Fox host Sean Hannity pushed back on former Clinton pollster Mark Penn after he attempted to defend Democrats voting against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act on Wednesday.
Penn appeared on “Hannity” to discuss the recent passing of the GOP-led bill which will require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration. Hannity began by asking Penn why “any Democrat” would be against requiring voter identification when it comes to voting, including “other integrity measures” as well. (RELATED: House Passes Bill Aiming To Keep Illegal Immigrants From Voting)
“Well, look, I can offer a less nefarious reason I think the Democrats voted against this bill. They’re about 160 million people with passports, generally lower-income voters have more trouble either having a passport or getting documentation. So I do think that the Democrats think it would knock more of its real citizen voters off the rolls. So I think they have a rationale. When it comes to voter I.D. and things like this I think there’s less of a rationale,” Penn said.
“But Mark, wait a minute. There are states where you don’t need proof of citizenship to get a license. Once you get the license, you can register to vote, you never have to require proof of citizenship. Now, we just – Joe Biden allowed nearly 11 million unvetted illegal immigrants from 180 countries. Some are our top geopolitical foes, some are countries with ties to terror. We’re going to – opening the door and the possibility, and then there’s no voter I.D. or signature verification. Tell me how that lends itself to confidence in elections and integrity in our voting. How?” Hannity pushed back.
“Well I think if we went to a system of universal I.D., you know, along with Social Security numbers –”
“You want my fingerprints too? You want a chip in me?” Hannity questioned.
“Well, you see, Sean, you don’t want universal I.D., but you want people to have the documents and a lot of lower income voters don’t. I mean I think there’s truth to both sides,” Penn said.
The SAVE Act, introduced by Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy, passed through the House with a 221-198 vote late Wednesday. While a majority of Democrats voted against the amendment to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, requiring proof of citizenship for registration to vote in federal elections, five Democrats joined Republicans in pushing the legislation through.
Following the vote Roy applauded the passage, stating America will “only be able to keep this republic as a republic as long as our citizenship as Americans remains meaningful.”
However, this is not the first vote where Democrats have pushed back against a bill preventing illegal immigrants from voting. Within a May vote to repeal Washington, D.C.’s, liberal city council approval of allowing noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in local elections, over 140 Democrats voted against the GOP-led legislation, with 52 Democrats joining the opposite side of the aisle.
