search
Sections List
American Journal News

GOP attacks on historic voting rights bill are getting more and more absurd

Republicans are comparing H.R. 1 to ‘the devil himself’ as their effort to vilify voting rights legislation intensifies.

By Emily Singer - March 11, 2021
Share
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)

As a voting rights bills makes its way to the Senate for a vote, GOP senators are trying to build opposition with lies and comments that grow more hyperbolic by the day.

H.R. 1 — which passed the House on March 3 — expands access to the ballot box. It requires states to put in place automatic voter registration, gives everyone who wants to vote by mail access to an absentee ballot, and protects voters from being wrongly purged from the voter rolls.

If signed into law, H.R. 1 would thwart the hundreds of voter suppression bills Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country are seeking to implement that, among other things, restrict who can vote by mail, shorten the time voters have to cast ballots, and even make it a crime to hand out food and drinks to voters waiting in long lines. The Republican effort would disproportionately affect voters of color.

As they gear up to block H.R. 1 from passage, Republican senators are lying about what the bill does and making over-the-top comments.

“Everything about this bill is rotten to the core,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News. “This is a bill as if written in hell by the devil himself.”

It’s unclear why Lee thinks expanding access to voting by mail is bad, given that his state votes almost entirely by mail, with 90% of the state’s votes being cast by mail, Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox told NPR ahead of the 2020 election.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday night that H.R. 1 is, “the universal voter fraud law” — lying about how there were “serious allegations” of voter fraud in the 2020 election when there were not.

In another instance of hyperbolic rhetoric, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) said H.R. 1 would “deform our elections.”

While Republicans decry H.R. 1 as Satan’s spawn, polls show the bill is widely popular among the electorate.

poll from late January found 67% of likely voters support the bill. A Data for Progress/Vote Save America, poll from late February found a similar 68% support the bill.

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has already signed a restrictive voter suppression bill into law that shortens the early voting period in the state, slashes an hour from the time polls are open for casting ballots, purges voters from the rolls if they miss even a single general election, and requires absentee ballots to be received by Election Day. She did that even though Iowa’s 2020 election went smoothly, with record turnout and no irregularities.

The Georgia state House passed a bill that requires voters to submit a copy of their ID when voting by mail, makes it a crime to hand out food and drink to voters waiting in line to vote, and cuts back early voting on Sundays in what voting rights advocates say is a direct attempt to suppress Black voters, who organize events to vote after church services.

This effort came after President Joe Biden became the first Democrat since 1992 to win Georgia, and after Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated Georgia’s two GOP senators.

Arizona’s GOP-controlled state Legislature is also working to pass a spate of bills that would shorten the early voting period, and require those voting by mail to postmark their ballots a full week before Election Day. This, too, came after Biden won the state, and its two Senate seats are now in Democratic hands.

It’s unclear when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will put H.R. 1 up for a vote in the Senate, but Schumer supports the legislation.

“There is a concerted effort by Republicans to roll back voting rights in state legislatures,” Schumer tweeted on March 2, the day before the bill passed the House. “We won’t stand by as these rights are diluted or stripped away. This Senate is working to pass the #ForThePeople Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore democracy.”

However, given the GOP rhetoric around the bill, it’s unlikely it could pass with the current filibuster rule in place.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


AJ News
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Read More
Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Maine gun safety advocates launch citizen initiative to pass ‘red flag’ law

Maine gun safety advocates launch citizen initiative to pass ‘red flag’ law

By Emma Davis, Maine Morning Star - September 19, 2024
GOP Senate candidate received a tax break for a townhouse she doesn’t live in

GOP Senate candidate received a tax break for a townhouse she doesn’t live in

By Michelle Griffith, Minnesota Reformer - September 10, 2024
New NC GOP chair flirts with bogus stolen election conspiracies

New NC GOP chair flirts with bogus stolen election conspiracies

By Jesse Valentine - April 19, 2024
Texas activists pushed abortion restrictions in NM cities and counties, records show

Texas activists pushed abortion restrictions in NM cities and counties, records show

By Austin Fisher, Source NM - March 04, 2024
AJ News
Latest
“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

By Bonnie Fuller - April 21, 2025
Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

By Jesse Valentine - April 17, 2025
Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

By Jesse Valentine - April 16, 2025
North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

By Jesse Valentine - April 11, 2025
Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

By Jesse Valentine - April 09, 2025
Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

By Jesse Valentine - April 08, 2025
Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

By Jesse Valentine - March 28, 2025
Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

By Jesse Valentine - March 26, 2025
GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

By Jesse Valentine - March 18, 2025
HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

By Jesse Valentine - March 11, 2025
Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

By Jesse Valentine - March 10, 2025
Rep. Don Bacon admits he voted for Medicaid cuts

Rep. Don Bacon admits he voted for Medicaid cuts

By - February 28, 2025
Trump admin cracks down on affordable weight-loss treatments

Trump admin cracks down on affordable weight-loss treatments

By Jesse Valentine - February 27, 2025
Republican lawmakers are lying about Medicaid fraud

Republican lawmakers are lying about Medicaid fraud

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2025
Trump’s education pick: schools may lose funds for teaching Black history

Trump’s education pick: schools may lose funds for teaching Black history

By Jesse Valentine - February 13, 2025
JD Vance defends DOGE staffer who promoted eugenics 

JD Vance defends DOGE staffer who promoted eugenics 

By Jesse Valentine - February 10, 2025
Texas’ abortion ban has OB-GYNs working in an environment of ‘extreme fear’

Texas’ abortion ban has OB-GYNs working in an environment of ‘extreme fear’

By Bonnie Fuller - February 04, 2025
RFK Jr. won’t commit to protecting Medicaid in Senate confirmation hearing

RFK Jr. won’t commit to protecting Medicaid in Senate confirmation hearing

By Jesse Valentine - January 30, 2025
House Republicans push Medicaid cuts to fund tax breaks for billionaires

House Republicans push Medicaid cuts to fund tax breaks for billionaires

By Jesse Valentine - January 24, 2025