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Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Nine Ways To Suppress African American Votes—the Republican Playbook
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Give Republican state legislators their due. They work hard to make it as burdensome as possible for African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and college students to vote in both state and federal elections. To accomplish this, they first have to pretend that voter fraud is widespread. That is hard enough, since the data conclusively show voter fraud to be exceedingly rare. Then, they must claim that their actions are the only way to restore "election integrity." That's even harder, since selectively disenfranchising huge swaths of the eligible voting population would seem to undermine, not promote, election integrity. Finally, they need to pretend that only illegal voters are affected. For that claim, the tens of thousands of disenfranchised U.S. citizens in states like Kansas and Georgia stand awkwardly in the way. Voters hold up their stickers after visiting a polling place to cast their ballots on Nov. 5, 2024, in Austell, Ga. Voters hold up their stickers after visiting a polling place to cast their ballots on Nov. 5, 2024, in Austell, that poll taxes and literacy tests are illegal, suppressing votes is harder still. But Republican legislators have been equal to the task. Here are their nine favorite tricks: 1. Make voter registration harder. Several Republican-controlled states have taken aim at voter registration drives, which account for disproportionately high percentages of Black and Hispanic registrations. A federal appellate court had to strike down a North Carolina law that intentionally targeted would-be Black registrants with "surgical precision." 2. Purge registered voters. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, running (successfully) for governor in 2017, purged 107,000 eligible voters from the rolls. In Ohio, failing to return a postcard from the state can cost you the right to vote. 3. Require photo IDs. Although voter impersonation is exceptionally rare (more Americans are struck by lightning), many states require voters to present photo IDs. This requirement disproportionately affects racial minorities. At least four solid red states accept gun licenses but not university IDs. Not coincidentally, college students vote overwhelmingly for Democrats while Republicans are more than twice as likely as Democrats to own guns. 4. Require documents that prove U.S. citizenship. To vote in federal elections, individuals already must swear under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens. Non-U.S. citizen voting, therefore, is virtually unheard of. Who would risk criminal prosecution, imprisonment, and deportation for the miniscule chance that their one vote would swing an election? Nonetheless, in 2022, Republican bills requiring voters to document their U.S. citizenship were pending in at least 10 state legislatures. The U.S. House has now passed a bill that would require such documentation nationwide. But how do you prove you are a U.S. citizen? More than 21 million Americans—predominantly the poor, African Americans, and young people—lack birth certificates and passports. For married women who have changed their surnames, even birth certificates would be insufficient. Moreover, since most of us don't pack birth certificates or passports when we go to shopping malls, political demonstrations, parks, outdoor concerts, places of worship, or the like, requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship would make voter registration drives impossible. 5. Slash early voting. Democrats vote early in much greater numbers than Republicans. So Republican legislatures have shortened early voting periods in states all across the country; North Carolina and Wisconsin are among the more extreme examples. In a decades-old tradition called Souls to the Polls, Black churchgoers have resisted voter suppression by traveling together to the polls after Sunday services. Republican legislatures in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Georgia have responded by drastically curtailing Sunday voting. 6. Limit ballot drop boxes. Ballot drop boxes avoid long postal delays. They are hard as a rock, safely located, and secure against fraud. Their open hours especially ease the burden on working class voters, particularly those who work nights or irregular shifts. They are used disproportionately by Black voters. But a rash of Republican-led states have banned them entirely or severely shrunk their numbers. In 2020, Texas' Harris County—which was 64 percent Black or Hispanic—had one drop box for its 4.7 million people. 7. Restrict third-party delivery of absentee ballots. Third parties frequently deliver other people's ballots. There is no evidence of widespread abuse, and they are a boon to the elderly and the disabled. Native Americans on tribal reservations sometimes live hours from the polls and lack mail service. Black churches often gather their congregants' ballots and deliver them en masse. Republican-controlled states have responded by imposing particularly severe restrictions. 8. Disenfranchise citizens with criminal convictions. The states vary widely as to which crimes disqualify citizens from voting and when voting rights may be restored. As of 2024, some 4,000,000 U.S. citizens were disenfranchised because of criminal convictions, roughly half of them even after fully serving their criminal sentences. A disproportionate number have been African American; five states, all Republican-controlled, have disenfranchised more than 10 percent of their African American adults because of criminal convictions. 9. Selectively close polling stations. Since 2013, when the Supreme Court effectively gutted the heart of the Voting Rights Act, states with hallowed histories of racial discrimination in voting have ravenously reduced the number and hours of their polling stations—disproportionately in counties with large African American populations. Among the results are long lines and major transportation issues for the affected voters. In 2018, the average wait time in precincts where 90 percent of the populations were white was only 5.1 minutes; in contrast, in precincts where over 90 percent of the voters were nonwhite, the average wait time was 32.4 minutes. In some precincts, wait times exceeded five hours. In 2016, these problems induced an estimated 560,000 eligible voters to sit out the election. Republican strategists have also called for closing polling stations on college campuses, especially in swing states with large in-state student populations. This is not democracy. Stephen Legomsky is the John S. Lehmann university professor emeritus at the Washington University School of Law. He is the author of Reimagining the American Union: The Case for Abolishing State Government (Cambridge University Press, 2025). Professor Legomsky served in the Obama administration as chief counsel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and later as senior counselor to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Stacey Abrams doesn't rule out another run for office, says true Christians should espouse progressive views
Failed Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams isn't ruling out a third run for governor of the Peach State, and said in a Tuesday interview that true Christians should have left-leaning views. "I truly have not made any decisions and that is in part because there's an urgency to 2025 that we cannot ignore," Abrams told NPR, concerning whether she'll run again. "My focus right now is on how do we ensure that we have free and fair elections in 2026? There's a lot of hope being pinned on the '26 midterms." Abrams was the minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017, and lost the 2018 Georgia governor's race to current Gov. Brian Kemp. She also lost to him again in a 2022 rematch. She also told NPR that true Christians should be progressive, and that it was her responsibility to help immigrants and the dispossessed. "I watched my parents live those values that education matters, that faith matters, and that helping people matters," Abrams said. "And for me, those are the values that guide me, my faith first and foremost," she added. "I cannot call myself a Christian and not believe that it is my responsibility to help the stranger, to help immigrants, to help the dispossessed. I cannot say that my faith justifies the venom that has been turned against the LGBTQIA community, the way we have demonized the transgender community. I cannot be a woman of faith who has read the Bible and just conveniently pick the passages I like," Abrams continued. Abrams also decried President Donald Trump's decision to deploy the military in Los Angeles, calling it "a violation of every precept of democratic rule under a civilian leader that we have in this country." In June, Trump sent a battalion of 700 U.S. Marines as well as 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to help quell riots protesting ICE immigration enforcement actions that resulted in violence, including the burning of the American flag and the assault on law enforcement officers. What Abrams found especially upsetting, though, was Trump's executive orders on DEI, including "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," directing federal agencies to end all DEI practices and asking the private sector to "end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences." "For me, the most important piece, though, was the number of directives, the executive orders that came out at the very beginning against DEI," Abrams said. "And people dismissed it as, 'Oh, well, this is just stopping quotas,' or 'This was an HR thing,'" she added. "But no, he was intentionally setting up a system of belief that the protection of the vulnerable, that the corrective actions this nation has taken for 249 years, that those things were somehow inherently wrong." "And it was designed to allow for the later attacks that we have seen on all of these different communities. Because if you can demonize at the beginning, it becomes a lot easier to dehumanize when it matters," Abrams said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
More rolls, more jobs! King's Hawaiian investing $54 million in expanding Georgia facility
The bread seems to be rising in this oven called Georgia. On Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp's office released news that King's Hawaiian will invest about $54 million in expanding its 150,000-square-foot Oakwood bakery and production plant. How is King's Hawaiian expanding its Georgia factory? The expansion will add a new production line, allowing them to produce additional flavors of King's Hawaiian Pretzel Bites. When will the expansion of King's Hawaiian factory in Georgia be finished? Start-up of the new production line is expected in the second quarter of 2026. Is King's Hawaiian hiring? The expansion will create more than 135 new jobs. The company will be hiring for positions in management, maintenance, food safety, and quality control. Those interested can learn more and apply at There are currently 21 different job listings for the Oakwood facility. Where is King's Hawaiian's Oakwood factory? The King's Hawaiian Oakwood facility is in Flower Branch at 5425 Aloha Way. It's north-east of Duluth about 47 miles from downtown Atlanta. Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: King's Hawaiian expanding Georgia facility in Flowery Branch Solve the daily Crossword
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Globe and Mail
Rivian Announces New East Coast Headquarters in Atlanta
Rivian, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens today announced the American electric vehicle company will establish a new East Coast Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia as part of its landmark investment in the state. The office will open in late 2025, followed by further expansion in 2026 as construction accelerates at the company's new manufacturing site in Social Circle, just outside the city. Rivian will occupy the top floor and lobby of Portman Holdings' Junction Krog District building at 667 Auburn Ave NE, adjacent to the famous Eastside Trail of the Atlanta Beltline—easily accessible by public transportation. Rivian expects to employ around 100 people at the site by the end of 2025, with around 500 people at the new headquarters when fully built. 'We are excited to establish our East Coast head office in Atlanta,' said Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. 'Atlanta embodies so much that makes Georgia great—top talent, exceptional creativity, and a desire to always be moving forward.' 'Georgia is a prime location for any company headquarters, and we're glad to see Rivian will soon join the growing list of brands not only operating in our state but also wholly or partially based in our capital city,' said Governor Brian Kemp. 'They recognize the unmatched value of Georgia's talent and the location of their East Coast Headquarters in Atlanta is the latest demonstration of their commitment to the Peach State. I look forward to that commitment translating to new jobs and opportunities for hardworking Georgians.' 'Atlanta continues to lead in EV innovation and technology integration, and Rivian's growing presence here reinforces our city's role in shaping our future economy. The opening of this new office and event space reflects how Atlanta continues to engage the community in bold, creative ways,' said Mayor Andre Dickens. 'Thank you to the Rivian team for investing in our city and calling Atlanta home.' Rivian has invested significantly in the Peach State, beginning with its plans to build a 7,500-person manufacturing facility in Stanton Springs North, near Social Circle. Since then, the company has continued to develop strong relationships in the state and plans to establish partnerships with universities, technical colleges, and local, regional, and state institutions as it scales. About Rivian: Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) is an American automotive manufacturer that develops and builds category-defining electric vehicles and accessories. The company creates innovative and technologically advanced products that are designed to excel at work and play with the goal of accelerating the global transition to zero-emission transportation and energy. Rivian vehicles are built in the United States and are sold directly to consumer and commercial customers. The company provides a full suite of services that address the entire lifecycle of the vehicle and stay true to its mission to keep the world adventurous forever. Whether taking families on new adventures or electrifying fleets at scale, Rivian vehicles all share a common goal—preserving the natural world for generations to come.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rivian restarting work on its Georgia factory, emails show
Rivian will resume prep-work on its planned Georgia factory in August and is still looking to break ground early next year, according to emails TechCrunch obtained through a public records request. The restarted effort comes months after the Biden administration's Department of Energy approved a $6.6 billion meant to fund construction. Rivian has invested more than $80 million in the project as of June 20, 2025, up from $41 million in July 2024, according to a progress report submitted to the local joint development authority included in the emails. The project has created 46 full-time jobs so far. Rivian will begin installing 'deep utilities' in August, with 'vertical construction' set to begin in the first quarter of 2026, according to the emails. The company is also reaching out to existing suppliers to see which ones might want to co-locate near the Georgia factory, the emails show. Rivian also asked the state's economic development department for a list of suppliers already in the region that may be able to help build the R2 SUV and R3 hatchback at the factory when it opens in 2028. Amid this push to restart the project, Rivian's founder and CEO RJ Scaringe met with the state's governor Brian Kemp at the end of May. The company's corporate affairs director told the Governor's office in an email that the meeting was a 'top priority' for the company. Peebles Squire, a spokesperson for Rivian, said the meeting between Scaringe and the Governor was a 'regular check-in.' 'We discussed our ongoing work in Georgia and gave general project updates as well as discussed ways in which we can continue to have a strong partnership with the state,' he wrote in an email to TechCrunch. The Governor's press secretary did not respond to requests for comment. Rivian first announced the Georgia factory shortly after its IPO in late 2021. The company originally planned to start construction in 2022 and have vehicle production up and running by 2024. It promised to invest $5 billion in the facility and, in May 2022, Rivian lined up $1.5 billion in state incentives to help make that happen. The factory quickly faced local opposition. And the project took a back seat as Rivian worked around supply chain shortages during the ramp-up of its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV at its original factory in Normal, Illinois. Rivian ultimately pushed back the timeline for the Georgia project in favor of expanding the Normal factory, for which it nabbed $827 million in incentives from Illinois. The company announced this delay in 2024 when it showed off the R2 SUV and R3 hatchback for the first time. In late 2024, Rivian announced it had secured the $6.6 billion loan from the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office. Specifically the loan would be coming from the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program, which is the same effort that helped Tesla navigate the Great Recession more than a decade ago. That loan agreement was finalized just a few days before Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, and by that point the deal had already become a target of some of the people in the new president's orbit. Vivek Ramaswamy, who at one point was supposed to co-lead Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, said he wanted to look into clawing back the loan. After Trump took office, his administration froze all kinds of spending. Some of those freezes were reversed by lower district courts, while others have remained in place as the Supreme Court has mostly allowed the president to operate more freely. In February, as the administration was shotgun-blasting these spending freezes across the government, Governor Kemp told a local news station he wasn't sure of the status of the loan. (Squire, in the email, said Rivian continues to work 'with DOE and the administration to bring thousands of quality, good paying jobs back to the United States. Electric vehicles are a global strategic industry, and the U.S. should maintain its leadership role in new technologies.') Just a few weeks later in March, the emails show, Rivian began coordinating with the Governor's staff for a face-to-face between Kemp and Scaringe. Originally slated to take place on April 9, the meeting had to be rescheduled because the Rivian CEO had a 'personal conflict come up.' Andrew Capezzuto, the corporate affairs director for Rivian, said the meeting was 'a top priority' in an apologetic email about the rescheduling. As Capezzuto hashed out a new time for Scaringe and Kemp to meet, he was also in regular contact with Georgia's economic development department (GCED), the emails show. '[W]e are interested in picking back up on supplier conversations,' he told that team on April 8. 'I believe a while back GDEcD had prepared an overview of existing suppliers within Georgia and the greater South East region. Would it be possible to dust that list off so that we can see what suppliers and parts are already available? We would like to use that list to evaluate the existing supplier base and determine whether we can leverage any existing suppliers. That will then also help us determine which suppliers we'd like to consider locate [sic] in Georgia to support the SSN facility.' In an email to TechCrunch, Squire said 'Georgia and the Southeast have a very strong automotive supplier base. We want to leverage that base to optimize logistics costs and reinforce a strong supply chain. It's good for jobs, regionally and nationally, and promotes American manufacturing and economic development.' As Rivian ramps up that supplier activity, the company is also starting to hire workers to support the buildout of the factory. It has posted seven open roles to LinkedIn within the last month, including one for construction manager. Sign in to access your portfolio
