(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the co-chairs of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ Voting Rights Task Force, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and MALDEF, issued the following statement regarding allegations against U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) of putting pressure on Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and other state officials to discard legally cast ballots:
“We are deeply disturbed by the allegations that Senator Lindsey Graham pressured Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger and other state officials to toss out legally cast ballots. The accusations, if true, are of the same character as the myriad voter suppression tactics witnessed in this election and are focused on the same objective of denying the right to vote. To suggest, directly or indirectly, that any election official act in such a manner is an affront to the democratic process and may violate the law.
“Our democracy hinges on one fundamental principle — counting every vote. It is an obligation, a moral imperative, and a duty that upholds our sacred right to choose our leaders. We urge the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics, the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and the Committee on House Administration to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into Senator Graham’s conduct in this matter.”
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About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org.
