GOP seeks to block McAuliffe’s latest felon voting effort
Wed., Aug. 31, 2016
RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Republicans are trying to block Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s latest effort to restore voting rights to thousands of felons who’ve completed their sentences.
Top Republican lawmakers say in a contempt motion filed Wednesday that McAuliffe is violating the Virginia Supreme Court’s order that he restore the rights on a case-by-case basis.
The court in July invalidated McAuliffe’s sweeping executive order to restore the rights of more than 200,000 felons who completed their sentences.
But the Democratic governor recently began restoring the rights again under a new process. Republicans say McAuliffe’s still not complying with the court order. They’ve accused him of trying to add more Democrats to the voter rolls to aid presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in November.
McAuliffe said in a statement that his administration will vigorously oppose Republicans’ “latest partisan action.”
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