ABA ‘won’t back down’ on US elections
The new president of the American Bar Association (ABA) has told its annual conference that the organisation will continue to take action to ensure free and fair elections.
Barbara Howard, who took up the post for a year-long term yesterday (4 August), is principal of the Barbara J Howard law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The ABA has been critical of what it last year described as the Trump administration’s “wide-scale affronts to the rule of law” in the US, and Howard vowed to continue the fight against assaults on civil rights, the rule of law, and initiatives focused on equity and inclusion.
Voting rights
Ahead of mid-term elections in the US in November, Howard said that the ABA would not “back down” from attacks on the election process.
“Never before have we seen such an attack on voting rights and election integrity on so many fronts,” the Ohio lawyer said in her speech.
“We are seeing efforts to remove citizens from voter registration rolls without a basis to do so,” Howard said.
“We are seeing efforts to place what many see as undue restrictions on the right to vote – including proof of citizenship.”
‘Seeds of mistrust’
Howard said that sowing the seeds of mistrust about the US election system could do “serious damage” and cause many people to stay home rather than exercise their right to vote.
“Even after elections have been decided, there is a significant possibility that the results of those elections will be challenged,” she added.
“The American Bar Association will continue to defend against these constitutional affronts and will take action when needed to ensure that every citizen has the right to vote, to exercise that right to vote without intimidation, and to rest assured that all votes will be counted, free from interference by any person or entity, including the federal government,” the new ABA president stated.
Attacks on judiciary
Howard also told the conference that attacks on the US judiciary remained a concern.
She emphasised the need for lawyers and the ABA to lead in protecting the rule of law.
“Democracy doesn’t defend itself – lawyers do,” the ABA president concluded.