Today, US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Chair of the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, hailed Committee passage of H.R. 1281, known as the Voter Intimidation and Deceptive Practices Prevention Act. The legislation addresses the problem of deceptive campaign communications in federal elections. The bill seeks specifically to protect voters from the numerous instances of deceptive practices and voter intimidation reported in past federal elections, and, in particular, the recent 2006 Midterm Election.

Passage comes just one week after Mr. Nadler's Subcommittee held hearings on the politicization of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Witnesses testified about voting rights abuses, particularly in communities of color, arising from a lack of enforcement of existing law. These abuses, witnesses said, resulted from the judgments of long-time Civil Rights Division employees being overruled by political appointees.

"The right to vote, and the right to cast an effective vote, in a free and fair election, is the fundamental pillar of any democracy," said Congressman Nadler. "But despite having achieved bi-partisan passage of the Voting Rights Act in the last Congress, extending the Act’s critical protections for another 25 years, there are still numerous threats to this sacred pillar. Some of these threats come from lawless individuals determined to win power at any cost, and some threats come from the very governmental institutions charged with protecting the right to vote," Nadler added.

"I strongly support this legislation, and I believe it is absolutely necessary to protect voters – especially voters in minority communities, and voters with limited English language proficiency – from the dirty tricks brought to light in our hearing," said Nadler. "I remain concerned, however, that the current political strangle-hold this administration has over voting rights enforcement within the Civil Rights Division will continue to undermine our legislative efforts to protect voters. Even when this excellent legislation becomes law, only a vigorous, non-political Civil Rights Division can ensure that these rights, and those afforded under the Voting Rights Act, are vindicated," he added.