Abuse of Power

However, critics like Stephen Spaulding with the watchdog group Common Cause, call it voter suppression. “In the wake of that record turn-out, we are seeing a backlash in some states that are looking to really curtail that access to the ballot box,” said Spaulding. In Washington, there’s a dueling effort by Congressional Democrats intended to expand voter access. The “For the People Act”, or H.R.1, is a sweeping reform bill that could put an end to those state voting restrictions. “It sets a national uniform standard,” said Spaulding. “So, no matter what zip code you live in, you will have access to those basic standards like two weeks of early voting, vote by mail if you want to do it, and automatic voter registration.”

"If the result in Ohio had been that Biden won, it is extremely difficult for me to imagine that we wouldn't have a dozen bills already in the legislature now," said Mia Lewis of Common Cause Ohio, a nonpartisan democracy watchdog. ... In Pennsylvania, where a slew of lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies challenging Biden's electoral victory failed to pass muster in the courts, Republicans are now targeting the methods by which judges in the state are elected. "Our understanding is there is a significant amount of animosity toward the appellate courts by the Republicans, and it came about in legislation," said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania. "It's a direct response to the results of the November election," Ali said. "There's an idea going out that if democracy doesn't give you what you want, it must be broken."

Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said out-of-precinct voters would be disenfranchised if their provisional ballots are discarded. Under current law, federal and state races for voters who show up in the wrong county precinct are counted, but they can’t vote for local contests they’re not eligible to participate in. “This bill cuts at every part of the voting process in Georgia and is making it very difficult for the most vulnerable populations in Georgia to be able to cast a ballot,” Dennis said.

“These exact kinds of lies about voting led to people dying in the insurrection at the Capitol. This goes way beyond politicians playing legislative chess to retain power,” Anthony Gutierrez, the executive director of the Texas chapter of Common Cause, a watchdog group, wrote in an email.

Our hearts today are with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, particularly here in Georgia. We know that this type of crime is often intended to intimidate an entire community. Asian women in Georgia have a very powerful and visible voice -- and we cannot allow it to be silenced. We stand with our Asian American neighbors who are grieving.

All Americans deserve to have their voices heard and votes counted, regardless of the size of their wallets or the color of their skin. However, for far too long, special interests, the ultra-wealthy, and corporate lobbyists have had a megaphone, and vote suppressors' continued efforts to silence largely Black and Brown communities have left many Americans feeling voiceless. The For the People Act would knock down barriers that prevent equal participation in our democracy. We commend Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Merkley, Senator Klobuchar, and their colleagues for championing the For the People Act and designating it as S. 1. We look forward to overcoming Senator McConnell’s continued blockade and getting the For the People Act across the finish line to President Biden’s desk.