DOJ's "Culture of Prejudice" Against Voter ID

The Justice Department will soon be reviewing the Mississippi voter ID law, as Governor Phil Bryant has said he will sign the bill passed by the legislature to implement a state constitutional voter ID amendment approved by 62% of voters.  Disturbing comments by a DOJ employee suggest the DOJ will not give it a fair hearing.

An analyst at the DOJ, Stephanie Gyamfim, wrote that Mississippi should change its motto to “disgusting and shameful.”    Mississippi Representatives Alan Nunnelee, Gregg Harper and Steven Palazzo sent a letter to the DOJ questioning whether Mississippi would receive a fair review of voter ID.  They wrote, “It is clear tht Ms. Gyamfi lacks the objectivity to review matters as they relate to the state of Mississippi.”

Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said, “there’s a culture of prejudice there in the Justice Department against Southern states and against Mississippi.”

The DOJ is pressured from groups who want the federal government to block state voter ID laws.  The attorney general has already pledged “aggressive” review. 

It’s no surprise the Mississippi legislature has supplied funds in the budget for the attorney general to conduct the voter ID litigation to get the law in place.