Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) is leading a fight to uphold Georgia’s Elections Integrity Act. Allen joined other Republican members of the Georgia delegation, as well as a number of other members of Congress, in supporting an amicus brief filed to the U.S. District Court, Northern District Court of Georgia in the upcoming case United States v. Georgia.
According to Allen, the brief urges the court to uphold Georgia’s election integrity bill (SB 202), citing the state’s constitutional authority to enact updates to its election laws regarding the times, places, and manner of conducting elections. The brief states: “The proper resolution of this case is a matter of utmost concern to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) its supporters, and the above-listed Members of Congress because of the case’s impact on the ability of the State of Georgia to properly exercise its constitutional authority to ensure that its elections are free from fraud and intimidation. Additionally, the resolution of this case will likely impact similar pending, and future, lawsuits filed around the country.”
U.S. Representatives from Georgia Buddy Carter, Andrew S. Clyde, Drew Ferguson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk and Austin Scott all joined Scott in supporting the filing of the brief.
“The Constitution grants states – not the Executive Branch or federal courts – broad discretion to prevent potential voter fraud and voter intimidation, including implementing voter ID,” said Congressman Allen. “The Biden Administration’s lawsuit against Georgia is just the latest example of an ongoing effort to federalize elections and is the same attempt that is being waged legislatively with Congressional Democrats’ For the People Act. We must reject these efforts and stand with the Constitution to defend states’ authority to conduct and administer elections.”
On June 25, 2021, the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) announced they were filing a federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia’s election integrity bill, which was signed into law on March 25, 2021.
The lawsuit outlined numerous provisions that the DOJ is challenging; including, the prohibition on government entities mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications, modifications of the identification requirements and timeframes for applying for absentee ballots, regulations of the use of absentee ballot drop boxes, and restricting the distribution of food and water to voters close to a polling place. However, as the brief highlights, the Constitution grants states the authority to make these changes.
In all over 50 U.S. Representatives supported the brief, which was filed on behalf of over 647,000 supporters of the ACLJ “who have expressed their support for defending the integrity of elections and the right to vote.”
Last week, Greater Georgia, a conservative voter mobilization organization started by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler, filed an amicus brief in support of the State of Georgia’s response to the recent suit filed by the DOJ.
