Nine Term North Carolina Senator Resigns To Fight New Voter Suppression Law

[Triana]

North Carolina state Sen. Ellie Kinnaird (D) announced today that she is resigning her seat in the state legislature after 17 years of service. Instead she will work full time to reverse the blizzard of right-wing legislation enacted by Republicans since they took over the state government last January. In a message posted on her website, Kinnaird wrote that a major focus of her post-legislative work will be “a grass-roots project to make sure everyone in the state has a proper voter ID so that no votes are denied, even though” a recently enacted voter suppression law “is aimed at exactly that – repressing the vote.” Kinnaird’s replacement will effectively be chosen by Democratic officials.

THE REST:

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/19/2491081/nine-term-north-carolina-senator-resigns-to-right-new-voter-suppression-law/

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Link to the WRAL report on this...some of the comments (most of them) are disgusting!

http://www.wral.com/sen-kinnaird-resigns-from-legislature-/12792527/

[Triana]

2. WRAL seems to be TeaBag/NRA/John Bircher heaven

Their vitriol about "left-leaning" and "liberal" (they often use those terms in their articles) is blatant and pungent. I'm not surprised the John Birchers here got their verbal torches and pitchforks out to exterminate the "commies".

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. absolutely....hard to read, harder to comprehend.

[rdharma]

4. After reading some of the comments made by these RW teabillies, all I can say is......

WOW!

These folks piss me off ...... but they also make me more determined.

[marions ghost]

5. Rachel Maddow did a great segment on this tonight

--She interviewed Ellie Kinnaird, and detailed the RethugliCon county-by county strategy to challenge voters.

Rachel & MSNBC

Ellie is going to work on this full time -- all hands on deck.

[Triana]

6. Is Rachel's segment online yet?

I hope we're all ready to help Ellie Kinnaird, Rev. Barber, AG Roy Cooper, and any other official who stands up to this damned John Bircher/KKK crapola. Our army is bigger than the Baggers/Tealiban. We just have to get them all on the field.

[marions ghost]

7. Not yet, will keep looking...

This story from Aug 16 is up on Rachel Maddow website:

Student voting rights under fire in North Carolina
Montravias King, a student at Elizabeth City State University, talks with Rachel Maddow about not being allowed to run for an Elizabeth City Council seat in North Carolina:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rachel-maddow/52778545#52778545

[Triana]

8. Thank you!

[marions ghost]

9. It's there this morning:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rachel-maddow/52797596/#52797596

Really excellent coverage.

Ellie Kinnaird and Rachel rock. This "legal" voting suppression has GOT to go!

[Triana]

10. WooHoo! Thanks SO much!

[supernova]

11. Thanks!

Been waiting to see it since I don't have MSNBC in my cable lineup anymore.

[marions ghost]

13. Sure

[marions ghost]

12. Excerpt from her statement on Ellie Kinnaird's website:

---
"What led me to this decision are the actions taken by the Republican majority in the legislature that has been a shocking reversal of the many progressive measures that I and many others have worked so hard to enact: measures that over the years had made North Carolina a model of moderate-to-progressive, pro-business but also pro-people public policy in the South. From the Republicans' denial of health care security for our people to their failure to promote a vibrant work force through support for our education systems at all levels and from their tax cuts for the wealthy and their tax increases for the poor and middle class to their efforts to deny people their right to vote, they have been pursuing a divisive and, I think, immoral agenda. The needless pain and suffering the Republicans have brought upon us that I have written about add up to a huge setback for North Carolinians from all walks of life. My own personal sadness is the dismantling of my environmental, social justice and death penalty efforts.

I am heartened, however, by the many grassroots efforts to fight for the rights, the health and safety and the opportunities our people need and deserve from the Moral Monday movement to the many non-governmental organizations that advocate for the people of our state, not the special interests. It is here that I want and need to put my energy and efforts. I am working with others on a grass-roots project to make sure everyone in the state has a proper voter ID so that no votes are denied, even though the Voter ID bill is aimed at exactly that - repressing the vote. I am going to work for candidates in the next election who reflect our values. The values of all those who came to Moral Mondays and who have contacted me by emails, calls and letters expressing your dismay at what has happened to our progressive and forward-looking state. I look forward to working together to change this course and restore our state to the shining beacon it was for so long.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve the people of this district.

My best to each and every one of you."

Ellie