The comment implied that Black voters are somehow not American and underscored the concerns of voting rights advocates that Republicans in state legislatures across the country are seeking to disenfranchise Black voters.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is drawing criticism for comments he made shortly before the GOP blocked a federal elections bill, when he said that"African American" voters cast ballots at similar rates to"Americans."
The comment implied that Black voters are somehow not American and underscored the concerns of voting rights advocates that Republicans in state legislatures across the country are explicitly seeking to disenfranchise Black voters. The timing was also notable, coming the same day that McConnell engineered a filibuster to block voting legislation that Democrats and civil rights leaders say is vital to protecting democracy.
"Hey @LeaderMcConnell," tweeted Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison, who is Black,"...for your information, I'm also an American!" Scott Jennings, a former adviser to President George W. Bush who has close ties to McConnell, said attacks on the senator's remarks were"ridiculous." Two Democratic senators joined all 50 Republicans in refusing to change Senate rules to overcome the GOP filibuster on Wednesday. Democrats could not persuade holdout Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia to change Senate procedures on that bill and allow a simple majority to advance it.
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