A federal judge has dismissed portions of a Wisconsin lawsuit challenging the state’s voter identification laws that is backed by money from liberal billionaire George Soros.
Twin Cities reports:
U.S. District Judge James Peterson issued an order saying he has granted the state's motion to dismiss the portion of the lawsuit challenging the voter ID requirements. He said the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has already upheld the mandate in a separate case in October 2014. But he added he's not convinced that the requirement promotes any confidence in the electoral process.
He also rejected another section of the lawsuit alleging that statutory changes impermissibly favor voters who move to Wisconsin from out of state.
Other portions, including a section alleging the state has basis for excluding certain expired, out-of-state, or technical college photo identification, were upheld and can move forward.
The lawsuit was initially filed June 1 as part of a multi-state effort to challenge voter ID laws implemented by Republican-controlled legislatures in recent years and is backed with at least $5 million from George Soros.
Marc Elias, a top campaign lawyer for Hillary Clinton and partner at the Washington, D.C.-based Perkins Coie, brought the lawsuit forward on behalf of more than a dozen groups. Elias has filed similar suits in Ohio and Virginia this year and is working independently of the Clinton campaign on the effort.
A fourth voter ID lawsuit was recently filed in Alabama, although Elias is not connected to that suit.