Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is laying into President Joe Biden for calling a new voting law in his state “Jim Crow in the 21st Century.”
“The Georgia voting law — like so many others being pursued by Republicans in statehouses across the country — is a blatant attack on the right to vote, the Constitution, and good conscience,” Biden wrote on Twitter Friday evening.
He added, “It’s Jim Crow in the 21st Century — and it must end.”
Kemp pushed back, telling The Hill that “it is obvious that neither” Biden “nor his handlers have actually read” the bill.
Defending the bill, the governor said it “expands voting access, streamlines vote-counting procedures, and ensures election integrity.”
“There is nothing ‘Jim Crow’ about requiring a photo or state-issued ID to vote by absentee ballot — every Georgia voter must already do so when voting in-person,” he added.
Kemp argued, “President Biden, the left, and the national media are determined to destroy the sanctity and security of the ballot box.”
The Georgia voting law — like so many others being pursued by Republicans in statehouses across the country — is a blatant attack on the right to vote, the Constitution, and good conscience.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 26, 2021
It’s Jim Crow in the 21st Century — and it must end.
Noting he previously served as secretary of state, Kemp told The Hill, “As Secretary of State, I consistently led the fight to protect Georgia elections against power-hungry, partisan activists. As Governor, I won’t back down from keeping Georgia elections secure, accessible, and fair.”
Kemp signed the law this week for sweeping new voting restrictions. Some limits include limited drop boxes, makes it a misdemeanor for people to offer food or water to those waiting in line, and imposes stricter identification requirements.
Civil Rights groups have since sued, arguing it makes it harder for Black Americans to cast ballots.
Biden also told reporters in Delaware on Friday, “We don’t know quite exactly what we can do at this point. The Justice Department’s taking a look as well.”