SherrilynIfillFriends:  I want to make sure that you aware that on Tuesday LDF filed suit in federal court challenging the Pence/Kobach Election Integrity Commission created by President Trump. Our lawsuit charges that 1) the Commission  was created to intentionally discriminate against minority voters, in violation of the Fifth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution; 2) the formation of the Commission constitutes an overreach of presidential authority and; 3) that the Commission’s establishment and membership violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

Our suit is the 7th suit filed by organizations challenging the Commission. Our suit, however, is the only suit that raises claims of racial discrimination. The story of the creation of this Commission, as set forth in our complaint, is a case as damning and compelling as those challenging the Muslim Ban. Our client is The Ordinary People Society (TOPS) of Alabama – a group whose work is focused on voter registration and education. We will be adding additional plaintiffs in the coming days.

I could not be more proud of the superb effort from our staff that undergirds this important filing.

I strongly encourage you to read this complaint [attached]. It sets out the clear evolution of this Commission and its real and intended purpose. In the alternative, you can read some of the press coverage here

  • Andrew M. Harris and Shannon Pettypiece, Trump Criticizes States That Refused Vote Panel's Data Request, Bloomberg (July 19, 2017)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-19/trump-criticizes-states-that-refused-vote-panel-s-data-request

  • John Wagner and Sari Horwitz, Trump's Voter Commission Hasn't Even Met - and it's Already Off to a Rough Start, Washington Post (July 18, 2017)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/18/trumps-voter-fraud-commission-is-now-facing-at-least-7-federal-lawsuits/?1&utm_term=.bc827603bc9e