Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Republicans across the county are continuing “what they did on January 6, which is to undermine our democracy” with voting legislation.
Partial transcript as follows:
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the-the White House is putting its shoulder behind this push for voting rights and election law versus Build Back Better in the coming days, at least. I want to ask you when you look around the country, there are many states that are changing their own election laws, and it could increase the chance for partisan interference when it comes to certifying an election outcome. Have you thought about that scenario for these midterm races? Would you commit to seating an elected person if- if their election is not certified in the state that they are elected out of? I mean, regardless of the outcome, will you seat them?
PELOSI: Well, first, let’s get the bill passed. I think that the order of things is very appropriate. There’s nothing more important for us to do than protect our constitution and our democracy. What the Republicans are doing across the country is really a legislative continual- continuation of what they did on Jan. 6, which is to undermine our democracy, to undermine the integrity of our elections, to undermine the- the voting power, which is the essence of a democracy. So, we have to do that bill that is no more important bill that enables us to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
BRENNAN: There are not the votes in the Senate for that at this point. So I’m– how will you handle –
PELOSI: Well, we just have to keep working on that. Just have to keep working.-
BRENNAN: But have you thought- have you thought about that scenario because it is a potential scenario for these upcoming races where you have this dispute at the state level? How will you handle that?
PELOSI: Well, it isn’t a question of how we will handle something a year from now. What is important right now is how we protect and defend the Constitution and the voting rights. What they are doing and as you pointed out very clearly, and I thank you for that, that they are not only suppressing the vote, suppressing the vote, they are nullifying elections, saying, well it doesn’t matter who gets more votes, it matters who the three people we appoint to analyze that, what they decide. We cannot let that happen. And in this legislation- thank you for taking us down this path, in this legislation there stiffened penalties for what they are doing to election officials, what they are doing and threatening elected officials. This is a very major threat on our democracy. This legislation is the most important and we have to keep working in order to get the job done right because it is as- as vital as any legislation we could ever pass.
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