Topline
President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued a forceful condemnation of former President Donald Trump’s unceasing efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss while calling on Congress to address the threat of “raw and sustained election subversion” in upcoming elections.
President Joe Biden speaks his mind about the GOP's recent legislative attacks on voting rights at ... [+]
Key Facts
During a speech in Philadelphia, Biden took aim at Trump’s efforts to “bring down the American experiment” because he was “unhappy” with the election results—adding, “In America, if you lose, you accept the results.”
Trump publicly and privately pushed for state lawmakers in swing states he lost to overturn Biden’s Electoral College victories, while filing dozens of lawsuits, urging election officials to “find” votes and attempting to have Congress decertify the election.
Biden slammed the “selfishness” of Trump’s election challenges and noted the unparalleled scrutiny of the election—specifically Trump’s court cases and numerous recounts that only affirmed Biden’s victory.
In addition to attacking Republican state lawmakers for passing bills restricting voting, urging Congress to pass laws to overturn those state restrictions, Biden called to “address the threat of election subversion.”
Biden warned of “raw and unsustained election subversion” in the 2022 midterm elections and called to “prepare now,” casting it as a battle between "democracy or autocracy.”
Crucial Quote
“We’re facing the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War. That’s not hyperbole. Since the Civil War. The Confederates back then never breached the Capitol,” Biden said, adding, “I’m not saying this to alarm you. I’m saying this because you should be alarmed.”
Chief Critic
“Republicans are engaged in state-led efforts to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat, and polling shows Americans overwhelmingly support these laws,” said Danielle Alvarez, communications director for the Republican National Committee, in a statement, accusing Biden and Democrats of “lies and theatrics.”
Key Background
Congress has already grappled with one voting rights bill this term: the For The People Act. That bill, which would expand mail-in voting, institute automatic voter registration, roll back state voting and crack down on partisan gerrymandering and corporate money in politics, passed the Democrat-controlled House but stalled in the Senate, where every single Republican voted to block it.
Tangent
The For The People Act doesn’t expressly address election subversion, but Senate Democrats proposed a bill last month specifically designed to do so. That bill makes it harder for elected officials to oust election officials, strengthens penalties for voter intimidation and heightens the legal standards for suing to invalidate individual votes.
What To Watch For
One critical element of the voting rights debate Biden failed to reference on Tuesday is the Senate filibuster, which allowed the Republican minority to block the For The People Act and would likely allow them to do the same to Democrats’ election subversion bill if it comes to the floor. With the filibuster in place, it is unlikely any Democratic voting bill will pass.
