Justice for Crystal Mason as an illegal voting conviction is finally reversed

A Black Texas grandmother can finally move on from the state’s aggressive prosecution of her provisional ballot cast in 2016 that was never counted as a vote. Yes, there is finally justice for Crystal Mason as her conviction for illegal voting has been overturned, resulting in an acquittal, in what is seen as a major victory for voting rights.

The Texas Second Court of Appeals on Thursday evening overturned the conviction after the court said the requirement that there be evidence that the person knew they were ineligible was not met in this case, as there was no evidence that Crystal Mason knew she was ineligible to vote. her when she voted.

Mason was originally sentenced to five years in prison for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on probation for federal tax evasion, even though she believed she was fulfilling her civic duty and didn’t realize she was ineligible to vote .

“I am so happy to see my faith rewarded today,” Crystal Mason said. “I have been involved in this fight for voting rights and will continue to work to make sure no one else has to go through what I have endured for over six years, a political ploy in which minority voting rights are under attack. I cried and prayed every night for more than six consecutive years that I could remain a free black woman. I thank everyone whose dedication and support has helped me get through this time and I look forward to celebrating this moment with my family and friends.â€

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“The case has thrust Mason, who is black, into the political fray amid a Republican-led crackdown on voter fraud, partly fueled by unfounded allegations of rampant illegal voting,” the Texas Tribune pointed out.

It’s a victory that Mason was finally cleared of this obvious voter intimidation tactic, but it should never have happened. If we look at the broader point of laws like the Texas voter laws, we see that they have a chilling effect on black voters, which serves Republican purposes. So Republican laws are working to intimidate voters who often don’t vote for them.

Mason’s conviction and subsequent harassment are intended to serve as a warning to others not to vote.

“We are very pleased that the court followed the rule of law. It is clear that the state’s prosecution of Crystal was malicious and purely politically motivated,” said Kim T. Cole, Crystal Mason’s civil attorney.

“The state prosecutor specifically stated that they wanted to “send a message” to voters. They deliberately subjected Crystal to over six years of pure hell. She woke up every morning not knowing if this would be the day her freedom would be taken away from her.â€

And that is precisely the purpose of these laws: to send a message to voters who tend to vote for Democrats. He is blatantly partisan and wickedly anti-freedom.

It should not be lost on people that it is Republicans who continue to be convicted of intent to commit voter fraud. Just yesterday, a Georgia judge ruled that Brian K. Pritchard, vice chair of the state Republican Party and a conservative talk show host, illegally voted nine times by voting while on probation for check forgery. Even though he claimed the 2020 election was fraudulent, he will only have to pay $5,000.00, so his life will not be turned upside down, nor will he be subjected to harassment as the “face” of the illegal vote.

This type of criminal attempt to scare opponents into not voting is a clear indication of the authoritarian tendencies that the Republican Party has embraced under Donald Trump. Freedom is precious and very difficult to maintain.

Image: American Civil Liberties Union