ACLU Blasts House Democrats’ Big ‘Election Reform’ Bill As Unconstitutional

On Friday, the historically leftist — but often quirky — American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) surprised many when it came out in opposition to House Democrats' omnibus H.R. 1 bill, dubbed the "For The People Act Of 2019."

As the name signifies, H.R. 1 is the bill label often given to a new House leadership's most symbolic or highly pressing legislative priority. In January, NPR described the For The People Act Of 2019 as "a 571-page compendium of existing problems and proposed solutions in four political hot zones: voting, political money, redistricting and ethics."

Among other things, H.R. 1 provides for automatic voter registration, makes election day a national holiday, restores many felons' voting rights, cuts back further on states' ability to control their own voter rolls, revives the previously gutted coverage formula of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, mandates the disclosure of donors to politically active 501(c)(4) organizations, mandates that presidential inaugural committees disclose expenditures in addition to donors, and mandates that presidents and vice presidents must release their tax returns.

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