Texas Republicans changed voting rules, then blocked efforts to protect voters

Wednesday, March 4

In ominous sign, Texas Republicans changed voting rules, then blocked efforts to protect voters

In a possible preview of tactics for the fall, the state’s GOP attorney general convinced the Republican-controlled Supreme Court to shut down extended voting hours.
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Virginia Supreme Court clears way for voters to counter GOP gerrymanders

The state’s highest court confirmed that a Democratic-backed referendum on whether to carry out mid-decade redistricting, to counter Republican gerrymanders in other states, can go ahead.
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SECURE YOUR SPOT

Idaho is latest red state to reject DOJ voter roll grab

Idaho said the Department of Justice’s recent court losses in similar cases undermine its justification for the demand.
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GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee votes to subpoena Pam Bondi over Epstein Files

The committee voted for the subpoena 24 to 19, with five Republicans joining Democrats voting in favor.
“The American people want answers on the Epstein files, and so do we,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wrote today on social media.
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Expert: DOJ’s proposal is attempt ‘to avoid oversight … for their lawlessness.’

In an effort to evade bar ethics investigations, the DOJ proposed a new rule seeking to suspend state ethics proceedings against its attorneys if it conducts its own review first.
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Colorado governor signals he may free election denier Tina Peters

The prominent election denier is serving a nine-year state prison sentence for her role in a 2021 voting system breach. Peters has become a focal point among President Donald Trump and far-right allies who’ve called for her freedom.
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Press secretary: SAVE America Act still priority for Trump

Today, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the SAVE America Act is “absolutely still a priority for this president and the administration. The focus of course for much of the president's time right now is ensuring the success of Operation Epic Fury, but the president can walk and chew gum at the same time." (We’re not sure that last part is true).
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Utah GOP gathers enough signatures in push to legalize partisan gerrymanders

But the Republican referendum effort isn’t a done deal, because thousands of Utahns have been submitting paperwork to remove their signatures from the petition.
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Here we share noteworthy briefs on all things voting rights and democracy. Have a footnote for us? Send them to news@democracydocket.com.

Election denier Kari Lake referred to the mass layoffs at Voice of America as “streamlining.” But a government audit couldn’t come to a conclusion on the agency’s finances, as the agency couldn’t provide basic info… because the staff had been so thoroughly obliterated.
Right-wing influencer Scott Presler seems to think that the SAVE America Act would have prevented all that voting chaos in Dallas yesterday. You are correct: It does not make any sense.