Read on Twitter
THREAD: On Aug 6, 1965, 153 days after John Lewis was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the VRA was signed into law. In 2013, the GOP-led Sup Court gutted Section 5 of the VRA, resulting in over 850 poll closures & widespread GOP-led attacks on voting rights across the US.
John Lewis, then 25 years old, attended the 1965 signing of the VRA and is pictured here with President Lyndon Johnson. This moment was the culmination of his work as the Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. 2/12
Today, the same Republicans issuing statements to honor the life of Congressman Lewis are also CURRENTLY fighting before the Supreme Court to dismantle his life’s work and gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (wh/ prohibits racial discrimination in voting laws). 3/12
7 US Senators, Led by Texas Sen Ted Cruz, are CURRENTLY working to convince the Supreme Court to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: @SenTedCruz (TX), @MarshaBlackburn (TN), @JohnCornyn (TX), @SenTomCotton (AR), @JimInhofe (OK), @SenatorLankford (OK), @SenMikeLee (UT) 4/12
17 Republican State Attorney Generals, led by Ohio AG Dave Yost, are CURRENTLY fighting to dismantle the VRA in Court: . @OhioAG (OH), . @AGSteveMarshall (AL), . @AGKevinClarkson (AK), . @AGRutledge (AR), . @Georgia_AG (GA), . @lawrencewasden (ID), Aaron Negangard (IN-Deputy) … 5/12
AGs gutting the VRA contd. . @kyoag (Daniel Cameron-KY), . @AGJeffLandry (LA), . @LynnFitchAG (MS), . @AGDougPeterson (NB), . @AGMikeHunter (OK), . @AGAlanWilson (SC), . @JasonRavnsborg (SD), Herbert Slatery (TN), . @KenPaxtonTX (TX), . @MorriseyWV (WV) 6/12
6 GOP State Legislative Leaders, led by Missouri Speaker of the House Elijah Haahr, are CURRENTLY fighting to tear down Section 2 of the VRA in court: . @elijahhaahr (MO), . @paulgazelka (MN), David Ralston (GA), . @RonRyckman (KA), Brady Brammer (UT), . @MattSimpson (AL) 7/12
3 Secretaries of State, led by Kentucky SOS Michael Adams, are CURRENTLY fighting to dismantle Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in court: . @KYSecState (KY), @keepkyle (LA), . @JayAshcroftMO (MO) 8/12
3 of Arizona’s highest ranking Republican officials are CURRENTLY fighting to dismantle Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in court: Governor . @dougducey, President of the Senate . @FannKfann, Speaker of the House. @Rusty4Congress 9/12
In John Lewis’ adopted state of GA, House Speaker David Ralston & @Georgia_AG signed their names to amicus briefs to further erode Lewis’ life’s work. Weeks before, Ralston said expanding vote by mail “will be extremely devastating to Republicans.” 10/12 https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-may-primary-still-for-now-amid-pressure-for-delay/K1wboFdcY1z7xYt7pa11MO/
As John Lewis said last year-“There are forces in this country that want to keep American citizens from having a rightful say in the future of our nation. That’s why the VRA was gutted...I am deeply & very concerned about the future of our democracy" 11/12 https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-mandate-restore-voting-rights-america
If Repubs want to honor Lewis’ legacy, the path is clear: halt their assault on voting rights, and commit to restoring/expanding the VRA. Until then, their words ring hollow and their actions add to a bloody history of voter suppression in the US, and that will be their legacy.
LIST OF AMICUS BRIEFS FILED:
US SENATORS:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/895fdc7d-b98c-4906-92c2-07652d47d880/Brief_of_United_States_Senators.pdf
ATTORNEY GENERALS: https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/51b56975-1b70-4a7f-aa93-92c2ae171e4c/Brnovich_Amicus.pdf
STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/5b8e5c4f-7f6a-4f92-b18f-f83a4f0f774e/19_1257_1258_Amici_Brief_Haahr.pdf
SECRETARIES OF STATE:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/dad2e944-b5ae-4f4e-93bc-dc83a582ad0c/19_1257_Amici_Brief_Secretaries_of_State.pdf
AZ STATE LEADERS:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/ee5d7bd4-4759-4241-baa0-565b0dba0376/19_1257_1258_Amici_Brief_Governor_Ducey.pdf
US SENATORS:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/895fdc7d-b98c-4906-92c2-07652d47d880/Brief_of_United_States_Senators.pdf
ATTORNEY GENERALS: https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/51b56975-1b70-4a7f-aa93-92c2ae171e4c/Brnovich_Amicus.pdf
STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/5b8e5c4f-7f6a-4f92-b18f-f83a4f0f774e/19_1257_1258_Amici_Brief_Haahr.pdf
SECRETARIES OF STATE:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/dad2e944-b5ae-4f4e-93bc-dc83a582ad0c/19_1257_Amici_Brief_Secretaries_of_State.pdf
AZ STATE LEADERS:
https://mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206/files/ee5d7bd4-4759-4241-baa0-565b0dba0376/19_1257_1258_Amici_Brief_Governor_Ducey.pdf
