Attorney General Pam Bondi has instructed the Department of Justice to dismiss a lawsuit filed against Georgia concerning an elections law that the Biden administration claimed suppressed black voters. The lawsuit arose amid political controversy over Georgia Senate Bill 202, which was passed along party lines in 2021. The law revised procedures for absentee voting, early voting, ballot drop boxes, and vote counting, prompting critics to label it “Jim Crow 2.0.”
“Contrary to the Biden Administration’s false claims of suppression, black voter turnout actually increased under SB 202,” Bondi said Monday in a statement. “Georgians deserve secure elections, not fabricated claims of false voter suppression meant to divide us.” Critics argued that the law was designed to suppress Black voters, who were instrumental in President Biden’s victory over then-President Donald Trump in Georgia during the 2020 election. They also condemned the new restrictions that limit where food and water can be distributed to voters waiting in line. Despite these concerns, Georgia voters set a record for turnout in the 2024 election.
“This lawsuit is the first step of many we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote; that all lawful votes are counted; and that every voter has access to accurate information,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said when the DOJ filed the lawsuit in 2021. On Monday, however, the Justice Department, led by Bondi, stated that the Biden administration spread false narratives about the law, claiming it was an “intentional scheme to suppress the black vote.”
“In reality, SB 202’s commonsense reforms — photo ID for all voting, strengthened absentee ballot procedures, and rapid reporting of results — spurred record voter turnout, including among Black Georgians,” the Justice Department said.
Michael Whatley, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, praised the announcement. “This is a victory for election integrity and a defeat for every Democrat who lied about Georgia’s election law,” Whatley said. “States like Georgia should be praised, not punished, for making their elections more secure.”
