A divided federal appeals court has found that private individuals and groups such as the NAACP do not have the ability to sue under a key section of the federal Voting Rights Act. It's a decision that voting rights advocates say could further erode protections under the landmark 1965 law. The 2-1 decision Monday by a panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals based in St. Louis found that only the U.S. attorney general can enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. That section prohibits discriminatory voting practices such as racially gerrymandered districts.
Barry Jefferson, political action chair of the Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP, called the ruling "a devastating blow to the civil rights of every American, and the integrity of our nation's electoral system."
Federal appeals court deals a blow to Voting Rights Act accesswdun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from accesswdun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Federal appeals court deals blow to Voting Rights Act, ruling that private plaintiffs can t sue – Orlando Sentinel orlandosentinel.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from orlandosentinel.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.