Sports Legends Endorse Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act

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“[W]e are united now in urging Congress to exercise its Constitutional responsibility to enact laws that set national standards for the conduct of Federal elections and for decisions that determine election outcomes,” Jerry West, Nick Saban, Paul Tagliabue And Others Write In Letter To Sen. Manchin

 

In a letter to Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), five sports legends, including NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, Alabama football coach Nick Saban, and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, strongly endorsed the Freedom to Vote Act: John R. Lewis Act, “urgently needed legislation that will protect both the rights of voters and the integrity of outcomes in all Federal elections.”

The Freedom to Vote Act was engineered by Senator Manchin, who drafted it with seven colleagues, but he has continued to express opposition to modifying the Senate filibuster rules, which is essential to its passage in the Senate.

The sports legends wrote in a joint letter: “We come from some of our Nation’s most popular sports leagues, conferences and teams. Some of us have roots and shaped our lives in West Virginia, others followed very different paths and some of us have been rivals in sports or business. But we are all certain that democracy is best when voting is open to everyone on a level playing field; the referees are neutral; and at the end of the game the final score is respected and accepted.”

All but Tagliabue have ties to West Virginia. West and Saban endorsed Senator Manchin in a television ad during Manchin’s 2018 reelection campaign.

They concluded:  “To complement your efforts to have the Senate enact balanced and widely supported legislation, we will encourage others in sports, business and other endeavors to join with us in endorsing the concepts set forth in this letter.”

Read the letter online or below.

 E L E C T I O N    I N T E G R I T Y   L E G I S L AT I O N
S U P P O R T   E N A C T M E N T   N O W

January 13, 2022

Senator Joe Manchin
United States Senate
306 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Manchin:

We strongly support urgently needed legislation that will protect both the rights of voters and the integrity of outcomes in all Federal elections. The Freedom to Vote Act, which you sponsored with Committee Chair Senator Klobuchar and other colleagues, effectively addressed these goals. Now we also support your leadership in shaping legislation to secure our democracy by protecting election integrity, principled Presidential transitions and our national security during transitions.

We come from some of our Nation’s most popular sports leagues, conferences and teams. Some of us have roots and shaped our lives in West Virginia, others followed very different paths and some of us have been rivals in sports or business. But we are all certain that democracy is best when voting is open to everyone on a level playing field; the referees are neutral; and at the end of the game the final score is respected and accepted.

So we are united now in urging Congress to exercise its Constitutional responsibility to enact laws that set national standards for the conduct of Federal elections and for decisions that determine election outcomes.

We commend you for ensuring that such legislation rests on critical features of our Constitution. These guarantee that all Americans have an equal voice in our democracy and that Federal elections are conducted with integrity so that the votes of all eligible voters determine the election outcomes.

Elections open to all Americans: Our democracy is at its best when all Americans are encouraged to participate. We support measures to provide voters with a range of opportunities to obtain and cast a lawful ballot, including robust in-person, early, and absentee voting options. We support the use of election security, equipment and record-keeping measures that are reliable and evidence-based, and clearly support the integrity of election processes.

Impartial conduct and score-keeping: Election administration and vote certification must be nonpartisan, professional and transparent. State legislators and other officials cannot apply or change rules, standards or procedures, prospectively or retroactively, in amanner that may nullify Federal election results by excluding voters or overruling voter choices.

These principles are now under intentional and unprecedented challenge. In the last year, some 20 states have enacted dozens of laws that restrict voting access and allow local officials or state legislatures to interfere inappropriately with Federal election outcomes. Motivated by the unanticipated outcomes of recent close elections conducted with integrity, these state laws seek to secure partisan advantage by eliminating reliable practices with proven safeguards and substituting practices ripe for manipulation.

To complement your efforts to have the Senate enact balanced and widely supported legislation, we will encourage others in sports, business and other endeavors to join with us in endorsing the concepts set forth in this letter. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this manner.

Sincerely,

Jerry West
WVU 1960; WVU Sports Hall of Fame/All American;
NBA Hall of Fame/Los Angeles Lakers

Nick Saban
Kent State U. 1973; roots in West Virginia; Monongah WVa HS;
head football coach Alabama; at several schools, coached most
national championship teams in history (7); Alabama Sports Hall of Fame

Oliver Luck
WVU 1982; WVU Sports Hall of Fame; NFL Houston Oilers;
WVU Athletic Director 2010-2014; Board of Governors

Darryl Talley
WVU 1983; WVU Sports Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame;
NFL Buffalo Bills All-Pro and Bills Wall of Fame

Paul Tagliabue
Georgetown University (GU) 1962; GU Board of Directors 2006-18 (Chair 2009-15);
NFL Commissioner, 1989-2006; Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020

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