Posted on 02/11/2014 8:11:08 AM PST by Second Amendment First
People convicted of felonies should not forever lose their right to vote, according to Attorney General Eric Holder.
In remarks prepared for delivery at a criminal justice conference Tuesday, Holder takes aim at state laws which strip voting rights from those convicted of serious crimes.
"It is time to fundamentally rethink laws that permanently disenfranchise people who are no longer under federal or state supervision," Holder is to tell the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights Criminal Justice Forum at Georgetown law school. "These restrictions are not only unnecessary and unjust, they are also counterproductive. By perpetuating the stigma and isolation imposed on formerly incarcerated individuals, these laws increase the likelihood they will commit future crimes."
Holder also plans to note that felon-disenfranchisement laws ban almost one in 13 African Americans from voting and, in states like Florida, Kentucky and Virginia, as many as one in five black adults have been stripped of voting rights. The attorney general argues that these measures are relics of a bygone era.
"However well-intentioned current advocates of felony disenfranchisement may be – the reality is that these measures are, at best, profoundly outdated," Holder is to say. "At worst, these laws, with their disparate impact on minority communities, echo policies enacted during a deeply troubled period in America’s past – a time of post-Civil War discrimination. And they have their roots in centuries-old conceptions of justice that were too often based on exclusion, animus, and fear."
Holder has been stepping up his public advocacy on various issues in recent months, including reform to the criminal justice system. He's pressing to rein in the use of mandatory minimum sentences, particularly for drug crime, and is encouraging some federal inmates to apply for presidential commutations. Such actions would surely have caused a stir during the tough-on-crime 1990s, Holder's recent moves have encountered little public or political resistance. In fact, some Republicans are supporting shorter sentences for some offenders—in part due to huge prison costs federal and state governments are incurring.
Holder's speech Tuesday is also expected to include an unusual shout-out for a former Republican official now getting up up-close-and-personal experience with the criminal justice system thanks to prosecutors working for Holder: former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.
"Just last year, former Governor McDonnell adopted a policy that began to automatically restore the voting rights of former prisoners with non-violent felony convictions," the attorney general's prepared remarks say. "I applaud those who have already shown leadership in raising awareness and helping to address this issue."
McDonnell and his wife Maureen were indicted in federal court in Richmond last month on fraud and corruption charges stemming from their relationship with a wealthy Virginia businessman. The McDonnells pled not guilty to their charges and are free pending trial.
What if they were convicted of felony voter fraud?
I agree. Give everyone a voter ID first to prevent fraud. Sorry, I cannot trust a criminal. Silly that way.
Who knows, felons might not voting for Dems in the near future. The Dems have always been party of big government but they are now the new face of the authoritarian police state and tyranny.
Felon voting rights are a state issue and yes 2nd amendment rights are for all free men.
They get fast-tracked to a lifetime job with the Just-Us Dept.
Laying the groundwork for himself.
Ya don’t suppose that this might have something to do with most X felons voting Democrat do you? Naw, thought not.
Several generations of Americans believed these were reasonable protections to the people.
Holder looking ahead not wanting to lose his own rights I’ll bet.
Like amnesty, this is all about votes. Question is will Repubs have to guts to fight it.
As usual, Holder is exercising his “Inner Alinsky” - lying to further communism.
Taking Florida as an example, it has long been the case that felons can have their rights restored.
The procedure is clear, well defined, and also available from any computer.
Holder, like Obama, is lying.
Trying to think of what race/ethnic/political leaning group has the largest percentage of convicted felons that can’t legally vote because of prior criminal misconduct.
Hmmm... Not coming to me.
Perhaps if Mr. Holder would care to enlighten us as to the breakdown of the proposed blocks of voters and who might possible benefit most from this proposal I could understand his thinking better... /s
That's where I was going to go. Let's take it further. Our Constitution does not guarantee all a "right" to vote. In fact, originally, "land owners" were invited to vote as they had a stake in the governance of the nation and property laws.
Now our Attorney General would like the MOST corrupt of our civilian governance to have some influence in our elected representatives? Really? Should we let them vote from prison? This is a class of citizenry that is most susceptible to corruption and undue influence. Why would we want to invite that voting block into an already suspect system? That's right, because they would vote with democrats and are easy to find.
” this is all about votes.”
Black votes.
” Question is will Repubs have to guts to fight it.”
No.
Factually incorrect. Most such laws were passed well before the Civil War. Here's a link to the history from a site in favor of removing such restrictions.
http://felonvoting.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000016
They’ll be given 6 months of intense schooling at the Dept. of Justice on how not to get caught again and awarded degrees so they can teach at Universities throughout the country
The Constitution did not get into the weeds of who would be able to vote. That was entirely a state issue.
At the time, some states already had near universal white male suffrage. Others were much more restrictive. Those in RI lasted up to the 1840s and led to the only real civil war within a state in US history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorr_Rebellion#Aftermath
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