Monthly Archives: September 2011

A New Black Panther opposes voter ID in Texas

My Fox Houston.  Click here to see an otherwise reputable news station put a member of a hate group on television to oppose voter ID, Quanell X of the Houston New Black Panthers.  Take note of the some of the folks who oppose voter ID.  At least Quanell X got cleaned up and didn’t appear in his New Black Panther uniform and beret.  Quanell X has been invited to debate me at South Texas School of Law in Houston on October 18.  So far he’s not been willing to do so.  The invitation remains open.  Imagine if a local news station put a Grand Wizard on to discuss voter registration issues.  KRIV in Houston should be ashamed of themselves to put Quanell X on in the first place, but to merely call him a “community activist” is disgraceful.  For more about the organization to which Quanell X is a leader, click here.

Florida Coastal School of Law – Jacksonville Thursday

I will be appearing at the Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville on Thursday at noon, room 465.  There should be CLE credit available through the Lawyers Chapter of the Jacksonville Federalist Society.  Topic: Voter intimidation laws and DOJ enforcement.

This will be one of many appearances in October coinciding with the release of Injustice.  Just a few of the cities I will be in shortly include New York, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Pittsburgh, Charleston and New Orleans.  More details to follow.

Injustice now available on audiobook

I just learned that Injustice is available on audiobook for those of you who like to read books by having them read. (Especially for those who prefer to drive rather than fly).  It is available unabridged, in CD or MP3, and even in cassette form.  It is narrated by Johnny Heller.  I volunteered, but this guy is one of the best in the business.  A funny sample of Heller reading “the Guide to Guys.”  Sounds like he has the perfect pitch to capture some of the absurd humor in Injustice.

More DOJ FOIA favoritism

Pajamas Media has reported extensively about FOIA favoritism at DOJ, particularly in the voting section.  Friends get quick turnaround, opponents wait.  Even Congress has been sniffing around, so you would think that would end the practice.  Guess again.  Next week, more details will be reported about continuing problems with DOJ’s FOIA policy and quick turnaround time for friends.  The behavior hasn’t stopped and the behavior is worse than anything that has been reported so far.  Were Congress to ask for updated FOIA logs from the Voting Section, updated from the last log they received, they would see that the pattern of FOIA favoritism has not abated.  Next week, it will be clear how it happens.

22 people in South Carolina use free ride to DMV for photo voter ID

AP reports that only 22 people were inconvenienced and burdened enough to use a free ride to the DMV to obtain photo identification. 

DMV spokeswoman Beth Parks said Tuesday the agency spoke to 675 people who called the agency seeking information on the law. About 48 people requested a ride for Wednesday.  When agency personnel called people back to schedule rides, they found many had obtained rides and identification cards on their own.

“We found that a lot of people had gotten their own transportation and gone ahead and done it on their own,” Parks said, adding that a final number of scheduled rides would be announced later Tuesday.  A few callers did not have the proper documents and callers were given information about how to get them, she said.”

And this from the story:

“South Carolina’s new law won’t stop people without ID cards from voting. They’ll be allowed to cast provisional ballots and have to prove who they are within three days with a photo ID to have that vote counted.”

Analysis:  The Supreme Court ruled that requiring voters to travel to an election office and provide the necessary photo id or documentation to count their provisional ballot was not an excessive, undue or discriminatory burden.  South Carolina’s photo identification provision does not actually prohibit any voters from casting a ballot.  For those registered voters that may forget or have the requisite identification, they are able to cast a ballot and then obtain and show the necessary identification within three days to ensure it is counted.