Liberals rip Cheney, Kinzinger for opposing Democrat-backed voting rights bill

close

Video

Press pushing Biden voting plan?

Bill still stuck after big speech

Prominent liberal activists ripped moderate Republican Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois after they voted against a Democrat-backed voting rights bill.

The bill, dubbed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act after the late Georgia congressman, passed in a 219-212 vote along party lines on Tuesday. Cheney and Kinzinger, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and who both sit on the House select committee investigating that day’s events, were among the Republicans who voted against the voting bill.

"The only thing that holds Republicans together is their opposition to voting rights. Chaney [sic] and Kinzinger can support a 1/6 investigation, but not voting rights. That is a bridge too far for anyone in the GOP," said attorney Mark Elias, founder of the progressive voting rights platform Democracy Docket.

"Adam Kinzinger voted against the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Good Riddance," Elias added.

"Good morning and Happy Hump Day to everyone EXCEPT for 212 House Republicans who voted against the John Lewis Voting Rights Act -- that includes "good Republicans" Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger," said Majid Padellan, a left-leaning social media influencer and Democratic activist. "They are who we thought they were."

"Wait, wait, not even Liz Cheney? Say it ain’t so!" said MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan. "On voting rights, the most important issue of our time, Cheney, Kinzinger, Romney… are not your friends."

The John Lewis voting rights bill would restore a mandate first implemented under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The measure directs the Justice Department to review election law changes in states determined to have a history of voter discrimination as part of process known as "preclearance."

The Supreme Court struck down the measure in 2013, determining that the process to determine which states should face review was outdated. At the time, justices said Congress could pass new legislation updating the process.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The bill is one of two pieces of voting rights legislation championed by Democratic leaders who say GOP-led states such as Georgia have passed election security laws that amount to voter discrimination. Republicans oppose the bills, arguing that they are an attempt by Democrats to skew election procedures in their favor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.