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410

Ken Paxton Threatens to Block Democrats From Registering to Vote (newrepublic.com)

submitted 3 months ago by solsangraal@lemmy.zip to c/politics@lemmy.world

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[–] dhork@lemmy.world 154 points 3 months ago (3 children)

They don't have a link to the actual form the counties want to distribute, but when Republicans get tweaked over this, it's usually because they are using the Federal mail-in form. They ask on that form that people simply check a box to indicate they are US citizens and are thus eligible to vote. Since it's a mail-in form, they don't ask to include any other proof of citizenship (although first-time registrants do need to submit proof of residence). But, they do note on the form that submitting a form with a false declaration is a crime, and if a non-citizen does it they would be subject to deportation.

If Paxton is so sure non-citizens are registering to vote in droves, all he has to do is investigate these forms as they come in, as any non-citizen who fills it out can immediately have the book thrown at them. The fact that he doesn't means that even he knows non-citizens are not doing this. It makes no sense to risk being kicked out of the country just to vote in a system where you can't fully participate. The risk is just too high.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 77 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The republicans have investigated voting fraud extensively.

all they've found is republicans voting fraudulently. either at an individual level, or at a systemic level.

But they ignore that to focus on manufactured voter fraud, like telling Felons they are allowed to vote, so they vote, then coming after them for voting while a felon and claiming its fraudulent.. Like DeSantis tried to do in Florida a few years back.

[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 29 points 3 months ago

Gaslight ✅

Obstruct ✅

Project ✅

Same as it ever was.

[–] scutiger@lemmy.world 64 points 3 months ago (1 children)

He doesn't think non-citizens are trying to vote, he's just trying to limit the number of people in majority-Democrat counties voting. The whole voter fraud story is bullshit. They just want their own uneducated people to buy it.

[–] CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 30 points 3 months ago

This exactly. His base fully believes the story that immigrants are voting illegally, so he sets up very challenging rules to register to vote, making it time consuming and prohibitive.

The law is then used to suppress votes in districts that vote against the GOP.

[–] ATDA@lemmy.world 23 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I mean this entire recent thing with Paxton is over like 6500 voter registrations.

If there are people that bad at risk assessment we're talking tiny, tiny chunks of votes.

Even looking at this from Paxton's point of view and assume every one of those votes was in bad faith, he's the one with risk assessment issues. The response is so over blown its ridiculous.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 37 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This is the wedge. Look at Abortion. They banned that completely and the entire time they talked about 3rd trimester abortions which are a tiny fraction of all abortions and only when the fetus is dead or incompatible with life.

Their playbook has always been to go after edge cases to create the will for large changes.

[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 19 points 3 months ago

This is an important observation that I wish more people would make. Conservative groups constantly pick at the fringes of behaviour to justify their policy positions.

You see if everywhere once you know to look.

[–] Elextra 96 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I find any assault to voting rights the most undemocratic and unamerican thing you can do

[–] EleventhHour@lemmy.world 49 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Welcome to Texas

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 41 points 3 months ago

welcome to conservatism.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Well, yes, republicans are vehemently anti-America.

[–] RestrictedAccount@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Because their leaders are funded by Putin

[–] Lifecoach5000@lemmy.world 76 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Are there any other counties doing this? I still can’t believe we have this criminal in office.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 33 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Are there any other counties doing this?

Russia and Israel leap to mind

[–] Seaguy05@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago

I'd count King country and Pierce country too /s

[–] frostysauce@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Those are countries.

[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 36 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This asshole needs to be dealt with in the harshest manner.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 31 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Paxton is not the Governor of Texas, he's the Attorney General.

[–] EleventhHour@lemmy.world 30 points 3 months ago

Someone to tell him he’s also not the emperor

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

And the governor pulls the same fucking bullshit. Both of them can die in a fire.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

@TexasDrunk@lemmy.world we're part of criminal organizations! Yay!

Also, I don't know about you, but most eligible Latino voters I know support Trump. Most of them argue it's because "we need to keep out illegals," which, sure, okay; or because "Trump is tough on crime." I usually tell them that Trump is gonna try to deport their Mexican-looking asses and then lock up my fat Jewish ass. Some say I'm brainwashed and others say that it's a worthwhile risk because the democrats are gonna destroy our country and the economy and raise their taxes.

I'm not saying that Hispanic people are morons. I'm saying that Texans appear to mostly be idiots...

[–] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago

I'm a part of many criminal organizations.

I've seen that in older Hispanic folks, especially ones that left despotic countries that pretend to be socialist. The ones my age and younger that I know generally lean left. But that may also be because I'm in Harris county, who will be sued by Paxton if we do a voter registration drive. Because more Harris county voters means old testament shit starts happening. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together....mass hysteria!

[–] tiefling@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 3 months ago

The election interference was coming from inside the house!

[–] jaggedrobotpubes@lemmy.world 20 points 3 months ago

They know they're gonna lose (because you're all gonna FUCKING VOTE) so this is where the action is--stopping the traitorous republican coup.

And ideally, punishing it appropriately afterwards.

[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 18 points 3 months ago

We can't have people voting now Ken can we. You are a disgrace.

[–] Corvidae@lemmy.world 17 points 3 months ago

Amping up the cold civil war.

[–] ThePantser@lemmy.world 16 points 3 months ago (2 children)

How is this not a punishable offense? Blatantly confessing to election interference, like can't we throw him in prison?

Also, "election is rigged!" Um yes by the Republicans and they admit it!

[–] FiremanEdsRevenge@lemmy.world 15 points 3 months ago

Same reason why Trump hasn't faced any consequences.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

The headline is misleading. He isn't literally saying that Democrats can't register to vote. He is saying that the city of Houston can't mail unsolicited voter applications to anyone, Republican or Democrat.

Since Houston has a lot of Democrats, Paxton probably thinks it will hurt Democrats more than Republicans. Then again, Houston city officials might well be using the same reasoning when sending out unsolicited voter applications.

[–] JesusSon@lemmy.world 15 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Cunt Eye Ken is squarely in LULAC's crosshairs after the raids. I can't see how Garland is going to be able to ignore all of this with LULAC screaming at him about it.

Of course, we are talking about real life so absolutely nothing will happen, and their crooked grip on Texas will remain.

Shower of bastards is what it is

[–] zib@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

I think you underestimate how much Garland is willing to ignore.

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago (1 children)

He really wants a war dont he

[–] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

Conservatives have been insisting on it for years. This time, I hope we don't stop before the job is done.

[–] TheFriar@lemm.ee 11 points 3 months ago

Ken Paxton wants you to give him sugar. In water.

[–] psvrh@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 months ago

Russia comes to mind.

[–] NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Lol fuck this guy

[–] xantoxis@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

The photo of this guy makes it look like he's one orgasm away from a final heart attack.

[+] realcaseyrollins@thelemmy.club -15 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Paxton threatened legal action against Bexar and Harris counties if they proceed with sending out mail-in voter registration forms, which the counties have proposed doing via third-party vendors. Paxton argues that it could encourage noncitizens to register to vote.

Seems pretty fair, it'd be WILD if you can just fill out a form in the mail and suddenly be able to vote.

[–] mriormro@lemmy.world 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The amount of legislative energy that is spent on limiting or outright preventing voter registration in this country is insane given how little actual documented evidence there is of it versus how few people we have voting. Especially given the most recent cases of voter fraud have been from Republicans.

The intent behind this is voter suppression. Nothing more.

[+] realcaseyrollins@thelemmy.club -13 points 3 months ago (2 children)

If this suppresses votes, it suppresses the votes of illegal immigrants. If illegal immigrants don't vote, why do Democrats worry so much about illegal immigrants being barred from voting? They shouldn't care at all.

[–] mriormro@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The boogeyman of 'illegal immigrants' has been dragged out over and over again ever since I was a child by conservatives. It had no teeth then and it has none now.

Simply put, the data does not support your irrational fears or your assertions: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/noncitizen-voting-missing-millions

If I were the type to take your point in good faith then I'd say eliminating mail-in voter registration is just a solution looking for a problem.

However, given your profile, I'm just going to say that this is classic voter suppression tactics. Raise the barrier to voting access and see how quickly the disenfranchised, poor, and working class voting numbers plummet. All in the name of continued voter disenfranchisement.

Edit: Nothing really to say about the most recent cases of voter fraud, eh?

[–] realcaseyrollins@thelemmy.club -3 points 3 months ago

Raise the barrier to voting access and see how quickly the disenfranchised, poor, and working class voting numbers plummet.

Why can't they vote in person?

Edit: Nothing really to say about the most recent cases of voter fraud, eh?

Which ones? Tell me about them.

[–] YeetPics@mander.xyz 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Funny, the article says otherwise.

It says Paxton wants to limit or repeal the ability for Democrats to register to vote.

Not "Paxton wants to stop illegal immigrants from registering to vote".

Also; you can't register to vote if you're an illegal immigrant. It doesn't work. Full stop.

[–] realcaseyrollins@thelemmy.club 1 points 3 months ago

The article itself doesn't say that, it's just the headline. Looks like it did its job.

[–] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

That's how Americans voted for hundreds of years.

If we're going to change how we do things, let's start with gun ownership. It's WILD that some places will let you just fill out a form and suddenly be able to get a gun.