Biden admin sues Texas to block parts of state's election integrity bill. Texas AG fires back: 'See you in court'



President Joe Biden's Justice Department on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas seeking to block portions of the state's newly enacted election integrity law, claiming the measures unconstitutionally disenfranchise voters in the state.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday, the Justice Department takes issue with two provisions in the law, one which requires ID numbers to be included with mail-in ballots and another that limits certain kinds of assistance that voters can receive while in the polling booth, the Dallas Morning News reported.

The department claims that the aforementioned provisions violate different sections of the Voting Rights Act by placing unlawful restrictions on voters, including those "with limited English proficiency [or] disabilities, elderly voters, members of the military deployed away from home, and American citizens residing outside of the country."

"Our democracy depends on the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted," Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement accompanying the lawsuit. "The Justice Department will continue to use all the authorities at its disposal to protect this fundamental pillar of our society."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, responded to the news on Twitter, saying, "I will see you in court, Biden!"

"Biden is coming after Texas for SB1, our recently enacted election integrity law. It's a great and a much-needed bill. Ensuring Texas has safe, secure, and transparent elections is a top priority of mine," Paxton said.

Biden is coming after Texas for SB1, our recently enacted election integrity law. It\u2019s a great and a much-needed bill. Ensuring Texas has safe, secure, and transparent elections is a top priority of mine. I will see you in court, Biden! #ElectionIntegrityhttps://twitter.com/thejusticedept/status/1456364545027579908\u00a0\u2026

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) 1636061893

The highly politicized legislation, known as Senate Bill 8, was only recently implemented in the state. It became the subject of national attention after Democratic state lawmakers fled to Washington, D.C., in a publicity stunt attempt to force the bill's failure.

Eventually, in September, the runaway Democrats returned home defeated and Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law.

Texas Republicans drew up the legislation with the intentions of securing the state's voting systems and bolstering confidence in its elections as a response to the 2020 presidential election, which featured widespread use of mail-in ballots, and drive-through and drop-box voting as a means to facilitate voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. Many Americans felt that the lax measures opened the election up to fraud.

At the bill's signing ceremony, Abbott said, "One thing that all Texans can agree [on] and that is that we must have trust and confidence in our elections. The bill that I'm about to sign helps to achieve that goal. The law does however make it harder for fraudulent votes to be cast."

NAACP urges pro athletes to 'avoid' signing with Texas teams due to state's positions on voting, abortion, COVID-19



The NAACP on Thursday said it sent an open letter to every professional sports players' association in the United States urging free agent athletes to avoid signing contracts with teams in Texas due to the state's "most recent attacks on voting rights and reproductive care" as well as its stance on COVID-19.

What are the details?

The letter — signed by NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson and NAACP Texas President Gary Bledsoe — was delivered to the National Football League Players Association, the Women's National Basketball Players Association, the National Basketball Players Association, the Major League Baseball Players Association, and the National Hockey League Players' Association, the organization said.

"As we watch an incomprehensible assault on basic human rights unfold in Texas, we are simultaneously witnessing a threat to constitutional guarantees for women, children and marginalized communities," the letter states, according to the NAACP. "Over the past few months, legislators in Texas have passed archaic policies, disguised as laws, that directly violate privacy rights and a woman's freedom to choose, restrict access to free and fair elections for Black and brown voters, and increase the risk of contracting coronavirus. If you are a woman, avoid Texas. If you are Black, avoid Texas. If you want to lower your chances of dying from coronavirus, avoid Texas."

Texas' pro-life law bars abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected — or as early as six weeks into pregnancy — and went into effect last month. Also in September, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed an election security bill into law that tightens restrictions on voting by mail. And earlier this month, the Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations if Texans object to the shots on the grounds of conscience, religious beliefs, or medical reasons.

The five leagues noted in the NAACP letter include nine Texas teams, ESPN said: the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans; the MLB's Houston Astros and Texas Rangers; the NBA's Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs; the NHL's Dallas Stars, and the WNBA's Dallas Wings.

"When all else fails, we must look within and answer the call to protect the basic human rights and democratic values which are fundamental to this country," Johnson noted in regard to the letter, according to the NAACP. "Professional athletes serve as some of our country's greatest role models and we need them to join us to fight for democracy."

Glenn Beck: Dems WALKED OUT on Democracy over Texas voting bill



Just like the left did in Georgia, Democrats and the media are now insisting that Texas' new proposed voting laws are a racist threat to democracy. But this time, instead of actually letting democracy play out through a vote, Democrats in the state legislature walked out and stopped the democratic process.

On the radio program Tuesday, Glenn Beck and Stu Burguiere take a look at the voting bill — which Democrats say is racist because it keeps early voting polls closed on Sundays until 1 o'clock to allow for poll workers to attend church — and explain why they believe the backlash is just another ridiculous display of hypocrisy from the left.

Watch the video below for more:


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