Fox News reporter Peter Doocy pressed White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki once again on Wednesday over President Joe Biden’s apparent support of Texas Democrats in their recent efforts to block election reform legislation by leaving their state.
“About voting rights and these Texas lawmakers who have come to Washington,” Doocy began, “do you know… of any examples from his 36 years in the Senate that Joe Biden just hopped on a train and left town to avoid a vote that he knew he was going to lose?”
Psaki laughed, and said, “Welcome back,” at which point other reporters in the room chuckled.
“Look,” she went on, “I think that the president’s view is that these Texas legislators were making a statement through action in opposition to efforts in their state to oppose restrictions on people’s fundamental rights and their rights to vote in their state.”
“That is why they departed. The vice president met with these legislators yesterday and the vice pres — and the president, I should say — certainly applauds their actions and their outspoken opposition to… efforts to put in place restrictive measures in their state,” she added.
Doocy responded, “And maybe it is funny to think about it that way, but the president is talking about this as the most serious assault on our democracy —”
Psaki then interjected and said, “I don’t think anything about this is funny. I think what is important to note, though, here is that there are 28 states, including Texas, where there are laws in place or in process to make it harder to vote and it requires bold action. It requires bold voices to speak out against that and make sure people understand their rights.”
“That’s exactly what’s happening here,” she said.
Doocy responded, “So does the candidate, who is now president, who told people…he knew how to make deals with Republicans — he’s meeting with Republicans today — does he think that the best way to prevent something bad from happening, that he thinks is bad, from happening in Texas is for these lawmakers to be hiding out in a different state or for them to go back and sit down at the table?”
“The president fundamentally believes you should work together in areas where you can find agreement, as he is on the bipartisan infrastructure framework that is going to help rebuild roads and rails and bridges around our country,” Psaki said.
“And also that you should be outspoken where you have concerns about affront to democracy,” she added. “That’s what he did yesterday and that’s what these legislators are doing now.”
Texas Democrats left the state earlier this week in order to block state Republicans from gaining a quorum needed in order to do business. The Texas Senate still passed a voter integrity bill, however, even with the missing legislators.
“Senators voted 18-4 along party lines to approve the legislation. Eight Senate Democrats announced that they too had fled to Washington, D.C., on Monday, with a ninth expected to arrive Monday evening,” National Review reported, per The Daily Wire. “However, with 22 out of 31 members present, the Senate kept a quorum and was able to pass the measure.”
As The Daily Wire reported, “Texas Governor Greg Abbott told Fox News on Monday that the Democrat lawmakers who fled the state would be arrested the moment that they step back into Texas.”
“Isn’t that the most un-Texan thing you’ve ever heard? Texans running from a fight? They’re quitters,” Abbott told Fox News. “It’s like during a football game or baseball game, taking their equipment when they’re way behind and just leaving the field. That is not the way that Texas, Texans do things.”
Watch the exchange:
Peter Doocy SLAMS Biden's support for the Texas lawmakers who fled the state in protest of an election integrity bill: “Do you know of any examples from his 36 years in the Senate that Joe Biden just hopped on a train and left town to avoid a vote that he knew he was gonna lose?” pic.twitter.com/oFbTqZw6W3
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 14, 2021
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Source: Dailywire
