Marilyn Musgrave Votes Against Voting Rights
For Immediate Release: July 13, 2006
Contact: James Thompson
(970) 222-6397
Marilyn Musgrave Votes Against Voting Rights
Musgrave voted for amendments that would have "eroded our constitutional guarantees."
WASHINGTON, D.C.Marilyn Musgrave today voted to end key protections in the Voting Rights Act that are designed to ensure voting integrity and prevent discrimination against minority voters in elections. The bipartisan House Resolution 9, which extends certain temporary provisions of the act, passed unamended in the House in spite of Musgrave's votes to gut it. A vote in the Senate is expected soon.
The landmark Voting Rights Act was last renewed under President Ronald Reagan.
"The Voting Rights Act ensures that every American has a right to vote, and weakening that act would have led to a violation of people's constitutional rights," said State Rep. Angie Paccione, Musgrave's opponent in Colorado's Fourth Congressional District election. "But Marilyn was never too concerned about the rights of Americans."
H.R. 9 extends provisions ensuring that state and county voting laws adhere to the Constitution and don't discriminate against minorities. Weakening the Voting Rights Act could lead to more unfair voting laws and consequently to more eligible voters being turned away at the polls. Musgrave voted four times in support of amendments designed to weaken the act.
Paccione applauded the other members of Colorado's Congressional delegation who supported keeping the integrity of H.R. 9 intact.
"The Voting Rights Act protects not only Latino citizens, but also African American citizens, Asian American citizens, and Native American citizens," Paccione said. "It protects all American citizens, and it helps to guarantee the integrity of our elections."
Paccione said Musgrave's votes send a message to voters that Musgrave doesn't respect our Constitution.
"Once again, Marilyn voted to erode our constitutional guarantees," Paccione added. "Why she would vote that way is beyond me, but it just goes to show how out of touch she is with the American people."
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