Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is blasting Republicans as he claims the party has adopted and tolerated unfounded claims that there was widespread fraud in the presidential election.
During a hearing on the For the People Act, an election reform bill, on Tuesday, he took aim at former President Donald Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread fraud in the presidential election.
“President Trump told a big lie. One of the biggest ever told. We all know that. Every single person in this room knows that. Every single person. And it’s taking root, this ‘big lie’ is taking root in our country not just in the minds of his voters, but in the laws of the land,” Schumer said.
The phrase the ‘big lie’ refers to Trump’s claims of widespread fraud that tilted the results of the election in President Joe Biden’s favor.
He continued, “When you perpetuate or tolerate lies about the election like this, you erode our democracy. When people don’t believe elections are on the level, it places us on the road to autocracy. Who knows what’ll happen next?”
“Republicans are seeking to perpetuate and act upon the ‘big lie’ that the election was stolen simply to placate, maybe please, the most dishonest president in American history. And unfortunately, the ‘big lie’ is spreading like a cancer among Republicans. It’s enveloping and consuming the Republican Party in both houses of Congress.”
Watch the video below:
Schumer says Trump's "big lie" about a stolen election is "spreading like a cancer among Republicans" and their support for it will "erode our democracy"
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 11, 2021
"When people don't believe elections are on the level, it places us on a road to autocracy. Who knows what'll happen next?" pic.twitter.com/3I0iYifghb
Schumer noted that House Republicans are preparing to oust Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from her leadership position as she has pushed back on Trump’s unfounded claims and criticized the former president.
“Liz Cheney spoke truth to power and for that she is being fired. Here in the Senate, Republicans appear content to allow the sacred right to vote to be taken away from millions on the false grounds that there was fraud,” he added.
Schumer’s comments come as House Republicans are moving to strip Cheney, the No. 3 Republican in the chamber, from her leadership position.
Additionally, Republican lawmakers in several states have introduced bills aimed at limiting mail-in and early voting following Trump’s claims of election fraud.
As of March, at least 250 such measures have been introduced in 43 states.