Supreme Court blocks order that relaxed voting restrictions in Alabama

The Supreme Court on Thursday shot down a ruling from a lower court that would have eased voting restrictions in Alabama during the coronavirus pandemic. To vote by absentee ballot in Alabama, the state requires residents to send a copy of a photo ID and mandates that the ballot must be either signed by two witnesses or notarized. In June, a U.S. district judge in Birmingham issued a ruling to waive the requirement that voters in three counties get their ballots notarized or witnessed by two adults and waived the photo ID requirement for residents who are 65 and older or have a disability. The judge, Abdul Kallon, an appointee of former President Obama, also said that the state cannot prohibit local officials from allowing curbsite voting during the pandemic.

However, in a 5-4 vote along ideological lines, the Supreme Court blocked the ruling until at least an appeals process occurs. The ruling will have a direct effect on the state's July 14 Republican Senate primary runoff election. Originally scheduled for March, the runoff between former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former college football coach Tommy Tuberville was postponed due to the pandemic. Sessions was ousted as attorney general by President Trump in 2018. The relationship between the two has continued to be sour, and the president has endorsed Tuberville.

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/505772-supreme-court-blocks-order-that-relaxed-voting-restrictions-in

Minnesota Gov. Asks Trump to Declare State of Disaster After $500 Million Riot Damage

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on July 2 asked President Donald Trump to declare a state of disaster due to the “extensive fire damage to public infrastructure caused by civil unrest” following the death of George Floyd. The governor also requested financial support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help the state rebuild following the extensive damage. More than 10,000 public safety officials contributed to the effort to restore peace and safety amid the protests, which erupted following the death of Floyd—an unarmed African-American man who died in police custody on May 25. The often violent and chaotic protests left business and vehicles engulfed in flames, including the police department’s Third Precinct building, which was torched and abandoned. The Minnesota National Guard was also mobilized for the first time since World War II in an effort to contain the protests, many of which sparked looting.

In his statement on Thursday, Gov. Walz said more than $15 million of eligible damages related directly to the fires, a preliminary damage assessment found, while nearly 1,500 businesses in the Twin Cities were damaged by vandalism, fire, or looting. Walz estimates the cost of damages currently exceeds $500 million. “We’re asking our federal partners to step up and help our communities recover,” Governor Walz said in a statement. “We need to come together to ensure Minnesotans who were victims of this destruction have access to critical infrastructure they need so they can go to the grocery store, pick up their medication, and live their lives. “Together, we will rebuild.” The federal assistance would reimburse local governments for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and damage to public buildings and equipment, Gov. Walz explained. Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, Peggy Flanagan, added: “We are committed to helping our communities rebuild, but we can’t do this on our own. While state, tribal, and local budgets are stretched thin by COVID-19, we need everyone to step up, including the federal government, to restore safety and critical infrastructure to our communities.”

Floyd, 46, was arrested by police outside a south Minneapolis grocery store on Memorial Day for alleged fraud. A citizen’s cellphone video showed an officer, 44-year-old Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe and begged officers not to kill him. He eventually became unresponsive. All four officers at the scene have since been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and the three other former officers are charged with aiding Chauvin.

https://www.ntd.com/minnesota-gov-asks-trump-to-declare-state-of-disaster-after-500-million-riot-damage_481841.html

>>9840265

Thinking…one word…NO..Kek They didn't do a thing to stop it before it got out of control..they probably were part of the planning..Jail for all involved first..

>>9840267

100% concur!

>>9840281

yeah..and my answer would be……No