AP Changes Story to Minimize Embarrassment for DOJ

A trial is currently taking place in a Washington D.C. courtroom pitting Texas versus Eric Holder’s Justice Department over the issue of voter identification (see also: Holder Employs Obama GOTV Org to help in trial)

At PJ Media I posted a story of an absurd witness called by the Justice Department. Victoria Rose Rodriguez, 18, from San Antonio, flew to Washington D.C. to testify that she couldn’t get photo ID because she couldn’t find the time to do it! Her parents, you see, are also too busy to ever take her to the government office where she can obtain a free voter ID. (There is no telling what a serious cross-examination into Rodriguez’s life and social activities might reveal about her time management practices.)

My story had this money quote from Henry Jackson at the Associated Press:

Victoria Rose Rodriguez, 18, told a federal court in Washington that she had limited documentation — a birth certificate, a high school transcript and a student ID card with a photo on it — but is currently a registered voter in Texas. She said her parents are too busy to take her or her twin sister to get the new voter identification cards required by the law.

Whether Jackson understood it at the time or not, the story made DOJ look absurd for calling this witness. Naturally, after I called Jackson out on his shilling for the federal government, Jackson had to change the story to make Justice look less ridiculous for calling Rodriguez as a witness.

Henry Jackson’s new version:

In her testimony Tuesday, Rodriguez testified that she’s currently a registered voter but would not be able to meet the requirements of Texas’ new law. She said she lacked the necessary documents and the ability to travel to a location where she can obtain the newly required voter ID.

In version 2.0, Jackson disguises the absurd reason Rodriguez can’t get photo ID. Originally, it was because “her parents were too busy to take her.” In the DOJ-friendly revision, Jackson says she has no “ability to travel.” The ridiculous has become the sympathetic.

Any guess as to how often this 18-year old (read: adult) travels about to spend precious time with friends? Any guess as to how Rodriguez gets around when her parents don’t have the “time”?

This is par for the course for writers like Henry Jackson at the Associated Press, and it’s why Americans can’t trust them to report accurately about the federal government blocking state efforts to ensure the integrity of American elections. This witness should have been a laughingstock, but instead she was converted, when caught, into another example justifying the exercise of excess federal power.