Latino Democrats are calling for a federal investigation following voter fraud raids by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on their homes, civil rights organization LULAC told CBS News.
Paxton’s office announced the voter fraud investigation last week. Now, in a letter obtained by CBS reporters, LULAC has accused the attorney general’s office of conducting illegal searches, and the organization’s CEO, Juan Proaño, said the raids were “point-blank” voter intimidation, adding: “It is evident through (Paxton’s) pattern of lawsuits, raids, searches, and seizures that he is trying to keep Latinos from voting.”
The group said that authorities seized some of its members’ laptops and cell phones — including the phone of Democratic candidate for the Texas House, Cecilia Castellano, who called the raids “nonsense,” according to the Texas Tribune. Castellano warned against getting “distracted” and said: “I refuse to be silenced.” Paxton’s office even targeted an 87-year-old San Antonio resident who is a longtime LULAC member. (Several groups were targeted in the raids.)
The letter asked the U.S. Justice Department to look into Paxton’s office over potential violations of the Voting Rights Act.
“These actions echo a troubling history of voter suppression and intimidation that has long targeted both Black and Latino communities, particularly in states like Texas, where demographic changes have increasingly shifted the political landscape,” said the letter.
