Voters better turn out en masse for the next election.
First - from FOX News:
Virginia high court strikes down gov's order giving felons right to vote
Gov. Terry McAuliffe's action restoring the voting rights of more than 200,000 felons was unconstitutional, Virginia's highest court ruled Friday, siding with Republican lawmakers who said the governor overstepped his authority.
Second - from ThinkProgress:
Virginia Governor Bypasses Court Ruling To Help 200,000 Ex-Felons Vote
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) is taking action to restore the voting rights of thousands of ex-offenders in the state after a court decision Friday put them in jeopardy. He’s getting around the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling against him by signing 200,000 individual clemency grants to the state’s ex-offenders to ensure their right to vote in November.
First of all, remember that these are people who have sat through a courtroom trial and have been convicted of felonies. Not misdemeanors, not jaywalking, not overdue parking tickets - we are talking felonies. Armed robbery, attempted or committed murder, the third arrest for drug dealing (possession with intent to sell), that kind of thing. Once they have done their time, they are free to go but there are certain life-long restrictions on their behavior. No gun ownership or use, no voting, they cannot serve on a jury or hold public office.
Governor McAuliffe thinks he has found a loophole around the law and he is going to get great reviews from the liberal media but what he is doing is unconstitutional and in direct violation of the State Supreme Court's decision. He has the avenue of appealing through the Federal District court but he knows what the result will be so he is doing this instead.
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