McConnell on ‘Washington Watch’ with Tony Perkins
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) joined Tony Perkins’ radio show ‘Washington Watch’ today to discuss H.R. 1. See below for highlights or click here to listen to the full interview.
On H.R. 1 Targeting Speech and Federalizing Elections:
“It directly targets speech and associations and also seeks to construct a system nationwide that benefits the left in every election. They haven’t held back at all. This is dramatic federalization of the way we do elections.
“It starts by taking the Federal Election Commission, which has been dead even (three) for perhaps half a century, and turning it into a majoritarian body (three to two). This means if you have a Democratic administration, they’ll be able to go after Republicans with impunity for any real or even imaginary violations. Also, particularly with regard to organizations that are 501(c)(4)’s, which is probably what you are, they repeal protections that block the IRS from targeting nonprofits for political purposes.”
On H.R. 1 and Election Fraud:
“And then let’s look at how they’re trying to jerry-rig the elections. Right now, the way we conduct elections, are determined consistent with the founding fathers and the Constitution, at the state level. This federalizes virtually every aspect of how we conduct elections in this country. For example, it requires no-excuse absentee ballots, something that some states did this year because of the pandemic but was never thought of as a permanent solution. A few states do it but most don’t.
“It undermines photo ID at the polls. Any effort to verify that the person voting is who they say they are. It requires what we call ballot harvesting, that is the ability to go around a collect a whole bunch of ballots and turn them in for somebody else. Fraught with the potential for fraud. California for example allows that now, no other states do.
“It also mandates that anyone can register, just show up at the polls on Election Day and register. Not even a requirement that you prove who you are. How does it affect the House of Representatives? State legislative authority over the redistricting is removed nationwide to so-called independent commissions and if people don’t like independent commissions, they can file lawsuits that could end up in the district court of Washington D.C.”
On the Importance of the Filibuster:
“Under the current process in the Senate it would require 60 votes not just 51 to do it [pass this legislation].
“This is a blatant attempt by the Democratic Party to take over American elections and in perpetuity. And there are two Democrats at least so far who said they will not allow the legislative filibuster to be eliminated—Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona. Both of whom ought to be encouraged to stay where they are because they are under intense pressure.
“So this is an opportunity for the Democrats to seize power and in perpetuity and they don’t want to miss that chance. And it’s going to come down to whether or not we can defeat it in the Senate, and whether or not Manchin and Sinema don’t allow this to be decided with simply 51 votes but rather require 60.”
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