FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2021

Contact: Prudence Robertson, probertson@sbalist.org, (240) 672-2828

Democrats Wielding Legislation as Predicate to Eliminate or Weaken Minority Filibuster Rights

Washington, D.C. Last night, Senator Chuck Schumer employed Senate rules to place a new version of the S. 1 “Corrupt Politicians Act” on the Senate calendar (S. 2093), after it failed to advance out of committee. The bill now contains provisions of the manager’s amendment, which also failed in committee.

National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative and former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued the following statement:

“Make no mistake, Stacey Abrams would never endorse an S. 1 ‘compromise’ that didn’t give the federal government the fundamental ability to override state election laws, and in a brazen display of hypocrisy she is now supporting elements of a bill she recently condemned in her home state of Georgia just a few months ago. The truth is that this unprecedented power grab would impose a New York City-style campaign finance system on the nation, forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for political campaigns, while destroying popular voter ID laws, forcing states to implement systems that will register illegal aliens and 16-year-olds to vote, requiring unverifiable forms of absentee voting, erasing key safeguards protecting our elections, and so much more. What’s more, Democrats are using this legislation as a predicate to eliminate or weaken the bipartisan filibuster, longstanding rules ensuring minority rights in the Senate.

“Americans have the right to be confident that it is easy to vote and hard to cheat in our elections, but this would spell disaster for our Democracy by making it easy to cheat and hard to prove. Instead, we need to inspire trust and confidence in fair, secure, and transparent elections that ensure every legal voter’s voice can be heard, and without being diluted by massive fraud. The Senate must stand tall and reject the attempt to force a Washington takeover of our elections.”

Recent polling released by the Honest Elections Project found that U.S. voters of all backgrounds and political persuasions overwhelmingly favor requiring that voters show ID to vote:

  • 64% of voters, including Black (51%) and Hispanic (66%) voters, as well as urban (59%) and Independent (61%) voters, want to strengthen voting safeguards that prevent fraud – not eliminate them.
  • 77% of voters, including strong majorities of Republicans (92%), Independents (75%), and Democrats (63%) all support requiring voter ID.
  • 64% of Black voters, 77% of Hispanics, and 76% of low-income voters reject the notion that presenting a form of ID at the ballot-box is a “burden.”
  • Two-thirds of voters (66%) support increased protections on absentee voting, like requiring voter ID to vote absentee, which proposed federal bills, H.R.1 and S.1 expressly forbid, contrary to the clear will of the American people.

Separately, Rasmussen found 75% of likely U.S. voters say that showing a photo I.D. to vote is necessary for a “fair and secure election process.” Additional polling from Rasmussen found that 85% of registered voters said it is “common sense” to require photo I.D.

The Election Transparency Initiative, a partnership between American Principles Project (APP) and the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), was organized to combat H.R. 1/S. 1 and advocate for state-based election reforms that voters can trust.

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