Robert Meyers
The U.S. Department of Justice has responded affirmatively to numerous calls for federal monitoring of Thursday’s Shelby County general election and federal and state primaries, the Flyer has learned.
Robert Meyers, chairman of the county Election Commission, confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the DOJ would concur with requests for federal monitors from himself, from the Shelby County Commission, from 9th District congressman Steve Cohen, and from other officials.
The County Commission on Monday voted to request such monitors by a 7-0 vote, all Democrats voting aye and all Republicans abstaining.,
In a speech to the Memphis Rotary Club on Tuesday, Meyers had said that he, too, was willing for federal monitors to come. “We have nothing to hide,” he said.
Meyers said he had requested the monitors during a phone call at 9 Tuesday morning to the office of Ed Stanton, U.S. Attorney General for the Western Division of Tennessee.
He said that a representative of the DOJ Civil Rights Division confirmed dring a 4 p.m. conference call with himself and Election Administrator Richard Holden that representatives of the Division would monitor the August 7 election.
“I was pleased to learn that the DOJ would come down and monitor the election. I believe this further supports our continued commitment to transparency,” Meyers said, in language similar to that which he used in his Rotary speech.
More details as they are learned.
