40 years in the making: Roberts’ long fight against Voting Rights Act

Cotter's Corner

By Daniel A. Cotter

Daniel A. Cotter is a partner at Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC and author of the book “The Chief Justices” (Twelve Tables Press). The views expressed here are solely those of the author. He can be reached at scotuslyyours@gmail.com.

Posted July 12, 2021 12:09 PM

Back in Jan. 1982, a young attorney named John Roberts worked as special assistant to Attorney General William French Smith, a job he held in 1981 to 1982, then was elevated to associate counsel to President Ronald Reagan’s White House Office of Counsel under Fred F. Fielding. In his special assistant role, Roberts wrote a number of pieces on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the battle and how the White House should address it.He concluded a Jan. 26, 1982, talking points memo to Smith, “We are confident that …

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