Feb 13, 2025 Story by: Editor
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has urged newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to “reconsider and withdraw” the lawsuit the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed against the state in 2021. Raffensperger made this request in a letter sent to Bondi just hours after she was sworn in at the White House on Wednesday, February 12.
“When she sees our case, I believe it’s proper for her to dismiss it,” Raffensperger told Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray.
The DOJ lawsuit, initiated under the Biden administration, claims that Georgia’s election law, SB 202, violates the Voting Rights Act by imposing restrictions that disproportionately impact Black voters.
Raffensperger criticized the lawsuit, arguing that it was politically motivated and costly for Georgia taxpayers. “We had a weaponized DOJ under the Biden administration that came after the state of Georgia to try and score some cheap political points, plus cost our taxpayers millions upon millions of dollars. Enough is enough,” he said.
The lawsuit, filed in June 2021, challenges changes made by Republican lawmakers following former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, including limits on ballot drop boxes and a shortened absentee ballot request period.
Democratic state Sen. Josh McLaurin suggested that if the DOJ were to drop the lawsuit now, it would be a political decision rather than a legal one. “You cannot escape the fact that if the DOJ changes course on this, it’s because the prosecution of these complaints about voter suppression have to do with satisfying Donald Trump’s ego,” McLaurin said.
In addition to asking the DOJ to withdraw the lawsuit, Raffensperger’s letter also calls on Bondi to issue a statement supporting Georgia’s election law in other ongoing legal challenges. Channel 2 Action News reached out to the DOJ for comment but has not received a response.
Source: Yahoo News
