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WEEK OF MARCH 15 | 2012 | DEFENDER
Black lawmakers
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applaud voter ID ruling
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By ASWAD WALKER Defender
ouston-area Black lawmakers are commending the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for blocking Texas from implementing a new law requiring voters to present photo identification before casting ballots. Exercising powers granted by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the DOJ informed state election officials that the law is “legally unenforceable.” “I thank the Justice Department for standing up for voting rights,” said State Sen. Rodney Ellis. “Throughout the preclearance 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 purState Rep. Garnet Coleman pose: protecting the ability of all Americans to access the ballot box,” Ellis said. According to Republican lawmakers, the voter ID law was passed to deter voter fraud, a point challenged by Ellis. “There are more UFO and Bigfoot sightings than documented cases of voter impersonation,” said Ellis. “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 students, elderly, African American and Hispanic voters,” Ellis said. “The Department of
Justice saw that evidence and made the right decision.” The state law approved in May 2011 required voters to show government-issued identification, which could include a driver’s license, military identification card, birth certificate with a photo, a current U.S. passport or a concealed handgun permit. Nationally, 31 states with Republican governors or majorities in their legislatures passed similar laws that produced a national backlash from Blacks, Latinos, college students and others who view the laws as a
Justice found that the Texas Voter ID law violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act is for everyone.” Writing on behalf of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Thomas Perez, head of the Civil Rights Division, informed the Texas Secretary of State’s office that “a Hispanic registered voter is at least 46.5 percent, and potentially 120 percent, more likely than a non-Hispanic registered voter to lack the required identification. “In addition, although Hispanic voters represent only 21.8 percent of the registered voters in the state, Hispanic voters represent fully 29.0 percent of the registered voters without such identification,” Perez said. State Rep. Sylvester Turner also applauded the DOJ’s decision, but said that the fight for voting rights is ongoing. “While the battle is far from over, I commend the Department of Justice on Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee State Rep. Sylvester Turner State Sen. Rodney Ellis their decision not to grant national attempt to suppress voters who traditionally preclearance to Texas’ Voter ID law,” Turner said. “We vote Democratic. must continually fight against any measure that takes away a right so vital and fundamental to our democAttack underway “An attack on the right to vote is underway across racy, that many of our forefathers sacrificed their lives the country through laws designed to make it more dif- for.” State Rep. Garnet Coleman noted the battle that ficult to cast a ballot,” said Houston Congresswoman took place during the last legislative session. Sheila Jackson Lee. “My Democratic colleagues and I fought the pas“While couched in terms of voter fraud, these sage of this bill during session because it would create laws will actually have their greatest impact by unnecessary barriers to the ballot box,” said Coleman. limiting participation of African Americans, Lati“After its passage, I wrote a letter to the DOJ nos, Asians and the young. Today the Department of Continued on Page 11
localbriefs A SUSPECT IN A RAPE NEAR A METRO BUS STOP was arrested at his girlfriend’s home in Abilene. Roberto Ramirez, 21, is charged with aggravated assault. Detectives received a tip that led to his arrest. The rape occurred on Feb. 22 after a 31-year-old woman was followed off the bus near the 5600 block of Old Spanish Trail, hit in the head with a bottle, forced into a nearby field and sexually assaulted. Evidence from the victim’s rape kit linked the attack to Ramirez, whose criminal history includes charges of drug possession and robbery…….., TEXAS’ UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPED to 7.3 percent in January, down from 7.4 percent in December. It was the lowest unemployment
rate in the state since April 2009. “We’re seeing substantial economic growth here in Texas,” said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken. The Texas unemployment rate is one full percentage point below the national unemployment rate of 8.3 percent……..A JOB FAIR FOR FT. BEND COUNTY residents will be held Wednesday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Houston Community College, Sienna Plantation Campus, 5855 Sienna Springs Way in Missouri City. It is sponsored by State Rep. Ron Reynolds…….. U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE RON KIRK planned a March 16 visit to Houston to talk about how American exports support American jobs. His schedule included
a tour of the Port of Houston and an appearance at a Great Houston Partnership luncheon. Kirk is a native of Austin and former mayor of Dallas…….. PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HOUSTON TRIP was a financial success. Running an hour late because of rain, Obama arrived at Union Station at Minute Maid Park to a crowd of more than 500 people. Tickets ranged from $500 per person for general admittance to $15,000 for two people at a photo reception. That event raised an estimated $2 million. Afterward, about 70 people dined with Obama at the home of his Harvard classmate, Tony Chase. The cost of the dinner was $35,800 per person and $15,000 for one additional guest.
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