Chuck Schumer slams ex-president for 'poisoning our democracy' with his fraud 'big lie' ahead of vote to debate voting rights legislation
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tore into former President Donald Trump on the Senate floor Monday, calling him 'despicable' for 'poisoning our democracy,' in advance of the Senate voting to debate voting rights legislation.
'Just a note, how despicable a man is Donald Trump?' Schumer asked. 'He lost an election legitimately. He can't face that. That it was his failure. And he creates a lie, a big lie, and wins so many people over to that lie with the help of news media and other news commentators, who are lying as well and they know it.'
As Schumer lashed out at the former Republican president, he taunted his GOP colleagues to vote in favor of debating voting rights - a vote the Democratic leader would make them take Tuesday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tore into former President Donald Trump on the Senate floor Monday, calling him 'despicable' for 'poisoning our democracy'
Schumer blasted former President Donald Trump during a Monday floor speech in advance of a Tuesday vote that will allow the Senate to debate voting rights legislation
'Tomorrow, tomorrow the Senate will also take a crucial vote on whether to start debate on major voting rights legislation,' Schumer said giving scheduling updates on the floor Monday afternoon. 'I want to say that again. Tomorrow the Senate will take a vote on whether to start debate on legislation to protect Americans voting rights.'
Schumer made it clear that the vote wasn't for a particular piece of legislation.
'To the people watching, it's called the motion to proceed, it's how we get bills on the floor of the Senate,' the New York Democrat explained.
While the Democrat-controlled House has passed H.R. 1, the 'For the People Act,' it doesn't even have the support of all 50 Senate Democrats.
It would need 60 votes, overall, to bypass the filibuster.
Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat who announced he's opposed to the 'For the People Act,' has pitched a compromise that could attract some GOP support.
At Monday's press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the proposal a 'step forward.'
Schumer said the vote Tuesday would be a procedural vote to debate voting rights legislation generally.
'It's not a vote on any particular policy, it's not a vote on this bill or that bill, it's a vote on whether the Senate should simply debate the issue of voting rights,' Schumer explained Monday.
He then ranted about Trump and state-level Republican efforts to curb access to the ballot.
'In the wake of the 2020 elections, Donald Trump told a lie - a big lie - that the election was stolen from him by voter fraud. There was no evidence for this. His own administration concluded that the 2020 election was one of the safest in history. His lawyers were laughed out of courts, many by Republican judges, some by judges he appointed - Trump appointed. But he kept saying it anyway,' Schumer said. 'Donald Trump lied over and over and over again.'
'Poisoning our democracy,' he continued. 'Lighting a fire beneath Republican state legislatures, who immediately launched the most sweeping vote suppression effort in at least 80 years.'
Schumer fumed about some of the restrictions that have passed, saying he noticed a trend.
'And by the way, in so many states, if you're African-American, if you're inner-city, if you're poor, if you're brown, you have to wait a lot longer than if you're white and in a suburb,' he said.
'Don't allow them to have a drink as they're waiting in the hot sun in lines to vote,' he continued.
'What does that have to do with voter fraud?' he asked. 'It has to do with cruelty, it has to do with nastiness, and it has to do with suppressing the vote.'
He also pointed to some jurisdictions cutting back Sunday voting hours - thought to be targeted at black churchgoers.
'Do any of my colleagues actually have evidence that voter fraud is especially prevalent on the Lord's day?' he asked. 'Please, we know what you're up to, America knows what you're up to.'
He challenged Republican senators to 'come to the floor' and 'defend these policies, adding that many 'sound like Jim Crow.'
'There is no principle behind these policies,' Schumer argued.
'The big lie that started with Donald Trump is infecting them, infecting them,' he also said.
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