Corbett Aide Calls Pa. Voter ID Inquiry 'Politically Motivated'

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett is accusing the Justice Department of overstepping its authority by requesting more information on Pennsylvania's new voter identification law, according to the Pittsburg Post-Gazette.

 

Speaking on behalf of the governor, general counsel James Schultz said in a letter sent to Washington Friday that some of the documents and records requested "fall well outside the scope" of a federal inquiry into whether the new photo identification requirement for voters discriminates against minorities.
 

"In light of the absence of authority for your request for information, I question whether your inquiry is truly motivated by a desire to assess compliance with federal voting rights laws, or rather is fueled by political motivation," Schultz wrote.
 

However, Schultz indicated the Corbett administration would provide documents it shared with attorneys in state court, where a judge last week upheld the new voter ID law. Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele, the state's top elections officials, also said the state would comply with the Justice Department inquiry.