End Citizens United (ECU) // Let America Vote (LAV) Action Fund President Tiffany Muller released the following statement after the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that private citizens and groups cannot file lawsuits under provisions found in Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA):
“Today’s ruling in the 8th Circuit is an outright attack on Americans’ freedom to vote. Since the inception of the Voting Rights Act, hundreds of cases have been filed by disenfranchised voters in the fight for equal access to the ballot box, including in the recent Allen v. Milligan decision. Thanks to the individuals and groups who have brought such cases forward, we’ve seen an expansion of voter protections for communities that are still under attack today.
“Gutting these crucial protections enables power hungry politicians looking to choose their voters which consequently makes it harder for voters of color to properly exercise their freedom to vote. This ruling is just the latest in an unprecedented number of attacks against the freedom to vote for all Americans, as Republicans methodically chip away at the VRA’s hard-fought gains.
“We will continue to fight for voters of color wrongfully silenced by these corrosive attacks on our democracy. Every American—regardless of race or zip code—deserves to have their voice heard.”
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