Colin Powell Condemns GOP For Voter Suppression, Points Out Voter Fraud Doesn’t Exist

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell is somewhat upset with the GOP, as evidenced by his remarks during a recent speech at the CEO Forum in Raleigh, North Carolina. Just moments after Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) gave the opening remarks, Powell, as the keynote speaker, attacked a bill recently passed by the North Carolina legislature and signed by McCrory that includes broad, sweeping voting “reforms” that aim to disenfranchise voters that are typically Democratic, all under the guise of preventing voter fraud.

As Raw Story reported, “In what appeared to be a direct rebuke of the Governor’s claim that such fraud is widespread but difficult to detect, Powell said ‘You can say what you like, but there is no voter fraud. How can it be widespread and undetected?’”

Here’s more:

Powell ridiculed the notion that IDs are needed because of rampant election fraud.

“What has come out of the legislature is that fraud is widespread and undetected,” he said. “How is fraud widespread if it’s undetected? How can it be undetected if it’s widespread?”

The moderate Republican, who worked under former President George W. Bush, said the law will ultimately hurt the GOP by pushing key groups of voters away. (Source)

And Colin Powell isn’t unique as a Republican calling these laws out for what they truly are — nor are Democrats alone in the fight against voter suppression. From Politico: 

Republicans lawmakers who backed the measure said it was meant to prevent voter fraud, which they allege is both rampant and undetected in North Carolina. Independent voting rights groups joined Democrats and libertarians in suggesting the true goal was to suppress voter turnout, especially among traditional Democratic constituencies such as blacks, the young, the elderly and the poor.
“It is a trampling on the blood, sweat and tears of the martyrs – black and white – who fought for voting rights in this country,” said the Rev. William Barber, president of the state chapter of the NAACP, which is pressing its own legal challenge. “It puts McCrory on the wrong side of history.”

The push for suppressive policies is happening across the country in a blatant attempt by certain factions within the GOP to disenfranchise voters that don’t hold to their regressive ideology. And it’s coordinated — they know exactly what they’re doing. If you want to combat their attempts to stop Democratic and leftist constituencies from voting, please call your state representatives and ask them what they plan to do in order to ensure everyone’s equal right to vote. Also, make sure that you are aware of the laws in your state and prepared for the 2014 election periods well in advance; procrastination is the friend of those who would rather have you stay home on election day.