Voting-Rights Groups Sue NM GOP, Alleging Voter IntimidationACORN has announced that it’s assisting in two lawsuits filed against the New Mexico Republican GOP, alleging voter intimidation. The ACLU and Project Vote — a group that’s been described as an ACORN affiliate — are filing suit in state court, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is suing in federal court, according to Matthew Henderson of ACORN’s New Mexico office*.
News of the suits comes after the party publicly released the names of ten voters it falsely claimed had voted fraudulently, and after TPMmuckraker and others reported claims that a private investigator, who said he was working with state GOP lawyer Pat Rogers, had questioned two Hispanic voters about their eligibility to vote.
We reported Friday that, according to several voting-rights experts, the activities of the private investigator — and perhaps those who hired him — may violate federal law. Voting-rights advocates have forwarded reports of the encounters to DOJ voting officials.
In a press release, ACORN’s Dana Gallegos said:
These are all minority voters. Many of them are young, and one is a new citizen. ACORN has worked hard to get these types of new voters involved in the democratic process. We will not tolerate attempts by the Republican Party to suppress the Hispanic vote in New Mexico.
* This paragraph has been edited from an earlier version.
Update: Here’s the ACLU/Project Vote suit.
Update II: Here’s the MALDEF suit, which names as defendants Pat Rogers and private investigator Al Romero.