WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee harshly condemned 2016 presidential hopeful Gov. Scott Walker for fundraising off a controversial voter ID law he enacted in Wisconsin.
“It’s unbelievable that Gov. Walker would seek to capitalize financially off of the potential disenfranchisement of Wisconsin voters,” Michael Tyler, DNC’s director of African American media, said in a statement provided first to TPM. “While we’ve come to expect cynical tactics restricting voting access from Republican leaders across the country, it’s truly incredible that some are now using them as fundraising opportunities.”
Tyler added: “Those who might be inclined to make a contribution off of such a cynical ploy should remember that in Wisconsin, more Scott Walker aides have been indicted than people have been convicted of voter impersonation. Scott Walker should be ashamed of himself.”
In a fundraising email to supporters sent on Wednesday, the Republican governor hailed as “great news” the Supreme Court’s decision to reject a challenge to the Wisconsin law he enacted in 2011, which requires voters to show government-issued photo ID before they vote.
“Our landmark photo ID law is a guard against fraud and protects every single voter who plays by the rules from those who don’t. It’s a fact of life: There are cheaters who vote multiple times and they tarnish democracy’s most precious gift … the security of the ballot box,” Walker wrote, before asking for a donation.
The DNC’s swift attack signifies that party is paying close attention to Walker’s presidential obvious ambitions. It also suggests that Democrats intend to run strongly against restrictive voting laws in the 2016 election. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has already worked to make voting rights an issue ahead of her widely expected campaign launch.
Voter ID laws have become a partisan issue in recent years as Republican governors have enacted such measures in a variety of states. Voting rights advocates point out that the Americans most likely to be disenfranchised tend to be low-income voters who prefer Democrats.
No surprise, but this law is nothing but voter suppression for those who don’t have the state specified ID and an extra obstacle to folks like me who vote absentee in WI.
Last year, before I could get my ballot mailed to me, I had to send in a copy of my ID. What made it very clear that it was only intended as an obstacle, as opposed to something virtuous, is that my ID did not have to have my correct address. The document also said that I would not need to go through the ID process again until my address changed. Then I would again have to present ID that did not have to have my correct address.
It used to be that you could present a utility bill in your name to verify your address to indicate you were voting in the appropriate precinct.
“Guard against fraud”, my ass.
Scott Walker has to be the least photogenic politician in modern times.
I wonder if he were elected president (and I believe there is zero chance of that happening) if his official portrait would sufficiently capture his duffusocity.
Nice. Keep the hardballs coming, Dems.
Can Walker even name one person who “voted multiple times”? He’s just one politician who is captive to ALEC.
Yeah, his friend who voted in both WI and IL …