Governor Rick Perry Ridiculously Accuses Eric Holder of Inciting Racial Tension

by: Ben Sherman

Tue Jul 24, 2012 at 02:30 PM CDT

Gov. Rick Perry released the following statement on President Barack Obama's visit to Texas:

"Perhaps while the President is visiting Texas, he can take a break from big-dollar fundraisers to disavow his Attorney General's offensive and incendiary comments regarding our common-sense voter identification law.

"In labeling the Texas voter ID law as a "poll tax," Eric Holder purposefully used language designed to inflame passions and incite racial tension. It was not only inappropriate, but simply incorrect on its face.

"The president should apologize for Holder's imprudent remarks and for his insulting lawsuit against the people of Texas."

Attorney General General Eric Holder is, in fact, challenging Texas' Voter ID laws passed in May...because they do disenfranchise minority voters. Specifically, Hispanic voters who make up such a significant part of Texas's voting population.

ThinkProgress explains:

Texas passed an election law overhaul last May which included a requirement that voters present a certain form of government-issued photo ID or be turned away from the polls. Neither Student IDs nor Social Security or Medicaid cards, and no exceptions are allowed for the poor or elderly. Unlike some states which ask for photo ID but have recourse such as a provisional ballot for voters who lack an acceptable ID, the Texas law simply turned away these folks.

Because Texas is one of nine states with a history of discrimination that must have any change to their election laws approved by the Department of Justice, the state did not receive preclearance for the move. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas E. Perez explained that "Hispanic voters represent only 21.8 percent of the registered voters in the state, Hispanic voters represent fully 29.0 percent of the registered voters without such identification." Last week, a new poll showed that the people most supportive of Voter ID laws also harbor a lot of racial tension.

The Department of Justice is not inciting racial incitement, it's working to stop racial suppression carried out by Rick Perry and his Republican brood.