A Department of Justice civil rights lawsuit targets a Pennsylvania city's election system in its final days under the Biden administration.
According to The Daily Caller, the DOJ sued Hazleton, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, claiming its at-large city council election system violates the Voting Rights Act by not providing fair representation for Hispanic voters.
The lawsuit challenges the city's voting method where residents vote for each district's council member regardless of where they live in Hazleton. Legal experts have criticized the DOJ's complaint as lacking merit, with former DOJ attorney Hans von Spakovsky pointing out that Hispanic candidates' losses appear tied to political party affiliation rather than racial discrimination.
The city's voting trends reveal an interesting shift in recent years. While Hazleton supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, it swung to Donald Trump in both 2020 and 2024, with Trump securing 62% of the vote in the latest election.
The 2023 mayoral race saw Republican incumbent Jeff Cusat win decisively with 61% of the vote against Hispanic Democratic candidate Vianney Castro, who received 28%.
Former DOJ counsel von Spakovsky shared his perspective on the lawsuit's timing and merit:
Quite frankly, I don't trust the narrative put forward by the Justice Department because I don't trust the credibility of the lawyers inside the Civil Rights Division, where I used to work. There is also no evidence that Hispanics have suffered discrimination as required to validate a claim under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
The demographic makeup of Hazleton has undergone significant changes, becoming majority Hispanic in 2016 at 52%. This relatively recent demographic shift raises questions about the DOJ's claims of historical discrimination.
Hazleton's leadership has pushed back against the DOJ's allegations. Mayor Cusat and City Council President Jim Perry released a joint statement defending their current system and highlighting ongoing efforts to address concerns.
The city officials emphasized that they had been cooperating with the DOJ before the sudden lawsuit filing. They noted that Hazleton was already preparing a ballot referendum to address the issues raised by the department.
This case adds to a series of legal challenges by the Biden administration against Republican-led election policies. Similar DOJ lawsuits in Georgia and Texas have faced setbacks, with courts largely upholding state election laws despite federal opposition.
The lawsuit's timing, filed in the final days of the Biden administration, has drawn scrutiny from legal experts who question its motivations. With Trump's inauguration approaching this month, the case's future remains uncertain.
Current city officials maintain that their at-large voting system provides equal rights to all citizens regardless of race or gender. The city faces additional pressure from a separate lawsuit filed by voting activists challenging the school board's similar at-large election system.
To resolve the dispute, the DOJ seeks a court order mandating a new election method for Hazleton. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between federal oversight of local election systems and municipal autonomy in determining voting procedures.
