SoS, AG Won’t Defend State’s Law Against Felon Voting

The American Civil Liberties Union wants the worst class of criminals to have more influence over our society. Their aim has long been to provide voting rights to convicted felons who are still under supervision for their crimes, despite the state Constitution’s proscription. The ACLU has been unsuccessfully lobbying the state legislature for several sessions to bring felon voting to pass. Having failed there, they are now hoping to get their way through activist courts.

In November, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Secretary of State, demanding that felons be restored to full voting rights upon release from jail or prison, regardless of their probationary status.

Minnesota’s Constitution denies felons the right to vote until they have been restored to civil rights, which, under Minnesota’s laws occurs automatically upon successful completion of a felon’s entire sentence, which includes any time on probation or “supervised release.”

The ACLU is evidently more concerned with the self-esteem of murderers, rapists and gangsters than the negative influence those in the worst classification of criminals have on our society.

Minnesota’s secretary of state and attorney general are responsible for defending Minnesota’s laws on felons voting, but despite having sworn oaths to uphold the constitution of Minnesota, both are on the same side as the party suing them and are refusing to put up the most fundamental legal defense available.

This deliberate failure prompted the Minnesota Voters Alliance to intervene on behalf of the Minnesota Constitution and the People of Minnesota.

It’s unsurprising, but still remarkable that both plaintiff and defendants are objecting to the intervention. They’re all on the same side and the state won’t put up the robust defense of the law required for a fair hearing under the American system of jurisprudence.

The MVA filed its Notice of Limited Intervention on November 18, 2019, asking the Ramsey County District Court to allow the MVA to be an “intervenor defendant” in the case for the primary purpose of asserting to the court the defense which the State has waived, namely, that the Minnesota Constitution does not provide the ACLU with the right to sue the government in this case.

Last week, both the Secretary of State and the ACLU filed their objections to MVA’s Notice to Intervene setting up another court battle against the Secretary of State.

Ramsey County District Court Judge, the Honorable Richard H. Kyle, Jr. set a hearing date of January 30th, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. at the Ramsey County Courthouse.

In the coming days, the MVA will be filing a full Motion to Intervene, since no one else will defend the law or Minnesota’s Constitution in this case.

Lawsuits of this nature are expensive and the Minnesota Voters Alliance is seeking to raise $15,000 by year’s-end. Since the MVA is a registered 501(c)3 organization, contributions are tax-deductible.

Donate at www.mnvoters.org/support

See Also: Should Felons Govern the Law-Abiding?