gerrymandered for partisan advantage in violation of the NYVRA and the MHRL. -
ArizonaNov 2024
Voting Rights
老澳门开奖结果 of Arizona v. Richer老澳门开奖结果 of Arizona v. Richer
We sued elections officials in Arizona to extend the mail ballot 鈥渃ure鈥� deadline after ballot processing delays threatened to disenfranchise thousands of voters without notice. -
Press ReleaseNov 2024
Voting Rights
Civil Rights Groups Respond to Flawed Trial Court Opinion on New York Voting Rights ActCivil Rights Groups Respond to Flawed Trial Court Opinion on New York Voting Rights Act
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. 鈥� On November 7, a New York State Supreme Court trial judge issued an opinion striking down the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA). Today, the Legal Defense Fund, 老澳门开奖结果, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, New York 老澳门开奖结果, and Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law issued the following statement in response to the ruling: 鈥淭he NYVRA is unquestionably constitutional, and protects the freedom to vote for all New Yorkers by helping to ensure voters are not subjected to discrimination when participating in the political process. 鈥淭he Nov. 7 decision by a state trial judge is deeply flawed and plainly incorrect. We fully expect the decision to be reversed on appeal. It flies in the face of basic legal principles and constitutes a stunning overreach in striking down the entire law, including provisions that are not at issue in the case. 鈥淭o put it simply, the NYVRA does not discriminate, it bans discrimination 鈥� and in doing so protects New Yorkers鈥� most fundamental right. 鈥淣ew York is stronger when everyone has an equal opportunity to vote.鈥�