Monday on CNN’s “The Lead,” Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) said the SAVE America Act was not about requiring voters to have photo ID, it was “about suppressing the vote.”
Clyburn said, “The SAVE Act, for instance, is nothing but a throwback. To those laws that were passed after Reconstruction that made it impossible for African-Americans to get elected. And if the SAVE Act becomes law, it will reduce dramatically the number of African-Americans that’s currently serving in the Congress. And I think that what we need to do is spend our time working on saving this democracy that some people seem to want to throw into the ditch.”
Host Jake Tapper said, “Well, explain what you mean by that, sir, because I think a lot of Republicans would argue that voter ID is supported not only by a majority of Americans, but by a majority of Democrats. How is the SAVE Act different from just a common-sense voter ID law?”
Clyburn said, “The SAVE Act is not common-sense voter ID. Tell me, how is it common sense for a voter to be able to use his hunting license, but not be able to use a student activity car? Both of them have got your photograph on it. So this is not about voter ID. This is about suppressing the vote. And as one Republican says, we want to make sure that the right people vote. Who are the right people and who are the wrong people to vote for?”
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