After Tuesday's decision by Governor Matt Bevin to yank voting rights from about 150,000 non-violent felons the grassroots organization which spent over 10 years lobbying for restoration of voting rights issued a response on Wednesday.

Governor Steve Beshear signed an executive order allowing some non-violent felons to regain voting rights just before he left office.

The statement issued by Jerry Hardt, Communications Director from Kentuckians for The Commonwealth reads as follows:

For almost one whole month, since Governor Beshear’s Executive Order established new protocols for restoring voting rights for former felons, Kentucky enjoyed the promise of a more just democracy and a restorative justice and electoral system. Tens of thousands of Kentuckians were offered the opportunity to rejoin our democracy.

During his campaign and even in his press announcement, Governor Bevin proclaimed his support of restoration of voting rights. And yet, two weeks into his term – three days before Christmas – he chose to unilaterally strip automatic restoration of voting rights from as many as 150,000 Kentuckians. His press statement was titled “Governor Bevin fulfills his commitment to People of Kentucky," yet his action is exactly the opposite of his campaign position. Kentuckians are left to wonder, what commitment was he fulfilling, and to whom?

If Governor Bevin does support a legislative solution, as does KFTC, there is still no reason to reverse Beshear’s action. There is no justification for prolonging this injustice – or in this case reinstating an injustice for 150,000 Kentuckians – while there is no guarantee that his own party’s legislative leaders will agree to a legislative solution. Bevin’s action was unnecessary.