Harassing and intimidating voters is against the law--the Constitution, the Voting Rights Act, and the National Voter Registration Act all prohibit it. And yet, voter harassment, often directed at racial minorities, is still an unfortunate part of our political system. Advocates fought for decades for our right to register and vote without fear, and it is one of our most important priorities to make sure that those rights are enforced.
Today, the ACLU of Maine and the Brennan Center for Justice formally requested an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice of a planned voter intimidation operation by the Chair of the Maine Republican Party, Charles Webster. The week after the 2012 general election, Mr. Webster announced plans to investigate "dozens and dozens of black people who came in and voted on election day." We hope that the Department of Justice investigates the matter and explains to Mr. Webster that there is nothing suspicious or mysterious about black people voting.
