Biden calls state GOP voting restrictions efforts ‘sick’ and ‘un-American’
President Joe Biden said he will “do everything” in his power to halt efforts to restrict voting rights, saying during Thursday’s news conference at the White House that the efforts underway in state legislatures are “un-American.”
Asked if he’s worried that failing to pass voting rights legislation will lead to more Democrats losing their seats, Biden said: “What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is. It’s sick. It’s sick.”
“I’m going to spend my time doing three things. One, trying to figure out how to pass the legislation passed by the House … No. 2, educating the American public. The Republican voters, I know, find this despicable. Republican voters! Folks out in the — outside this White House. I’m not talking about the let the elected officials, I’m talking about voters. Voters,” Biden said.
In one example of Republican efforts to restrict voting access at the state level, the GOP-led Georgia House of Representatives on Thursday passed its version of a sweeping election overhaul bill, moving it one step closer to enacting election law changes and restricting voter access in the state.
The legislation would limit drop boxes to the inside of early voting locations during voting hours, make giving food or drinks to a voter a misdemeanor, allow for unlimited challenges to voter registrations and eligibility, and grant state officials broad rights, including the ability to replace local election officials.
The move is part of a national Republican effort that aims to restrict access to the ballot box following record turnout in the November election.
“I’m convinced that we’ll be able to stop this because it is the most pernicious thing. This makes Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle. I mean, this is gigantic, what they’re trying to do, and it cannot be sustained. I’ll do everything on my power along with my friends in the House and in the Senate to keep that from becoming the law,” Biden added.
Biden was also asked if he could do anything besides trying to pass the federal legislation.
“The answer is yes, but I’m not going to lay out a strategy in front of the whole world and you now,” the President said.
