A Law Professor, who Testified during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing, Wednesday, told Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) that his Home State's Voter ID Laws were among those that could be considered Racist.
The Subcommittee on the Constitution, titled, "Restoring the Voting Rights Act: Combating Discriminatory Abuses," Cruz, the Subpanel's Ranking Member, asked each of the Five Witnesses to say whether they believed "voter ID laws" were "racist."
Franita Tolson, Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, and Professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, was the First to respond, saying that "it depends" and that "one thing we have to stop doing is treating all voter ID laws as the same."
Cruz asked her to Clarify, adding, "What voter ID laws are racist?" Tolson then replied, "Apologies Mr. Cruz, your state of Texas, perhaps."
Cruz responded, "OK, so you think the entire state of Texas is racist. What about requiring an ID to vote is racist?" Tolson responded by saying, that his Conclusion on her Statement was "pretty reductive," adding, "I'm not saying the entire state of Texas is racist." The Professor, went on to say that the State's Voter ID Law "was put into place to diminish the political power of Latinos with racist intent..."
Cruz interrupted by saying, "You're asserting that. What's your evidence?" Tolson responded by citing the Ruling by a Federal Judge in 2017, that said the 2011-passed Texas Voter ID Law was designed with the intent to Discriminate against Black and Hispanic Voters, who are less likely to have Photo IDs or the Resources, such as owning a Vehicle, that make it easier to get them.
Texas has been known to have some of the most Strict Voting Laws across the Country, and the State has spent the year in the National Spotlight, as GOP Lawmakers pushed to Pass a Sweeping Election Overhaul Bill that prompted a weeks-long Protest by State House Democrats.
Opponents of the Bill, which was Passed by the House late last month, argue that, its Measures which include New Voter ID Requirements for Mail-In Voting and Limits on Early Voting Hours, would Disproportionately make it more Difficult for People of Color and those with Disabilities to Vote.
In Wednesday's Hearing, he went on to ask the other Legal Experts brought forth to Testify whether they thought Voter ID Laws were Racist.
Each Person gave similar responses, including Thomas Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, who said that "there are some voter ID laws that are racially discriminatory in intent."
When asked about their Effects, Saenz Confirmed that "there are discriminatory effects from a number of voter ID laws."
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