>> WELL, WE’RE HEARING PLENTY
FROM DEMOCRATS AND PLENTY FROM
REPUBLICANS ABOUT VOTING IN
AMERICA AND WHAT PRESCRIPTIVES
CAN STRENGTHEN OUR MOST AMERICAN
PRACTICE, BUT WE SEEM TO SEE THE
TWO SIDES TALKING PAST EACH
OTHER RATHER THAN WITH EACH
OTHER.
LET’S TAKE A WHACK AT THAT.
I’M HAPPY TO HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF
THE MICHIGAN DELEGATION WITH ME
BACK ON FLASH POINT.
REPUBLICAN LISA McCLAIN AND
DEMOCRAT ANDY LEVIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME
TODAY.
LET ME START WITH THAT, ABOUT
WHAT YOU’RE HEARING FROM YOUR
CONSTITUENTS ABOUT WHAT WE NEED
TO FIX OR DO BETTER WHEN IT
COMES TO VOTING IN AMERICA.
WE’RE, OF COURSE, NOW IN WHAT HE
IS GOING TO BE A BIG ELECTION
YEAR.
CONGRESSWOMAN McCLAIN, LET ME
START WITH YOU, HOW YOU FEEL
ABOUT THE VOTING PACKAGE THAT
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN PUTTING
FORWARD AND WHAT YOUR
CONSTITUENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT
VOTING.
>> WELL, WHAT I’M HEARING FROM
MY CONSTITUENTS AND I HEAR A LOT
OF THEM, IS THEY WANT TO HAVE
SOME FAITH IN THE ELECTION
SYSTEM AND, IN FACT, ONE OF THE
FIRST BILLS THAT I ACTUALLY
INTRODUCED WAS JUST THAT, CAN WE
TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAST ELECTION
BECAUSE WE DID VOTE DURING A
PANDEMIC AND WE DID CHANGE RULES
AND SOME OF THE TIMES WHEN WE
CHANGED THE RULES, WE DIDN’T
FOLLOW THE PROPER PROTOCOL AND
GAVE A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS
CAUSE FOR CONCERN.
I SAID, HEY, LET’S JUST PAUSE,
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT DID WE
DO RIGHT AND WHAT DID WE DO THAT
WE COULD IMPROVE UPON.
SO, THAT’S WHERE I’M AT.
I BELIEVE A LOT OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE JUST WANT SOME FAITH AND
SOME TRANSPARENCY AS IT PERTAINS
TO OUR ELECTION SYSTEM.
AND I THINK THEY DESERVE THAT.
>> Devin: A LITTLE MORE THAN A
YEAR LATER, DO YOU HAVE ANY
DOUBTS, CONGRESSWOMAN, THAT JOE
BIDEN WON THE STATE OF MICHIGAN?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE’S A LOT
OF DOUBTS.
IF I COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE
TIME, I DEFINITELY WOULD.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE IN
THIS POSITION RIGHT NOW, BUT
HERE WE ARE AND AT THE END OF
THE DAY WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SOME TRUTH,
TRANSPARENCY AND CONSISTENCY IN
THE VOTING PROCESS.
I MEAN, WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO
IS JUST SAY, HEY, IF YOU GO TO
VOTE ALL WE NEED YOU TO DO IS
MAKE SURE THAT EVERY LEGAL VOTE
IS CAST.
EVERY LEGAL VOTE IS COUNTED AND
VERIFIED.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST ANGST
THAT MY FRIENDS ACROSS THE AISLE
HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IS VOTER I.D.
AND I WANT TO TELL THE STORY
BECAUSE I WENT TO BUY A PIZZA,
TO GET A PIZZA, I HAD TO SHOW MY
VACCINE CARD AND IRONICALLY SHOW
MY I.D. TO PROVE I REALLY WAS
THE PERSON ON THAT VACCINE CARD.
SO I WOULD ASK THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THIS, IF IT MAKES SENSE
FOR ME TO HAVE TO SHOW MY I.D.
TO GET A PIZZA, REALLY, IS IT
THAT DIFFICULT AND IS THAT
OUTRAGEOUS TO ASK PEOPLE TO SHOW
THEIR I.D. TO VOTE?
>> WELL, LET ME MOVE IT OVER TO
MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE MICHIGAN
DELEGATION, CONGRESSMAN ANDY
LEVIN.
CONGRESSMAN.
>> I HEY, DEVIN.
LET ME PROVIDE TRUTH AND
TRANSPARENCY TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
JOE BIDEN WON MICHIGAN IN 2020
BY ABOUT 14 TIMES WHAT DONALD
TRUMP WON IT BY IN 2016.
TRUMP DID WIN IN 2016.
JOE BIDEN ABSOLUTELY WON IN
2020.
THE ELECTION WAS AUDITED ALL
OVER THE STATE.
IT--
NOT THAT THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT
MICHIGAN.
THIS WAS THE MOST TESTED AND
AUDITED ELECTION IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THE BIG LIE
FILED 60-SOME LAWSUITS.
EVERY SINGLE ONE WAS REJECTED BY
COURTS THROUGHOUT THE NATION,
INCLUDING BY JUDGES APPOINTED BY
DONALD TRUMP.
THIS IDEA THAT THERE’S ANY DOUBT
ABOUT THE LAST ELECTION IS AN
OUTRIGHT LIE AND IT UNDERLINES
THE FAITH OF PEOPLE IN OUR
SYSTEMS.
IN TERMS OF VOTER I.D. LAWS.
MICHIGAN ALREADY HAS ADEQUATE
VOTER I.D. LAWS.
WE ALREADY SHOW I.D. WHEN WE GO
TO VOTE AND THERE’S NO EVIDENCE
WHATSOEVER THAT VOTER
IMPERSONATION IS WIDESPREAD OR
COMMON PROBLEM OR EVEN THAT IT
HARDLY EXISTS AT ALL.
AND WE NEED TO STEADILY WORK ON
THE SECURITY OF OUR ELECTIONS
WITHOUT COMPROMISING CITIZEN’S
RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE.
WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY IS STATE LEGISLATURES
ARE PASSING LAWS, INCLUDING IN
MICHIGAN, TO MAKE IT HARDER TO
VOTE, IT MAKE IT HARDER TO GET
AN ABSENTEE VOTE, TO USE DROP
BOXES TO PURGE PEOPLE FROM VOTER
ROLES.
THEY DON’T LIKE THE OUTCOME 6
ELECTIONS SO THEY WANT TO TAILOR
THE ELECTORATE SO THEY CAN WIN
AN ELECTION.
THAT’S UN-AMERICAN AND IT WOULD
BE THE END OF OUR 232-YEAR
EXPERIMENT WITH DEMOCRACY.
>> Devin: CONGRESSMAN, THIS
COMES UP A LOT THOUGH.
IS IT ASKING TOO MUCH TO ASK
SOMEONE TO PROVIDE I.D. BEFORE
WE VOTE.
>> WE ALREADY DO, DEVIN.
WE ALREADY HAVE VOTER I.D. LAWS
IN THE STATE.
THAT’S A FALSE FLAG.
>> Devin: GO AHEAD,
CONGRESSWOMAN.
>> LET ME EDUCATE MY FRIEND
ACROSS THE AISLE.
CURRENTLY IF I GO IN AND I VOTE
ABSENTEE AND I FORGET MY
LICENSE, THEY MAKE ME SIGN AN
AFFIDAVIT.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
>> THERE’S NO CHECK AND BALANCE
ON THAT AFFIDAVIT.
SO, I COULD GO IN AND SAY, I’M
CAROLYN SHELL, WHO HAPPENS TO BE
MY MOM, AND I FORGOT MY I.D.,
SHE’S ON THE VOTER ROLLS, BUT
I’M VOTING FOR HER.
WHAT I’M SUGGESTING AND WHAT THE
PETITION IS SUGGESTING IS THAT
YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY PROVE, SHOW
AN I.D. JUST LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO
TO GET A PIZZA, THAT YOU ARE WHO
YOU ARE AND WE’RE EVEN GOING TO
GIVE YOU SIX DAYS TO VERIFY IF
YOU FORGOT YOUR I.D.
GO HOME.
>> Devin: CONGRESSWOMAN, AS
CONGRESSMAN LEVIN POINTED OUT,
WE’VE HAD MORE THAN 250 AUDITS
ACROSS THE STATE AND HAVEN’T
CHANGED ANY VOTES, IN FACT, SOME
WOULD ARGUE THE STRONGEST CASE
OF VOTER FRAUD IN MICHIGAN RIGHT
NOW IS AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS
WHO SIGNED OFF ON THE REPUBLICAN
ELECTORS WHO WERE INSISTING THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP WON THE STATE.
ISN’T THAT A FIGURER--
BIGGER CASE OF FRAUD THAN AT THE
BALLOT BOXES?
>> THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE
SOME FAITH AND AMERICAN PEOPLE
NEED FAITH IN THE ELECTIONS.
THE BILLS WE ARE TRYING TO PUT
FORWARD, I BELIEVE IF YOU HAVE A
RIGHT AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO
VOTE, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A DUTY
AS WELL AND SOMETIMES--
>> I’D AGREE. >> AND FOCUS ON THE RIGHT AND WE
>> AND FOCUS ON THE RIGHT AND WE
DON’T FOCUS ON THE DUTY DEVIN--
>> AMERICANS AT THE END OF THE
DAY 94% OF AMERICANS SAY IT’S
EASY TO VOTE.
>> Devin: LET ME LET THE
CONGRESSMAN JUMP IN QUICK
BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE I
WANT TO GET IT BEFORE I LET YOU
GO.
>> DEVIN, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS,
EVERYONE AGREES THAT ALL
AMERICANS WHO ARE A CITIZEN
SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE
AND THAT VOTES SHOULD COUNT AND
THAT ONLY LEGITIMATE VOTES
SHOULD COUNT.
WE ALL AGREE ABOUT THAT.
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW
AND THE FACT THAT--
>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS THOUGH.
>> YOU NOTICE THAT
REPRESENTATIVE McCLAIN DIDN’T
ACCEPT THE OUTCOME OF THE LAST
ELECTION, IT’S FALSE FLAG, IT’S
PROMOTING A BIG LIE AND THEY’RE
GETTING--
YOU KNOW, A MAJORITY OF
REPUBLICANS DON’T BELIEVE IN THE
LEGITIMACY OF THE LAST ELECTION,
THAT’S SAD AND WE ARE
POTENTIALLY HEADING TO THE END
OF OUR 232-YEAR EXPERIMENT WITH
DEMOCRACY.
>> Devin: LET ME ASK THIS
QUICKLY, CONGRESSMAN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS IS
AN ISSUE BEST LEFT TO THE STATES
WE HEAR THAT TIME AND AGAIN FROM
THE REPUBLICANS THAT DON’T WANT
TO SEE A FEDERAL PACKAGE ONE
SIZE FITS ALL ISN’T THE WAY THAT
A REPUBLIC WORKS.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT QUICKLY.
I’VE GOT TO GET TO OTHER THINGS.
>> DEVIN, THE CONSTITUTION
SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR CONGRESS
TO ENSURE FREE AND FAIR
ELECTIONS AND AS RECENTLY AS --
SO RECENTLY MANY REPUBLICAN
SENATORS PARTICIPATED, THE
VOTING RIGHTS ACT WAS REAFFIRMED
98-0 IN THE SENATE.
THE CONGRESS HAS--
SO YOU DO AGREE IT SHOULD STAY
AT THE STATE LEVEL?
YOU DO AGREE?
>> NO, I’M--
>> WE DO AGREE IT SHOULD STAY
LIKE THE CONSTITUTION STATES AT
THE STATE LEVEL AND WE SHOULD
NOT FEDERALIZE OUR ELECTIONS SO
DEVIN, WE AGREE ON SOMETHING.
>> DEVIN IT’S CONSTITUTIONAL--
(LAUGHTER)
>> SHE’S TWISTING MY WORDS.
DID HE HAVE VIP DEVIN.
>> THE CONSTITUTION ASSURES THAT
ELECTIONS ARE FREE AND FAIR.
IT’S SAD IT’S A PARTISAN MATTER
BECAUSE REPUBLICANS USED TO JOIN
HANDS WITH DEMOCRATS FREEDOM TO
VOTE AND NOW TRYING TO SUPPRESS
THE VOTE.
>> Devin: WE’RE STRUGGLING FOR
COMMON GROUNDS.
AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
REDISTRICTING.
AND I DON’T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN
YOUR MOUTH.
THE CONGRESSMAN SAYS THAT YOU
DIDN’T ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE
LAST ELECTION.
IS THAT YOUR THINKING THAT
YOU’RE NOT SURE THAT JOE BIDEN
WON MICHIGAN?
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, I
THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT
FULL AND FAIR TRANSPARENCY.
>> Devin: I’M ASKING WHAT YOU
BELIEVE, BUT WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE
HAPPENED ON ELECTION DAY IN
MICHIGAN?
>> OH, I THINK THERE WERE A LOT
OF IRREGULARITIES AND
INCONSISTENCIES AND WE OWE IT TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND NO
DIFFERENT THAN REMIND MY
COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE AISLE, I
BELIEVE THEY’VE OBJECTED TO PAST
PRESIDENTS, BUT LET’S NOT LET
THE FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF A
GOOD STORY AND THEY’VE OBJECTED,
TOO.
BUT AGAIN LET’S NOT LET THE
FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD
STORY.
LET’S FIGURE OUT HOW TO GIVE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT THEY’RE
ASKING FOR AND LET’S JUST DO A
REVIEW.
>> DEVIN.
>> Devin: PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE
BEEN A PART OF THE REVIEWS,
CONGRESSWOMAN, 250 AUDITS, WE
HAVEN’T CHANGED BARELY A VOTE IN
THE STATE.
I’M ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF TIME,
BUT I WANT TO LET YOU BOTH WEIGH
IN ON REDISTRICTING AND WHETHER
OR NOT YOU BELIEVE THIS HAS BEEN
A FAIR PROCESS.
CONGRESSMAN, LET ME START WITH
YOU, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE GOING
TO HAVE TO RUN AGAINST ONE OF
OUR COLLEAGUES, HAYLEY STEVENS.
>> YOU KNOW, DEVIN, WE WORKED IN
HARD IN MICHIGAN TO PASS A STATE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO HAVE
AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION, AND
COMMUNITY OF INTEREST AND THEY
CORRECTED A DISTRICT WITH MARY
AP MY HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
BERKELEY WHERE I GREW UP.
AND WHERE THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED
IN 1890’S.
I HATE RUNNING AGAINST A
COLLEAGUE FOR SURE, BUT WE SET
THIS SYSTEM UP AND WE NEED TO
HONOR IT AND HAVE OUR ELECTIONS,
THAT’S WHAT WE CHOSE.
>> Devin: AND CONGRESSWOMAN,
YOU’RE DESCRIBED AS A RELIABLY
RED DISTRICT, THAT DOESN’T SEEM
TO CHANGE EVEN THOUGH SOME OF
THE BOUNDARIES WILL CHANGE.
YOUR THOUGHTS WHETHER IT’S A
FAIR PROCESS, MAYBE NOT JUST
YOUR DISTRICT, BUT STATEWIDE.
>> I AGREE WITH MY COUNTERPART
ON THAT I DON’T HAVE CONTROL
OVER IT, WE AT BEST, YOU KNOW,
YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE REALLY
INFLUENCE OVER IT.
WE HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE HAND
THAT WE’RE DEALT.
SO I’M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING SERVICING THE
CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEW
DISTRICT AND ONE OF THE THINGS I
THINK WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A
REALLY GOOD JOB OF IS NOT
LOOKING AT THINGS IN ISOLATION
AND SILOS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT
OF CROSSOVER.
PEOPLE THAT WORKED IN MY
DISTRICT AND LIVE IN ANOTHER,
AND ADVICE VICE VERSA.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT’S
THE RULES OF THE GAME AND WE
HAVE TO PLAY BY THAT.
SO, YEAH.
>> Devin: FRIEND--
>> DEVIN.
>> Devin: QUICKLY.
>> IF WE BOTH PREVAIL WE’LL
STILL BE NEIGHBORS.
>> Devin: YOUR DISTRICTS TOUCH