Hi Illyana,
When I first read you post I was very interested in reading more about this particular situation. I read the Huffington Post article and it reported that the official in question is actually a justice of the peace. I could not believe that a justice of the peace walked away with a slap on the wrist compared to two minority women who unknowingly committed a crime. You would think that someone who pleaded guilty to fraud on an election campaign would be severely scrutinized in serious contempt of the law, after all we are talking about a justice of the peace. This man knows the law unlike the women who mistakenly violated it.
It is difficult to disagree with your argument; racism does in fact seem to be alive and well. In addition, the punishment incurred by this justice of the peace does not fit the crime committed. How can he not be sentenced to a punishment befitting fraud? You can certainly argue that of these three cases this justice of the peace would certainly have more to gain from falsifying voting information. Apparently in Tarrant County, Texas all you need to do to get away with a crime is admit to it.
Despite the stark differences in sentencing, we will never be able to prove what the real reasons for differences in punishment are. Although I agree, it looks a lot like racism, the truth is nobody will ever admit to it. Unfortunately, with president Trump in office we are bound to see a lot of racial tension spur in a country still divided by skin color.
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