Posted on 05/06/2006 7:03:55 AM PDT by Libloather
Court Denies Felons Voting Rights Argument
By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer
Last update: May 05, 2006 – 2:23 AM
NEW YORK (AP) - A landmark civil rights law cannot be used to argue that barring felons from voting discriminates against minorities because they are imprisoned at a higher rate, a federal court ruled Thursday.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which removed barriers to black voters, was not an avenue of relief for 21 plaintiffs, which include six current prisoners.
The plaintiffs sued the state in November 2000.
Judge Jose A. Cabranes, who voted with the majority in the 8-5 ruling, said there were "persuasive reasons'' to believe Congress did not intend the Voting Rights Act to cover laws passed to prevent prisoners and parolees from voting in New York elections.
He noted that every state except Maine and Vermont bans felons from voting.
Though the ruling related to elections in New York state, Cabranes acknowledged the issue has relevance nationwide and that "absent Congressional clarification, will only be definitively resolved by the Supreme Court.''
A message left with a representative of the plaintiffs was not immediately returned.
Judge Barrington D. Parker said the majority got it wrong by preventing the plaintiffs from even trying to prove their case. He noted the dramatically different incarceration rates for minorities and whites.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Wouldn't it be just too funny if they all moved there?
What really drives me crazy about these stories is that what they are talking about is convicted felons who have not served their time yet (ie, prisoners and parolees). Only 5 states remove the right of a convicted felon to vote permanently: AL, FL, IA, KY, VA.
So what they are really talking about is voting for prisoners.
http://www.righttovote.org/state.asp
THANKS FOR THE POST.
Felons in Maine and Vermont, both illegal and legal immigrants + American-born felons and legally married homosexuals in Massachusetts..."Newer" England.
California wouldn't seem like such a land granola bars: fruits and nuts, with flakes in between.
I am glad to see that the Democrats were stopped on this one.
Well, thank goodness the dead can still vote!
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
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