CONFIDENCE IN THE JUDICIARY AND JUSTICE SYSTEM. MAYBE AS A SEGUE, WANT TO RAISE SOME CONCERN ABOUT CONFIDENCE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. DISCUSS FOR IMMINENT DEMOCRACY AND VOTING RIGHTS. APPROACH THIS CONVERSATION NOT AS A LAWYER BUT AS A FORMER ELECTIONS OFFICIAL. FOR SIX YEARS, I SERVED AS CALIFORNIA'S CHIEF ELECTION OFFICER. MY OBJECTIVE DURING THAT TIME IS TO ENSURE THE ELECTIONS ARE SAFE AND SECURE BUT ALSO TO HELP FACILITATE THE PARTICIPATION OF AS MANY ELIGIBLE CALIFORNIANS AS POSSIBLE. AS WE ARE GUIDED BY -- AS WE ARE GUIDED TO DO BY THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT. I BELIEVE IN THE RIGHTS OF EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE, CAST THEIR BALLOT, HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD IN OUR DEMOCRACY. YOU CAN APPRECIATE MY OUTRAGE WHEN I WATCHED THE SUPREME COURT'S. THEY PLAYED A ROLE IN DISMANTLING THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR DEMOCRACY. THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE DECADES, IT PROTECTED VOTERS FROM UNNECESSARY OPTICALS -- OBSTACLES AND BARRIERS. THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WAS AUTHORIZED AND REAUTHORIZED FIVE TIMES WITH OVERWHELMING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT HELPED INCREASE BLACKWATER PARTICIPATION IN THE SOUTH IN THE POST-JIM CROW ERA AND IN STATES LIKE ARIZONA, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA AND OTHERS. LATINO VOTERS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE VOTER PROTECTIONS. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NATIVE VOTERS, ASIAN-AMERICAN VOTERS, AND MEMBERS OF LANGUAGE MINORITY COMMUNITIES HAVE ALL ACHIEVED GREATER ACCESS TO THE POLLS BECAUSE OF THE EX-PROHIBITION ON THE DETERMINATION OF RACE OR OTHER MINORITY STATUS. THEY GUIDED THE TEETH OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IN SHELBY COUNTY VERSUS HOLDER. THEY STRUCK DOWN THE PROVISION WITH A KNOWN HISTORY OF VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT TO PROVE THAT ANY CHANGES TO THEIR VOTING LAWS WOULD NOT HARM VOTERS. LAST YEAR, THE SUPREME COURT DRASTICALLY RESTRICTED THE REACH OF SECTION TWO WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION IN VOTING ON THE BASIS OF RACE. I FIND IT HARD TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF ANY OF THIS AS ANYTHING BUT COUNTER TO THE SPIRIT OF THE MOVEMENT THAT LED TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC CASE. EARLIER IN THIS HEARING, YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SUPREME COURT'S PRECEDENTS THAT THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS FUNDAMENTAL AND MUST BE PROTECTED HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED. SO CAN YOU JUST SHARE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES WHAT YOU BELIEVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SUPREME COURT MIGHT BE IN PROTECTING THIS FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO VOTE AND BY EXTENSION OUR DEMOCRACY? 