Federal judge in felon voting rights cases recuses himself, hints at ‘deeply troubling’ skullduggery

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker on Wednesday recused himself from presiding over federal lawsuits contesting the constitutionality of a new state law that requires felons pay all fines, fees and restitution before voting rights are restored. Two days before a scheduled telephone hearing at noon Friday to resolve discovery issues related to four consolidated legal challenges to Senate Bill 7066, Walker announced in an order that he was disqualifying himself from the case to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The Campaign Legal Center and Southern Poverty Law Center filed additional lawsuits the following day.

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