June 25 (UPI) -- The Justice Department announced Friday it will sue Georgia over the state's new voting law, saying it violates federal voting rights legislation.
Georgia passed the sweeping Senate Bill 202 in March that imposes voter ID requirements, limits ballot drop boxes and allows the state to take over local elections.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday that law, along with others filed by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in November's general election, illegally interferes with voting rights.
"This lawsuit is the first of many steps we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote, that all lawful votes are counted and that every voter has access to accurate information," Garland said Friday, according to the New York Times.
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Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who drew Trump's anger for not overturning the Georgia election but supported the new state voting changes, fired back at the Justice Department. He accused them of caving to Democrats and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who has led a nationwide voting rights campaign.
"The Biden administration continues to do the bidding of Stacey Abrams and spreads more lies about Georgia's election law," Raffensperger said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court."
Biden won Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes. Trump accused the state of allowing thousands of illegal ballots but a recount and audit confirmed Biden's narrow win.
