Arizona governor: Racial discrimination doesn't 'take place any longer'

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) on Tuesday said the Voting Rights Act had "hampered" the state and was pleased to see a key provision of the civil rights law struck down.

Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal court is required to preclear laws affecting voters in jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which determined which states must receive preclearance.

When asked why Arizona shouldn't be required to have its voting laws precleared, Brewer said racial discrimination was no longer a problem in the state.

"I think we were being punished by the Voting Rights Act for indiscretions, bad things that took place decades ago, and those don't take place any longer," she told reporters. "We have grown and so it was the right thing to do so I'm pleased."

The Republican governor said the people of Arizona should "trust" that lawmakers wouldn't write up racially discriminatory voting laws.

The Department of Justice has filed formal objections to racially discriminatory changes to Arizona law 22 times since 1973.

Watch video, courtesy of AzCentral, below:

[H/T: TPM]