Rep. Roy to Newsmax: Voter ID Opposition 'Ultimate Form of Racism'

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Monday that Democrat opposition to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act, is rooted in politics, not public sentiment, as the legislation he introduced with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, moves toward a possible House floor vote this week.

Roy told "Finnerty" guest host E.D. Hill the bill is expected to advance to the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, with a potential vote on the House floor on Wednesday.

"The answer is pretty simple," Roy said when asked why Democrats are fighting the bill.

"They want to make sure they protect a constituency that is, they think, going to help them politically."

The SAVE America Act would require individuals to demonstrate U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, direct states to verify voter rolls, and require voter ID at the polls.

Roy dismissed claims from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Democrats that the legislation would disenfranchise minorities, with Schumer likening voter ID requirements to "Jim Crow 2.0."

"I loved it — on CNN of all places," Roy said, citing polling data showing broad support for voter ID.

"Upward of 80% of minorities, Hispanics, Black Americans support voter ID."

Roy argued that Democrat objections reflect what he called a patronizing attitude toward minority voters.

"It is the ultimate form of racism: the classic white liberal to be standing up and saying that somehow this is going to disadvantage poor minority or rural people."

Roy referenced a TV interview segment from New York, saying it showed the contrast between liberal activists and minority voters themselves.

"They ... interviewed white liberals in Manhattan and said, 'Hey, [is] voter ID racist?' 'Oh, yeah, it's terrible. Black people don't have computers. They don't know where the DMV is,'" Roy said.

"They went to Harlem and they talked to Black people in Harlem and said, 'Hey, do you know where the DMV is?' 'Yeah, it's up here at 128th Street.' 'Hey, do you have a voter ID?' 'Yes, it's in my wallet.'"

Roy also pushed back on arguments raised by Democrats, including Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that voter ID requirements would suppress turnout.

"This bill is designed to protect the vote," Roy said.

"We want to protect citizens' right to vote."

Roy also rejected claims that the bill would disenfranchise married women who legally changed their name but didn't update their voter registration.

"They're pulling up all these false flags," Roy said of Democrats.

"They're going out and saying women are going to get disenfranchised because they changed their name when they get married," he continued.

"Well, first of all, that would be for like six people in America who happen to have just gotten married and maybe they got an ID but didn't change their voter [registration]," Roy said.

"OK, we allow for states to fix that."

Roy said the bill would allow voters who changed their last name after marriage to vote by signing an affidavit attesting to the name change.

"We're making it very simple," he said.

He also dismissed as false Democrats' claims that the legislation would disenfranchise military members serving overseas, saying it has no effect on the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

"We don't touch UOCAVA, which is the law that allows all of our men and women in uniform to be able to vote when they're serving overseas with a military ID," Roy said.

"These are all fake. They're doing it on purpose," he said.

"Don't buy all of the nonsense. They're trying to scare you," Roy continued.

"We've got good legislation to protect America."

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