Pamela Karlan sent a letter to the President of the Arizona Senate opposing Arizona's efforts to canvass voters.
During the Arizona Senate’s audit of the 2020 presidential election, Karlan authored a letter[1] to Republican Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, and in it wrote that the DOJ was concerned that any attempt to canvass voters (e.g., knock on their door and ask them to verify their registration) could “have a significant intimidating effect on qualified voters.”
“This description of the proposed work of the audit raises concerns regarding potential intimidation of voters,” Karlan wrote, and further stated that her concern was also based on past “similar investigative efforts around the country.”
Ultimately, Karlan’s warning to state officials worked – shortly after Karlan sent her letter to Arizona, Arizona Senate President Fann announced in a reply to Karlan[2] that plans to canvass voters had been suspended.
Karlan’s letter to Fann came only days after a left-wing advocacy organization, the Brennan Center for Justice (BCJ), wrote to the Civil Rights Division[3] outlining concerns regarding the audit. In fact, BCJ specifically requested that DOJ intervene. Karlan’s letter largely regurgitated the BCJ’s concerns, citing many of the same sources that BCJ did.
“We are also concerned that, under the senate’s audit procedures, the auditors are preparing to cause imminent violations of laws prohibiting voter intimidation. Voter intimidation is prohibited under at least three federal statutes.” - Brennan Center for Justice Letter to the DOJ, April 29, 2021.
“This description of the proposed work of the audit raises concerns regarding potential intimidation of voters. The Department enforces a number of federal statutes that prohibit intimidation of persons for voting or attempting to vote. For example, Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act provides that “No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, shall intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for voting or attempting to vote, or intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for urging or aiding any person to vote or attempt to vote...” – Pamela Karlan letter to Arizona Senate, May 5, 2021.
Given that Karlan's letter to Arizona came so soon after the Brennan Center for Justice made their ask of DOJ, it raises the question -- is Pamela Karlan using her DOJ perch to benefit Soros-funded, progressive voting rights organizations that oppose increased election integrity efforts?
Sources:
[1] Karlan: DOJ Letter to AZ
[2] NPR, "In Response To Justice Dept., Arizona Senate Says Plan To Canvass Voters Is On Hold," May 7, 2021
[3] BCJ: Letter to DOJ
Comments