Teacher Tells Cruz Texas Voter ID Law Is Racist

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A law professor who testified at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday told the senator. Ted cruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzSchumer to lift GOP blockade on Biden’s State chooses bipartisan senators to hold hearing on ‘toxic conservatories’ amid Britney Spears controversy GOP senators seek to block dishonorable dismissals for unvaccinated troops PLUS (R-Texas) that his home state’s voter identification laws were among those that could be considered racist.

During a hearing before the Constitution sub-committee, entitled: “Restoring the Voting Rights Law: Fighting Discriminatory Abuse, ”Cruz, the highest ranking member of the subcommittee, asked each of the five witnesses to say whether they thought the“ identification laws of voters ”were“ racist ”.

Franita Tolson, vice-dean for faculty and academic affairs and professor at the The University of Southern California’s Gould Law School was the first to respond, saying “it depends” and that “one thing we need to stop doing is dealing with all voter identification laws. in the same way “.

Cruz asked him to clarify, adding: “Which voter identification laws are racist?”

Tolson then replied, “My apologies Mr. Cruz, your state of Texas maybe.”

Cruz replied, “OK, so you think the whole state of Texas is racist. What about requiring ID to vote is racist?”

Tolson responded by saying his conclusion on his statement was “pretty reductive”, adding, “I’m not saying the whole state of Texas is racist.”

The professor went on to say that the state voter identification law “was put in place to diminish the political power of Latinos with racist intentions …”

Cruz interrupted him by saying: “You affirm it. What’s your proof? “

Tolson responded by citing a federal judge’s ruling in 2017 that the Texas Voter Identification Act passed in 2011 was designed with the intention of discriminating against black and Hispanic voters, who are less likely to have photo identification or resources – such as owning a vehicle – that make it easier to obtain them.

Texas is known to have some of the toughest election laws in the country, and the state has spent the year in the national spotlight as GOP lawmakers pushed for an election overhaul bill that prompted a weeklong protest by Democrats in the State House. .

Opponents of the bill, which was finally passed by the House at the end of last month, argue that its measures, which include new voter identification requirements for postal voting and limits on early voting times , would make it disproportionately more difficult for people of color and people with disabilities to vote.

The Hill has contacted Cruz’s office for further comment.

At Wednesday’s hearing, he then asked other legal experts to testify if they thought the voter identification laws were racist.

Each person gave similar answers, including Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, who said “there are laws on voter identification with racially discriminatory intent.”

Asked about their effects, Saenz confirmed that “there are discriminatory effects of a number of laws on voter identification.”



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