Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. Condemns Efforts to Undermine the Will of the Voters

BATON ROUGE, LA - Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) released the following statement calling out state legislative actions that attempt to remove duly elected individuals, warning that such efforts strike at the very heart of American democracy:

"Legislation that seeks to eliminate an office after the people have already spoken at the ballot box is not just misguided. It is a direct affront to the very core of our democracy.

"History reminds us that this is not new.

"In the aftermath of Reconstruction, African Americans who were duly elected were too often denied the right to serve. Voices chosen by the people were silenced, not by voters, but by systems unwilling to accept their participation. John Willis Menard of Louisiana was elected by the people, yet never seated. His story is one of many where the will of the voters was ignored and erased.

"That painful history teaches us a simple truth. When the will of the people is disregarded, democracy itself is weakened.

"This moment calls for vigilance. It calls for respect for the electorate. And it calls for a clear commitment that once the people have made their choice, that choice will be honored.

"Because in a true democracy, the power belongs to the people. And it must remain there."

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