An MSNBC political contributor said Tuesday that the executive should send the government to elections for a “federal takeover” of voting” target=”_blank”>elections,< while discussing a lawsuit brought against us-regions by the justice-department” target=”_blank”>Department of Justice<
Johnson made reference to the U.S. government’s actions following the Supreme Court’s Brown vs. Board of Education ruling when discussing the state of voting in America.
Attorney General Merrick Garland steps away from the podium after speaking at a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
“I know this is something that hasn’t been done in 50 or 60 years, but you know what happened when the federal government said, ‘Hey, Brown vs. Board of Education, we have to integrate schools?’ They sent troops. They sent federal officials to places and said, ‘You will let Black children into this school.’”
Johnson then said that a similar approach could be taken against states regarding elections” target=”_blank”>election processes<
“This administration can say, we have concerns about how elections are being conducted in this particular state. We’re going to send officials down there. We’re going to send election observers. If we think that people’s civil rights are being violated, we will do a federal takeover.”
The political contributor, appearing to anticipate a backlash, said he knew that “right-wingers” would likely “scream” about his comments, but attempted to assuage concerns.
A voter stands in a booth at a voting station at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) during the mayoral election process in New York on June 12, 2021.
( ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
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“This is what the federal government is supposed to do. If states are violating people’s civil rights, you’re supposed to step in,” Johnson said.
Fox News’ Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.
