Giving credit where credit is due, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invoked the name of former President Donald Trump in remarks on the Senate floor as part of the debate over the For The People voting rights Act.
The New York Democratic Senator pointed out Trump's constant lying about his loss in the 2020 election was impetus for the Republican frenzy to enact voter suppression laws in response to a nonexistent problem.
You can see an excerpt of Schumer's remarks here:
Chuck Schumer: "How despicable a man is Donald Trump? He lost an election legitimately. He can't face that, that it was his failure. And he creates a lie, a big lie, & wins so many people over to that lie w/ the help of news media & other news commentators who are lying as well."pic.twitter.com/enlGXhc4YT— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1624303155
As well as pointing out the complete lack of any proof of election fraud in President Joe Biden's resounding defeat of Trump—where Biden won the popular vote by almost 8 million and the electoral college vote by 74—Schumer took Trump to task over his lies.
The New York Democrat said:
"He lied over and over and over again ... poisoning our democracy, lighting a fire between Republican state legislatures who immediately launched the most sweeping voter suppression effort in at least 80 years."
"Just a note, how despicable a man is Donald Trump?"
Schumer illustrated his point by an examination of the Pennsylvania legislature.
Prior to the 2020 election, Republicans in the Pennsylvania legislature enacted measures to expand voting access. But after Trump's loss, many of the same GOP lawmakers did an about face, citing Trump's lies about voting fraud, to push for voting restrictions.
Schumer added:
"[Trump] lost an election legitimately."
"He can't face that, that it was his failure and he creates a lie, a big lie."
Chuck Schumer is fired up on the Senate floor as he calls Trump despicable for pushing the Big Lie that gave Republicans states cover to destroy voting rights.pic.twitter.com/Qq3Kg6W8zG— Sarah Reese Jones (@Sarah Reese Jones) 1624305428
\u201cDoes that sound like Jim Crow, my Republican colleagues? It sure does to a lot of us,\u201d Schumer said, before adding Republicans are buying into election fraud claims. \u201cThe big lie that started with Donald Trump is infecting them."\n\n#DemandDemocracyhttps://thehill.com/homenews/senate/559461-schumer-unloads-on-gop-how-despicable-of-a-man-is-donald-trump\u00a0\u2026— Democratic Coalition (@Democratic Coalition) 1624324273
Schumer: "Donald Trump lied over and over and over again. Poisoning our democracy. ... Just a note how despicable of a man is Donald Trump?"— Manu Raju (@Manu Raju) 1624302746
\u2026\u2026but, we know who the real liars are but they seem to be unable to see reason and any honestly in the system. So now the Red states are enacting over 360 voter suppression laws - based on the lies of Trump. Do you want a totalitarian dictator running your lives? FFS - Wake up!— allan bowley (@allan bowley) 1624380402
Schumer stated the GOP was also culpable.
"Donald Trump, fresh off a resounding loss in the 2020 presidential election, cried foul and lied, lied that the election was stolen from him like a petulant child."
"...there is a rot, a rot at the center of the modern Republican Party. Donald Trump's big lie has spread like a cancer and threatens to envelop one of America's major political parties."
"Even worse, it has poisoned our democracy, eroded faith in our elections, which is so detrimental to the future faith people need to have in this democracy."
"And, of course, it became the match that lit a wildfire of Republican voter suppression laws sweeping across the country."
"Because of one man's lie, Republicans are now doing the dastardly act of taking away voting from millions of Americans, millions of Americans, making it much harder for them to vote and many, many, many will not."
There is a rot at the center of the modern Republican party.\n\nDonald Trump\u2019s Big Lie has lit a wildfire of voter suppression laws sweeping across our country.\n\nThis Senate will vote today on moving forward on critical voting rights legislation.— Chuck Schumer (@Chuck Schumer) 1624377699
The whole republican PARTY, not just Donald.....— Bisg Money (@Bisg Money) 1624304616
I guess he missed when the Dems in his own state walked out on a vote for a voter suppression bill that was so egregious they didn't care what risks they were taking. \n\nNot to mention the hundreds of other bills many other states have tired to pass/passed since Trump's "big lie".— ToutdeSuiteLaSinner (@ToutdeSuiteLaSinner) 1624381491
@SenSchumer Don't forget that @FoxNews helped with (and still IS) spreading the "BIG LIE" to the *People* who watch and believe!!— Miss UnderStood (@Miss UnderStood) 1624355889
But now that the \u201cFor the People Act\u201d is a thing, and Republicans know that when more people vote in elections, Democrats win, because people like Democrat ideas more (majority of the US does), they want to block this bill. \n\nIt\u2019s terrible. \n\nPart 2/2— cheese (@cheese) 1624382768
Schumer—in his role as Senate Majority Leader—pushed for a June vote on the Democrat supported legislation to protect every citizens right to vote.
You can see Schumer's full Senate floor speech here:
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@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social