CBS Celebrates Federal Court Striking Down Texas’ Voter ID Law

CBS Celebrates Federal Court Striking Down Texas’ Voter ID Law (NewsBusters)

On Monday, a federal judge struck down the state of Texas’ voter ID law with claims that the law was specifically designed to target minorities. Seemingly just hearing about it on Thursday, CBS Evening News touted the development. “A federal judge has again struck down Texas' voter ID law, ruling that it is actually meant to keep minorities from voting. The state is expected to appeal,” announced Anchor Scott Pelley at the start of the segment.

Correspondent Omar Villafranca was on the ground in Texas, where he tried to tug on the heartstrings of the viewers. “86-year-old Floyd Carrier served his country in the Army, but in 2012, he wasn't allowed to do his civic duty,” he said as it transitioned to an interview with veteran Floyd Carrier, “You felt like you weren't a citizen.”

According to Villafranca, “Carrier says he wasn't allowed to vote because of a voter ID law passed in Texas in 2011, which required one of seven types of approved picture IDs to cast a ballot.” He noted that for over five decades Carrier had used is picture-less VA benefits card to vote, “but suddenly it wasn't enough.”