Texas Voter ID Law Struck Down

HOUSTON, TX – A federal district court has dealt a crushing blow to Texas’ voter identification law, ruling in favor of the Justice Department’s lawsuit against the restrictive legislation.

Attorney General Eric Holder released a statement late Thursday, praising the court’s decision and reaffirming the Justice Department’s commitment to enforcing the Voting Rights Act, despite the Supreme Court’s erosion of the statute last year.

‘We are extremely heartened by the court’s decision, which affirms our position that the Texas voter identification law unfairly and unnecessarily restricts access to the franchise,’ Holder said. ‘Even after the Voting Rights Act was seriously eroded last year, we vowed to continue enforcing the remaining portions of that statute as aggressively as possible. This ruling is an important vindication of those efforts.’

The ruling is the latest in a string of defeats for states seeking to implement restrictive voter ID laws, including Wisconsin, which was blocked from implementing its own law by the Supreme Court.

Holder’s statement also highlighted the Justice Department’s broader commitment to protecting the right to vote, which he described as ‘that most sacred of Americans’ rights.’

The Texas voter ID law, which was passed in 2011, had been the subject of intense controversy and criticism from civil rights groups, who argued that it unfairly targeted low-income and minority voters.

The ruling is a significant victory for voting rights advocates, who have long argued that restrictive voter ID laws are a form of voter suppression.

RELATED: Paxton Backs Inspectors’ Power to ‘Gather Evidence’ at Polls

RELATED: Paxton Hunts Phantom Voters: Election Fraud Tipline Launched