Washington, DC– Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issues the following statement in response to an announcement made by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding alleged non-U.S. citizen on the state’s registration rolls:
“Advancing exaggerated claims of vote fraud has become the latest go-to tactic employed by those who seek to lay the groundwork for unnecessary and discriminatory voter suppression measures. We are highly skeptical of Attorney General Paxton’s latest claims that come fully unsubstantiated and devoid of context. Similar claims made by election officials have been advanced with fanfare and bluster, only to be proven false in the end.”
Clarke continued: “In this current environment, one of the unfortunate consequences of this kind of announcement is the chilling effect on the electorate, particularly among communities of color. By advancing these spurious claims, without an iota of supporting evidence, Paxton’s statement undermines public confidence in our democracy.”
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, 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. Now in its 56th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” 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 criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
