Rachel Maddow talked to voting rights lawyer Marc Elias who pointed the finger at Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy for staying silent on Republican voter intimidation tactics.
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Maddow asked Elias, “The defendants in this case include one of these sort of anti-voting rights pressure groups that that have sprung up all over the country in recent years and have been particularly energized since the 2020 election. I wanted to ask you about the role of the various Republican
elected officials who have bolstered what these groups are doing. We have the Republican candidate for secretary of state. The Republican candidate for governor. At least, two that I know of, sitting Republican state senators who are pushing this. Who are encouraging people to turn out and be vigilantes at voting sites. I wonder if you see some of these Republicans as bearing some of the same responsibility here?”
Elias answered, ” Absolutely. Republicans from top to bottom blame responsibility. Where is Mitch McConnell calling this out? Where is Kevin McCarthy calling this out? Where are the so-called responsible leaders of the Republican Party saying, having armed vigilantes at the polls, preventing people from casting their ballots in a legal way is wrong and they’ll denounce it. Where are they? It’s not just the Kari Lakes, the state legislators in Arizona. It is from top to bottom a party that has abandoned democracy and all semblance of decency. ”
Republicans are turning a blind eye to the voter intimidation tactics being used by members of their party because they stand to benefit. The voter intimidation tactics have gotten more emboldened and overt, but they aren’t anything new.
The difference is that the 1/6 attack on the Capitol legitimized violence against democracy for Trump’s party.
Voting rights lawsuits are essential, but the best way to defeat voter intimidation is not to be intimidated. Voter intimidation only works when voters are prevented from casting their ballots. Let them film you with their guns and costumes while you cast your ballot and participate in democracy.
The ugliness of the 2022 midterm is the love child of Trump and his big lie.
The way to defeat them is to vote, no matter what they try to do to intimidate and deter.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
