On Monday, a federal judge struck down the state of Texas’ voter ID law with claims that the law was specifically designed to target minorities. Seemingly just hearing about it on Thursday, CBS Evening News touted the development. “A federal judge has again struck down Texas' voter ID law, ruling that it is actually meant to keep minorities from voting. The state is expected to appeal,” announced Anchor Scott Pelley at the start of the segment.
Correspondent Omar Villafranca was on the ground in Texas, where he tried to tug on the heartstrings of the viewers. “86-year-old Floyd Carrier served his country in the Army, but in 2012, he wasn't allowed to do his civic duty,” he said as it transitioned to an interview with veteran Floyd Carrier, “You felt like you weren't a citizen.”
According to Villafranca, “Carrier says he wasn't allowed to vote because of a voter ID law passed in Texas in 2011, which required one of seven types of approved picture IDs to cast a ballot.” He noted that for over five decades Carrier had used is picture-less VA benefits card to vote, “but suddenly it wasn't enough.”
He then shifted gears to smear the state’s Republican legislators:
In 2012, federal judges ruled that the law violated the voting rights act but Republican lawmakers fought repeatedly in federal court to keep the law in place, saying it prevented in-person voter fraud. But again this week, a federal judge ruled that want law was "Unexplainable on grounds other than race."
But the kicker is that, since Carrier was first turned away from his local voting location he had obtained a photo ID.
Villafranca seemed unamused by Governor Greg Abbott’s defiance while reading his response on Twitter. “Yes, Texas will appeal the erroneous voter ID ruling by a liberal Obama judge, and we should win. Supreme Court has already approved voter ID,” he read.
As the segment transitioned back to live, Villafranca hyped how the ruling could lead to some major negative effects for how much control Texas would have over its own elections. “If this latest ruling stands, Scott, there are consequences. Texas elections could go back under federal oversight,” he stated.
Judging by an Associated Press report, it appears that the federal judge has had it out for the voting measure. “The latest voter ID ruling by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of Corpus Christi comes more than two years after she likened the ballot-box rules in Texas, known as SB 14, to a "poll tax" meant to suppress minority voters,” they wrote, “On Monday, she reaffirmed that conclusion after an appeals court asked her to go back and re-examine her findings.”
The CBS report demonstrated their support for liberal policies and their animus towards conservative ones. And as a reminder, this is the same program that is anchored by Pelley, the newsman that has been praised for being openly combative with President Trump.
Transcript below:
CBS Evening News
April 13, 2017
6:40:40 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: A federal judge has again struck down Texas' voter ID law, ruling that it is actually meant to keep minorities from voting. The state is expected to appeal. And Omar Villafranca has more on this.
[Cuts to video]
OMAR VILLAFRANCA: 86-year-old Floyd Carrier served his country in the Army, but in 2012, he wasn't allowed to do his civic duty. He was denied the right to vote at the polling place near his Beaumont, Texas, home. You felt like you weren't a citizen.
FLOYD CARRIER: I wasn't a citizen anymore. I wasn't.
VILLAFRANCA: Carrier says he wasn't allowed to vote because of a voter ID law passed in Texas in 2011, which required one of seven types of approved picture IDs to cast a ballot. For more than 50 years, Carrier had used his Veterans Administration card that had no picture, but suddenly it wasn't enough. In 2012, federal judges ruled that the law violated the voting rights act but Republican lawmakers fought repeatedly in federal court to keep the law in place, saying it prevented in-person voter fraud. But again this week, a federal judge ruled that want law was "Unexplainable on grounds other than race." Genay Nelson is with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
GENAY NELSON: This new strict requirement is based on an idea that there is voter fraud in Texas, and we've debunked that many times over.
VILLAFRANCA: Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded on Twitter saying, "Yes, Texas will appeal the erroneous voter ID ruling by a liberal Obama judge, and we should win. Supreme Court has already approved voter ID.” Floyd Carrier now has a valid picture ID, and hopes no one else is denied the right he fought to protect.
CARRIER: To me, you have your right to go vote.
[Cuts back to live]
VILLAFRANCA: If this latest ruling stands, Scott, there are consequences. Texas elections could go back under federal oversight.
PELLEY: Omar Villafranca, thanks.
