Clintonites try to disenfranchise voters

John Fund notes how Clinton supporters are trying to put roadblocks in the way of Obama voters having an easier time of voting in the Nevada caucuses.

Both Democrats and Republicans are good at practicing hypocrisy when they need to. But it's still breathtaking to see how some Democrats ignore that it was only last week they argued before the Supreme Court that an Indiana law requiring voters show ID at the polls would reduce voter turnout and disenfranchise minorities. Nevada allies of Hillary Clinton have just sued to shut down several caucus sites inside casinos along the Las Vegas Strip, potentially disenfranchising thousands of Hispanic or black shift workers who couldn't otherwise attend the 11:30 a.m. caucus this coming Saturday.

D. Taylor, the president of the Culinary Workers Union that represents many casino workers, notes that legal complaint was filed just two days after his union endorsed Barack Obama. He says the state teachers union, most of whose leadership backs Mrs. Clinton, realized that the Culinary union would be able to use the casino caucuses to better exercise its clout on behalf of Mr. Obama, and used a law firm with Clinton ties to file the suit.

Mr. Taylor exploded after Bill Clinton came out in favor of the lawsuit on Monday, and Hillary Clinton refused to take a stand. "This is the Clinton campaign," he said. "They tried to disenfranchise students in Iowa. Now they're trying to disenfranchise people here in Nevada." He later told the Journal's June Kronholz, "You'd think the Democratic Party elite would disavow this, but the silence has been deafening."

Caucuses are inherently discriminatory events because people who can't attend in the period of time they're held just can't vote. Can't get off work or get a babysitter? Well, forget about voting in the caucuses. If they're going to hold caucuses, the party should have as many locations as possible to make it convenient for people to attend. It just works out badly for the Clinton machine that this plan facilitates Obama supporters voting. Does anyone think that the Clintonites would be opposing this plan if the Culinary Workers Union had endorsed Hillary? Of course not.