NAACP sues Pres. Donald Trump, Republican National Committee
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Charlotte Convention Center on August 24, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jessica Koscielniak – Pool/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The NAACP is suing President Donald Trump, his campaign and the Republican National Committee, alleging a systematic attempt to try to disenfranchise voters of color to overturn the election.
The nation’s oldest civil rights organization filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, saying their actions have violated the Voting Rights Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act.
The White House and Trump’s campaign have not yet responded to NewsNation’s requests for comment, as of Tuesday afternoon.
“The lawsuit alleges that President Trump, the Trump campaign, and the RNC have engaged in a coordinated conspiracy to disenfranchise Black voters by disrupting vote-counting efforts, lodging groundless challenges during recounts, and attempting to block certification of election results through intimidation and coercion of election officials and volunteers,” the NAACP said in a statement Tuesday. “These steps to delegitimize our democracy were targeted in cities across the country with high numbers of Black voters.”
The NAACP joined a lawsuit that was filed on Nov. 20 by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, on behalf of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization and three Detroit residents.
The announcement comes as President Trump continues to seek avenues to overturn the election results.
Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. He’s also lost twice at the U.S. Supreme Court.
After the Electoral College confirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s victory earlier this month, Trump has turned his attention to Jan. 6. That’s when Congress participates in a count of the electoral votes, which Biden won 306-232.
The count, required by the Constitution, is generally a formality. But members can use the event to object to a state’s votes.
Trump on Monday hosted several House Republican lawmakers at the White House to discuss an effort to block Congress from affirming Biden’s victory in the November election.
Republican Rep. Mo Brooks, of Alabama, said he organized Monday’s session with about a dozen House Republicans who are willing to challenge the results.
“President Trump is very supportive of our effort,” Brooks said in an interview late Monday.
Democrats hold the House majority, and several Republican senators have acknowledged Biden’s victory, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. It makes any effort to block congressional approval of the election appear sure to fail.
McConnell has warned his members against taking such a step, saying a dispute over the results would yield a “terrible vote” for Republicans.
On Jan. 6, a lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. The objection will not be heard unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate.
If there is such a joint request, then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted.
Biden will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
