In a scathing editorial, the Houston Chronicle recently took Texas Governor Greg Abbott to task, accusing him of engaging in "beyond reckless" rhetoric about election integrity. The Chronicle, the largest newspaper in Texas, has sharply criticized Abbott's latest actions and statements regarding voter rolls, branding them as alarmist and unfounded.
Titled "Texas' voter roll purge is routine practice. So why is Greg Abbott crying voter fraud?" the Chronicle's editorial dives into Abbott's August announcement that over 1.1 million voters have been removed from the Texas rolls since September 2021. According to Abbott, this massive purge was necessary to safeguard elections from illegal voting. However, the Chronicle argues that this move is more about creating confusion and suppressing voter turnout than addressing actual problems.
The editorial points out that the purge includes people who have moved out of state, are deceased, or are not U.S. citizens. The Chronicle's editorial board accuses Abbott of using this purge to sow fear and discourage people from voting. They claim that Abbott's rhetoric is part of a troubling "pattern" of baseless claims about election integrity, which have been repeatedly debunked.
Abbott's office reported that among those removed were over 6,500 noncitizens, more than 6,000 individuals with felony convictions, and over 457,000 deceased persons. The governor also highlighted that around 1,930 of the removed noncitizens had voting histories and were referred to the state's attorney general for further investigation. Despite this, the Chronicle asserts that Abbott's actions and statements have no substantial evidence of widespread voter fraud and are reminiscent of previous unfounded claims about election integrity.
The editorial board is particularly critical of Abbott's speculation about criminal schemes involving noncitizen voters. They argue that Abbott, with his extensive legal background as a former trial judge, state Supreme Court justice, and attorney general, should know better than to make such reckless accusations without evidence. This kind of speculation, they say, is dangerous and irresponsible.
The Chronicle also draws a parallel between Abbott's rhetoric and the "Big Lie" promoted by former President Donald Trump and his allies following the 2020 election. They suggest that Abbott is essentially repackaging Trump's false claims about election fraud into a new narrative of "election integrity." This comparison is intended to highlight the perceived dangers of Abbott's rhetoric, which the Chronicle argues mirrors the misleading claims that led to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Adding fuel to the fire, Abbott's recent announcement comes on the heels of the controversial Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a voting law passed in September 2021. SB 1 has faced significant criticism for imposing new voting restrictions that critics argue are part of a broader Republican strategy to limit voting access following the 2020 election. In August 2023, a federal court ruled that parts of SB 1 violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, finding that the law disenfranchised eligible voters by rejecting mail ballots for minor errors.
The Chronicle’s editorial board did not stop at Abbott's actions alone but also criticized Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for his office's recent raid on the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). This Latino civil rights organization was targeted over allegations of voter fraud, yet the Chronicle points out that Paxton’s office has only closed six election fraud cases between September 2022 and now. This discrepancy raises questions about the true motives behind such aggressive actions.
The broader issue, according to the Chronicle, is that claims of widespread voter fraud are often used as a pretext for enacting policies that disproportionately impact minority communities and traditionally Democratic-leaning voters. This view aligns with long-standing concerns about voter suppression tactics in Texas, which date back to the Reconstruction era.
In conclusion, the Chronicle's editorial makes a compelling case that Texans should be wary of exaggerated claims about election integrity. They argue that numerous safeguards are in place to ensure that every vote cast in Texas is legitimate and that those who claim otherwise, including the governor, are spreading misinformation. The editorial closes with a reminder to voters: "Here’s the truth every Texan should know before voting: there are multiple checks in place to ensure that everyone who casts a ballot in Texas does so legally. Anyone who tells you otherwise, even the governor of our state, is spinning a tall tale."
This thorough critique underscores the Chronicle's stance that Abbott's rhetoric and actions are part of a dangerous pattern of undermining trust in the electoral process, using fear and misinformation to influence voter behavior.
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