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Cohen Presses Attorney General Holder to Protect Shelby County Voters

April 8, 2014

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a member of the House Judiciary Committee and Ranking Member of its Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, this morning urged United States Attorney General Eric Holder to provide federal monitors for the upcoming elections in Shelby County. Video of this morning’s questioning is available here.

“Despite an election riddled with errors that was set aside by court order, no changes have been made at the Shelby County Election Commission,” said Congressman Cohen. “As I have highlighted on numerous occasions, the Commission has demonstrated a troubling pattern of incompetence over the years—and something must change. I urge the Department of Justice do everything in its power, including sending monitors to ensure the fairness of our elections, to protect the voters of Shelby County.”

The Congressman’s questioned Attorney General Holder at a Judiciary Committee hearing this morning following a letter he sent with Pastor Kenneth T. Whalum of the New Olivet Baptist Church to the Attorney General expressing concerns about the competency of the Shelby County Election Commission.