Federal Judge Rejects DOJ Statement Backing Ohio Motor-Voter Law

A federal judge on Tuesday denied the Justice Department’s attempt to file a statement backing Ohio in a challenge to a state law requiring those registering to vote when obtaining a driver’s license to provide documented proof that they’re a US citizen.

The DOJ’s statement of interest is of “limited utility” because it largely rehashes arguments made by the parties and other interested groups, Senior US District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. wrote. In addition, arguments pertaining to the 10th Amendment are “disconnected from the claims Plaintiffs assert,” wrote Oliver, an appointee of President Bill Clinton to the US District ...