US Justice Department to monitor Arizona elections

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

The U.S. Justice Department has announced that it will monitor primary elections in Arizona’s Maricopa County.

The department said Monday that federal observers will be dispatched Tuesday to make sure that Maricopa County follows the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. That law prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group.

Observers will watch and record activities during voting hours at polling locations.

Maricopa County officials, especially Sheriff Joe Arpaio, have come under fire for the treatment of Latino residents.

Read more: http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2012/08/27/us-justice-department-to-monitor-arizona-elections/

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Arpaio to talk to the zoo during the Republican convention.

[Lint Head]

2. They need to monitor the entire country.

[JudyM]

5. You got it. At least the swing states. n/t

[avebury]

13. Totally Agree! nt

[Seedersandleechers]

3. What about Ohio and Pa. ?

Can't they do something about that too?

[HooptieWagon]

6. +1000

[PADemD]

8. +1000

[drm604]

10. The Justice Department has been investigating.

Governor Corbett is refusing to give them the information they're requesting.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

4. Don't Forget What Rehnquist did...

... harassing voters at Arizona polling places in the 60's if he didn't like the way they looked, holding up the whole process and disenfranchising many.

"Rehnquist's critics produced affidavits alleging that he harassed voters at a predominantly black and Hispanic Phoenix precinct in 1964. Rehnquist issued a blanket denial that he had challenged the qualifications of minority voters in that period. Democrats found 14 witnesses who swore they had seen Rehnquist doing exactly that; additionally, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Phoenix, James Brosnahan, testified that Rehnquist was not being truthful when he said he was at the polls merely to help "arbitrate disputes" on Election Day 1962."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1101296,00.html#ixzz24mMr7Wsf

[amb123]

7. Watch Gov. Brewer do an "Orval Faubus"

"My Fellow Citizens, we are now an Occupied Territory. In the name of God, whom we all revere, in the name of liberty we hold so dear, in the name of decency, which we all cherish, what is happening in America?"

That's what he said when President Eisenhower called in the 101st Airborne Division to enforce desegregation in Little Rock Schools in 1957.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14654126

And you can count on Sheriff Joe calling our President a "Tyrant" for making sure that everyone in Arizona has their right to vote protected.

[bkkyosemite]

9. This needs to be done in every state that is suppressing

the vote. I actually wrote the campaign and said use the National Guard in every state that is suppressing the vote and let the people vote. This is a Federal Election. The damn Rethugicans.

[xxenderwigginxx]

12. National Guard to police citizens?

Are you sure you aren't a rethug?

[Raster]

14. I beg your fucking pardon. I'd love to see the National Guard called out to make sure every legal..

...and lawful citizen is allowed to cast their ballot.

This and every election are for every citizen to be able to have their voice heard. EVERY CITIZEN. No matter what their color, their race, their religion. EVERY CITIZEN.

I find the voter suppression by the republicans ABSOLUTELY FUCKING DISGUSTING.

[xxenderwigginxx]

11. I think its a bad idea

wait until there's a right wing POTUS wanting to "monitor" elections in liberal districts.

[Raster]

15. We already had that in 2000 and 2004, and it was SHAMEFUL!

Every citizen should be allowed to cast their legal and lawful vote AND ANYONE THAT STANDS IN THE WAY SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN THE MOST HARSH AND SEVERE FASHION.