For more information, contact: Aidan McMorrow (608) 266-5810
(MADISON) – Earlier today, Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) shared an article with her constituents through Twitter and Facebook. The report, Millions of Black Voters Are Being Purged From Voter Rolls, Often Illegally, explained how multiple factors lead to voter suppression and offered some solutions to the growing problem.
In response to the article Representative Thomas Weatherston (R-Caledonia) tweeted at Senator Taylor, saying that: “Those claiming that minorities are not smart enough to follow voting rules with a Photo ID are the true racists.”
Rep. Weatherston quickly deleted the tweet, but not before a picture of it was captured. In response to his comments, Senator Taylor released the following statement:
“In 2016 17,000-23,000 voters were deterred from the polls due to our state’s controversial voter ID laws. Additionally, African-Americans were three times more likely than whites to say those strict laws kept them from voting. Around the country, 231,556,622 eligible voters didn’t vote, with 765,000 less African-Americans voting in comparison to 2012’s election. Those are the numbers, it’s not up for debate.”
“Financial problems, accessibility, or general lack of information. Those are just some of the causes of low voter turnout mentioned in the article I shared, and in several other reports concerning voter suppression. Yet, Rep. Weatherston assumed that the only reason a minority individual wouldn’t vote, would be because of stupidity or inability to follow the law.”
“Perhaps, Rep. Weatherston didn’t see the comments by his fellow Republicans Congressman Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) and Attorney General Brad Schimel, who both claimed Wisconsin’s voter ID laws helped Republicans win.”
“Maybe next time he comments on one of my posts Rep. Weatherston should take a second to read the article I share. There’s no ID needed, and he won’t have to work nearly as hard to scramble and delete his ill-thought comments.”
