Protecting IN & NC Primary Polls. Turning Away Nuns.
May 6 – As of this afternoon, Election Protection has received nearly 400 calls to their nonpartisan voter protection hotline from Indiana and North Carolina. Sadly, in perhaps the most ironic and unfortunate example of disenfranchisement caused by Indiania's burdensome voter ID law to date, one report from South Bend told of nuns working the polls keeping fellow nuns from the voting booths because they lacked the proper indentification. More on the legal challenge to Indiana's onerous voter ID law is available on the Crawford v. Marion County Election Board case page. Other incidents from North Carolina and Indiana polling locations can be found here. Voters in both states can call 866-OUR-VOTE toll-free until 8p.m. EST with any questions or issues that arise in polling locations.
Government Destroyed Tapes; Admits to Holding More
May 2 – Yesterday the U.S. government admitted, for the first time, that officials destroyed interrogation tapes of Ali Almarri, the only alleged "enemy combatant" still detained on U. S. soil, and in Court papers filed today made it clear that the DIA still has videotapes of nine interrogation sessions. "The possibility that the government still has—and is with-holding—videotapes that document interrogation procedures is mind-boggling, and offends those who respect due process and the rule of law," said Jonathan Hafetz, Brennan Center attorney and lead counsel for Mr. Almarri. Beyond the courtroom, the videos in question could have a bigger impact: as is well known, photos from Abu Ghraib played a big part in galvanizing international censure against the tactics this country deploys against terror.Victory in North Carolina
May 1 – Supporters of the state's landmark public funding program for appellate court candidates scored a major victory today when a Fourth Circuit panel unanimously affirmed a dismissal of a constitutional challenge. "This is an extremely important decision for the battle to protect our elective state courts from the undue influence of money," said Deborah Goldberg, Democracy Program Director at the Brennan Center for Justice. "This ruling preserves a campaign finance system that protects appellate judicial candidates in North Carolina from going hat in hand to the very parties and lawyers who appear before them in court." More information on North Carolina Right to Life Committee Fund for Independent Political Expenditures v. Leake can be found here.
- Our View on Improving Elections: The Problem with ID Laws
(USA Today, 05/14/08) - Indigent Defense
(Newsday, Editorial, 05/14/08) - 9/11 Terror Suspects to Face Military Trial on Guantanamo
(WNBC, by Jonathan Dienst, 05/13/08) - Eyes Getting Heavy (Campaign Finance Reform)
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Editorial, 05/13/08) - The Myth of Voter Fraud
(NY Times, Editorial, 05/13/08) - Confusing Ballot Designs Still Plague Elections
(AP, Deborah Hastings, 05/12/08) - Voter ID Battle Shifts to Proof of Citizenship
(NY Times, by Ian Urbina, 05/12/08) - Election Reform Needed
(Baltimore Sun, Editorial, 05/12/08)
Impartiality Still an Issue After WV Judge’s Riviera Scandal
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What’s in a Name? Frankly, a Pretty Big Political Favor
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Illustrations by Risko
May 1 – Jeremy Travis and Debbie Mukamal of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice joined the Brennan Center staff for lunch and an insightful round-table discussion on the intersection of justice, crime and race in the United States. The following is an edited transcript from an address Mr. Travis delivered at The Orison S. Marden Memorial Lecture on Mar. 19 at the New York City Bar on the same topic.
The Supreme Court issued a ruling in the most important voting case since Bush v. Gore. In Crawford v. Marion County, the Justices upheld Indiana’s law requiring a government-issued photo ID as a condition of voting....