A panel of conservative judges on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that private individuals or groups cannot bring suit under the Voting Rights Act, severely curtailing the effectiveness of the landmark civil rights law. This decision has been met with criticism from voting rights organizations, who argue that the VRA is an important tool for protecting the rights of minority voters. The decision has been seen as a major setback for voting rights organizations, who have relied on the VRA to protect the rights of minority voters.
