Michael Gaynor
True the Vote President (and Texan) Catherine Engelbrecht will stand her ground against AG Eric Holder
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By Michael Gaynor
July 27, 2013

God bless Catherine Engelbrecht, and God save America from Holder's legal shenanigans.

If the Obama Administration figured that indefinitely delaying the approval of the tax exempt status application of True the Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization focused on preserving election integrity and operated by citizens for citizens, to inspire and equip volunteers for involvement at every stage of our electoral process and to empower organizations and individuals across the nation to actively protect the rights of legitimate voters, regardless of their political party affiliation, would stop True the Vote, it figured wrong.

If the Obama Administration figured that siccing the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and the Occupational Health & Safety Administration on True the Vote and its intrepid founder and president, Catherine Engelbrecht would be enough, it figured wrong. See "Why did the Obama administration target Catherine Engelbrecht personally?" (www.renewamerica.com/columns/gaynor/130603).

True the Vote responded by suing in federal court for tax exempt status and the Obama Administration must be dreading discovery in that case as much as it dreads all the facts coming out on Beghazigate and the IRS mistreatment of tax exemption applications by "conservative" organizations.

United State Attorney General Eric Holder, who curiously commenced his Attorney Generalship by describing America as a nation of cowards, apparently thought Engelbrecht was a coward.

Fortunately for America, she isn't. She refuses to be cowed, even by a slew of federal agencies harassing her and her family.

Cowed: Cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation.

After the United States Supreme Court put an end to preclearance under the Voting Rights act (and Texas's resulting second class state status), Texas enacted voter identification and citizenship verification law backed by True the Vote.

Although the United States Supreme Court ruled long ago, in an Indiana case, that photo identification is a constitutionally permissible voting requirement, photo identification is as anathema to the Obama Administration as graciousness in defeat.

In a televised address at a National Urban League Conference, Holder announced that the Justice Department would ask a federal court in Texas to require approval of the Justice Department or a federal judge before making any changes to its voting rights laws. See www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20130726_Holder__in_Philadelphia__announces_new _voting_rights_offensive.html#hVfBEG5Ac0MFxt7h.99.

Congressman Lamar Smith (R., Texas) promptly decried Holder's announcement: "The Supreme Court message to the Justice Department was clear – don't mess with Texas. But Eric Holder and the Justice Department aren't listening. They have decided to continue their vendetta against Texas by asking a federal judge to reinstate the preclearance requirement."

In a True the Vote press release issued on July 25, 2013, Engelbrecht declared: "We will not sit idly by and allow the most politically charged Department of Justice in US history to set aside the US constitution and attempt to bully the people of Texas. We will meet Attorney General Holder in court and we will do whatever we need to do to advance the cause of voters' rights for all Americans."

Engelbrecht continued: "General Holder's announcement today demonstrates just how radical the DOJ has become. The same department that criminalizes journalism and fails to prosecute IRS agents who violate the rights of American taxpayers is promising to sue states with taxpayer dollars to block laws passed by elected legislators such as voter ID and citizenship verification."

Holder has a problem with Texas verifying the citizenship of persons who want to vote.

Imagine that!

Engelbrecht's (and True the Vote's) position is delightfully simple and fair:

"Every American voter deserves to have his or her vote counted – and not diluted by fraud or error. The DOJ just put itself between the voters of Texas and their guaranteed constitutional and civil rights.

"True the Vote has watched as Attorney General Eric Holder has repeatedly disregarded the rule of law. We understand that this Department of Justice does not believe that protection of voters' rights should be colorblind.

"Texas will stand its ground in San Antonio – that's a promise."

No wonder Holder doesn't like stand your ground laws either!

God bless Catherine Engelbrecht, and God save America from Holder's legal shenanigans.

© Michael Gaynor

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)

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Michael Gaynor

Michael J. Gaynor has been practicing law in New York since 1973. A former partner at Fulton, Duncombe & Rowe and Gaynor & Bass, he is a solo practitioner admitted to practice in New York state and federal courts and an Association of the Bar of the City of New York member... (more)

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