News
Rev. Al Sharpton & National Action Network Respond To The Supreme Court Decision On Brnovich V. DNC
—
Rev. Al Sharpton & National Action Network Respond To The Supreme Court Decision On Brnovich V. DNC
New York, NY (July 1, 2021) – Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) released a statement today following the United States Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee:
“Today’s Supreme Court decision has further torn apart American democracy, hollowing out what little remains of the Voting Rights Act and indicates that we cannot depend on the current Supreme Court to defend equal voting rights for all. This court of a six-justice conservative majority has doubled down, revering hard-fought gains that have helped make the constitutional promise of democracy a reality. Exercising the right to vote is not a second-class right and NANwill continue to push Congress to pass the For the People Act to preserve our right to vote and provide equitable access to the ballot box; there is no more time to waste.” Rev. Al Sharpton, President and Founder of NAN
The 6-3 Supreme Court decision validates coordinated, anti-democratic attacks in state legislatures across the country. Similar to the 2013 case of Shelby County v. Holder, in which the Court opened the door for continued suppression and restriction of Black and Brown Americans’ right to vote, Justice Kagan clarified in her dissent; the Court has severely damaged a provision intended to end discrimination in voting.
This decision gives violence to the text and history of the 15th Amendment, which prohibits every method of denying or abridging the freedom to vote on race and gives Congress sweeping enforcement powers to make the right to vote a reality.
Congress, however, has the power to include exceptions to a broad rule. According to Justice Neil Gorsuch in last year’s landmark Title VII ruling, if Congress fails to do so, the “courts apply the broad rule.”
On August 28th, Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King, III will join a coalition of grassroots advocates, labor, clergy, and ordinary citizens in Washington, DC, to call for the passage of meaningful federal voting rights legislation. To get involved or learn more about the March On for Voting Rights, visit www.marchonforvotingrights.org.
###
About National Action Network
National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, criminal record, economic status, gender, gender expression, or sexuality. For more information, visit https://nationalactionnetwork.net/