2013 ABA Medal recipient Hillary Clinton calls for lawyers to act to protect voting rights
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 12, 2013 – The 2013 ABA Medal, the American Bar Association’s highest honor, was awarded today to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Upon accepting the award, Clinton called on “citizen lawyers” to ensure that every American citizen has the right to vote. She laid out a three-part plan intended to counter the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Shelby vs. Holder that “struck at the heart of the Voting Rights Act,” Clinton noted. Clinton’s proposed plan includes stepped up enforcement, new legislation to replace the provisions of the act that were struck down by the court and grassroots action by citizens and lawyers.
“In the weeks since the [Supreme Court's] ruling, there has been an unseemly rush to exact or enforce laws that will make it harder for some of our fellow Americans to vote,” Clinton said. “Unless we act now citizens will be disenfranchised and victimized by the law instead of served by it.”
Clinton announced that today’s speech was the first of three she will give over the next few months that will address the assault on voting rights, balance and transparency in our national security policies and the implications of these issues for America’s global leadership.
According to ABA President Laurel G. Bellows, Clinton was chosen as the 2013 ABA Medal recipient because she embodies the virtues of the legal profession – fidelity, acumen, dedication and integrity.
“We honor Hillary Clinton with this award because of all she has done to make the needs of the poor and defenseless a priority while transforming the legal profession for women. She has given so much to the public good in a lifetime in pursuit of social justice,” said Bellows. “Name three modern women who have advanced the rule of law and championed the cause of women’s rights and Hillary Clinton will likely come to mind first.”
With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. To review our privacy statement, click here. Follow the latest ABA news at www.abanow.org and on Twitter @ABANews.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
![](https://www.einpresswire.com/tracking/article.gif?t=2&a=7nqHgLOIyP-2a6Bx&i=z4_X9EVWorSnHTlf)