President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) indicated on Wednesday that they will sue states that attempt to roll back voting procedures that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since the 2020 election, some States have responded by permanently adopting their COVID-19 modifications; by contrast, other States have barred continued use of those practices or have imposed additional restrictions on voting by mail or early voting,” a guidance document released by the department stated.
“The Department’s enforcement policy does not consider a jurisdiction’s re-adoption of prior voting laws or procedures to be presumptively lawful,” it went on to say. “Instead, the Department will review a jurisdiction’s changes in voting laws or procedures for compliance with all federal laws regarding elections, as the facts and circumstances warrant.”
Pre-pandemic “voting laws” are legislatively adopted state law. What’s with this guy?
DOJ indicates it might sue states returning to pre-pandemic voting regulations https://t.co/sv9QQtUrxG #FoxNews
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) July 28, 2021
“The right of all eligible citizens to vote is the central pillar of our democracy, and the Justice Department will use all of the authorities at its disposal to zealously guard that right,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The guidances issued today describe certain federal laws that help ensure free, fair, and secure elections. Where violations of such laws occur, the Justice Department will not hesitate to act.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the right to vote for all Americans and ensuring states are complying with federal voting laws,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division added. “Whether through litigation or the issuance of official guidance, we are using every tool in our arsenal to ensure that all eligible citizens can exercise their right to vote free from intimidation, and have their ballots counted.” (RELATED: Democrats Are Sounding The Alarm Over Texas’ Election Bill. Here’s What It Actually Does)
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, several swing states altered their election laws via executive order to expand access to mail-in voting during the 2020 election. Several lawsuits were filed after the election to throw out a large portion of these mail-in ballots but all were rejected.
The state of Arizona, which President Biden narrowly won in 2020, is also currently in the middle of auditing the 2020 election results.
