Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement regarding the supreme court rulings in the cases of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and Americans for Prosperity v. Bont: 

“Let me be very clear: The right to vote is to have a voice in the political process of every aspect of the foundation of our Democracy. It is our most solemn civic duty and one that must be protected at all costs. Yet, sadly, the Supreme Court handed down two rulings that truly undermine our democratic foundations and threaten the future security of our nation. The Brnovich decision: The heavily conservative Supreme Court has continued its unprecedented assault on voting rights, compounding the damage of the disastrous Shelby v. Holder ruling. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has done more to advance the Nation’s highest ideals than arguably any other legislative undertaking. And few laws are more vital in the current moment.  Yet, in the last decade, this Court has treated no statute worse. This decision greenlights the brutal, escalating voter suppression campaign waged by partisan lawmakers in Arizona and possibly across the nation.  And it is particularly disastrous for the communities of color targeted by racist suppression tactics, whose voices now have the potential to be silenced,” said Clarke.  “The decision in Americans for Prosperity further harms our democracy by allowing the suffocation of the airwaves caused by big dark special interest money.  This torrent of dark money silences voters’ voices and prevents the passage of commonsense, bipartisan and popular legislation – from gun violence prevention to climate action to LGBTQ equality. It is fundamentally anti-democratic, and it cannot go unanswered. We must focus our efforts on legislation that will protect our right to vote, like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and legislation that will protect our lives like the Geroge Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The time for action is now, and we can no longer stand aside as our democratic principles are eroded by partisan actors disguised as patriots”.

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Yvette D. Clarke has been in Congress since 2007. She represents New York’s Ninth Congressional District, which includes Central and South Brooklyn. Clarke is Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Taskforce on Immigration, a Senior Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and a Senior Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security.